Brett Wilkes

St. Anthony's Hopyard & Brewhouse

Location: Algonquin, Illinois

Day Job: Writer

System: 15-gal. aluminum boiling kettle (yes, aluminum) that doubles as a hot liquor tank and a 10-gal. converted cooler for a mash/lauter tun.

Signature Brews: Algonquin Ale, Six-Toed Stout, Homegrown IPA

Favorite Style(s): Stouts, Munich Dunkel, Hefeweizen, Kölsch

Grow Any Ingredients? Yep, hops! Cascade, Chinook and Mt. Hood, but the Mt. Hood hasn't produced any cones yet. I also tried to grow a patch of barley but it all fell over and died. I'm growing Marechal Foch and Frontenac grapes for winemaking, too.

Brewing Tips: For IPAs, I'm a big fan of the continual-hopping method that Sam Calagione of Dogfish Head developed. Adding a pinch of hops every minute or two throughout the boil rather than a few large additions seems to produce a really well-layered hoppiness with an almost velvet-like texture.

Contact: ArtVandele77@hotmail.com, 847.458.9498