March-April 2014
Article
Using Fresh Hops for Beginners
One 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
Project
Build a Stir Plate
When 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.
Article
Retirement Home(brewing)
How 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
Article
Three Sparging Methods
My 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
Article
Using Yeast Nutrients
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
Article
Brewing Ancient Nordic Grog
“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
Article
Batch Sparging Basics
For 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
Article
Brew in a Bag All-Grain Techniques
Brew-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
Article
Pro Am Brewing with Mr. Wizard
For 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.
Article
Vienna Lager
by 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
Article
Dextrin Malts, High Gravity & Filtering Water: Mr. Wizard
Q 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
Article
Switchback Ale: Replicator
Dear 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
Article
Indoor Induction Heat
Brewing indoors with electricity can be easier than you think.
Mr. Wizard
Dextrin Malts
The Wiz discusses a question about dextrin malts and another about brewing high gravity beers.
