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Dry hopping is the practice of adding hops to beer at the tail end or post-fermentation. But there’s more to it than that. In this issue, we explore advanced dry hopping tips, techniques, and traps. Plus, explore the world of perry, industry pros weigh in on the next great IPA, and one brewer shares his experience growing and brewing with mushrooms.
Dry hopping is the practice of adding hops to beer at the tail end or post-fermentation. However, there is a lot more to it than that. There are many factors including time, temperature, quality, and quantity of hops that play pivotal roles in what you’ll get out of dry hopping.
There is no one-flavor-fits-all when it comes to mushrooms. A brewer shares his experience growing and brewing with shiitake mushrooms that contribute a sweet white chocolate flavor and aroma to a saison.
Yeast makes up a significant percent of the cost of ingredients for a batch of beer, but it also offers opportunity for nanobreweries to find savings if they treat it well. Get the most from your yeast time and time again.
Perry, or pear cider as some refer to it, is one of the oldest alcoholic beverages in the world. Facing extinction for periods through history, perry is on the upswing and it’s a great time to learn to make your own at home. Whether it’s bubbly or still, sweet or dry, there is likely a perry for everybody’s taste.
There may be no style that has evolved and branched out into as many sub-styles during the craft beer era as IPA. So the question on many homebrewers’ minds is where the style is going next. We asked a number of brewers and beer industry professionals for their thoughts.
As farmers harvest thousands of acres of hops in just a few weeks, there’s no turning back if a few freshly clipped bines fall off the back of a transport truck onto the side of the road. These bines, loaded with fresh hop cones, offer homebrewers in hop-growing regions the chance to brew what’s often dubbed “Roadkill IPA.”
There are many approaches to adding fruit flavors to beer. Depending on the form — fresh, frozen, juice, puree, dried, concentrate, or extract — and the point at which it’s added during the brewing process, the impact can range from being the star of the show to playing a fine supporting role.
Whether it’s a new, distinct style or just a modified version of an existing style, one thing we can all agree on is that cold IPAs are delicious. Learn to brew this smooth, dry IPA that hits all the right hoppy notes.
The Wizard answers a two-part question on why gravity readings aren’t consistent between two instruments and how a homebrewer can hit their intended final gravity. He also muses on all-in-one brew system designs and the impact temperature plays on pH.
We head to a farm brewery in Indiana to learn about a beer that packs a citrusy punch.
Two perrymakers — one who utilizes culinary pears and another who uses nothing but perry pears — offer advice for homebrewers on crafting a delicious perry.
Looking to advance your brewing knowledge? Check out some of the beer education programs to start your journey down the path to a higher education in beer brewing or the business of beer.
This beer features what you would expect in a saison in regards to the malt and hops balance and the fruity esters and phenols derived from the saison yeast. The shiitake mushrooms provide a notable sweet white chocolate flavor and aroma that pairs very well with the yeast to create a beer like no other.
This beer was meant to mimic the “local” ingredient of a Dole Whip, a frozen pineapple-laden whipped treat originally found at the Enchanted Tiki Room in Disneyland. Although you can buy the mix and pre-made treats these days in the grocery store, where’s the fun in that? I based this around a Belgian tripel because that’s fun! And the style plays well with tropical characters and spicy, earthy flavors in the fonio. The final beer combined classic tripel ingredients with fonio, lactose (because “whip”), vanilla, and a hefty dose of pineapple puree.
Whether it’s a new, distinct style or just a modified version of an existing style, one thing we can all agree on is that cold IPAs are delicious. Brew this smooth, dry IPA that hits all the right hoppy notes.
Here’s the clone recipe from a farm brewery in Indiana for their blood orange pale ale that packs a citrusy punch
