By Wayne Peal
Livingston Daily Press & Argus
HOWELL, Mich. (AP) - When it comes to home brewing, Livingston County's glass might not even be half full.
"It's growing by leaps and bounds," said Kevin Penn, president of the Mainstreet Brewers Guild.
Founded just under two years ago with "about 10 or so" members, Penn told the Livingston Daily Press & Argus (http://bit.ly/1Ib1FeC ) that the organization has tripled since then with more people joining each month.
But, in an age where craft and specialty brews are available even at the local supermarket, what's the appeal?
"It's really simple," Penn said. "No matter what's out there, you can still brew far more on your own."
"If you want a 'hoppy' beer, you can brew it. If you want a 'malty' beer, you can brew it. If you want a Belgian beer, you can brew it."
Home brewing has grown steadily since the late 1970s, when the Carter administration lifted Prohibition-era restrictions that hampered home brewers.
Locally, home brewing received a huge boost with the 2012 opening of MainStreet Brew Shoppe, a one-stop supply shop in downtown Howell.
The timing was right, owner John Vyletel said.
"Business has been really good. I'd say we were up 30 percent last year and 20 percent the year before that," Vyletel said. "I think that shows interest is growing."
The local guild met for several years at the downtown shop before moving this year to the newly opened Eternity Brewing in Genoa Township.
Eternity served as the site of a recent club competition, which challenged home brewers to craft a brew using vanilla wafers as a key ingredient.
The competition was a chance for guild members to show off their skills to the public, Penn said.
His own taste, though, runs toward Belgian brews, which emphasize spicy and fruity flavoring over the malt and hops taste familiar to Americans.
"When I started out, I was pretty much a 'hop head,' as most new brewers are," Penn said of his early taste preference. "But now, my tastes have grown."
As a home brewer, Penn added, he can meet those tastes to his heart's content.
Guild members welcome potential members to their meetings, held the first Wednesday of each month at Eternity.
Yearly membership is $20 and is prorated by quarter.
"If you joined in the last quarter, it would only be $5," Penn said.
Or, about the cost of a glass of beer.
Published: Thu, Feb 12, 2015
