Articles
Those Who Came Before
A homebrewer reminisces about how he started in the hobby 15 years ago and the man he credits for teaching and inspiring him. As he’d later find out, that man, Byron Burch, was a legend in homebrewing circles.
Understanding Mash Chemistry
Changing the chemistry of the mash can play an important role in the outcome of the final beer. Learn how to make adjustments based on your water and grist.
Hop Creep, Hop Utilization, and a Different Approach to Beer Judging
Hop creep isn’t new, so why are we hearing so much more about it in recent years? Brewing scientists now believe it has to do with a push from brewers for hops to be kilned at lower temperatures to preserve aromatics. The Wizard also gets geeky about hop utilization and shares a different approach to beer competitions.
Yeast Slants, Candi Sugar, & Cold Crashing
The Wizard answers questions about creating yeast slants and building up a population of yeast from them. He also defines and offers advice around candi sugar and cold crashing.
Understanding Water Reports
Adjusting your water to accentuate the beer style you are brewing begins with understanding what is already in the water you use. One of the easiest places to start is with your local water report that should have all of the information you are in search of, with some important caveats.
The Secrets to Freezing Yeast
The cost savings of reusing yeast is significant, but a downside is that you have to brew your next batch before the viability of the yeast greatly declines. However, you can freeze the yeast, which will keep it usable for years. Special precautions need to be taken as just tossing a pouch of yeast in the freezer will rupture cell walls and kill it. This is why you need a cryopreservative. Learn how to freeze yeast correctly. With a bit of preparation and minimal equipment, you too can have a large yeast bank in your freezer to choose from whenever you want to brew your next batch.
Long-Draw Draft System
They’re an expensive proposition, but long-draw draft systems certainly have an appeal. Draft expert Bill Jablonski provides a tutorial on what it takes to install one in your place.
You Can Go Homebrew Again
A longtime icon in the homebrewing world, Jamil Zainasheff and his wife opened Heretic Brewing Co. in 2010. Having recently sold the brewery, Jamil is once again finding his homebrewing roots.
Transfer/Racking Beer
Transferring beer should always be done with great care. Get some pointers for minimizing oxygen pick-up.
Hop Water
Hop water is the perfect beverage for those times where you can’t drink alcohol but still need your hop fix. Learn the secrets to brewing a great hop water with basic ingredients and equipment homebrewers are sure to have on hand.
Adjusting Boil Times and Ice Requirements for Wort Chilling
Mash and boil durations used to be practically set in stone but questions about their nearly static nature have arisen. Mr. Wizard recently dove into mash duration and now leans into the sanctity of boil length. Also, a brewer is looking for advice in regards to using ice to chill wort.
Dry Hopping: Tips from the Pros
While research is still being done to learn how to get the most from dry hopping, we asked three brewers known for their dry-hopped beers to share their approach.
