Novel Brewing Novels & Stories

“The back end.” “Yes,” she said. “It’s the same thing that happens in a long-aged barleywine,” he said. “The savory note. The thing that makes you think you should be eating something with it.” She looked at him. “Maillard products,” she said. “The long fermentation and aging creates the same class of compounds as the Maillard reaction in your barleywine malts.” “Same thing happening through different processes,” he said. “Yes,” she said. “Your instinct is right. The biochemistry confirms it.”

She could picture everything quite clearly. “Come on, I’ll show you the actual brewery plant where we’ll be brewing new flavors.” Nathan said and they both headed towards the brew house. Brooke rather liked the rustic style of the whole plant. It was quite ‘Texan’ in look. There were paintings of cowboy culture hung around and the decorations suited the touch.

Upon arriving at the brewery, they were greeted by the grand sight of the brewery’s brick facade, framed by towering oak trees that stood like ancient guardians of the establishment. The Oakheart Brewery was a blend of history and modernity. Its exterior showcased sturdy red bricks and large, arched windows that gave a glimpse into the heart of the brewing process. As they stepped inside, the air was filled with the rich aroma of hops and malt, a sensory promise of the quality that awaited.

I ignored the whispers, grabbed my number tag, and waited. Noah sat in the front row in a navy blue suit and gold-rimmed glasses. His face was expressionless as always, but his presence boosted my confidence. Groups of three competed, and it was judged live. I was in the last group, up against last year's runner-up. The pressure was real, but the process felt like a rebirth. This was the path I was meant for. I mixed rum and gin, a new flavor for Breeze Lounge. Then I added vodka and mint syrup.

but it felt different. People trickled in slowly. Some smiled. Some nodded. Some looked at her like they weren’t sure what to say. She didn’t need them to say anything. She moved behind the counter, muscle memory taking over, hands steady as she brewed the first pot of the morning. Life didn’t restart all at once. It resumed in increments. Damian arrived an hour later, carrying two coffees and a paper bag. “You didn’t have to,” she said. “I wanted to,” he replied.

I made the quick walk to the office building and into my office. I sat at my desk and loaded up the computer, continuing the work from yesterday. I was also doing some research on opening and owning a brewery. Our honey mead was excellent and I know there would be a market for it as it was pretty hard to come by in most cases. Or at least, good-quality mead was hard to come by. I figured it would be a good way to generate both jobs and income for the pack and Echo said it was something he’d be happy to take part in. I was so focused on reading through different reports and taking a few notes that I didn’t even notice the door opening or aware as Echo made his way into the room. It wasn’t til

“Elves have reported sightings of rogues traveling in large groups. They’re turning humans into Newbreeders.” Her words stunned us all. I hadn’t heard that term since I was first introduced to this world. After finding out who I was made it better, but I’ve never met a true newbreeder. I have learned that it was a loophole for shifters to make new members and grow in numbers. “If Victor is making Newbreeders and has control of rogues, what does he want to do with them?” I asked “Nothing good,” Erica said, taking a deep breath and looking at the map.

The Spirit Spring Wine was brewed using water from the Spirit Spring, a unique spring water containing a peculiar energy aura. There was only one such spring in all of Buck, located within the Black Tortoise Lake area. Five thousand years ago, it was handed over to the current tavern owner, Leonard, for exclusive use in brewing Spirit Spring Wine.

I could feel the curiosity building up so I decided to finally ask what is your profession? “Oh, I work as a bartender.” “Really?” I already knew that I don’t know why I decided to ask but then she continued… “Yeah! I work behind the counter of Crystal Water Brewery.” That's when the realization hit me. I stayed silent. “What do you do?” “I’m a C.E.O. and creator of an alcohol company.” “Really? This is gonna make me sound really nosy but… what alcohol and what company?” “The beer company Novocaine.”