the deacon took a bit of an R train pilgrimage to the fledgling Brooklyn Homebrew (12 weeks old) and found the lovely co-owners, Benjamin and Danielle, to be friendly and helpful w/out a hint of beer snobbery. We talked barley malts and gypsum salts, and the deacon came away with a new starters kit, an extra glass carboy, salts, bottle caps, grain bags, and all the malts, barley, hops, and yeast needed for a dandy chocolate stout, all for a startlingly affordable $152.
They're new and already thriving, which isn't a surprise, so if you live in NYC and want in on the homebrew game it's a perfect place to start. That's a selfish request for me (a thousand ave marias): the more business they get, the more diverse a selection of malts and hops they can afford to carry. But they're super friendly, open 12pm to 7pm Tuesday - Sunday, and will gladly answer your questions about stock or availability at brooklynhomebrew@gmail.com. Hallelujah.
EDIT: Curious about the recipe?
6.6 lbs Briess Liquid Unhopped Traditional Dark Malt Extract ($12/3.3lbs)
1 lb Muntons Chocolate Malt (400L) ($2.50)
1 lb Weyermann's Caramunich (Crystal Malt) 60L ($2.50)
2 oz Willamette Hops (AA 5.8%) ($1.50/oz)
2 packs Coopers Dry Ale Yeast ($2/pack)
5 lbs DELICIOUS CHERRIES (bought separately)
= One delicious Cherry Chocolate Stout
["But wait! Chocolate malt + Crystal 60L doesn't make a stout, that's a porter!" yells Beer Kid in all his high-pitched ignorance.]
Chillax, homefry. As Arthur Guinness would say, "Stout IS Porter!" And then he'd say, "Hey deacon, want a personal tour of the brewery? I left the taps on..." and then we'd ride down the streets with no names on matching black stallions. At least, that's how all my dreams end.
