Powers Homeland
Powers Farm & Brewery has been open for little over a year now and have quickly become one of my favorite local places to grab a beer. The establishment is a quick 15 minute drive from Barley Blog HQ and offers a wide range of brews that employ interesting ingredients from their own fields. Whether it be a barrel aged stout brewed with yarrow or Homeland, a 7.5% ABV biere de garde crafted with spelt, the company produces some tasty experiences.
While Powers tends to use their own, farm-grown ingredients in their beers, Homeland features barley and spelt malted by Ohio company Haus Malts. The result is a beer that is packed with rustic warmth and an earthy, complex character that creates an unique flavor profile not typically found in the style. That said, the experience isn’t one that makes the beer feel pretentious or overly complicated. The biere de garde’s character is a bit rough around the edges, yet homey — making you feel welcome wherever you may enjoy a glass.
The previously mentioned barrel-aged stout may be the better of the two beers that I’ve reviewed from the company thus far, but I would happily grab a glass of Homeland over it nine out of ten times. There’s just something about this beer’s character that I really enjoy. It’s not a simple beer in terms of recipe, but still presents itself in that fashion — humble, welcoming and down-to-earth, much like the brewery owners themselves.