Every summer I plan to start in on “that project” I’ve had waiting in the garage, and every year it gets pushed back or forgotten.
But summer isn’t over yet, and now is the time to finally get started on that home brewing project that my husband and I have talked about for far too long.
Lucky us, BYOB! — stands for Brew Your Own Beverage — recently opened in the San Roque neighborhood and has everything we need to make our home-brewing dreams come true, including workshops and classes to get us on the right track.
Couples Rebecca and Trent Hammell and Aimee and Mike Kielborn retreated with their young brood of kids during the Thomas Fire and ended up putting a long-discussed dream into action.
They all have full-time gigs — Mike Kielborn is a civil engineer, Trent Hammell is in finance, Aimee Kielborn is a teacher and Rebecca Hammell works in ophthalmology — but all are dedicated to getting their dream off the ground with the goal of demystifying the brewing process.
BYOB! is Santa Barbara’s first and only home-brew shop that sells grains for brewing your own beer as well as kits for making wine, cheese, cider, coffee and kombucha.
The shop is a welcome sight to all DIY imbibers and eaters who don’t have the time or want to make the trek to the Santa Ynez Valley or are tired of ordering less-than-fresh ingredients off the Internet. The BYOB! crew is promising fresher ingredients and a helping hand in whatever home-brewing project you have in mind.
While the supplies alone are reason enough to check out the new digs, the classes are what make this business a place worth visiting.
Basic, all-extract classes will be offered every second and fourth Wednesday at 5:30 p.m. Classes will begin in September, and the details can be found on the company’s Facebook page. The class price is $75 and includes pizza, beers and a 25 percent discount the night of the class on all supplies that you’ll need to get your project off the ground in your home.
Advanced grain-based brewing classes are available by appointment only at this time.
For instance, if you have a special brew in mind for an upcoming event (wedding, birthday party, etc.), these are the guys to come to for guidance. Start to finish, the BYOB! crew will help you make a special one-time brew that’s sure to turn out right.
But I say, why not dive into that home-brew project you’ve always wanted to tackle and learn a new skill that will provide you with the ability to brew and drink at will?
As Aimee Kielborn says, “If you can make chocolate chip cookies, then you can make beer.”
That’s just what I plan to do with these last few weeks of summer.
— Tara Jones Haaf leads Eat This, Shoot That! and welcomes reader tips and ideas for future columns. She can be reached at tara@eatthisshootthat.com. Click here for previous columns. The opinions expressed are her own.
