- Illustration by Sarah Squire
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BY JORDAN ROCHELSON
Published November 29, 2010
“I’m getting very low levels of banana,” Fred Bonjour says as he swirls a liquid around in a tumbler, beginning his beer analysis. He digs his nose deep into the glass and takes a large whiff.
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After a few more vigorous swirls in his hand and full immersions of his nose into the glass, he holds the glass up to the light and studies the color. A few more swirls and sniffs. He discusses the scent with brewer Keith Michaluk. A few more swirls and sniffs. Then, finally, Bonjour tips the glass back and downs the two ounces in one full swig.
No, Bonjour isn’t an oenophile interpreting the subtleties of a Shiraz. He is one of about 50 home-brewers of beer who attended an Ann Arbor Brewer’s Guild meeting in Saline, Mich. early last month.
“Guild” is actually a strong word, according to AABG President Frey. “It is a homebrew club,” Frey said, and it is one of roughly 36 homebrew clubs in Michigan. The Michigan Brewers Guild represents all 60 of the microbreweries and brew pubs in Michigan.
There is no stereotypical "home-brewer" in this crowd. They come from all different backgrounds and ages. Members of AABG include photographers, retired engineers, a biochemist and a Domino's employee. Even a few graduate students participate to share their passion and brews.
Between classes, studying and social lives, there's a handful of students on campus who also find the time to brew their own beer. But most college students prioritize the quantity of the beer they brew over its quality.
Luke Hinshaw, a graduate student studying medicine and public health at the University of Toledo, has been brewing for one year and views the process as a way to utilize his artistic ability. Hinshaw dabbles in photography, but said he finds that “beer is appreciated by more (of his) friends than photography.”
The social aspect of home brewing is not lost on students like Hinshaw, who said that while he was an undergrad at the University, he would be the only student who brought a six-pack of his own beer to a house party rather than drink what was offered.
Many are surprised to find a guild of brewers who analyze beer in depth. Frey has had several encounters with people skeptical of his hobby.
A while back, Frey was brewing in his driveway in Canton, Mich. when a police cruiser pulled up next to him and his brewing system. Perplexed by the series of tubes, canisters and propane tank, the officer asked what he was up to.
“I was gonna be a smart ass and say, ‘making crystal meth,’ ” Frey jokes.
But Frey informed the officer he was brewing beer, and the baffled officer asked if that was legal.
Home brewing became legal in 1978 under President Jimmy Carter. According to federal law, an individual can brew up to 100 gallons of beer, while households with or two or more adults have a 200-gallon limit.
Since its legalization, home brewing has grown into a culture of enthusiasts and connoisseurs of beer. And this world of brewing is far more expansive than the average non-brewer would imagine.
Of course, there are local breweries in Ann Arbor that brew their own beer — Ann Arbor Brewing Co. and Grizzly Peak are two examples — but the culture goes deeper than the local microbrewery.
Every two years, the Brewers Association hosts a World Beer competition in which a panel of judges award gold, silver and bronze medals to the top beers in 91 categories. This year, Michigan took home 11 medals, making it the fifth-most winning state in what is known as the “Olympics of Beer Competition,” but at the core of competition is a group of brew-enthusiasts who love to share their creations.
The guild meeting in early November was holiday themed with a beer-injected turkey and beer-flavored cakes. The meeting took place in the basement of Frey’s house, and within 15 minutes, the room was filled with home-brew enthusiasts, brewers and drinkers.
