Great Lakes Brewing News Archive

Niagara Tradition Holds Grand Opening

Originally Published: 12/97

By Rich Basile

"Since homebrewing is a hobby that is very information-intensive, people have to either educate themselves or be educated by someone who's 'been there, done that..."�Paul Dyster, Niagara Tradition Homebrew Supplies, GLBN, Oct/Nov 1996.

With this in mind, Niagara Tradition Homebrew Supplies held its Grand Opening Saturday, October 11, with a "Beer Event" featuring an all-grain brewing demonstration by members of the Niagara Homebrewers Club, homebrewing workshops and videos, and best of all, beer and wine sampling!

The "how-to-do-it" all grain session was a great learning experience. Ed D'Anna, Bill Koch and Rita Liotta carefully took us through each phase in detail, giving an up-close question and answer program from the initial mashing process to sparging and boiling, the science of hops, use of wort chillers, and yeast pitching techniques. They brewed a 10 gallon batch of English-style Porter using a two tier cooker/boiler system supplied by Mike Shiavone and Gene Tortorice.

A Cornelius Keg system was on hand, also, with an American Brown Ale and "Alt Peculiar", brewed by Niagara Homebrewer Club members. Bottles of homebrewed beer and wine were shared, compared, evaluated and appreciated!

Paul Dyster explained his decision to move to a new store on Sheridan Drive: "It gives us the opportunity to do things we couldn't do in the old building (in Niagara Falls). We have more room not just for products but for a well equipped classroom in back.

"The store is expanding at a time when many feel the homebrew market is in a slump nationally," Dyster continued "If you're innovative in terms of what you're doing, there is still room for growth. Part of (this slump) has a lot to do with lifestyles; people need time." (See "Whither the US Home Brew Trade?" by Jay Conner in the June/July issue of the Home Wine& Beer Trade Association's Advocate for more on this.)

Dyster plans to add an on-floor computer for customer use and wants to publish a homebrewers recipe book. He wants to reach out to the younger market to teach that quality, not quantity, of beer consumed is more important and that people should appreciate beer as an art and not abuse it as vice. Dyster also will be teaching a four part course on brewing at SUNY at Buffalo this spring as part of the UB Life Workshops Series.