Homebrewing sees a boost ahead of "Big Brew Day" with DIY trend

• Expensive equipment once available only to professional-minded brewers is now more accessible, and all-in-one systems are becoming more popular.
• Interest in the association's annual homebrewing conference this June is also returning to pre-pandemic levels.

The big picture: The interest in fermentation at home now goes well beyond beer, with increasing interest in kombucha, mead, cider, sake, cheeses, miso and hot sauce, according to Julia Herz, the association's executive director.

• "The whole hobby of fermentation and the homebrew movement is definitely growing, but it's ebbing and flowing in different ways based on the culture," she says.

How to participate: The official recipe for this weekend's brew day is a clone of Sierra Nevada's Pale Ale. Details.