Good morning. Happy Labor Day weekend for all of the US based homebrewers out there! In honor of Labor Day, we will have an abridged newsletter today, meaning I will be kicking my feet up and drinking a beer instead of writing a main article.

This is your reminder to have a cold one this weekend and enjoy the fruits of your labor.

-Brandon Copeland

Beer Trivia Question

🍺 What year was Labor Day first celebrated in the United States?

Read to the end to find out if you're right (and also how beer ties in)!

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Homebrew Spotlight of the Week

Wort Chiller - 30 Plates

If you have been looking for a new plate wort chiller, this 30 plate chiller is on sale for $99. If you are using an immersion chiller, this can be a big upgrade because it will drastically decrease how long it takes to cool your wort. However, just make sure to clean and sanitize it thoroughly - this can be a challenge since you can’t access the internals of the chiller.

Brewgr Recipe of the Week

Hoppy Vienna Ale

I’ve always loved a Vienna Lager - Devil’s Backbone Brewing Company makes an amazing lager in this style that is immensely popular in Virginia (where I grew up). This recipe is a great take on the style, with an emphasis on a bit more IBU. I am definitely going to clone this one for later.

Credit: McCbrewski

Poll Results: Have You Ever Brewed With Whole Hops?

Overwhelmingly, the response in this poll was that most brewers have delved into brewing with whole hops. A lot of you wrote in to describe the hops you grow and even exclusively brew with homegrown hops. This level of dedication to the craft is awesome! There is something real and refreshing about dumping fresh hops into your beer - it brings you back to the roots of brewing and makes the whole process feel more natural.

And the Answer Is...

🍺 In 1882, 142 years ago there was the first celebration of Labor Day in New York City, where there was a big parade followed by a massive party in the park with an estimate 25,000 people. As a part of the celebration, “lager beer kegs were mounted in every conceivable place”. Sounds like my kind of party…