Homebrewing- Do we have an active group, if not, do we want one?

It’s one of those things where the base knowledge isn’t difficult to grasp but really important to be solid on like making sure every single thing is sanitized etc. Then once you get comfortable with your basics it kinda morphs into an art/science collaboration that makes liquid gold. But as stated it gets more complex and requires maths and things. At least that’s my take from the Brewers I know

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am i interested in homebrewing…? is that really a question…lol

The lease prohibited open flames, but not electric hotplates.

At one point, the story goes that the Fire Marshall forced us to kill the brewing stuff indoors. I have no idea how accurate that is, but I would think using an electric heater to cook wort, or heat the lauter tun, would get us out of fire code land.

Biggest problem remains - no running water in the workshop.

I used to use champagne yeast to do Mead, and it was pretty drinkable in 4-6 months. But Mead is the smack-daddy of all hangover causing brews. I gave it up.

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I have an electric range at home and cant say I’ve ever used open flames. I also just get a 5 gallon jug of water from the water store when I brew.

@webdevel isn’t allowed to drink mead anymore. I’ll let him tell that story if he wants…

Secrets man, secrets!!!

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You know if we make a batch of mead at the space, you’ll be obligated to have some.

If you make mead at the space I will be sure to obligate myself to trying some, since I’ve already established myself as a SME in the category of "booze tastin’ " :rofl:

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That’s a nice setup! Mine I don’t think is that hot, but I have a 3 vessel brew stand set up for kegs and I have the pumps and chiller set up to to batch or fly sparging. Haven’t brewed in over a year but I’m happy to break out the stand sometime, if we can do blacksmithing in the parking lot we have to be able to brew.

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That’s a really nice way to say a whole lot of potentially unsavory threats!

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IANAL, but I believe that one of the issues is the Texas Food Establishment Rules (i.e., health codes for “food establishments”). They are set by the state but locally enforced, and I suppose they could have local addendums as well.

We would need to somehow structure it so that it’s an experiment and doesn’t subject us to “Food Establishment Rules”.

(11) “Food” means a raw, cooked, or processed edible substance, ice, beverage, or ingredient used or intended for use or for sale in whole or in part for human consumption, or chewing gum.
(12) “Food Establishment” means an operation that stores, prepares, packages, serves, vends or otherwise provides food for human consumption such as: a restaurant; retail food store; satellite or catered feeding location; catering operation if the operation provides food directly to a consumer …

No secrets amongst friends lol

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I don’t think either of those would apply to this, were people planning to sell? DMS doesn’t seem to fall under the food establishment guidelines and just because we’d be brewing doesn’t suddenly make the whole space one. There’s always the option to have it set up as a study on fermentation and I guess if people do want to sell, sell the bottle not the alcohol lol. I think figuring out the liability of DMS in the case of members meeting to brew their allowed x gallons of beer per year at the space would cover the issue.

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I was thinking this also.

The scuttlebutt I heard when I first joined was that the Homebrewing group had read the ATF rules closely, and thought that actual brewing at the Space didn’t qualify as home brewing, despite the fact it wouldn’t be for sale, and they just brewed some wort here, and everybody took their share home to brew at their house.

The first fire marshal to visit pitched a small hissy-fit because there was a book about brewing, but evidently that didn’t make it to his actual report. There were plenty of other issues…

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As far as I can remember, before “cooking” was officially banned, per the lease, we were making the wort onsite, but not pitching the yeast. This was the step that kept us from having to worry about personal quantity limits tracking at the space, and insured it remained homebrew, as somebody would have to take it home before adding the yeast.

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I’m most in favor of finding an entirely compliant way to do the entire brew process at DMS.

IANAL, but because there would be no selling of the beer or wine, I’m inclined to think that the Texas Food Establishment Rules may not apply to us as that document repeatedly makes use of the phrase “Retail Food Establishment”. Points taken though about the definitions of FOOD and FOOD ESTABLISHMENT.

I do not believe there will be issues with the Fire Marshall going forward as nothing was mentioned of brewing when he saw the equipment during a subsequent meeting that I was a part of. My guess is that much of this stemmed from the telephone game communication.

There is still the issue of the language with the lease, Exhibit D - 8:
"No cooking shall be done or permitted on the Premises, except that Underwriters’ Laboratory approved microwave ovens or equipment for brewing coffee, tea, hot chocolate and similar beverages shall be permitted, provided that such equipment and use is in accordance with all applicable federal, state and city Jaws, codes, ordinances, rules and regulations. "
But, my guess is that only a very feeble attempt was made when communicating with the landlord’s management company to convey the amounts and teaching purposes of what we were doing here. I do not know what was communicated or miscommunicated.

So,

  1. Perhaps our current Board will find that a simple brewing class is in line with local and state laws and language of lease in Exhibit D - 8.
  2. Leaving out the pitching of yeast or stopping the brew process at another step might be acceptable.
  3. Brewing somewhere closeby that has running water and electricity/gas burners might work too.

Somebody please make this happen in some form or fashion!

You definitely don’t want to run afoul of the state and city Jaws…

But seriously, it does need to be presented for official discussion. It would be nice if we could do it, but I understand if we can’t.

No to hijack this thread but in the same vein would cooking classes with a science basis be permitted. Not looking for anything with an open flame but lets say preservation techniques (curing and canning). BBQ & Smoking techniques (Obviously outside activities but prep work could be done indoors. Immersion circulator techniques, modern gastronomy techniques (totally a food science). But if the discussion is going to be had with the landlord over brewing why not add this to the conversation.
Just more of my random thoughts
Woody

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I thought the “lol” made it clear that bit was a joke, apologies.

Just to re-iterate, if we can’t brew at DMS I would attend the HECK out of a lecture style + Q&A class if @Lordrook is up for teaching it!

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