Homebrewing in Oshkosh tends to surge each time the local breweries falter. It happened in 1920 with the start of Prohibition. It happened after 1972 with the closing of Peoples Brewing. And it's happening now with the restrictions on breweries in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Instead of spending the afternoon in a brewery taproom, folks in Oshkosh are bringing out their kettles and making their own beer.
Jeff Duhacek, co-owner of The Cellar Brew Shop in Oshkosh, has seen the spike in homebrewing first hand. "We're having people coming in buying two or three beer kits thinking they're going to be home for the next few weeks with time on their hands," he said. "We're also seeing more first-time brewers and people who are dusting off equipment who haven't brewed in a while getting back into it."
Oshkosh homebrewer Travis Sullivan is one of those who has been putting some of his unexpected free time into making beer. Sullivan, a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist, is spending far less time in the operating room now that elective surgeries have been canceled.
He's filled the gap by brewing several batches of beer including a cream ale he calls Dad's Weekend Ale. Sullivan, a father of two, describes it as a "crushable" 6% ABV beer. "I also whipped up six gallons of Chardonnay wine," he says. "And This week I'll be brewing up an Imperial Belgian Blonde for a barrel-aging project that a few of us SOB's (Society of Oshkosh Brewers) are collaborating on."
Sullivan is part of The Society of Oshkosh Brewers, a homebrewing club that's feeling the pinch of Wisconsin's Safer At Home Order. The club has canceled its events for the foreseeable future including a gathering of members that was to take place at McFleshman’s Brewing Company in Appleton. Like all breweries, McFleshman’s has been forced to close its taproom. The impact on small breweries has been devastating.
The Brewers Association, a trade group representing craft brewers, has reported that among its members beer sales have dropped 77% since the wave of shutdowns began in late February. Small brewers across Wisconsin continue to sell beer that was already in their pipeline, but most have ceased regular brewing operations. Among those breweries that have stopped making beer for the time being is Bare Bones Brewery in Oshkosh.
Jody Cleveland, head brewer at Bare Bones, was furloughed from his position in March. His beer brewing journey began with homebrewing and now he finds himself returning to his roots. "Brewing beer is the first hobby I’ve ever had and as much as I hate being laid off, I do like that I have time to brew at home again," Cleveland says.
He's been working up pilot batches on his home system that he'd like to dial in and eventually produce commercially when he returns to work. "One of them uses wild yeast that I captured in my backyard," Cleveland says. But going back to brewing five-gallon batches at home is a far cry from the 15-barrel batches he's accustomed to producing at Bare Bones.
"It’s been weird to say the least," Cleveland says. "I took a huge risk two years ago to follow my dream and brew professionally. I wouldn’t trade that for anything, and I’m really glad I did it, but I never dreamed I’d be in the position I am now. I’ve been living in fear day to day about where everyone’s going to be at the end of this. Homebrewing helps me escape all that."
Back at The Cellar, Jeff Duhacek says the uncertain times have brought in others who share that sense of unease. "We've had a bunch of people come in and buy champagne yeast for bread because stores don't have any yeast right now," Duhacek said. "We've had people come in and buy five-gallon buckets of honey because they want to make sure they have something to sweeten things with or to make bread with that doesn't spoil. It's just a different mindset right now."
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