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Gapers Block published from April 22, 2003 to Jan. 1, 2016. The site will remain up in archive form. Please visit Third Coast Review, a new site by several GB alumni.
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Thursday, March 28

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Beer Thu Apr 30 2015

Best Beer Brewing Classes in Chicago

rsz_events-friends.jpgAs food and drink trend towards artisanship and simplicity, craft beer is leading the movement in Chicago. Numerous breweries have opened in Chicago during the last three years, and booze fests become larger (and drunker) each year. Brewing beer is complex chemistry, as there are multiple ingredients and steps that must be executed carefully to create the perfect product. The process isn't easy, and that's why I've listed five educational resources that will help you brew your first beer:

Brew Camp
Brew Camp is a small homebrew shop in Lincoln Square and Evanston. Their mission is simple and straightforward: "We have everything you need to make great beer & wine. We teach classes, We throw private events, We talk about brewing." Their introductory Making Beer at Home class goes over the basics (equipment, ingredients, techniques) and costs only $20 dollars for 1.5 hours of instruction. Brew Camp also has more advanced classes, like all-grain brewing ($20 for 2 hours) and kegging workshops ($10 for 30 minutes).

rsz_siebelinstitute.jpgSiebel Institute of Technology
The Siebel Institute is America's oldest brewing school, and they offer three certificate programs for students eager to learn more about the industry. They also offer individual courses, such as Applied Brewing Techniques, European Brewery Study Tour, Packaging and Process Technology, and the Business of Brewing. Online tuition for one course can cost up to 4k, and while a few scholarships are offered, this option is for the serious brewer.

Bev Art
Located on the South Side, Bev Art is a brewing and wine-making supply store that also offers a hands-on brewing class for beginners. Students brew five gallons using their equipment and bottle/pick up their creation four weeks later. For two people making one batch, the cost is $99 for the class itself and $45-$65 for the ingredients.

rsz_chaos_brewhouse.jpgCHAOS Brew Club
You learn best in the company of experts. CHAOS (Chicago Homebrew Alchemists of Suds) is a passionate group of beer lovers and brewers in Chicago, and they're unique in that they offer a dedicated brewspace that enables members to develop their brewing skills. CHAOS also offers ongoing classes like meadmaking, quarterly parties that allows everyone to showcase their batches, and a barrel-aging and blending program. Depending on your level of interest, membership fees rank from $77/year ("Friend" level) to $286/year ("Brewer" level).

Brew & Grow
Located in Chicago (specifically Irving Park) and Wisconsin, Brew and Grow offers incredibly affordable classes for brewers of all levels of expertise. The beginner's home-brewing class is $20 for 2 hours, and the advanced 3-hour option is only $10 more. They also have a 1.5 hour wine-making class ($20) where instructors teach you how to make six gallons of premium wine.

 
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Feature Thu Dec 31 2015

The State of Food Writing

By Brandy Gonsoulin

In 2009, food blogging, social media and Yelp were gaining popularity, and America's revered gastronomic magazine Gourmet shuttered after 68 years in business. Former Cook's Illustrated editor-in-chief Chris Kimball followed with an editorial, stating that "The shuttering of Gourmet reminds...
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About Drive-Thru

Drive-Thru is the food and drink section of Gapers Block, covering the city's vibrant dining, drinking and cooking scene. More...
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Editor: Robyn Nisi, rn@gapersblock.com
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