Date: March-April 2014
Using Fresh Hops for Beginners
Digital and Plus Members OnlyOne of the best things about growing your own hops is the opportunity to then experiment with them in your homebrew. One way to do this is to try fresh hopping (sometimes called wet hopping) — that is, forgoing the drying process and using the hops in your brewing the same day you pick them
Build a Stir Plate
FREEWhen used for building yeast starters, the continual stirring of the stir-bar provides constant agitation and aeration of the yeast. The result is smaller starter sizes and less time needed to build more yeast cells.
Retirement Home(brewing)
Digital and Plus Members OnlyHow old is too old to learn to brew? Well, if you live at the Aspen Ridge Retirement Community (the Ridge) in Bend, Oregon there is no such thing as too old. Aspen Ridge Life Engagement Coordinator Sandie Nowell was challenged to “think outside the box” to provide residents with lifelong learning opportunities to
Three Sparging Methods
FREEMy apologies to extract brewers, but today is solely about all-grain brewing, and how we get the extract out of the mash when conversion of starch is complete. Three techniques are practiced
Using Yeast Nutrients
Digital and Plus Members OnlyPhoto by Kevin Margulieux When I was a kid, my grandma would buy sampler packs of single-serving boxes of Kellogg’s cereal for my brothers and me. Remember those? Invariably, the last one to get eaten was always Product 19 — the one with all the essential vitamins and minerals. Those nutrient-rich but sugar- and cartoon
Brewing Ancient Nordic Grog
Digital and Plus Members Only“I’m lucky I get to do this,” Sam Calagione, Dogfish Head Craft Brewery Owner and Brewmaster states in no uncertain terms when asked about one of his latest “archaeobeer” projects: Kvasir. This 3,500-year-old “Nordic grog,” is the seventh beer in a series of brewing collaborations between Calagione and famed fermented beverage archeologist Dr. Patrick McGovern
Batch Sparging Basics
Digital and Plus Members OnlyFor homebrewers first getting into all-grain brewing, the terminology, technology and wide variety of methods can be confusing. Simplifying the process, especially for the first few all-grain batches, is important. All of the technical jargon hides two pretty simple steps: mashing and lautering. Most homebrewers use a single infusion mash, which means you add some
Brew in a Bag All-Grain Techniques
FREEBrew-in-a-bag (BIAB) is the easiest and most economical way for an extract brewer to step-up into all-grain brewing. What makes this method (which was made popular by Australian homebrewers) unique is that
Pro Am Brewing with Mr. Wizard
Digital and Plus Members OnlyFor several years I wanted to participate in the ProAm competition at the Great American Beer Festival (GABF), but was not sure how to go about teaming up with an award-winning homebrewer. A classified ad in the local paper or posting a sign in our brewery seemed a little desperate. Coordinating a special competition for
Vienna Lager
Digital and Plus Members Onlyby the numbers OG: 1.046–1.052 (11.4–12.9 °P) FG: 1.010–1.014 (2.6–3.6 °P) SRM: 10–16 IBU: 18–30 ABV: 4.5–5.5% If you are a beer geek, certainly you know the name Anton Dreher. It was from 1836 to 1840 that he developed a new, paler lager. Brewed with the new lighter-colored malts of the time, it had a
Dextrin Malts, High Gravity & Filtering Water: Mr. Wizard
Digital and Plus Members OnlyQ I understand that DextraPils® gives body and head, but why? What is the process in making this malt and how does it break down in a mash? What type of sugars or starches does it provide? I do know that DextraPils® grain itself is crunchier and not as sweet as 2-row malt. I did
Switchback Ale: Replicator
Digital and Plus Members OnlyDear Replicator, Everyone has a favorite beer — mine is Switchback Ale from Switchback Brewing Co. in Burlington, Vermont. In fact, my wife and i like it so much we served it at our wedding. Can you help get the recipe so I can try brewing Switchback Ale at home? Seth Beauregard Mt. Tabor, Vermont