Local Optometrist Has Eye For Home BrewingDr. Jason Rich is meticulous in both his profession and his passion.
During the day, Rich and his wife Anna run the Spectacle Shop in Warsaw where he works as an eye doctor.
During his free time, Rich enjoys the process of home brewing beer.
"I've been with a home brew club in Fort Wayne for a few years," said Rich. "I had to travel there every month and I kind of got tired of traveling."So Rich decided to start his own home brewing club in Warsaw.
"I've found there are quite a few homebrewers in this county," said Rich.
Rich will hold the club's first meeting Jan. 10 at 3 p.m. at Mad Anthony's Lake City Taphouse, Warsaw.
Rich said the purpose of the club is to share techniques and help potential brewers.
Rich said brewers can come in and sample what each other has made.
After graduation from Indiana University, Rich and his wife moved to Warsaw. He saw home brewing kits advertised on television. He then read books on brewing beer.
Finally, he decided to give it a shot.
The process of brewing beer isn't just throwing some ingredients into a pot and hoping for the best. The process is a very involved one, one that Rich enjoys.
"In brewing you have to be very picky. One miscalculation or one misstep you've ruined the entire effort," said Rich, who noted he developed a respect for small margins of error in his day job.
"I try to make beer you can't buy," said Rich.
Rich won a national brewing completion in 2008 when he took first place in the Midwest division with a chocolate coffee stout.
Rich won with coffee beans he got from the local Blue Lion Coffeehouse.
"It's got to taste good," said Rich. "You have to get bored with the status quo. It's a lot of trial and error but it's worth it."
The process can take up to six weeks if the beer is bottled and three if it's put into a keg.
Rich can bottle at his home and he also has a "kegirator". A kegirator is a refrigerator with a keg and a tap inside it.
Most batches are five gallons.
Rich said his wife is supportive of his venture.
"I take over my garage and my kitchen when I'm brewing," said Rich.
