If you are a beer enthusiast interested in making craft beer at home, the workshop "Beer Brewing 101: Let’s Get Started" is designed for you.
At this first session in a series, presenters Loren Fountaine and Mike Zagrobelny will guide participants with the basics of brewing knowledge and give them the confidence to brew their first batch of beer successfully at home.
It will be held at Big Spoon Kitchen in Potsdam on Saturday, October 27, from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. Registration with the Local Living Venture is necessary to attend.
There is no prior knowledge necessary, this session is for true beginners. Topics will include basic brewing equipment, where to buy needed items, basic brewing vocabulary, and the process for stovetop extract brewing. This basic course will be followed in April by a "hands-on" session where attendees will dig in deeper and further sessions are also planned.
If there is a popular demand, the Local Living Venture will facilitate an ongoing gathering of interested brewers, with the benefits of sharing tips, recipes and perhaps a cooperative buying club.
Workshop presenter Loren Fountaine is a North Country native and lives in Massena with his wife and two children. He has brewed hundreds of gallons of beer since the early 2000's and now has an entire room of his home dedicated to brewing, having upgraded to an automated recirculating mash system in 2014.
Co-presenter Mike Zagrobelny lives in Norwood with his wife, three children, and the family dog and has been brewing for the past three years. Home brewing satisfies his love of good beer and thrifty nature of getting something good for less, especially when he gets to reuse and re-purpose old machinery in the bargain.
Hosting sponsor, Big Spoon Kitchen in Potsdam, NY, has a mission to connect people with the wonderful local food resources we have right here in our community. They offer "Pick Up Meals" at local grocery outlets, classes, and catering at bigspoonpotsdam.com.
There is a suggested donation of $22 general public, $40 couple/family of two, $10 student donation for material costs, overhead expenses, and to benefit Local Living Venture (LLV) non-profit workshop creation. All workshop attendees must be over the age of 21.
Reservations are necessary, due to limited space. To register, contact LocalLivingVenture@gmail.com or call (315) 347-4223 to reserve a spot. Please include your phone number(s) and the number in your party for an email containing all pertinent information.
The Local Living Venture presents workshops and events, in partnership with local people who have the expertise to share, as part of their mission to contribute to a healthy and more capable citizenry in the North Country region.
More information about future workshops and volunteer opportunities can be found at www.LocalLivingVenture.org and on the Local Living Venture Facebook page.