They’re Using Roots, Herbs And Fungi To Brew Beer

They’re Using Roots Herbs And Fungi To Brew Beer DISKS Scratch Brewing takes local brewing seriously It uses roots dug locally garden-grown herbs and vegetables and mushrooms foraged on local acres Recent winter brews included fennel wild carrot and nettle and single-tree hickory At other times of the year basil elderberry dandelions burdock and even chanterelle mushrooms flavor its beers     The brewery and its flavors were natural for owners Marika Josephson and her partner Aaron Kleidon     “Aaron and I were both home brewers when we met ” recalls Josephson “We were into using local ingredients me from the garden and he spent a lot of time in the woods foraging There was a lot of synergy when we began brewing together ”     In 2013 the pair opened Scratch Brewing on five of Kleidon’s 80-acre home farm If location is essential for business success their choice didn’t make sense The brewery is on a dead-end township road in the middle of the woods 2 1/2 miles from the nearest blacktop It’s one of only a couple of wood-fired breweries in the country     Not only has the location not been a problem for day-trippers from St Louis 80 miles away but it’s also been a plus One national brewing publication described Scratch Brewing as one of the world’s most beautiful places to drink beer     Building a customer base in the first place was the biggest challenge especially given their location “We got into a lot of beer festivals so people could taste this beer they’d never heard of ” says Josephson “We never have done any other type of promotion ”     “People were excited about craft brewing and open to new flavors We were and continue to be fairly outside the box ” says Josephson     The partners have stayed true to their mission of celebrating the flavors and aromas of southern Illinois Their beers and bar have been nominated for James Beard Awards and the New York Times has celebrated their pizza Here too local cheeses and sausage are used     Josephson describes their brewing as a continual learning process Basil is one of the herbs they use in summer brews     “We learned over the years how important it was to be fresh ” she says “We harvest it the hour before it goes into the brewing process and as early in the season as possible ”     They’ve shared what they’ve learned by writing the book “The Homebrewers Almanac ” which discusses brewing with farmed and foraged ingredients     They make less than 300 barrels a year In addition to serving up their lagers porters and stouts on-site they’re featured at select bars and restaurants in Illinois Some goes out of state mainly to Kentucky and they’ve sent barrels as far as California Washington and Florida They often participate in special events     Contact: FARM SHOW Followup Scratch Brewing 264 Thompson Rd Ava Ill 62907 ph 618-426-1415; info@scratchbeer com; www scratchbeer com

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