On Saturday, May 5th, True Grist teamed up with Short Finger Brewing Co. for the clubs first AHA Big Brew Day. Big Brew day is an annual event where brewers invite other brewers, friends and family to take part in the hobby and have a good time in celebration of National Homebrew Day.
We had 8 different all grain breweries in operation, many of which were operated by multi-brewer teams. We were stoked that our first Big Brew event included an all women’s team, led by the one and only Kat Rogers-Hern (who, side note, is teaching a women’s only homebrewing class later this month!). Everybody seemed to be brewing something a little different: California Common, Saison, Golden Sour base beer, Tropical Stout, and others.
Check out the image gallery below to see some of the action from this event (only possible thanks to our many contributing photopgraphers). This was a tonne of fun for us, and we look forward to doing it again next year!
Award winning homebrewer Jamie Fowler operating a Grainfather homebrewery with his co-brewers and onlookers. Also featuring other Big Brew fun. 
Have brewery; will travel. 
We had a great time. Lots of visitors – True Grist members current and future (we hope)! See you next year! 
Homebrewer Seth transported his brewery by bicycle. Very impressive. Green beer. In a good way. 
Converted cooler mash tuns are a favourite of homebrewers. Economical and do an awesome job of holding temperature over the course of a mash. 
Ryan Dunlop, paying close attention during the critical moments at the beginning of a boil to prevent boil over. Fine tuning of burner output. 
Safely passed the initial hot break formation, a weight has been visibly lifted from Ryan’s shoulders. 
Mike Brookfield’s California common. Looks awesome. Embrace the trüb. 
Homebrewing is fun pt. 1 
Steven Oliver, squeezing every living ounce of extract out of his grist for his BIAB batch. Where are your gloves Steven? 
Our Big Brew event was greatly enhanced by all the food that was brought – including massive skewers of delicious chicken thighs, smoked sausages, more smoked meat, burgers, et cetera! 
Homebrewing is fun pt. 2 
This truck tailgate was the perfect height to set up gravity draining of the mash tun – sweet runnings collected in ubiquitous Canadian Tire buckets. 
Organizer Kat Rogers-Hern setting out the feedback for the brewers. All 2nd entries that didn’t make it to BOS were also put on ice to be enjoyed and shared during award announcements. 
Members began setting up for our Big Brew at 9AM on Saturday. 
One homebrewery being set up. 
Brewing supplies being unloaded. 
Nesting tables, brewer’s edition.