Brewing your own beer, rather than participating in the
collective lunacy of shelling out $20 or $30 a case for a
product of often questionable quality, has long been a favorite
for EARTH NEWS readers. Basic brewing procedures have been
illustrated in both the January/February 1988 and the
October/November 1992 issues, much to the pleasure of both the
cost-conscious as well as those who just want to make the most
delicious beer they've ever tasted. George Hummel, a member of
an old Philadelphia brewing family as well as a nationally
recognized beer judge and award-winning brew master at Home
Sweet Homebrew in Philadelphia, PA, takes our novice brewers one
step further, offering advice on all-grain recipes and a cheat
sheet on imitating your favorite store-bought brands. Ever since
the Mayflower dropped its anchor at Plymouth Rock because their
beer supplies had run low, the tradition of homebrewing and
tavern brewing has played an indispensable role in early
American history. Our Founding Fathers were brewers