Learn to Home Brew Day -- understand the magic behind the bottle

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Looking for a wine to go with shellfish? Or a bottle to help you celebrate something special? Wine critic S. Irene Virbila shares her favorite white wine picks -- plus pairing notes. (Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times)

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Crisp and refreshing, mineral-driven and with the characteristic aromas of green apple and white pepper. Drink this terrific summer white with chilled shellfish, smoked trout, lobster and crab. Seafood pasta and risotto too. It’s also a great match with Thai or Indian food. Price: $22 to $29 (Anne Cusack / Los Angeles Times)

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What I love about this Napa Valley white is the crisp minerality, beautiful acidity and laser focus, not to mention the flavors of lychee and white peach and its fresh clean finish. Great with sushi, chilled shellfish platters, oysters and cheese. Price: About $28 to 35 (Anne Cusack / Los Angeles Times)

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Crisp and floral, this Italian white is also richly fruity. But that’s balanced with a tart acidity and a bit of minerality. Pair it with peel ‘n’ eat shrimp, seafood pasta and risotto, lobster and crab. Price: About $16-$19 (Anne Cusack / Los Angeles Times)

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This California Chardonnay is lean and focused, yet complex and long in the finish. This is a terrific entry-level Chardonnay at a great price for the quality. Pair it with scallops, spot prawns, smoked trout. Price: $25 to $31. (Anne Cusack / Los Angeles Times)

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This French wine is scented with flowers and peaches, crisp with ripe fruit and a thrilling complexity. Pair it with Tarte flambe, seafood salad, poached salmon, and even Asian and fusion cuisines. Price: About $22 (Ricardo DeAratanha / Los Angeles Times)

By John Verive

Oct. 31, 2013 8 AM PT

Whether you’d like to become a dedicated brewing hobbyist, or you’re just curious about the magic behind the bottle, every craft beer fan should really try home brewing at least once, and this Saturday -- Learn to Homebrew Day -- is a great time to get started.

Organized by the American Homebrewers Association (AHA), Learn to Homebrew Day is a way for homebrew clubs and dedicated brewers to help spread the hobby by hosting demonstrations, classes, or just offering encouragement.

Homebrewing has seen a surge in popularity over the last decade, and the AHA estimates that more than a million Americans now brew their own beer. Grassroots organizations dedicated to developing brewing skills have sprouted up across the country, and Los Angeles is home to several thriving homebrew clubs including Culver City-based four-time California Homebrewing Club of the Year Pacific Gravity , The Yeastside Brewers, and the Maltose Falcons (who will celebrate their 40th anniversary next year).

Unfortunately, there is only a single event in Los Angeles listed on the AHA website for Learn to Homebrew Day, a “teach a friend to brew” class at Simi Valley’s homebrewing supply shop Home Brew Express.

The American Homebrewers Association does offer a variety of resources to help you get started. There’s the Get Schooled page of introductory information, a video series that will walk you through the basics, and a lively forum to connect with other homebrewers. Of course, that’s just scratching the surface of resources available on the internet.

For the equipment, ingredients, and answers to any questions you’ve got about how to start brewing beer, head to your friendly local homebrew supply store. In addition to Home Brew Express mentioned above, there is Culver City Home Brewing Supply (which has a second location in Eagle Rock), The Home Wine, Beer, and Cheesemaking Shop in Woodland Hills, Long Beach’s Steinfillers, South Bay Brewing Supplies in Torrance, and Brewbakers in Orange County.

If you can boil water, follow a simple recipe, and be careful about sanitation, then you can make some delicious beer in an afternoon.

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