While noble and worthwhile, education and the pursuit of knowledge can often be boring in a traditional classroom setting. Even adding in the engaging hands-on elements of a lab or shop environment can be for naught if the course instructor has a personality rivaling that of their lifeless whiteboard. Creating an atmosphere that’s ideal for learning is as much about content as character, the ability to capture students’ attention so they can take in the day’s lesson. Caitlin Jewell gets that, and it’s been a key to her growing not just a following, but a community, around her popular Grainbakers breadmaking classes.
Utilizing standard pantry staples, some specialty ingredients and spent grain from breweries hosting her pop-up educational events, Jewell leads knead-y knowledge-seekers through the process of crafting a loaf of bread. But there’s far more to her pop-ups than instruction. She starts each of her classes off with a tour of the brewery du jour, explaining the process of beermaking before tackling breadmaking, often offering up facts about the local brewing industry and her host’s place within it. It’s a subject she’s passionate about, having run her own brewery for nine years.
It was at that business, Somerville Brewing (AKA: “Slumbrew”), that Jewell first launched a series of spent-grain breadmaking classes based around a simple, specific and easy-to-follow recipe. The company had already had success with live music, trivia, comedy and the founding of a run club, but she wanted to offer something truly unique. It was such a hit that, when Somerville Brewing closed several months into the pandemic, she was able to take her show on the road, holding classes at nearby Boston area breweries.
The concept traveled well enough that, even after Jewell relocated to California in 2020, she was not only able to start offering classes at Bay Area breweries, but fly cross-country to continue providing her curriculum back in Boston. Over the past four years, Grainbakers has grown in popularity and reach, with Jewell setting up breadmaking basecamps across the country and regularly traveling to conduct classes in Massachusetts, Colorado, Northern California and here in San Diego.
In 2024, Jewell traveled 27,000 miles, and her pop-ups were attended by more than 3,500 students at 37 different host breweries. Locally, that list includes Burgeon Beer Co., California Wild Ales, Modern Times Beer, Northern Pine Brewing, Pizza Port Brewing, Pure Project Brewing, Societe Brewing and White Labs. Standout sampling spaces turned study halls outside the county include Bierstadt Lager House in Denver, Almanac Beer Co. in San Leandro, Faction Brewing in Alameda and Harpoon Brewery & Beer Hall in Boston.
While there admittedly isn’t a great deal of competition in the niche educational subject of spent-grain breadmaking, it takes more than a solid idea or bankable recipe to achieve as much success as Jewell has. So what’s the secret sauce? Jewell, herself. Hers is a bold, outgoing personality backed by authentic passion for what she does, and a natural ability to both generate and reflect back enthusiasm for and from her students.
Days before her classes take place, future attendees get clued into what they can expect from their jovial yet serious instructor care of a pre-event email like no other. That preparatory communiqué advises guests to arrive early and use that time to make sure they have a beer in-hand when class starts, eat ahead of time to avoid being “hangry” or stressed, wear the funniest and/or ugliest apron they can find, and practice bravery in talking to a stranger, because, “life is short, and it’s rare to be in a room with so many kindred souls.” The document comes in north of 1,200 words, but is written so entertainingly, that it’s an easy read. On top of readying attendees for the event to come, it effectively introduces and ingratiates one to the administrator of that experience.
Jewell’s teaching style is basic in the best way. With the exception of climbing a stair-lift to get high enough for her formidable (read: loud) voice to carry to the back of the tasting room for all to hear, she remains on the same level as her instructees. Obscure cooking terms and culinary snobbery have no place in her class, even as she introduces such niche items as “bread improver” and a Danish dough whisk. She is open to questions and, with music playing during the hands-on doughmaking portion of the class, she encourages dancing and socializing. That laidback every-person atmosphere is conducive to learning, and just plain fun.
By the end of the class, students have an understanding of Jewell’s base bread recipe and the many ways they can make it their own using a wealth of mix-ins (chocolate, dried fruit, herbs, spices and did someone say, “cheese”?). They also have a stockpile of spent grain for future baking endeavors as well as a newly formed, actively proofing dough to transport and bake using take-home instructions. (Helpful Note: You’ll need as much as 90 minutes from the end of the first rise to taking it out of the oven, so plan accordingly.) And should they run into any problems, that’s no problem. Jewell not only provides her contact information, but actually encourages students to stay in touch, ask questions and even just nerd out on baking. (Much like brewers do when talking about beer.)
When polling her students, Jewell typically discovers roughly half of her attendees are visiting the tasting room where she’s teaching for the first time, making it a win-win situation for her and the breweries she partners with. Make that a win-win-win, because as someone who has attended one of her classes and baked a loaf of spent-grain bread using her recipe, the students get plenty out of the experience. That goes for gleaned culinary know-how as well as an entertaining evening in a comfortable environment stocked with quality local beer.
Jewell’s next breadmaking classes will take place Tueday, February 18 at Societe Brewing in Kearny Mesa, Wednesday, February 19 at Pizza Port’s San Marcos tasting room, and Thursday, February 20 at Pure Project Brewing’s headquarters in Vista. Tickets for all three events can be purchased online.
Jewell plans to offer spent-grain pretzel-making classes in the future and also specializes in making spent-grain dog treats. In fact, as a belated holiday gift, she’s kindly providing access to a recipe for the latter for San Diego Beer News’ readers and their four-legged friends.
Gingerbread-frosted Spent-Grain Dog Treats
Ginger is safe for dogs in small doses and can be really helpful. It’s packed with antioxidants that support pups dealing with motion sickness, nausea or an upset stomach. Plus, ginger’s anti-inflammatory properties can help reduce joint swelling or pain. Now, about hops – yes, we’ve all heard they’re a no-no for dogs. No need to worry, though. The spent rain we use in baking was processed before any hops were added to the brewing process, so it’s completely safe for your furry friends.
- 4 cups fresh or frozen Brewer’s Spent Grain *
- 2 cups all-purpose, bread, gluten-free or whole wheat flour
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup peanut butter
- 1 Tbsp molasses
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
- Frosting (recipe follows)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Mix spent grain and flour evenly. Add remaining ingredients, mix evenly and roll into a ¼-inch thick sheet on a lightly floured surface. Use cookie-cutters to cut the dough into decorative shapes. Place the cut treats onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Place in the oven and bake for 30 minutes. Reduce heat to 225 degrees Fahrenheit and bake for an additional 2 hours. Remove from oven and let cool to room temperature.
Frost treats and refrigerate until frosting has set, about 1 hour. Store in a sealed container.
Frosting
- ¼ cup cornstarch
- ¼ cup water
- 2 tsp honey
- ¼ tsp powdered ginger
Place the cornstarch in a small bowl. Whisk in the water, 1 teaspoon at a time. When half the water has been added, stir in the honey until completely incorporated. Whisk in the remaining water.
Note: The frosting will seem a bit thin, but will harden once refrigerated.
* Contact one of the local breweries Grainbakers works with using their website contact form (see above article). Tell them you are using our recipe for spent-grain dog treats and ask if you can pick up 4 or 5 pounds of spent grain. Once you have acquired your spent grain, you must freeze it for food safety. Click here for Grainbakers’ spent-grain safety tips.
Societe Brewing is located at 8262 Clairemont Mesa Boulevard in Kearny Mesa, Pizza Port Brewing’s tasting room is located at 155 Mata Way in San Marcos, and Pure Project Brewing’s headquarters is located at 1305 HotSprings Way in Vista