Mr. Wizard
Avoiding Dough Balls
Dough balls are an undeniable nuisance to brewers of all sizes because the malt in the dough ball is not wetted and does us brewers no good. Unless you are stirring with
Brewing in remote regions
From time to time, I take space in my column to write about something timely and exciting to share. Wilco’s dilemma is a challenge for me because there is a limit to
Stressing yeast to increase phenolics
This is a great question that is perfect for a short answer. Contrary to my love of marching to my own beat, I do believe in following supplier suggestions. I would start
Using Yeast Nutrients
This is a great question. Before digging into details, you make an interesting observation about the “Oak It Up” article. On the surface, a brewer may assume that recipes calling for nutrients
Avoiding Dry Hop Oxidation
Oxidation associated with dry hopping is a challenge faced by homebrewers and commercial brewers alike. The frustrating thing about this problem is the thin body of solid references related to the topic.
No/Low ABV Beer Trends
I recently attended the 2024 World Brewing Congress (WBC). The WBC is a joint meeting of the Master Brewers Association of the Americas, the American Society of Brewing Chemists, the European Brewery
Building a population from yeast slants
I think I am following your plan and will rephrase so that what follows is clear. You want to buy a single liquid pack, “borrow” a bit to prepare 7–8 slants, and
What is candi sugar?
Candy sugar (or “candi” sugar as it is commonly spelled) has a long history in Belgium because of the busy trading port of Antwerp. Until the 19th century, Europe did not produce
What does “cold crashing” mean?
Cold crashing is a topic that seems to have become hot lately with more and more mentions in social media groups about this catchy brewing term. Like many trending homebrewing topics, cold
Protein rests when brewing with wheat
This is a great question, Richard. The short answer is no, you do not need to do a protein rest when brewing with more than 25% wheat. However, many brewers want to
Freeze-drying yeast
Freeze-drying, or lyophilization, has been used for drying bacteria and yeast for nearly 100 years. The process begins by freezing, followed by subjecting the sample to a vacuum. The low pressure results
Simplifying Homebrewing
This is a fun question that probably has more than a few people questioning my wisdom over the use of glass carboys. Just to be clear, I keep mine in a crate
