Helderberg Brewery Offers Microbrewing Teaching Series for All Skill Levels
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Funky Fermentation Focuses on Brewing with the Seasons and Local Ingredients
Rensselaerville, NY – The Carey Institute for Global Good’s Helderberg Brewery, a farm brewery operated by the Institute’s Sustainable Communities program, will offer a series of brewing and fermentation workshops through the end of the year. The series, Funky Fermentation, will be led by Helderberg Brewery’s brewer, Jamie Caligure, and will highlight how brewers can source local ingredients and brew seasonal beverages in their own homes.
Just as cooking with fresh seasonal ingredients enhances the flavors and aromas of your food, the same is true of beer. Each session will include locally forged and sourced ingredients used in both traditional and unconventional beverages. Those who attend will gain the knowledge needed to create their own funky fermentations at home.
All skill levels are welcome and those wishing to participate can attend one or all of the workshops offered. The first workshop was held on Saturday, August 3rd and students had the opportunity to learn how to brew Kvass with locally baked sourdough bread as a key ingredient. Kvass is a traditional fermented low alcoholic Slavic beverage commonly made from bread. The first group of attendees were able to learn the fundamentals of fermentation and were given one gallon of wort and a fermentation vessel to take home to continue exploring the brewing process, a gift all attendees of the series will enjoy.
The next class will be held on Saturday, October 26th from 10am to 4pm and two additional courses will be held on November 23rd and December 14th, also running from 10am to 4pm.
Each workshop will include a presentation and discussion component, as well as a hands-on demonstration of how to utilize the skills learned on your own. A bagged lunch will also be provided by the Institute’s Carriage House Restaurant for all in attendance. 
Those wanting to explore and experiment at Funky Fermentations must be at least 21 years of age.
Contact Jamie Caligure at jcaligure@careyinstitute.org with any questions or to register, or visit our website.
The Sustainable Communities Program works to advance the role of rural communities in sustainable and equitable development. Through our pilot project, Helderberg Brewery, we work to make the craft beverage sector more sustainable and beneficial for rural communities across New York State.
The Carey Institute for Global Good is a not-for-profit organization founded in 2012 by Wm. Polk Carey and is dedicated to building a strong, educated and just society. We provide education, tools and resources to practitioners of the global good to help them succeed. We put practitioners first—teachers, journalists, farmers—because we know that they have the power to change their communities and inspire others to do the same.