Date: March-April 2018
Methods of the Low Oxygen Brewhouse
Two advocates for low oxygen brewing explain the theory and reasoning behind it, plus share best practices to limit oxygen exposure in the brewing process.
Big Batch BIAB
Think brew-in-a-bag (BIAB) is just for small stovetop brewdays? Think again. Here is the equipment and other considerations to brew mega BIAB batches.
Crafting Your Own Belgian Abbey-Style Ales
Trappist ales are as complex as they are sought-after. Get tips to brew your own Trappist-style ales from the homebrewers who won gold in the Trappist ale category of the 2017 National Homebrew Competition.
Tafelbier
Similar to Trappist single, Tafelbier is a low-gravity session style beer with a nice Belgian character in the background that is a great beer to drink on brew days when you need to keep your wits about you but would also like to have a few beers. It also has a quick turnaround, so it’s perfect for brewing when you need a beer for a fast-approaching event.
Belgian Dubbel
We decided on a simple grain bill for our dubbel to allow the yeast to express that Belgian character of fruity esters and some spicy phenols in the aroma that so many of us enjoy when we first take a sip of a well-made dubbel.
Belgian Tripel
This tripel has a standard grain bill and a process like our Belgian dubbel with one twist —the addition of Weyermann Abbey malt. The Abbey malt gives the finished Tripel more malt character that the best commercial examples in Belgium all have.
Belgian Quad
We keep the IBUs on the low side for this beer in relation to the style because we like the hops to take a backseat to the rich malt and yeast characters in this beer. The more this beer attenuates and dries out the more the hop flavor will come through in the final flavor.
Belgian-Style Saison
This saison is very dry, with a balanced lemony tartness from the yeast. Flaked wheat adds complexity, body, and smoothness. Rye adds complexity, mainly in the form of spiciness. No aroma hops are used in this version, which focuses on the yeast and grains. For more hop character, I would recommend dry hopping with a noble hop variety or a moderate amount of Motueka and/or Nelson Sauvin.
Saving Saison
While saison is a Belgian beer style, it is rarely brewed there. Explore the history of saison and get tips to brew your own classic saison from a Belgian brewer who is trying to restore its popularity in Belgium.
Brewing with Alternative Rice Forms
Seeking a crispness to a beer style with the addition of rice? Save time by skipping the cereal mash and use an alternative like flaked, malted, or extract rice.
Ricey Saison
A saison made with rice malt or dry rice extract.
Paint it Black IPA
A black IPA made with rice malt.
