Mr. Wizard
Recipe Creation
Developing new recipes is really one of my favorite things about brewing and I have some fairly strong opinions about this topic. Before I begin with my answer I think it is
Transferring Hop Trub to the Fermenter
Right or wrong, I long ago viewed the production of beer to include many steps where things are modified, separated and moved to the next step of the operation. The malting process,
Brewing Rauchbier
Thanks for asking about our “I Wanna Rauch” rauchbier! This beer was brewed in collaboration with Keith Wallis as a Pro-Am entry at the Great American Beer Festival. Keith’s “I Wanna Rauch”
Mash Temperatures
Unfortunately, enzymes do not “renature” once they have been heated to the point of thermal inactivation and later cooled. Enzyme denaturation can be likened to cooking an egg, since egg whites and
Warm Fermenting Yeast
What’s that old adage? When the Pacific Northwest presents you with warm, summer weather get outside and enjoy it before the rain returns. Or is that just the hype intended to ward
No-Sparge Brewing
I am definitely a subscriber to the idea that keeping things simple is a benefit to many things that brewers do in the pursuit of great beer. Simplifying things can have a
Adjusting Water pH
This is a question that I have never been asked and did a little digging. The reason for the digging is the very low pH of your well water. Most well water
Yeast Washing
I too question the desire of many brewers to acid wash their yeast. But before diving into why yeast washing is used I want to touch on another topic raised in your
Filtering Before Bottling
Earlier this year Ashton Lewis participated in an “Ask Mr. Wizard” Q&A on BYO’s Facebook page where questions flew in over a two-hour timeframe. He provided quick and concise answers to over
Oxygen Absorbing Caps
Earlier this year Ashton Lewis participated in an “Ask Mr. Wizard” Q&A on BYO’s Facebook page where questions flew in over a two-hour timeframe. He provided quick and concise answers to over
