Articles
Novel Yeasts
Yeast has evolved with the rise of human civilizations and helped shape them. There are a lot more species than just the two we most commonly use in brewing. Learn how and where you too can join the hunt for novel yeast strains.
French Abbey Beer of Northumberland
Intrigued by a local landmark remembering a group of priests who fled to England and set up a brewpub during the French Revolution, a homebrewer sets out to recreate the beer they may have served patrons over 200 years ago.
Brewing Chocolate Beers
There are at least nine ingredients homebrewers can use to contribute chocolate character to beer and five different times to add them. When considering combinations, that leads to thousands of possibilities. Luckily for you, John Nanci has done the test brews (well, a lot of them, at least). He’s here to share the results with readers.
The Wide World of Meads
According to our annual reader study, meads are the third most popular beverage to ferment after beer and cider. Dive into the greater world of these fermented honey beverages.
The Dark Side of Malt
Dark, roasted malts contribute color, flavor, head retention qualities, and other benefits. Learn how these malts are made, what types are available and the differences between them, and how to use these malts effectively in your homebrews.
Do Adjuncts “Dry Out” Beer? Fining Beer, Smoky Off-Flavor, and pH 7
Is there a good reason that brewers add corn or rice to beer to “dry” it out? Learn the answer to this as well as Mr. Wizard’s favorite way to fine beer, possible causes to a smoky off-flavor, and why distilled water can’t be used to calibrate a pH meter.
Pre-Prohibition Lager: A classic American Pilsner-type beer
A style still often called classic American Pilsner, or CAP, the pre-Prohibition lager has several distinctions that separate it from modern American light lagers. Learn the history of the style and some guidelines to crafting your own CAP.
Carbonating Thoughts, Star San Water Temperature, and Sprouted Grains
A homebrewer wonders about carbonating his beer in a keg or growler. Mr. Wizard explains the safety concerns with these two options. Also, is Star San supposed to be diluted in warm or cool water? Get the answer and the scoop on sprouted grains.
Chicha Beer
Chicha beer is a modern interpretation of the historical chicha drink from the Andean region of South America that respects tradition by using elements of the historical style with modern methods and ingredients. This reimagined style is open to interpretation, but is most often brewed with corn and other ingredients native to Latin America, has a slight sourness, skips the hops, and should be drank fresh. Learn more about this rustic style and how to brew your own chicha beer.
Saddle Mountain Brewing Co.
Most Replicator requests come from folks who were wowed by a beer or a long-time fan of the brewery. But this request came from someone who noticed an Arizona brewery that has dominated the Scottish ale category in a national competition. Learn about Saddle Mountain Brewing Co.
American Blonde Ale: For many people, their first craft beer
Often seen as a dumbed-down version of an American pale ale, the slightly less hoppy counterpart, American blonde ale, commonly gets overlooked as just a lawnmower beer. But these beers can have plenty of character.
Myth Busting
Half truths, misunderstood principles, untested theories, and wild guesses often become taken as facts when repeated enough times. You’ll find them on brewing message boards, in literature, and in conversation.
That doesn’t make them true. Let’s bust these myths.
