Mr. Wizard
Measuring Mash pH
FREEQuestions about pH and its relationship to brewing are very deep. So deep in fact, that the pH scale was developed and introduced to the world in 1909 by Søren Peter Lauritz
Proper Racking Techniques
MEMBERS ONLYFortunately for homebrewers there are convenient ways to move beer around without ruining your homebrewed suds with the ill effects associated with oxygen. As you mention in your question, one handy method to help reduce oxygen pick-up during racking is by using carbon dioxide as a blanketing gas. While this method is handy, it does
Batch Sparge Temperature
MEMBERS ONLYI remember when I first began homebrewing back in 1986 and almost immediately wanted to start brewing all-grain. At that time the information related to homebrewing was a little more difficult to find and my quest for information quickly landed me in the stacks of McKeldin Library on the University of Maryland campus in College
Cask Ale Beer In A Bag
MEMBERS ONLYThe bag-in-box method has never really been common among homebrewers, but is a technique used by many pubs around the world. The reason your beer is not carbonating is that a rigid vessel is required to house the bag. This allows the beer to be pressurized above atmospheric pressure and to become carbonated. The challenge
Wort Aeration Temperature For Kveik Yeast
MEMBERS ONLYSeveral years ago, I was on a panel discussion at an annual MBAA (Master Brewers Association of the Americas) meeting held in Chicago. A question related to general suggestions about “stuff” was lobbed to the panel. Thanks moderator! Luckily, I waited to comment after the other panelists offered their sage advice about stuff. This gave
Racking Question
MEMBERS ONLYRacking beer from your stainless conical to a PET secondary fermenter is a great way to free up your stainless fermenter. If you have yeast in the cone or trub, I would suggest either clearing the bottom and moving all of the beer to your All Rounder, or transferring out of the racking valve if
Dry Hops in a Narrow-Neck Carboy
MEMBERS ONLYThere are some problems best solved by changing tools. The easiest way to add and remove hop bags to a carboy is to use the types with large openings. Just guessing that’s not the reply you were seeking! Another approach is to put your hop pellets in an over-sized hop bag to allow plenty of
Problems Arising From Reusing Yeast
MEMBERS ONLYA Troubleshooting issues with harvested and washed yeast is difficult without having more information, but you have provided lots of good discussion points. In your case, you are taking yeast from NEIPA fermentations, rinsing/washing your yeast presumably with water, and re-pitching. And your major problems are increased attenuation and less haze, but you are also
Fine-Tuning Bitterness Post-Fermentation
MEMBERS ONLYAt times it is helpful to review why some brewing problems are not so easy to fix and discuss how to prevent these problems in the future. Under-hopped beers are an example of a problem that is not so easy to correct after a certain point in the process. You have noted several possible fixes,
The Raw Deal With Raw Ales
FREEThis question makes me want to try brewing raw ales because the method certainly saves time and really addresses one of those nagging questions to young brewers who don’t think outside of
Is There Any Harm Milling Twice?
MEMBERS ONLYTo mill once, or to mill twice? That is the question — but why shall a brewer mill at all? Brewers mill malted barley for two purposes, extract yield and husk preservation, and these purposes are opposed in terms of process optimization. Extract yield, measured by comparing wort density and volume to malt weight, increases
Digging Into Seltzer Nutrients
MEMBERS ONLYThe answer to this question requires an upfront disclaimer about any bias or product promotions that may accompany my answer. I work for BSG (Brewers Supply Group) and we carry several products used by producers of seltzers, and some of these products will be mentioned in this answer because they are most familiar to me.