In a return for Meet the Home Brewer we have Gregg who’s a pro photographer by day and an armature brewer by night…or judging by the number of University ball photos on his website, it he probably spends the day brewing and the night taking pics.
Does your homebrewery have a name? if so what’s the story behind it?
The Redpenguin Brewery. Redpenguin and Dredpenguin are online nicknames coming from my support of Liverpool FC and that I run a company called Penguin Photography. Anyway an adjective followed by a cute animal is always a good beer/brewery name construct.
Why so serious?
How long have you been home brewing brewing for?
About 6 months. I did 1 kit then 4 extract brews and then went all grain in Jan. Have brewed 7 all grain batches since but none recently as I knackered my brew kettle element.
How did you get into home brewing?
My photography work is very seasonal. Each winter I try new things and this year it was home brewing.
Have you or would you consider going professional?
Yes and Yes, keep an ear out on the twitterverse and you may hear something soon.
Have you entered any home brewing competitions? how did you do?
None as yet
What’s your favourite bit of home brew kit?
It is a tossup between my beer fridge and the jerry rigged sparging system made from garden hose and a showerhead.
What advice would you give to people thinking of staring home brewing?
Do it. It is easier than you would think to get good results. The internet is full of resources. And get involved with a homebrewing club like London Amateur Brewers, proper peer review is hard to come by from your mates.
What are your top online/printed home brewing resources?
The beersmith website and software is great for designing beers. An Enthusiast’s Guide to Homebrew Beers by Sam Calagoine. I have used the
dogfish continuously hopping method a stack of times.
What was last beer you drank?
A half of Schlenkerla Fastenbier at the Rake in a drunken haze after the Brewdog ABD launch, but this will of course change tonight and no doubt many times before this is read.
Beer Fridge - full of beer and hops - what else
What is your favourite hop and why?
It changes regularly, but at the moment Sorachi Ace, I love the muddy refresher/lemon sherbet like quality
How often and how much do you brew?
10 or 20L at a time and I like to brew once a week but it is not always possible especially now with a broken kettle.
What beers have you brewed?
Lots of IPAs mainly single hop ones (good to learn about hops), a few stouts (well I am Irish
after all) and a raspberry wheat for the misses
What’s the craziest beer you’ve brewed or plan to brew?
My 2nd ever brew was a christmascake porter with a stack of dried fruit, cinnamon, juniper berries and Oranges. Tasted ok but not quite as far out as I was hoping.
Currently waiting to bottle a stout made with tons of Sorachi Ace and with pureed Blackberries in the secondary.
What is your favourite beer/food combo?
Double IPA and Blue cheese
Do you have a Brewing hero/inspiration?
Sam Calagione at Dogfish head. It was drinking DFH beers in Canada a few years ago that really got me into craft beer.
If you could brew invite one pro brewer to brew a collaboration beer with you at home who would it be and why?
Evin at The Kernel. He seems to have the same ideas about beer that I have brewing mainly ipas and dark beers; he is also Irish and has one of the
funkiest goatees around.
Do you have a website/twitter/blog?
Twitter is Dredpenguin
Anything else you want to tell us?
Nope…too incriminating!
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- the brewery
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- Only the bath and brewdog labels stick apparenlty
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- Beer Fridge – full of beer and hops – what else
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- Why so serious?
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- Home Brew
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- Home Brew
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- Mummm Beer
Gregg you are a legend. Looking forward to trying some of your finest ales in a pub around here soon…
Can I have your Beer Fridge? 😉
Cheers al!
@pdtnc spent a few weeks searching on e-bay till the right fridge came up at the right price. Not an expensive acquisition.