Mr. Wizard
Calibrating a pH Meter With Distilled Water
On paper, using distilled water as a pH 7.0 makes sense because the ionization constant is 1 x 10-14 and the concentration of hydrogen ions is 1 x 10-7 molar at 77
Troubleshooting A Smoky Off-Flavor
I like to troubleshoot off-flavors by thinking through the brewing process as a way of brainstorming. Plugging these thoughts into a visual aid like a fishbone diagram really helps to identify possible
Do Corn and Rice Adjuncts “Dry Out” Beer?
Dryness is a perception when used as a sensory term and as an analytical/numerical thing when used to describe fermentation. When wort is “fermented to dryness,” all fermentable sugars have been fermented
Clues To Identifying An Infection
Identifying beer spoilage by visual observation can be a challenge, but the photo of your brew does look suspect. If I were to wager a bet, my money would be on Acetobacter
Mr. Wizard’s Guide to Cleaning Your Draft System
Clean draft lines and faucets are key to any properly maintained draft beer system. The good news for the homebrewer is that our draft lines tend to be relatively short and contain
Is There a Difference Between Rolled and Flaked Grains?
Thanks for the great question, Tony! An interesting topic to dive into for sure because there are some real differences among adjunct grains that are invisible to the eye. For starters, the
Using Beer Burp to Help Judge a Beer?
This just goes to show that learning never stops. I can state with conviction that I have never heard or read about this method in decent circles. But I am choosing to
Aging Your Homebrew Beer
Hey Bob, before I attempt to answer this question I just want to let you in on a secret. If I could really answer this question, I would be retired on an
Brewing Beer With Fresh-Picked Hops
Thanks for the fun question! This topic is a great reminder that beer has been brewed way longer than our scientific understanding of raw materials, brewing, and beer. It wasn’t long ago
Keys To Brewing A Great Weizen
I also love hefeweizens and enjoy brewing and drinking weizen beers! Weizen is definitely a yeast-driven style, where fermentation products really define the flavor profile. Let’s set yeast aside for a moment
Kräusening For Homebrewers
Kräusening is a lagering method with two main uses. And both are based on the same basic technique of adding some beer in the “high kräusen” stage of fermentation to beer that
Question About Cleaning Copper
Many brewers and cooks love copperware for its heat transfer properties and attractive appearance. One of the downsides, however, to copper is that pretty, honey-like color turns brown over time and requires
