One Crafty Gal
vBy Brian Teel
Growing up in the midwest I have had the privilege to know many
people who were raised on a farm. My wife, my best friend, and most
friends I knew growing up, and still know to this day, have all come
from a farm. One of the qualities I have discovered that all these
folks have in common is a strong work ethic within them. I find that
quality to be very impressive. It seems to me a strong work ethic gives
admirable traits such as a good character and a “can-do” attitude with a
ferocious drive to accomplish whatever they set their minds to.
I recently had the opportunity to sit-down with a woman who also
grew up on a farm, and what I learned through the course of our
conversation is that she embodies the can-do spirit to a tee. She has
a “do-it-yourself ” attitude and a saying that could be considered a
mantra: “If I can make it, why buy it?”
Shannon Viereck is a very busy person. She is a wife, a mother
to three young children, and a full-time employee at Mount Marty
College working as the Director of Annual Giving. With so many
responsibilities in her life it would be hard to imagine having any time
to devote to things outside of work and family but Shannon finds ways
to accommodate the can-do spirit that exists within her.
The second of four children growing up on a small dairy farm near
Lake Mills, Iowa, Shannon experienced from the start the rewards that
can be gained from making things from scratch, such as applesauce
and grape juice. She also learned how to preserve certain foods
through the process of canning, because as many people who grew
up on a farm can tell you, canning was something that was as much a
necessity as it was a savings.
“I came from a long line of gardeners and canners. We would
do corn, applesauce, grape juice, grape jelly, every kind of pickle.
Gardening and canning was just something you did.”
Though Shannon lives in town these days, the farm kid inside is still
there and still loves growing her own food.
“Living in town I have my own small garden and still like to use
my hands and get down and dirty and have fun with the things I am
doing.”
Raising a garden and canning the produce are just a couple of
things Shannon does to be self-sufficient and keep the farm close to
her in spirit. However, there is more that Shannon does to keep the
creative part of her in motion. One of things she has decided to try is
brewing beer, and yes dear Reader, I assure you, from my own personal
experience, the brew Shannon shared with me was very good. I am
no connoisseur when it comes to beer, I keep it simple, but from the
sample I had which was named Block Party Ale, it was what some may
describe as a symphony for the senses. The smell, taste, and look of
Shannon’s creation is in my opinion what a good brew is all about.
Brewing beer is not a simple process; it takes time. The process on
average takes about six weeks from start to finish. It is also very
challenging. Time, ingredients, monitoring and documenting are all
critical parts of the process. But it is these challenges that appeal to
Shannon, and it is that “can-do” spirit that keeps her attracted and
interested in this endeavor.
“I did little things here and there but I never really had my own
thing. I told my husband I think it would be really fun to brew our
own beer.” His response to this marvelous idea was simple and sweet.
His words to his wife were, “That’s a hobby I can get behind.” And so it
began.
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Shannon still considers herself new to this hobby but she has
aspirations. It is her hope to someday take the things she has learned of
the craft and create new and exciting recipes that are uniquely hers. To
get there will take time but I am sure it will be time well spent.
Shannon’s “brewery” is located in her basement. For her birthday
her husband Tom gave her a starter kit to begin with and for Christmas
built her a bench to brew upon. What started out as a two-bucket
process has now become a three-bucket process and Shannon makes
about 5 gallons of beer each time she brews a batch. That’s right, five
gallons of glorious libation she shares with family and friends. It is a
very good thing to be family or friends with Shannon Viereck!
The process of brewing is fairly complex. To achieve a good brew,
time is of the essence, and patience is a virtue a good brewmaster must
have.
“Right now my equipment consists of 3 five-gallon buckets, which
whenever I am hauling those I think of my Dad because that is how
he fed cattle,” Shannon says with a smile. “I started out with 2 fivegallon buckets but with the more sophisticated beers there is a second
fermentation process, so I added a second bucket.”
Shannon explained that the first bucket is for boiling water and
grains to be mixed together so that the grains will steep. This is an
infusion of the grain in water between 160 degrees to 175 degrees.
Timing and temperature are crucial for this part of the process.
“Everything is very much timed. You need to get to this temperature
for this long, and then you take that out, and then you need to put
these things in, bring it back to a boil, then you need to get to this
temperature, then you need to add in these hops at this time, this time,
and this time. It is a very exact science,” Shannon explains.