Homebrewing

November 6, 2017 - 3:28pm

The winners of the 2017 Bell's Homebrew Competition are ...

The winners of our Bell’s 8th Annual Homebrew Competition were announced during this year's 9th Annual All Stouts Day at the Eccentric Café on Sunday. Six homebrewers placed out of the 136 entries submitted this year. First place went to Steve Vroegop of Kalamazoo for his Saison brewed with Damson plums and New Zealand Rakau hops. Vroegop will brew his recipe at our...

August 31, 2017 - 3:00pm

What you need to know for our 2017 Homebrew Competition

Things to keep in mind if you decide to enter this year's homebrew competition: Homebrewers should bring a sanitized vessel with them to transport their wort home. Buckets, carboys (please be extra careful handling glass carboys) and cornelius kegs are the most common vessels. You can leave them in your vehicle until it’s time to pick up your wort, but again, please sanitize...

August 10, 2017 - 3:16pm

Details for 2017 Bell’s Homebrew Competition now available, 2016 winner to be tapped Sunday

The 8th Annual Bell’s Homebrew Competition Kick-off and Expo will be held this year on Sept. 9 at the Eccentric Café in downtown Kalamazoo. The homebrewer who takes first place will get to brew their recipe at our original brewery to then go on tap next door at the adjacent Café. The first place winner will also attend the Great American Beer Festival in Denver,...

June 8, 2017 - 9:55am

Save the date: 8th Annual Bell's Homebrew Competition Kick-off and Expo

This year's annual homebrew competition will kick-off on Sept. 9, 2017 at the Eccentric Cafe. As in previous years, wort will be given out on a first-come, first-serve basis beginning at 11 a.m. There is no cost to enter, the only requirement is that you use our wort (which is also free).  The homebrewer who takes first place will get to brew their recipe at our...

April 3, 2017 - 2:24pm

Take 15% off select homebrewing supplies from our General Store in April

For the month of April, our General Store (both in-store and online) is offering a 15% off discount on some of our homebrewing supplies. This sale covers: All wheat malts and extracts Ingredient kits that have any wheat malts or extracts German and Czech hops Natural flavorings Fruit purees Online discounts will be made once items are added to your...

March 8, 2017 - 4:29pm

Homebrewing Oberon: Tips on cloning our American Wheat Ale

Before we were a brewery, we were a homebrew supply store. That's how our president and founder Larry Bell got his (and our) start. It wasn't until two years after the Bell's General Store opened that we sold our first official beer as a brewery.  More than 30 years later, our homebrew roots still run deep. From our support of the American Homebrewers Association to our...

March 6, 2017 - 12:50pm

How to: Culture Bell’s house yeast from a bottle or can of Bell’s beer

We don’t offer our house yeast for sale. But since we don’t filter any of our ales either, you can harvest it directly from the bottle or can. Any of our non-Belgian ales are good candidates for this. If you can get your hands on them, Oberon or Amber Ale are all good choices. What you will need: 1-3 bottles of beer, a vessel, a flame source and the same...

February 28, 2017 - 9:17am

Pre-order hop rhizomes from the Bell's General Store

Hop rhizome pre-orders are now open. You can select from seven different varieties from Hop Head Farms in Hickory Corners, Michigan: Centennial Cascade Chinook Glacier Magnum Crystal They will be harvested and available in early to mid-April. Orders are due by March 31.  Please note, rhizomes are available for in-store pick-up only (at the Bell...

February 9, 2017 - 11:00am

Employee Homebrew Challenge winning beer 'happy accident'

Mistakes happen all of the time, in both life and in brewing. Sometimes, nothing good comes out of them, and other times, mistakes result in something so amazing that we could not have planned. The good kind of mistake happened for our 2016 Employee Homebrew Competition winning beer.   “Pedal to the Kettle was a total accident,” said Jon, a brewer at Bell’s and team...

January 2, 2017 - 1:04pm

Upcoming homebrew classes at the Bell's General Store in February, March

From the basics of malt to setting up a home draught system or even making cheese, our General Store staff have a number of classes planned to help you make it through the cold winter months.  Beginners Malt Sunday, February 12th                Learn the ins and outs of all...

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