Kiley

Kiley Gwynn, certified BJCP beer judge and Brand Director at Ninkasi Brewing Company, enjoys a wide variety of hobbies—but her deepest passion is homebrewing. She loves spreading the joy of homebrewing and over the last decade has become deeply involved in the Oregon homebrewing community. Kiley is an award-winning homebrewer who holds a seat on the executive committee of Cascade Brewers Society and is a member of American Homebrewers Association Diversity Subcommittee. She loves brewing herbally inspired beers at educational events like Learn to Homebrew Day. When she’s not working as a blog contributor at Mountain Rose Herbs or in her homebrewery, you’ll likely find her under a pile of yarn with a crochet project, in the kitchen working on her latest small batch canning adventure or chasing her rescued red heeler down the beach.

Recent Posts

3 DIY Beard Oil Recipes & How to Use Them

While I’m not the person in our family who wears the beard, I am the one who first brought organic beard oil into our house. I was introduced to the concept of beard oil by my brother (who rocks an epic leprechaun beard) as a way to help soothe the dreaded beard itch. Plus, his wife was thrilled with how soft and smooth his newly nourished beard had become! Making my husband more kissable while pampering his mountain man beard sounded like a win-win to me.  Read More
Posted by Kiley

10 Best Herbs & Spices for Brewing Beer

Humans have been brewing beer for millennia, and in that time, we have incorporated countless ingredients into our ferments. From bright, citrusy witbiers to rich herbal gruits, there’s a flavor profile to suit most any taste—and many of the ingredients to achieve it can be found in your home apothecary or kitchen spice rack!

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Posted by Kiley

Herbal Witbier Recipe for Homebrewers

Homebrewing is equal parts science and sorcery. On one hand, it requires having a firm grasp of the chemistry of the process insofar as water, mash, temperature, pH, and other factors have a big impact on your final beer. On the other hand, artful ingredient pairings are just as important, as your choice of malts, yeast strain, and other adjuncts like candi sugar or organic herbs all combine to add an intangible magic to a brew.

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Posted by Kiley

DIY Sheet Masks with Downloadable Template

If you enjoy exploring new additions to your home spa routine, you may have already encountered sheet masks. This trending skincare innovation came to prominence with the arrival of K-Beauty in the Western world and has rapidly gained international popularity as a fast and simple way to enjoy some indulgent self care.

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Posted by Kiley

Homemade Spicy Kale Chips with Nettle Powder

When spring hits, my body craves green things like nobody’s business! There’s nothing like a bowl of the season’s first new growth to connect with nature’s fresh, revitalizing energy, and salad inspiration abounds around every turn. As the season progresses, however, I find my tastes evolving with it, and though my love of all things leafy wanes not at all, I begin craving other texture and flavor combinations beyond a raw bowl of greenery.

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Posted by Kiley

The Complete Guide to DIY Beeswax Wraps (AND Beeless Vegan Food Wraps!)

Both my husband and I love to cook, and we delight in sharing our gastronomic adventures with those we love. However, I’ve always hated using plastic wrap each time we take one of our culinary creations out the door. So I set out to find a plastic wrap alternative. When I mentioned it to a like-minded friend, she suggested I get a set of silicone stretch lids. It seemed like a great idea, but I struggled to get them on my favorite handmade bowls. Then I found beeswax wraps.

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Posted by Kiley

Guide to Oil Cleansing (& the Best Oils for Your Skin Type)

I know that washing your face with oil may sound a little odd at first, but trust me—this ancient secret is a great way to cleanse and nourish your skin! The reason oil cleansing works is basic chemistry: specifically, the principle that like-dissolves-like. Using nourishing organic oils to clean your face helps break up the grime that gets caught in your skin’s natural sebum. Ready to get started? Let’s go!

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Posted by Kiley

Here We Brew a Wassailing: Making Spiced Cyser


Thanks to pop culture references from blockbusters like
Harry Potter and Game of Thrones, mead is experiencing a renaissance. For years, this delicious golden nectar has been saddled with a reputation of being overly sweet, or only to be enjoyed while at a medieval festival or dinner. But no longer! Mead has retaken a seat at the craft beverage table with many metheglins (spiced meads) and fruited meads leading the way. I’ve enjoyed meads with traditional culinary herbs including saffron, cacao nibs, vanilla, ginger, chilies, and cinnamon, as well as more traditional brewing herbs such as mugwort, yarrow, juniper berries, and hops.    

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Posted by Kiley

How to Make Kombucha at Home with Loose Leaf Tea

Over the last decade, my kitchen has hosted a wide variety of cultures and home fermentation projects. Pickles, sauerkraut, kimchi, milk-and-water kefir, and fermented garlic paste have all lived (and thrived!) atop my counters. However, only one culture has found a permanent residence: kombucha. If you aren’t familiar with kombucha, it is a fermented tea beverage that has exploded in popularity over the last few years. Kombucha can now be easily found at nearly every co-op or grocery store, but if you drink as much as I do, store-bought bottles can get pricey fast. Fortunately, it’s easy, inexpensive, and fun to make at home! Plus, you can flavor your kombucha and adjust its acidity or sourness to your liking.  

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Posted by Kiley

How to Make Mead with Berries & Spices

It is believed that the honor of "oldest alcoholic beverage on the planet" goes to mead. Evidence of this enchanting gold elixir has been found in Chinese pottery vessels dating back to 7000 BCE. While the discovery of mead was almost certainly a happy accident, over the ages this “nectar of the gods” has found a home in many tales, myths, legends, customs, ceremonies, and traditional remedies. Today, mead is enjoyed around the world in a variety of styles and strengths, from session meads to full-strength sack meads. 

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Posted by Kiley

4 Thirst-Quenching Botanical Lemonades

When summer serves up blue skies with long hot days, I crave lemonade. And not the kind that comes from a powdered mix packed with preservatives, colorants, and artificial sweeteners, but real, fresh-squeezed lemonade. The perfect balance of bright acidity, light tartness, and a hint of sweetness that I long for simply can’t be accomplished any other way. Plus, making freshly-squeezed lemonade only takes a few minutes, and it’s easy peasy lemon squeezy.

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Posted by Kiley

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We offer one of the most thorough selections of certified organic herbs, spices, and botanical products and are commited to responsible sourcing.

Kiley

Kiley Gwynn, certified BJCP beer judge and Brand Director at Ninkasi Brewing Company, enjoys a wide variety of hobbies—but her deepest passion is homebrewing. She loves spreading the joy of homebrewing and over the last decade has become deeply involved in the Oregon homebrewing community. Kiley is an award-winning homebrewer who holds a seat on the executive committee of Cascade Brewers Society and is a member of American Homebrewers Association Diversity Subcommittee. She loves brewing herbally inspired beers at educational events like Learn to Homebrew Day. When she’s not working as a blog contributor at Mountain Rose Herbs or in her homebrewery, you’ll likely find her under a pile of yarn with a crochet project, in the kitchen working on her latest small batch canning adventure or chasing her rescued red heeler down the beach.

Recent Posts

3 DIY Beard Oil Recipes & How to Use Them

A DIY beard oil is easier to make than you might think. Try these beard oil blends to relieve the dreaded beard itch and give your whiskers the softness they’re craving!
WRITTEN BY Kiley

May 15, 2020

10 Best Herbs & Spices for Brewing Beer

Brewing beer requires patience and creativity. Here are 10 unique ingredients to inspire your next recipe from an award-winning homebrewer.
WRITTEN BY Kiley

April 17, 2020

Herbal Witbier Recipe for Homebrewers

Herbs and spices add a fun and rewarding twist to your beer-making adventures! Try this herbal Witbier recipe and expand your homebrew know- how.!
WRITTEN BY Kiley

October 7, 2019

DIY Sheet Masks with Downloadable Template

Make your own natural and affordable sheet masks for quick, customized home facials! Our free mask template and recipes make it simple.
WRITTEN BY Kiley

September 9, 2019

Homemade Spicy Kale Chips with Nettle Powder

Get your greens in snackable form with homemade kale chips! Sprinkle with our organic shiitake and nettle powders for an added flavor and nutrition boost!
WRITTEN BY Kiley

August 16, 2019

The Complete Guide to DIY Beeswax Wraps (AND Beeless Vegan Food Wraps!)

Make your own reusable beeswax or vegan food wraps for an easy DIY plastic wrap alternative that saves you money and helps the planet.
WRITTEN BY Kiley

April 2, 2019

Guide to Oil Cleansing (& the Best Oils for Your Skin Type)

Nourishing organic oils are a wonderful way to clean your face and break up dirt that gets caught in your skin’s natural sebum. Learn how to make an oil cleanser that’s perfect for your skin type.
WRITTEN BY Kiley

January 8, 2019

Here We Brew a Wassailing: Making Spiced Cyser

Mead is experiencing a renaissance as a delicious craft beverage that you can make at home. Learn how to brew "cyser", a mead with apple cider and warming spices, that is sure to become one of your favorite traditions.
WRITTEN BY Kiley

November 13, 2018

How to Make Kombucha at Home with Loose Leaf Tea

Brewing kombucha at home is easy. Learn what a SCOBY is, how to brew one gallon, our favorite types of tea to use, plus a few other tips we've learned along the way!
WRITTEN BY Kiley

September 28, 2018

How to Make Mead with Berries & Spices

Homemade spiced berry mead is a delicious and easy departure from the usual golden elixir. Its stunning amethyst color and fruity pop is a must-try homebrewing adventure!
WRITTEN BY Kiley

July 26, 2018

4 Thirst-Quenching Botanical Lemonades

Traditional fresh-squeezed lemonade is a true summer treat. But why stop there? Kick things up a notch with one of our four herb-inspired lemonade recipes.
WRITTEN BY Kiley

July 17, 2018