Irish Red Ale, that is! Stout’s not the only beer the Irish have given us and indeed the traditions of the drinking of the red may pre-date stout itself. In this issue we not only tell you about where it came from and what it’s like, we give you the whole scoop for making your own tasty red ale.

Our roving reporter asks the Great American Beer Festival® what it has done for him lately and comes up with some pretty good answers. With new events and activities as well as a lot more space–but still the same great beers–GABF continues to rock. Also included: a complete listing of this year’s winners for easy reference.

While barley is the preferred grain for most brews, plenty of other starches can be used to supply–or supplement–the sugars needed for fermentation. You probably know about rice, corn, wheat and rye, but since we were doing our bit on Irish beers we figured why not take a good look at potatoes. Now you can amaze your friends with a little spud brew.

It wasn’t illegal, but members of Quality Ale and Fermentation Fraternity (QUAFF) should be put in solitary for the unpotable potables they concocted for their Prison Brew Competition.

Be good to your mother–vinegar mother, that is–if you want to make your own tasty malt vinegar.

The American Homebrewers Association National Homebrewers Conference and National Homebrew Competition were the biggest yet. And the fun that happened in Vegas didn’t stay in Vegas as hundreds of happy homebrewers went home with memories of four days of beer and fun.

They don’t call it nectar of the gods for nothing. One sip of mead can launch an exploration that could wind up with you opening your own meadery. Just as David Myers of Redstone Meadery.

For those who seek simplicity in their fermenting life, cider is a good choice. You can keep it as simple or make it as complicated as you like. Dick Dunn, moderator of the Cider Digest, gets you started.

Making sake really isn’t all that difficult–it just takes time and attention to details, such as measuring by volume, not weight. Fred Eckhardt leads you through the steps to making quality sake.