Bottoms Up - Windsor-Based Company Puts Craft Beer Quality And Flavour Into DIY Brewing

Online, November 9, 2010 (Newswire.com) - Oenophiles (wine lovers) routinely spend hours discussing and debating the merits of their favourite vintages. It's a practice that's starting to find more fans in the world of beer, thanks in no small part to the recent boom in craft breweries. Local entrepreneur Noah Fleming is no stranger to the practice - he has spent many enjoyable hours searching out and enjoying the subtle and unique flavours of dozens of Ontario Craft Breweries. One of the more recent ones, he tasted at a friends house. Impressed by the beer's intense flavour and aromas, Noah asked where he could buy the same beer, and at first he didn't believe the response. "You can't buy it, but you can make it. That's my Double Double Coffee Porter."

Noah's friend wasn't kidding. Expert homebrewers Derek and Laurie Bilokraly have been making their own beer for over 11 years. Laurie was quick to explain that the one big drawback to homebrewing is access to the right ingredients in Canada. The duo would make routine trips north of the border to buy equipment and ingredients.

In that moment, a business was born.

Last week the group launched TheBrewersMarket.com, a website selling a small batch all-grain beer making kit. The kit features a 1-gallon glass jar known as "the growler", a recipe made up of fresh hand milled grains, real hops, and active yeast, as well as all the equipment needed to make a quality beer at home. Unlike traditional homebrewing kits, which are typically made up of extracts, powders, sweeteners, and plastic beer barrels, The Brewer's Market kits use the exact same ingredients as your favourite Craft Brewers on a small scale. The team also provides detailed step-by-step instructions to ensure that even a first-time brewer like Noah can get a quality brew every time.

Eight different varieties of beer recipes are currently available on the website, with a 1- gallon batch yielding about twelve bottles of beer. The net result is a high quality, unique beer that ends up costing less than the typical value-priced twelve-pack. The brewing process, which Noah equates to making a pot of soup, takes about two hours, plus an additional week or two fermenting in the growler which can be stored in any cool dark place.