Co-op News | Winter Quarterly 2018

A Hoppy Hobby

North Coast Co-op

Need a new hobby for the new year? While the Co-op’s Beer Departments make grabbing your new favorite sour or cider easy, homebrewing is a historic hobby that is as much fun as it is rewarding. 

Beer is the oldest recorded beverage in the world. According to papyrus scrolls around 5,000 B.C., the first beers were brewed with things like dates and pomegranates (which probably wouldn’t taste that good today). Later recipes incorporated fresh barley, dried flowers, and eventually wild hops and longer fermenting times. 

Creating drinkable beer is as simple as following directions, but creating an outstanding beer takes time and practice. Whether you are trying to bring back the harsher varieties of the ancient world, or need an exciting, easy way to spend 2018, the homebrew section at the Co-op in Arcata has all the equipment and ingredients you need for your homemade creations. 

Scott’s Tip
Keep everything clean! It could ruin whole batches—I’ve done it numerous times.