Lots to update you on this month: a new homebrew contest with Canadian hops on sale, a Learn to Homebrew Day demo in the shop, and a short store closure to plan around. Here is everything you need to know.
Brew Your Best
This winter we are running our first Brew Your Best contest, and we want to taste what you can do with some of Canada’s most distinctive hops.
The Challenge
There is just one rule: your beer must feature at least one of the proprietary or wild Canadian hop varieties from Duke25 that we carry. These are hops that you may not be familiar with, so it’s a great chance to try something new and see what you can create. The eligible hops are:
- Bergamot: orange, lemongrass, lime, and juniper. Great in IPAs, NEIPAs, and Pale Ales.
- Emerald Spire: vibrant and fruit forward with big aroma impact, excellent for late additions and dry hopping.
- Hydra: bright citrus, clementine, and green grape with anise and herbal undertones.
- Mackinac: an intense fruit punch of citrus, tropical, and melon. A Chinook cross built for late additions.
- Ruby: stone fruit, red fruit, and tropical notes with a wild grape and red candy twist.
- Limonadier: an explosive lemon and citrus fruit bomb with a touch of spice.
And with the large selection of Canadian malts and yeast we carry, it’s totally possible to do a 100% Canadian brew!
The Prize
- A $50 Beer Grains gift card
- A Beer Grains t-shirt
- A Duke25 prize pack
- Your winning recipe added to the Beer Grains recipe collection, credited to you
One thing to note: to be eligible to win you must agree to share your full recipe so that we can add it to our recipe collection for others to try.
How to Enter
Bring two bottles or cans of your entry to the store before February 28. There is no entry limit, so enter as many beers as you like. Your beer will be judged by a panel of local homebrewers, commercial brewers, BJCP judges, and/or Prud’homme certified beer sommeliers, and scored on aroma, flavour, and overall enjoyment. Entry drop-off opens in the new year and closes February 28, 2027.
Start experimenting now, 15% off
Great beer usually takes a test batch or two. To help you dial in your recipe, every eligible hop is 15% off from now through February 28. Try them in late additions and dry hops and find the character that speaks to you.
Learn to Homebrew Day: Saturday, November 7
Every year on the first Saturday of November, the American Homebrewers Association runs Learn to Homebrew Day, a worldwide celebration of the hobby with one simple goal: get more people brewing. We are marking it in store, and we would love for you to join us.
We will be brewing a small batch live in the shop throughout the day on November 7, so drop in anytime. No need to register, just come by, watch, and ask as many questions as you like.
Here is what we really want to show: the single biggest hurdle to starting homebrewing is usually the cost of the equipment, and it does not have to be. For this demo we are brewing on nothing more than an induction plate and a large pot. No big multi-vessel system, no large investment. Just a simple setup that fits on a countertop and makes genuinely good beer. On the plate we will be brewing a small batch of our Melissa’s Session IPA, an easy-drinking, hop-forward beer that is a great first or next brew.
To help you take the leap, all recipe kits are 5% off on November 7. (This one does not stack with other discounts such as the OHBS member discount.) Grab a kit, ask us anything, and brew your first batch at home.
Store Closed November 12 to 14
A quick heads-up: the store will be closed Thursday, November 12 through Saturday, November 14.
If you have an online order, do not worry. We will ship all online orders placed earlier that week before we close, so order early in the week to make sure yours goes out on time. We may also open for limited hours earlier in the week, so keep an eye on our social media for the latest updates on timing.
Thanks as always for brewing with us. We cannot wait to taste what you make this winter.