Wine Tasting
Montgomeryville: Sunday, June 27, 2–5 p.m.
Home vintners: come share your wine with other winemakers. It doesn’t matter if you are a kit winemaker or if you start from scratch; everyone who makes wine should attend. All wines made from grapes, juices, fruits, kits, and honey are welcome. Everyone who brings wine gets a $5 coupon to Keystone Homebrew (maximum 1 coupon per person).
Haven’t made your own yet? This is a great chance to learn about winemaking and to taste different wines. We provide cheese, crackers, and other snacks.
Don’t miss them: mark your calendar!
PHILLY BEER WEEK
Keystone Homebrew Supply co-hosted a bunch of key events during Philly Beer Week, June 4 through June 13. This week is more than seven days in order to fit "hundreds of events, thousands of beers." What a week! Check out just a few of the events below.
Sierra Nevada Philly Beer Week Homebrew Cup
Winners Announced
Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. judged area homebrewed creations. Click here for details.
Geekdom That's Fun to Watch
Preliminary Round: Photos Online!
Final Round: Photos Online!
This regional competition is a highly entertaining challenge of overall beer knowledge and especially the enthusiasm of area beer fans. Beer, music, and entertainment.
Photos from last year's semifinals here.
Photos from last year's final event here.
Dates, details, and more photos at Philly Beer Geek.
Brewing Classes
Learn Brewing during Philly Beer Week
All-Grain Brewing, June 5, 10 a.m.
Introduction to Brewing Homebrewing Class, June 9, 7 p.m.
Click here for details.
Randy Mosher -- Beer Evangelist and Illustrator Extraordinaire
Book Signing Followed by a Tutored Beer Tasting
Thursday, June 10
Randy signed books at our Montgomeryville Store while discussing everything that came to eager homebrewers' minds. Following that, Randy gave a talk about tasting beer at Iron Hill Brewery in North Wales. The tutored tasting of four beers, plus a free pint and light snacks.
See the rest of Randy Mosher's visit here.
Clone Brew Wars
Rebel Homebrewers Challenge Pro Breweries
Saturday, June 12, 2:00 to 6:00 p.m.
This one-of-a-kind event at the Varga bar gave everybody the chance to judge homebrewed clones of legendary beers created by Keystone Homebrew customers against their commercial counterparts. Click here for tickets and more details.
Philly Beer Week: Can't Wait for Next Year!
Grow Your Own Hops
Early each spring we offer hop rhizomes, a piece of root from a hop plant from which you can grow your own fresh hops. The rhizomes are easy to grow and come back year after year with little care.
More information, including links and hop rhizome growing preferences.
Ready to order online? Click here.
Since the hop shortage started, there has been an overwhelming demand for hop rhizomes. At just $4.95 each, we're sure to sell out fast. Here's what we expect to receive in early April:
- Cascade
- Centennial
- Chinook
- Fuggle
- Glacier
- Goldings
- Hallertau
- Horizon
- Mt. Hood
- Northern Brewer
- Nugget
- Perle
- Saaz
- Sterling
- Tettnang
- Willamette
Hop facts:
- Each rhizome can produce between 1/2 and 2 pounds of fresh hops
- Hops are perennials and come back each year.
- Hops can grow up to 30 feet in a season
- Hops like full sun and to be well watered
Steps to growing hops:
- Prepare your soil. Hops prefer rich sandy or loamy soil. If you have have heavy clay soil, make sure to add lots of compost or peat moss.
- Provide a place for your hops to grow: trellis, fence or twine system. The plants will produce more hops with 12 feet or more of string to climb. Remember they can grow up to 30 feet tall!
- Plant the rhizome approximately 3 to 6 inches below the surface.
- Make sure the hops are well watered but also well drained.
- Only allow the strongest 2-3 vines to grow, trim back all the others.
- As the summer progresses you will see hop cones form on the vines, when the cones get papery dry (but not brown) and the lupulin glands are yellow, it is time to harvest the hops.
- Make sure to fully dry the hops before storing, otherwise they will get moldy.
Finally, although we cannot guarantee that the hop rhizomes will grow, they perform remarkably well, tolerating both drought and bitter cold.
A 3-year-old Cascade rhizome growing in Hatfield with only a half day of sun produced just under a pound of fresh, dried hops last year. Part of the plant is pictured below.
Frozen Local Berries for Winemaking or Brewing
Deadline to Order: Thursday, April 30, 2010
Elwer Farms in Berks County, PA picks and freezes berries at the peak of freshness, perfectly preserved for your wine or beer creations.
- Blackberries—1 quart—about 0.8–0.9 lb. $5.50
- Red Raspberries—1 quart—about 0.8–0.9 lb. $5.50
- Elderberries—3.5 quarts—about 3 lb. $17.50
The berries will arrive on Thursday, May 6. We currently do not have the facilities to keep them frozen, but we will keep them refrigerated. This means you should be prepared to pick them up right away and either refreeze them, or start your batch of wine, beer, mead, or cider. Berries need to be picked up before closing time on Sunday, October 25 at the latest. Because the berries are perishable, we will not ship them, but they can be picked up in either our Bethlehem or Montgomeryville location. Call in your order, or order online. The deadline to order is Thursday, April 30 and we’ll need full payment in advance.
Winemakers: Meet the Source
One Night Only! Tuesday, March 9
Now is your chance to learn more about winemaking ingredients, directly from the source(s)! (That's right, we're introducing you to our connection!) For the first time ever, we have organized an evening of fun, informative presentations and winemaking discussions with a star-studded cast of Keystone Homebrew suppliers. Learn more about the wide variety of fresh and frozen grapes, juices, wine kits, and other winemaking supplies. Don't miss the coupons, special offers, and product samples (including some wine samples, of course). Check out our starting lineup in our Spring Newsletter online. Times, details, and any additions to the program will be announced via email and here on our Web site.
Winemakers: Meet the Source will happen at the historic Sellersville Theater 1894, in Sellersville, PA. The cost is just $20 per person, payable in advance, and will include sandwiches and other light refreshments. We expect a great turnout for this unique event, so if you’d like to attend, please contact one of our stores with payment information.
Reserve Online for Winemakers: Meet the Source
Reservations subject to phone confirmation: click here to order.
The War of the Worts
26th Largest Homebrew Competition in History!
The 15th annual WOW was Saturday, February 20, 2010 at Iron Hill Brewery in North Wales, PA with 816 entries!
Aside from fame and fantastic prizes, you get your homemade beer and mead evaluated by BJCP-registered judges who try their best to give helpful feedback.
War of the Worts is a qualifying competition for the Keystone Cup. More information, including entry forms and judge and steward sign-up forms, will be available on the Keystone Hops Homebrew Club's Web site. Both Keystone Homebrew Supply locations accept entries.
More details about the War of the Worts, including entry forms, are available on the Keystone Hops Homebrew Club's Web site. Questions, or other competition communications, should be directed to waroftheworts@keystonehomebrew.com.
See some pictures from past Wars here.
Check out our
Oktoberfest Cooking Class
Tuesday, October 13
We will be partnering with our friends at Studio M Foods (near our Montgomeryville store) to teach a cooking class featuring traditional Oktoberfest food and beer pairings. Call Studio M Foods at (215) 368-2512 to sign up. www.studiomfoods.com
Keystone's Annual Family Picnic
Saturday, July 18, 2009
Judy and Jim kindly welcome the Keystone family to throw a big Summer Picnic at their house. Each July home brewers, wine-, cider-, and mead-makers will bring their families to come celebrate the summer and their liquid creations.
Judy and Jim have a great house located on ten acres just 25 minutes from the homebrew shop. The party starts at 4 p.m. and everyone is invited to camp out overnight! DJ Peter plays all kinds of music from African to Zydeco, with plenty in between.
Kids (including the grown-up ones) play volleyball, horseshoes, croquet, boulles, and even go for a jump on the trampoline. Soda, cups, plates, napkins, burgers, hot dogs, and a gas grill are provided. Picnickers should bring a tasty dish, dessert, or snack in addition to their much-loved homemade beer, wine, cider or mead. Check out our photo page to see for yourself.
Malt Madness Homebrew Competition
Event held Saturday, August 29, 2009
This great contest also counts toward the Keystone Cup. Click here for details.
Absinthe Tasting
Montgomeryville: Thursday, May 21, 6 p.m.
Bethlehem: Tuesday, June 30, 6:30 p.m.
Philadelphia Distilling will bring their
absinthe -- and perhaps some of their award-winning Bluecoat
American Dry Gin and recently released Penn 1681 Rye Vodka --
to our Montgomeryville store for your sampling pleasure.
Banned in the United States since the early 20th century
(because it contains trace amounts of a psychoactive substance),
absinthe was legalized in 2007. Philadelphia Distilling is
now pioneering the effort to bring it back, being the first East
Coast distillery to produce absinthe in more than 100 years.
Keystone Homebrew is proud to have had a (small) hand in their
success, having lent our 80-liter bladder press to the cause.
Stop by either of our stores if you are interested in making
your own absinthe. Between now and the end of May, wear a green
shirt and save 10% off a Green Devil Absinthe Brewing Kit. Pay
cash, announce to the store that you’re a “Green Devil,” and get an
additional 5% off!
Become a Beer Judge
BJCP Study Course and Exam
BJCP class materials/syllabus.
Becoming a beer judge is hard but rewarding work. Keystone Homebrew sponsors eight study sessions followed by the BJCP (Beer Judge Certification Program) exam. The BJCP is a nationwide organization devoted to the training and education of beer judges. The study sessions will be led by Larry Horwitz, Brewer, Iron Hill Brewery; and Jason Harris, owner, Keystone Homebrew Supply.
Beer School: YEAST
Monday, March 9, 7:00 p.m. at Iron Hill, North Wales
Yeast are the tiny organisms that convert sugars into alcohol during fermentation, for which we are exceedingly grateful. They can also have a tremendous impact on the character of a beer! Find out how in this one-our class, which will include a tasting of 5 unique beers and light snacks. The cost is $25 per person; call Keystone Homebrew Supply in advance to ensure we have a spot for you.
Lehigh Valley Homebrewers Win 2008 Keystone Cup
We couldn’t have asked for a more exciting finish to the first Keystone Cup. The top two clubs were within 6 points going into the Malt Madness, the second and final leg of the competition. The Lehigh Valley Homebrewers were in the lead, and with the “home bar” advantage it looked liked they had it wrapped up. Keystone Hops demonstrated an impressive away game, though, scoring 71 points at Malt Madness versus 65 points for the Lehigh Valley Homebrewers. Both clubs finished with a combined score of 142 points leading to the tiebreaking calculation of BOS points in which the Lehigh Valley Homebrewers had 6 and the Keystone Hops had an incredibly close 5 points. Other clubs had some strong showings, as well, and can be proud of their rankings below. In the end though, the Lehigh Valley Homebrewers stood alone atop the standings, and their club name is the first to adorn the coveted Keystone Cup. Congratulations!
Club Final score
Keystone Hops 142
Lehigh Valley Homebrewers 142
Aleiens 23
H.O.P.S. 19
W.H.A.L.E.S. 17
Stoney Creek 16
B.U.Z.Z. 12
NYC Homebrew Club 8
Pa Liquid Concoctions Brewers (P.L.C.B.) 6
Beezwax not yours incorporated 5
Pa-Alers 5
S.A.A.Z. 5
Lancaster County Brewers 3
General Lafayette 3
the brewing network 3
Hi Gravity 1
Hop River Brewers 1
The 2009 competition for the Keystone Cup begins this February at the War of the Worts. Make sure to list your affiliated club on your entry form so your homebrew club gets credit. The competition is sure to be fierce as the Keystone Hops seek redemption, the Lehigh Valley Homebrewers attempt to defend their title, and other local clubs try to exert their influence!
Big Brews
Apple Brandy Barrel Brew--Sat., Oct. 25 in Montgomeryville
“Teach a Friend to Homebrew” Big Brew--Sat., Nov. 1 in Bethlehem
Every year Keystone Homebrew Supply hosts a Bourbon Barrel Brew in Montgomeryville—until now. This year, we were able to get our hands on some superb apple brandy barrels, and we weren’t going to pass up the opportunity for a unique Big Brew event! To take advantage of the special character of these barrels, we’ll be brewing a Belgian Golden Strong Ale. Everyone will follow the same recipe (either all-grain or extract), brew together, and then fill the apple brandy barrels for a four-week primary fermentation. As an optional twist, just in time for brew day we’re expecting a shipment of frozen berries that would make an exceptional addition to this beer during the secondary fermentation. More details, including the recipe (including suggestions for the fruit) is available here.
You are also welcome to join the Lehigh Valley Homebrewers for a Big Brew to commemorate Teach a Friend to Homebrew Day on Saturday, November 1. This event is an opportunity for homebrewers to come together at Chris Becker’s family’s farm (call the Bethlehem store for directions), brew their favorite recipes, and compare unique set-ups and brewing methods. Bring a friend, and teach him or her to homebrew!
If you are interested in learning about outdoor brewing, all-grain brewing, or want to see some crazy homebrew setups, these are great opportunites to check out a variety of methods at once. We will have a propane grill available for cooking, and Keystone will provide hot dogs and hamburgers. Everyone is encouraged to bring some homebrew to sample while brewing or viewing.
More details here.
Brew at the Zoo Beer Festival
July 26, 6 to 10 p.m.
The third annual brew fest this year at the Philadelphia Zoo. Not only do you get to walk with the animals, you get to drink with the animals. Admission gets you a glass and free samples from Victory, Yards, Iron Hill, and a whole bunch of other fine breweries (updated list at www.brewatthezoo.net).
Best of all, this event benefits the United Mitochondrial Disease Foundation, a very worthwhile organization dedicated to finding a cure for this tragic cellular disease that strikes children and adults. Read more about them online at www.umdf.org. You can buy tickets at Keystone Homebrew for $35.00 in advance, cash or checks only. Checks should be made out to Del Val UMDF.
We won’t let the microbreweries take all the glory; Keystone Homebrew will also be there showcasing the winning homebrewed beer from the KO Competition. Show your homebrewed pride by wearing your Keystone colors: Anyone spotted wearing a Keystone Homebrew T-shirt at the festival will receive a $5 coupon to the store.
Malt Madness Homebrew Competition
Contest September 6, Winners Announced at 4:30 p.m.
Malt Madness homebrew contest is coming up soon (Sept. 6) and is the second and final competition for this year's Keystone Cup. We'll email everyone on our email list when we'll start accepting entries.
More information at the Lehigh Valley Homebrewers Web site.
Brewers Brawl Keg Only (KO) Competition in Montgomeryville
Thursday, July 17, 2008, 7 p.m.
Keystone Homebrew's Brewers Brawl KO Competitions have great prizes and several chances to win. More details and entry forms will be posted soon, but here are the basics:
- Beers must be presented in almost full, 5-gallon kegs (they will be weighed).
- Winners will be given a $50 gift certificate to Keystone, and a free pass into the Brew at the Zoo Beer Festival.
- Winning brewers must be willing to have their beer served at the Brew at the Zoo Beer Festival. Credit will be given to each brewer.
Click here for more information and entry forms.
Sly Fox's Goat Races/Bock Fest
May 3, 2009, 11-6 in Phoenixville, PA
Goat racing?? Sure, why not? It's fun in the sun sampling Sly Fox's beers with music and entertaining goat races. See how much fun we had back in 2007, here.
More info from Sly Fox.
Bourbon Barrel Brewing
Montgomeryville: Barleywine
Saturday, October 20, 2007 in Montgomeryville
Saturday, November 3, 2007 in Bethlehem
Each autumn, homebrewers come to Keystone Homebrew and combine their worts into bourbon barrels for primary fermentation. Keystone provides full-sized oak barrels fresh from a bourbon distillery. This is a unique opportunity to capture the ephemeral quality of bourbon barrels. Charred oak and bourbon flavors impart award-winning flavors that evolve as the beer ages. This year we will hold two brewing events, one at Keystone Montgomeryville store, the other near the Bethlehem store. Below is a picture of Lou and Jeremy pouring the big yeast slurry into the bourbon barrels to get the fermentation going. It sure smelled great.
Here is this year's recipe, plus some previous years':
Recipe from 2007's Bourbon Barrel Brew
Recipe from 2006's Bourbon Barrel Brew
Recipe from 2005's Quadruppel
Recipe from 2004's Imperial Pale Ale
Recipe from 2003's Barleywine (won B.O.N.E.S. Bash 2004 Best of Show, entered by Al Folsom)
Recipe from 2002's Scotch ale
The festivities will take place in the parking lot behind our Montgomeryville store, rain or shine. If you are interested in learning about outdoor brewing, all-grain brewing, or want to see some crazy homebrew setups, it's a great opportunity to check out a variety of methods at once. We will have a propane grill available for cooking, and Keystone will provide hot dogs and hamburgers. Everyone should bring some homebrew to sample while brewing or viewing.
Please keep in mind:
1. You must provide your own brewing equipment, including a propane burner.
2. Sign up by Thursday, October 18, and let us know how many gallons you plan to brew. Expect a 10 percent loss of volume from sediment and possibly from foam loss.
3. There is a barrel participation fee of $1.00 per gallon.
4. All brewers should plan on picking up their ingredients by Friday, 10/19 (we're still waiting on the hops).
5. You can start setting up as early as you like.
6. The Montgomeryville store will open at 9 A.M. on the day of the Bourbon Barrel Brew.
7. All-grain brewers must mash in by 10 A.M.
8. Your sanitized and volume-calibrated secondary fermenters must be dropped off at the store on or before November 16. PLEASE MARK YOUR CARBOYS TO INDICATE VOLUME.
Call or e-mail to sign up; space may be limited. Check out our Web site for previous Bourbon Barrel Brews and see how much fun they are!
Bill Clark's Wine Appreciation Class
While not sponsored by Keystone, we've attended this class in Hulmeville, PA for many years. It is very reasonably priced and the wines are always
different. It runs for ten Wednesdays, 8-9:30 p.m. starting March 1, 2006. Bill's unpretentious approach to wine will improve your wine
knowledge and tasting experience.
Details at the class website.
