-Ryan Blankenship- Over the past few years, I’ve been seeing more and more Blonde Stouts being brewed, and I finally got the chance to brew one myself. If you are not familiar with this style, it is an ale with the color of an IPA that has the characteristics of a Stout. The first time I tried one was at one of our Homebrew for Hunger events about four years ago. My brain and taste buds were on totally different pages that day. Traditionally, stouts have an opaque black color to them with … [Read more...] about Blonde Stout
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Grow Big with Canna Nutrients
-Jordan Trent- Does looking at a wall of different nutrient brands leave you with analysis paralysis? I get asked pretty much every day to help at least one of our customers wade through the sea of reputable nutrient brands that stock our shelves. Assuming the customer isn’t looking specifically for an all organic line, I pretty much always give the same answer: Canna. Canna is a Dutch company that I’ve used for years in my personal growing life, after getting a recommendation at, you guessed … [Read more...] about Grow Big with Canna Nutrients
Making Your Own Kombucha is Just This Easy
-Jordan Trent- Howdy, FSG crew! Question: How much is that fancy store-bought kombucha habit setting you back monthly? Is the sweet vinegary goodness weighing down your budget? Are your children’s extra organs looking more valuable by the minute (Just kidding kids, stay in school!) You’ve come to the right place, because I’m about to change your life. Not only is kombucha almost comically easy to make, it is also cheeaap. Dirt cheap. Ramen cheap. Prepare for the most delicious Pineapple … [Read more...] about Making Your Own Kombucha is Just This Easy
Calculating Your Potential ABV
-Ryan Blankenship- As a home brewer at Fifth Season Gardening, I get fairly frequent requests about how to properly calculate the ABV (Alcohol By Volume) of beer/ wine. In this blog, I’ll walk through the measurements and calculations necessary to determine ABV of your brew. First let’s take a look at what these numbers mean on a standard hydrometer (an instrument used to measure the density of liquids). One side of the hydrometer shows Specific Gravity, which is the ratio of the density … [Read more...] about Calculating Your Potential ABV
Get Ready for Cold & Flu Season with Elderberry Syrup
-Tracey Broome- Winter is approaching, which means it’s time to prepare for cold and flu season. Time to slow down, take a breath, rest, and nourish our bodies with natural and organic foods, teas, and natural remedies that help stave off sickness. Elderberry (Sambucus Nigra) syrup is one tried-and-true way to help support the immune system during the winter months. Elderberries are naturally high in immune-boosting compounds that are known to help relieve cold and flu symptoms and … [Read more...] about Get Ready for Cold & Flu Season with Elderberry Syrup
Pumpkin Spice Kombucha
-Gabrial House- With fall in full effect, this week on the blog I wanted to share one of my favorite kombucha recipes. This time of year I am a sucker for crisp cool days, cozy sweaters, and everything pumpkin spice. It only makes sense for us to enjoy all the wonderful benefits of kombucha with the delicious taste of pumpkin spice. To make this recipe, we’ll start off by fermenting a batch of kombucha from green tea. Then we will be adding the Pumpkin Spice flavor during our second … [Read more...] about Pumpkin Spice Kombucha
Propper Starter Review
-Ryan Blankenship- Have you ever had that perfect bottle-conditioned beer and thought to yourself, “I sure would love to be able to harvest this yeast for my next brew”? Well now there is a much easier way to do that without having to brew a batch of beer for the wort, or make a yeast starter using DME (dried malt extract). Omega Yeast went ahead and brewed a condensed wort for you and put it in a convenient 16oz can. Introducing Omega’s Propper Starter Canned Wort! We went ahead and put this … [Read more...] about Propper Starter Review
More Microbes, Please
-Luis Guerra- Without healthy populations of microorganisms in your soil, you simply cannot have healthy plants. Microbes work in synthesis with plants, breaking down organic materials into forms plants can take up through their roots, and oxygenating the soil. “Good” microbes can also help destroy harmful pathogens that can damage plants. Microbial pre-inoculants are starting to become more well-known, but they still are not used nearly enough, in our estimation, despite the benefits they … [Read more...] about More Microbes, Please
DIY Hard Seltzer: A Trend Worth Trying
-Kristin Weeks- Summer is the busiest season of the year nationwide for beer sales, and over the past several months, the adult beverage industry has witnessed a major rise in popularity of a new kind of boozy beverage, hard seltzer. This light, low-cal, low-carb alternative to beer is attractive to consumers preferring more health-conscious drinking habits and an active lifestyle. Hard seltzer offers that with its sessionability (low ABV, 5% typically) and convenient packaging. Both national … [Read more...] about DIY Hard Seltzer: A Trend Worth Trying
Brewing in the Summer
-Ryan Blankenship- Summertime is usually a slow time for the traditional home brewer. Mainly because it gets so hot outside, most of us don’t want to spend 6-8 hours over a boiling hot kettle. It can also become difficult to regulate your fermentation temperatures. If you’re a diehard brewer like we are, however, you might be deciding on what beers do best during the summer. A few of my favorite summer style beers include: Belgian pale ales, Kolsch, and Saisons. Today I want to give a little … [Read more...] about Brewing in the Summer