Homebrew Summer: Daywalker
Black Plague Brewing's head brewer gets personal, sharing the recipe for the red ale that landed him his job
One of the reasons local brewers take part in our Homebrew Summer program is because they fondly remember their days as amateur fermentationists and remember what it was like to spend countless hours toiling away for the love of the craft. Such is the case with Aeryk Heeg, who got his job as Head Brewer for Black Plague Brewing by presenting that Oceanside-based company’s top brass with his red ale, Daywalker. That’s how good it was. Not surprisingly, that crimson quaff holds a special place in his heart. So it’s with great appreciation and pleasure that we present that recipe to all of the homebrewers out there. It’s a privilege and an honor to share something so personal and meaningful.
New beer recipes will debut weekly throughout the summer, so be sure to check back with San Diego Beer News on a regular basis (or subscribe to our free weekly email newsletter and we’ll send all the recipes straight to your inbox). Cheers and happy homebrewing!
Aeryk Heeg
Head Brewer, Black Plague Brewing
Why did you choose to share this recipe and do you have any tips for homebrewers?
Before I landed my job at Black Plague and eventually became their head brewer, I spent years brewing in my parents’ garage. I was obsessed with the entire brewing process and eventually built out a pretty extensive home brewery that was equipped with a three-vessel, 10-gallon brewhouse and a dual-tap draft system. At the time, my goal was simply to make beer that tasted as good as those I enjoyed at various tasting rooms around San Diego County. However, as I continued to brew, I fell more and more in love with it. I began spending entire weekends in the garage developing recipes that I was proud to share with my friends and family. One of those beers that I developed in the garage is actually the beer that got me my job with Black Plague. That beer is Daywalker, and it’s the one that started it all for me. I’m very proud to share it with you all for Homebrew Summer. I hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoyed creating it. Cheers to great beer and the journey it takes us on!
