Check Out These Upcoming Homebrewing Events

Earth Day, Arbor Day, Cinco de Mayo, Mother's Day... this time of year is littered with minor, rather inconsequential holidays. But one spring rite towers above them all: May 7, National Homebrew Day.

Begun in 1988 by decree of the U.S. Congress — perhaps the last time that august body did something nondestructive and even worthwhile — National Homebrew Day is celebrated the first Saturday in May each year by many thousands of bespectacled, bearded nerds; their curious friends; and, happily and increasingly, interested women, most of whom do not have beards.

The most visible celebrations are part of the American Homebrewers Association's Big Brew, an international, intercontinental, and for all we know, intergalactic event whereby nerds, friends, and nonbearded women get together and do what comes naturally. (That's brewing beer for you perverts out there.) According to the AHA, last year more than 5,000 people celebrated by brewing over 11,000 gallons at 291 sites on six continents.

Beyond tomorrow's homebrewing class at Ann Arbor's Pittsfield Grange, there are several other (free) chances locally to learn about homebrewing on May 7 as part of the AHA Big Brew:

Liberty Street Brewing, 149 W. Liberty, Plymouth
Sponsored by Sons of Liberty Homebrew Club
Brewing begins at 9am
Contact: sol@LibertyStreetBeer.com

Original Gravity, 440 County, Milan
Sponsored by Ann Arbor Brewers Guild
Brewing begins at 9am
Contact: Mike O'Brien, picobrew@comcast.net, 734-637-2532
Brewers will be simultaneously making several different beers on several different brewing systems.

Adventures in Homebrewing, 23869 Van Born, Taylor
(Ann Arbor store coming soon!)
Brewing begins at 10am
Contact: homebrew@homebrewing.org, 313-277-BREW
Homebrewing demos (extract and all-grain), samples, in-store discounts, food, and more.

Come on out and learn about brewing, make new friends (I can attest personally that Beer People Are the Best People™), and participate in a worldwide beer toast at 1pm. Despite common belief, beards are optional (albeit encouraged).