How Phoenix landed on the national homebrewing map

It’s a great time to be a craft beer lover.

With more craft beer options out there than ever before, those who covet a frothy, well-made brew have no problem finding something they like at their neighborhood liquor store or beer bar.

But for one group, it’s not enough.

Homebrewers aren’t satisfied with just buying and enjoying good beer. They want to know what makes it good, and how to make it better.

“There are two types of homebrewers,” said longtime Phoenix homebrewer Keith Mycek.  “There’s the guys who get kits for Father’s Day and they screw around with it, and decide they would rather just buy beer. Then there’s the lifers who like the process, the science and love to share the craft.”

It’s the “lifers” who have turned their hobby into a passion. Along the way, they have put the Valley on the national map as a top homebrewing destination.

Just this week, the American Homebrewers Association named Phoenix one of seven up-and-coming homebrew hot spots in the U.S., along with areas like Minneapolis/Saint Paul, Nashville and Tampa. Among the factors considered was homebrew club membership, and the Arizona Society of Homebrewers, or ASH, has one of the largest in country.

The timing of the announcement couldn't have been better — Nov. 5 is international Learn to Homebrew Day and local events are planned throughout the weekend. But the recognition is the culmination of more than two decades of dedicated work.

ASH was formed in 1995 to promote, support and educate its members about the art of homebrewing. Clubs in Portland, Austin, Washington, D.C., and San Diego consistently compete with ASH for the biggest membership each year. Currently, ASH has 360 members, and by the end of the year, that number could shoot up about 500. Its mailing list has more than 1,700 contacts.

RELATED: How to start homebrewing right now

ASH is among a number of homebrewing organizations throughout Arizona, and it leads the charge with two major annual festivals, including its Fall Festival on Sunday, as well as regular competitions, a strong educational component, an increasingly diverse membership and a solid relationship with local breweries.

Despite challenges — chiefly, Arizona’s hard water and scorching summers — homebrewers have persevered. They use filtered or bottled water, and add the necessary minerals back in before brewing. Some homebrewers invest in refrigerators with external thermostats or utilize ice baths to get the fermentation temperatures just right. Others shift to mead or cider making in the summer months, or just take a break.

The positives still outweigh the negatives to brew in Phoenix. Most of the year, “Arizona has both the space and the perfect temperatures to brew, and the brewing season is longer than other parts of the country,” ASH president Krystal Bittner said. “Most of us don't have to brew in tiny apartments. Our city itself is so spread out, but in contrast, having a centralized club brings the whole city together.”

ASH also is bringing together women who are passionate about craft beer, a reflection of a national trend.

There are more than 2,000 clubs across the country registered with the American Homebrewers Association. Six out of its 15 governing members are women, according to director Gary Glass.

“In years past, most homebrewers were a little bit older and predominately male,” Glass said. “Now we’re seeing a much younger group get into the hobby, and Millennials make up a larger portion than any other generation.”

Locally, ASH has seen female membership climb significantly, to about 20 percent, according to Bittner, and five out of its eight board members are women.

“Being able to talk about your recipe, brewing process and sensory notes transcends gender,” she said. “It's easy to geek out about homebrew.”

Rising from the ASH

When the Arizona Society of Homebrewers started, the availability of good craft beer was limited.

“At the time, there were not many microbreweries around. We would meet at Luigi’s Pizza on McClintock and Elliot in Tempe,” said lifetime member Jeffrey Haines, who owns Brewers Connection in Tempe and Tucson.

Rob Fullmer, executive director of the Arizona Craft Brewers Guild, also is a lifetime ASH member. He served as president for three years before he got his job at the guild, and is credited with taking ASH to the next level.

“I recognized the potential it had, and I think I helped grow it from 150 to 200 people to almost 500 at one point,” he said. “There were so many people we had to figure out a way to understand the people who were coming, the demographics, so we created barcoded membership cards… We also wanted to take advantage of the size of the group, so we started to negotiate discounts, and work on promotions and education with the breweries.”

Fullmer noticed there were a number of women who were volunteering with events, but many weren’t full members. He encouraged them to join and take on leadership roles.

Danielle Schanke, the at-large board member of special projects for ASH, said she has always had support from her fellow ASH members, and only really feels some gender discrimination outside of the group.

“When meeting new people not in the beer industry, some are surprised when I tell them about my hobby and assume my husband got me into it. But in fact, I was the one who introduced homebrewing to him,” she said. “Once I get into a conversation about beer and homebrewing, it's clear I'm passionate and knowledgeable about the topic.”

The monthly meetings at the Scottsdale clubhouse could be mistaken for a neighborhood pub. Members show their cards when they enter, and head to the back of the venue, where the sharing begins.

Anyone who has brewed recently brings in bottles or growlers of their beers, and puts them on the bar or in one of the coolers. Members grab one of the mismatched glasses from the shelf, and start pouring, tasting and discussing.

Mesa resident Carvin Wilson, 46, recently brought in a cherry mead that featured 18 pounds of cherries for 7 gallons of brew.

“The feedback on this batch has been very good,” the 46-year-old said. “I like that I can reach out to people and share what we’ve made. The social aspect of the group is great, and everyone is really friendly.”

While great friendships are found in the homebrewing club, there's a practical advantage.

“The best way to improve your beer is to get direct feedback from people who know what they’re talking about,” Glass said. “Every homebrewer has heard from their friends that their beer is great and they should open a brewery, but sometimes your friends aren’t totally honest.”

Signs promoting local breweries, beer businesses and festivals hang on the walls, including “Beer me please!” from Brewers Connection and “We’re here for beer,” courtesy of Wyeast Labs, a beer yeast company. Glassware, beer taps and other paraphernalia take up corners and table space.

Bittner calls the meetings to order, and starts with announcements and volunteer opportunities. Then, the presentation begins. Members are encouraged to ask questions, and make it a lively, engaging conversation.

Warren Earle, 40, of Mesa began homebrewing three years ago because he was tired of drinking the same domestic beer. He started with a stovetop homebrewing kit, and has been getting more advanced since joining the club about a year ago.

“I like to learn other people’s perspectives on brewing during the presentations,” Earle said. "It's a great place to bounce ideas off each other, and talk about the pros and cons of different techniques. I really enjoy it."

There are three levels of club membership ranging from $35 to $60 for the year — all include discount cards to participating local breweries and beer bars, club meetings and members-only events.

Want to be a beer judge?

One of the most important facets of ASH is beer education. The monthly presentations at the meetings are dedicated to just that, focusing on techniques, current trends and other homebrewing topics. Sometimes professional brewers or sponsors come in, and other times fellow members share their experiences.

Another educational component is the Beer Judge Certification Program training and testing. ASH member Dennis Mitchell is a master judge who helps coordinate with the instruction.

“From the homebrewer’s perspective, it’s a great opportunity to learn more about beer styles and brewing techniques,” Mitchell said. “You learn how certain faults in beer are created, and how to avoid them in your own brewing. With the experience as a beer judge, you become a better brewer and you learn more of what works, and what doesn’t.”

Prospective judges must take two exams to become certified:

• An online entrance exam, which tests for knowledge of beer styles, faults and tasting techniques.
• A tasting exam, which tests the candidate on the accuracy of their evaluations of beers and how to properly fill out scorecards. The test is only given once a year in Arizona with a maximum of 12 test-takers. 

There is a general beer competition scorecard across the board, judging on aroma, appearance, flavor, mouthfeel and overall impression, with points assigned to each category. In Arizona, there are about 60 certified judges, and 5,000 nationally.

“With one exam here a year, we are trying to focus on growing the Arizona judging pool,” Mitchell said. “In Arizona, we have right around 60, which is pretty small compared to other states… It’s a commitment to study for the exam and learn all of the styles, and you have to take the time to study.”

The main competitions in the fall and spring are open to any homebrewers — members or not. The award ceremony for the Arizona Fall Classic will take place Sunday, Nov. 6, at the Fall Festival, a members-only event at Kiwanis Park where homebrewers can bring their beers to share.

Then there’s the members-only competitions throughout the year. Points are awarded to brewers for the best beers throughout the year, and at the end, the Homebrewer of the Year award will go to whoever has the most points.

Path to professional beer careers

With the extensive knowledge and processes that are gained from being a part of a homebrewing club, it’s not surprising that some eventually turn their hobbies into careers. But it’s not easy.

As homebrewer Dennis Tsonis put it, “Every homebrewer deep down would like to try it commercially, but a lot goes into it.”

Andrew Bauman, brewmaster at Uncle Bear’s Brewery in Ahwatukee Foothills, owes his homebrewing interest to his wife, who pushed him to pursue the hobby more seriously and to join ASH. Within 2½ years, Bauman had made 180 batches of beer, and he knew this was more than a pastime. He got an opportunity when the Perch Pub & Brewery in Chandler was opening.

“I thought, ‘I could do this at a brewery,’ and the Perch was opening at the time, so I talked to my wife and told her it was all her fault anyway,” Bauman quipped. “It was far more difficult to do it commercially, even though it’s essentially the same process.”

Bauman made his first batch, but realized he didn’t even know how to transfer the beer to a keg. So he turned to other brewers for advice. At the Perch, Bauman was able to turn some of his homebrew recipes into bigger batches, but since moving to Uncle Bear’s, which is much larger, he has had to cut down on creativity and focus more on consistency.

“Homebrewing drives the passion for creating new and interesting beers, which is why so many homebrewers have gone on to open breweries,” Bauman said. “They are a special group of people who want other people to do the same thing, and to do it well. They’ll give you anything.”

ASH member Chuck Wennerlund recently opened Oro Brewing Company in Mesa. After brewing on and off for years, he decided to pick up the hobby again in 2010 and joined the club in 2012. He soon realized he needed to step up his game.

“You’re around a lot of people taking it really seriously, and it changed from just a hobby to learning and approaching the science of it,” he said. “Every second of almost every day I was thinking of some process within brewing, and my hobby turned into a passion and snowballed from there…I started to hone my skills, learn more techniques and figure out how to get better.”

Wennerlund, who has worked two different careers, was ready to start a third, and wanted it to be something he was passionate about. He and fellow ASH member Dave Valencia teamed up, and started to look for properties in 2014, finding the perfect spot in downtown Mesa.

Wennerlund said it was helpful to receive constructive criticism from fellow members on his beers. The education and training he got from ASH to improve his beer knowledge and palate were crucial.

“I’ve found that there’s a community out there that demands great beer, and with that comes great responsibility on the brewer’s side to recognize that…if you make bad beer, you shouldn’t sell it,” he said. “If you put a beer on the shelf, it represents who you are.”

Beyond a pastime, it's a lifestyle

Tsonis, 54, is a Phoenix insurance broker who first tried homebrewing in 1986 while living in Pennsylvania. He used to pass by a homebrewering shop every day to work. One day, a friend gave him “The Complete Joy of Homebrewing,” a book dubbed the “Old Testament” of the craft, written by American Homebrewers Association founder Charlie Papazian. So Tsonis decided to try it out.

He continued to dabble in the hobby on and off for years, taking it more seriously after he moved to Arizona and his kids were older. He bought a system for his backyard, and soon won Best in Show at a brewing contest.

“I joined (ASH) for the knowledge, the camaraderie and how you meet people from all walks of life,” he said. "I also wanted to hear different opinions, gain more knowledge and get feedback.

Mycek, 45, started homebrewing in 1995 while in Myrtle Beach, S.C., and the friend he was visiting offered him some beers.

“I took a sip of the third one, and told him it was good and asked who makes it,” Mycek recalled. “He said, ‘I made that beer, and we’re going to make some beer together.’”

After that experience, Mycek was hooked. In 2006, he decided to step up his game and move to all-grain brewing. Both Mycek and Tsonis joined ASH when they wanted to get more serious into homebrewing, and one day Mycek invited Tsonis to brew with him.

“It’s a lot to brew just by yourself, so it’s nice to brew with someone and they can take half of the batch home,” Mycek said.

Several years ago, Tsonis needed his second back surgery, which meant he couldn’t homebrew the way he had been anymore. But he and Mycek devised an elevated brewing system that utilizes pumps to move the liquid around so no bending over or heavy lifting would be required.

Over the course of two years, Tsonis renovated his garage with epoxy floor, water softener, chest freezers, refrigerators, cabinetry and an air-conditioning system so they could brew in the summers, and they built the top-notch, three-vessel brewing system. Mycek, a software engineer, created a sophisticated automated control panel. The two share the system, and will often brew together. All in all, the renovations and system cost about $20,000.

“You could spend that much on a lot of hobbies,” Tsonis said. “We did these things so I wouldn’t get hurt, because I would spend more than that for surgery again.”

Schanke brews together with her husband, Mike Bush, with the team switching off as head brewer and assistant. The head brewer will come up with the recipe and run the show, while the assistant helps sanitize the equipment and help with anything the head brewer might need.

Schanke started homebrewing almost 12 years ago after trying out a Mr. Beer brew kit with her friend. She met Bush in 2012, and as a Christmas present to her father, she arranged a brew day and invited Bush along. Bush was a bigger fan of wine at the time, and Schanke started introducing him to more craft beers.

“I like the science and process of homebrewing,” Bush said. “We have the fancy equipment because of me. (Schanke) is the more creative one.”

The couple use Brewer’s Friend, an online tool that allows brewers to enter and keep track of the brew day recipes, schedules, checklists, water chemistry, hops, grains, yeast, costs and more.

“You can schedule reminders so you know when to add ingredients,” Schanke said. “We started using software more than a year ago. It helps keep things organized and easy to access from the web.”

Schanke and Bush converted their basement into a "pub," with chest freezers, couches, a TV, glassware and a kegerator that features “his” and “hers” taps.

Recently, they brewed a Russian Imperial Stout, Bush's recipe, which meant getting up at 5:30 a.m. and brewing until about 1:30 p.m. It's the first beer that will be aged in a barrel gifted to them by a fellow ASH member. They’ve become a dynamic brewing duo, working seamlessly together on their three-vessel brewing system, which produces 10-gallon batches.

“The whole sum is better than its parts,” Schanke said. "We are better together."

Homebrew Arizona

What: Learn how to homebrew with members from the Arizona Society of Homebrewers (ASH), ask questions and see what it takes to get started at home. There are also events hosted by other clubs in Scottsdale and Sun City.

When: 8:30 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 5. 

Where: Brewers Connection, 1425 E. University Drive, Tempe. 

Admission: Free. 

Details: 480-449-3720, brewersconnection.com, homebrewersassociation.org. 

Arizona Society of Homebrewers Fall Festival

What: The homebrewing club presents its annual festival festival. 

When: Noon-6 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 6. 

Where: Tempe Kiwanis Park, 5500 S. Mill Ave.

Admission: Free. Open to current ASH members only.

Details: azhomebrewers.org.