March-April 2024
Recipe
Schumacher Latzenbier clone
Latzenbier, at 5.5% ABV, is a bit more malty than Schumacher’s everyday altbier, yet still nicely balanced toward the bitter end.
Recipe
Schlüssel Stike clone
This special fall release from Schlüssel is similar to their everyday beer, but bigger, richer, and just a tiny bit sweeter up front, balanced by a higher 38 IBUs.
Recipe
Uerige Sticke clone
Uerige Altbier has predominant notes of honey and biscuit, and a very slight roasted note can be found in the finish. Their Sticke Altbier at 6% is dry hopped, giving it the boldest nose of the special release altbiers from Düsseldorf breweries.
Recipe
Subversive Malting & Brewing’s Dark Harvest clone
Using locally sourced grain, Subversive malts their own grain that is used in Dark Harvest, relying on chocolate and caramel malts and roasted barley for maximum flavor in this stout.
Recipe
Gordon Strong’s Sweet Stout
This example is more like the Mackeson’s I remember — closer to 5% than 6. I also keep the IBUs down, around 25, since I don’t want the bitterness to stand out against the sweetness.
Mr. Wizard
Scavenging Oxygen
Oxygen is a problem for beer at all stages of the process following the early stages of fermentation because many of the flavor-active compounds created by yeast are changed, i.e., chemically oxidized,
Mr. Wizard
Control Mash Temperature with a Propane Heating System
I think I have a solution to your quest that will work well without costing much money. All you need for this project is your propane burner, a pot, an immersion wort
Mr. Wizard
Predicting Mash pH
Being able to predict mash pH based on brewing water composition and grist bill is something of great practical use to brewers. Clearly not all beer styles brewed in Munich, for example,
Article
Rethinking Beer Faults
Gordon Strong has judged at literally hundreds of homebrew competitions. In that time, he’s sampled every beer fault known to man. He takes us through the rising trend of faults tied to newer brewing methods, how to detect them, their causes, and, most importantly, how to avoid them in future batches.
Article
Simple Temperature Control
In a hobby where so many pieces of equipment serve a single purpose, it’s satisfying to find items that can serve many functions. With a heat mat and temperature controller, the opportunities are aplenty.
Article
The Special Altbiers of Düsseldorf
Each fall, four of the five remaining classic altbier breweries in Düsseldorf, Germany, have annual special beer releases. They are bigger versions of the delicious altbier that they brew and serve every day. Jamil Zainasheff made a trip so he could attend the release
of three of them in 2023 and returned home with information on how homebrewers can recreate these beers themselves.
Article
BYO’s Vermont Brewery, Bike & Hike Tour
Brew Your Own Publisher Brad Ring led a group of readers on a tour of some of our favorite spots to play and drink in our home state of Vermont last fall. We share a recap of the trip with images from some of the best stops.
Article
Subversive Malting & Brewing Co.
While it may be more common in Bamberg, Germany, here in the United States there are very few breweries that are malting their own grains. Travel to Catskill, New York, to learn about one brewery that is successfully making it happen along with a recipe for their Dark Harvest stout.
Article
Scavenging Oxygen, a Propane Heating System, and Water Chemistry
It’s long been proven that bottle-conditioned beer lasts longer than those bottled already carbonated. The Wiz dives into the reasoning behind this and it may surprise some people. He also shares ideas for a propane heater and takes a dive into the daunting world of mash pH chemistry calculations.
Article
Sweet Stout
With origins in the United Kingdom, the sweet (or milk) stout has found a following in the U.S. craft beer scene. Gordon Strong digs into its history and provides pointers to brew a classic example of the original lactose-infused beer.
Article
Wort Chilling Advice
Actively chilling wort after the boil is complete is an optional task that often requires a lot of water. Learn why we generally try to rapidly chill our wort, the methods and equipment utilized, and some best techniques when using the various systems homebrewers have devised.
Article
Quick Connects
Quick connects allow various configurations to be employed quickly and efficiently in different parts of a brewhouse, in the cellar, and in draft systems. Take a spin through the many quick connects that brewers are utilizing in today’s homebrewing world.
Article
Yeast Flocculation
Yeast suppliers list flocculation attributes of each yeast strain, but what exactly does it mean, and why should we take it into consideration when choosing a strain? Find out.