Learn to Homebrew at 18 Reasons

Flickr/Colby Perry

Ever dreamed of making beer for a living? We have too. And we would, if it weren't for the long hours, heavy lifting, and overabundance of beards. The truth is, brewing beer on a commercial scale can be a tiresome gig, and most brewers aren't showered in riches (unless you count the beer, of course).

See Also:
- SF Homebrewers Guild Launches a Presidential Competition

Brewing your own beer at home, however, is an entirely different story. It's an affordable creative outlet that helps you re-live your elementary school science projects...but it also gets you buzzed at the end (bonus!). And trust us, your friends will love your homebrewing hobby even more than you do.

While there are great books on the subject, the easiest way to learn how to make beer is to play brewmaster's assistant with an experienced brewer. In the coming weeks, 18 Reasons will be offering just that. The three course "Beer School: Homebrew for Beginners" series will feature Jesse Friedman, creator of the Beer and Nosh blog and co-founder of local Almanac Beer Co.. The curriculum is designed to cover beer styles, ingredients, the brewing process, and beer tasting. You'll get hands on experience making multiple batches of beer, and have the luxury of asking questions throughout the process.

Dig up your old Trapper Keeper and sharpen those pencils, it's time to go back to school:

18 Reasons Beer School: Homebrew for Beginners
Where: 18 Reasons, 3674 18th St. (at Dolores), (415) 568-2710
When: October 16th, 23rd, and November 6th
Cost: $190 for members, $200 for the public. Tickets here
What: Learn everything you need to know about making beer at home. Learn the basics with one of Jesse's recipes in the first class, create a second batch as a class in the next session, and tackle the bottling process in the third class (spoiler alert: NOT the most fun part of the process). Attendees will take home a mixed six pack of the beers made in class, and ticket price includes all supplies needed for in-class brewing, beer tasting, lecture, and hands-on experience.