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Printer-Friendly ModeITS staffer pursues brewing hobby at home, competes nationally
February 12, 2007 —
It's Super Bowl Sunday, and while most people are sitting in front of their televisions drinking beer, Dan Tyger is in his garage making it. Surrounded by buckets and stainless steel containers, he works with the care and precision you might expect from an ITS employee, preparing the brew that has become the product of his newfound hobby.
But to call it just a hobby would be to ignore the fact that he earned two gold medals and a trip to the 2006 National Homebrew Competition last year - something a bit more noteworthy than fly fishing or knitting in your free time. And even though it started with a small beginner's kit four years ago, Tyger's pastime has grown and evolved just like one of his own home-brewed beverages.
Beginning to brew
Tyger's wife, Elizabeth Rich, is an associate professor of English at SVSU. She was the one to respond to her husband's brewing curiosity, and so she bought him a $50 starter-kit.
Tyger began by "extract brewing," a shorter brew with little experience needed. He has now moved on to all-grain mashing and brewing. This type of brewing replaces the idea of using extract, instead using mashed malted barley grains.
Although the process is lengthy - about six to eight hours - Tyger claims that it produces the best beer. His personal favorite brew is India Pale Ale, a copper-colored beer bitter in taste and known for its high level of aroma and flavoring hops.
Tyger said other home brewers may try to duplicate commercial-brand beers but he doesn't. He, instead, enjoys ales with a bold taste.
"I like great beer," Tyger says. "I brew what I like."
Tyger names his beer according to the time of year and the people in his life. Some of his brew has taken on such names as End of Summer Ale, Late August Haze, Mary Ann's Amber, Soul Man Ale, and Spring Spruce Ale. He says the naming technique makes his hobby personal and fun.
Sharing a brew
After meeting a group of people in Midland that also enjoys brewing, Tyger joined the club, called The Dead End Brewers. The group takes turns brewing in each others' garages and pole barns, with the goal of having fun and using brewing as a time to relax with friends. Membership in the club is free, and taste-testing is emphasized.
"We share our latest recipes and sample each others' homebrews," Tyger says. "This is a great place to discuss useful techniques and methods and tools used in the trade and get new ideas for things you might try."
Tyger said that although there are a few female members, there is a need for more diversity in the club.
"I wish more women would join," he says.
He also adds that the hobby is not only enjoyable, but inexpensive to start.
"It's something that anyone can do at a low cost," he says. "A starter kit like the one I used will cost no more than $50."
The Dead End Brewers hold meetings monthly and on average there are about 20 to 30 people in attendance. One member acts as the president, contacting each member to notify them about various meetings and brewing details.
Tyger did not intend to join a club when he first started out - he says that he "just showed up." He stresses that those people interested in joining should consider attending a meeting.
Lee Cruppenink, a Certification Advisor for SVSU's College of Education, is also part of the club. He too started brewing with a kit and has brewed with Tyger several times.
"We recently brewed a batch of India Pale Ale on Dan's new ten-gallon brewery," Cruppenink says. "It was a great opportunity for two people to get together and share their experiences. Not to mention it's nice to have some companionship during this somewhat long process."
"Both of us have been banned from brewing in the house," Cruppenink adds, "so it really can turn into a long, cold, solitary afternoon if you don't have someone with the same interest."
But just because two self-taught brewers brew together on occasion, does not necessarily mean they always agree on how to go about it.
"[We] have different views on the many different aspects of the brewing day," Cruppenink says. "But that doesn't stop us from enjoying each other's company over a few pints while our brew progresses."
From hobbyist to competitor
What began as a simple hobby for Tyger soon grew into a competitive challenge, as he began to enter brewing competitions.
After Rich bought him a brewing magazine, Tyger decided to enter his beer into a competition just for fun. This fun, though, turned to two gold, two silver, and two bronze medals which guaranteed him a spot in the national competition.
Tyger experimented with a variety of ingredients before the competition before coming up with a few he wished to enter.
Held in Orlando, The National Homebrew Competition brought brewers from 47 states, six Canadian Provinces, and Sweden. Tyger did not receive a medal there last year, but he did make it to the final round.
The competition is located in a different state every year, with the 2007 competition set to take place in Boulder, Colorado. Tyger is going to participate again and says he is excited about his entries.
A family affair
When he first started out, Tyger says Rich was worried because she didn't like the aroma that the brewing process produced.
"She encourages the hobby and enjoys drinking the dark beer," he says. "But she hates the smell."
And though she hesitated when her husband first expressed the idea of brewing, she says she has learned to reap the benefits.
"I get a chance to taste a variety of beers and I understand - at least a little - what is involved in the brewing process," she says.
But brewing isn't the only hobby Tyger enjoys. He has spent the last six years in a band and realizes his hobbies do not necessary reflect the typical stereotype that would follow an on-line teaching and learning coordinator.
"The band gets along. We're starting to sound good, making it more fun every year," he says. "I mean, why not stay with that, right? We're more like old folks sitting on a porch than head bangers."
And one thing folks can do while on a porch is drink beer and enjoy each other's company, something Rich says is the best thing about her husband's hobbies.
"Although Dan brews a lot of beer each year, the fact is that he has a generous nature" Rich explained, "He gives most of [the beer] away during time spent with friends and family."
She also believes that, though Tyger is new in the business, his character will enable him to successfully continue brewing.
"I can see Dan perfecting his brewing techniques," Rich says. "He will continue sharing his expertise and beers with family, friends, and fellow brewers for some time to come."
