DESCRIPTION
An intensive training (and tasting) in home brewing and fermentation in the tropics. During this course we will cover a range of brewing styles, including traditional wild ferments (e.g. Chicha) as well as contemporary Ales and Ciders. We will then apply these techniques within a tropical context and cover ways to experiment with local ingredients to create unique and delicious brews that will have your friends and family begging for more.
Course Content Includes:
- Overview of Fermentation in the Tropics
- Different sources of Yeast
- Brewing Styles (Beer, Wine, Cider)
- Traditional Ferments (Hooch, Chicha)
- Transferring and Bottling Alcohol
- Brewing Ales in the Tropics
- Combining Techniques through Experimentation
- Tropical Infusions & Fantastical Combinations
- Nightly Home-brew Tastings
- Educational Resource Packet
- SCOBY’s & other Yeast sources to take home
Tentative Schedule
Evening Arrival: Monday, June 3rd
6:30 PM – 7:30 PM Cena
7:30 PM – 8:30 PM Brief Introductions & Home-brew Tasting
Day 1: Tuesday, June 4th
8:00 AM – 9:00 Desayuno
9:00 AM-10:00 AM Ranch and Orchard Tour
10:00 AM-11:30 AM Fermentation in the Tropics
11:30 AM – 1:00 PM Sources of Yeast
1:00 PM- 2:30 PM Almuerzo & Siesta
2:30 PM- 4:00 PM Traditional Brews (Hooch & Chicha)
4:00 – 6:00 PM Free time or continue practice
6:00 – 8: 00 PM Home-brew Tasting and Dinner
Day 2: Wednesday, June 5th
8:00 AM – 9:00 AM Desayuno
9:00 AM – 10:00 AM Brewing Styles (Beer, Wine & Cider)
10:00 AM – 1:00 PM Ales in the Tropics
1:00 PM – 2:30 PM Almuerzo & Siesta
2:30 PM – 4:00 PM Transferring and Bottling Alcohol
4:00 – 6:00 PM Free time or continue practice
6:00 – 8: 00 PM Home-brew Tasting and Dinner
Day 3: Thursday, June 6th
8:00 AM – 10:00 Optional Trip to Waterfall
10:00 AM – 12:00 PM Sunday Brunch
12:00 PM – 1:00 PM Combining Techniques w/ Experimentation
1:00 PM – 3:00 PM Tropical Infusions & Fantastical Combinations
3:00 PM – 4:00 PM Course Wrap Up & Final Questions
4:00 – 6:00 PM Final Home-brew tasting and Fiesta
6:00 – 7: 30 PM Cena
Instructor(s)/teaching organization bio(s)
Connor Harron
Connor has been fermenting foods for as long as he can remember. Being born on a small communal farm in the Pacific Northwest United States meant that making pickles and cider from home pressed apples were a product of childhood. Connor is currently a PhD Candidate studying Social Ecology at the University of California-Irvine, and in 2017 he completed a year long apprenticeship at Rancho Mastatal, where he managed the farm to table food processing kitchen for much of the year. His research focuses on supporting sustainable entrepreneurship in rural Latin American communities because he believes in the power of education to unlock our collective latent potential. He has over 10 years of home brewing experience, spent 5 years working for a micro brewery in Washington State, and during his time at Rancho Mastatal has completed over 100 different batches of tropical beers, ciders, and wines, which has inspired a liberated perspective on brewing that he hopes will open your eyes to the limitless possibilities of fermentation.
course start and ARRIVAL dates
The course begins at 9 a.m. on June 3rd. The night before the class begins, June 3rd, is included in the cost of the class. We will be tasting and meeting each other on the night of June 3rd as well.
course end and departure dates
The last day of the class is Thursday, June 6th. The night of June 6th is included in the cost of the class.
COST
$350 USD
Includes all food, lodging and instruction.
Your registration, a confirmation from us that there is space in the class and a $100 non-refundable deposit will secure your spot in the course. You can make your deposit with PayPal below or go to our Payment page for more information and options.
We have partial scholarships available for this class. Please inquire at [email protected] and/or fill out an application here
LANGUAGE
This class will be taught in English.
ACCOMMODATIONS
All food and lodging is included in the cost of the course. Students will stay in the Ranch bunkhouse with options for upgrades. We provide high quality mattresses, linens and blankets. Please see our Accommodations page for more information.
COURSE PAYMENT
Please see our Payments page for more information about how to pay.
GETTING TO RANCHO MASTATAL
Please see our Directions page for detailed information on how to get to Rancho Mastatal.
ENROLLMENT
To enroll in the class, please fill out our Online Registration Form.
questions
For more information about this class and Rancho Mastatal please contact us at [email protected] , call us at +506 2200-0920 or text/WhatsApp us at +506 8539-1404. You can also follow us at:
http://ranchomastatal.com/ (sign up for our newsletter at the bottom of this page)
https://www.instagram.com/ranchomastatal/
https://www.facebook.com/ranchomastatal
