Date: May-June 2012
Saison Ale
Digital and Plus Members OnlyJamil Zainasheff states “The characteristic fruity/spicy flavors and aromas of this style come from fermentation, although some brewers do add spices. While some brewers may add spices, I prefer the more subtle and complex spiciness that fermentation develops.”
Beginner Bittering Basics
Digital and Plus Members OnlyIf you want to make a balanced beer, you need to know something about bittering. The alpha acids in hops bring bitter flavor to your beer so that you can balance out the sweetness of the malt. Hops are generally divided into two types: bittering and aroma (although some hops can be used for both
Build a Hanging Carboy Holder
Digital and Plus Members OnlyAfter a few years of homebrewing, what is one of the things we all start to run out of? Storage space! Horizontal storage space in our house, especially the garage, is in high demand. When I came up with this design, I was in search of a better way to store my glass carboys and
Blending Homebrews
Digital and Plus Members OnlyThere is nothing new about blending beers, wines or spirits — humankind has been doing it for centuries. It is often done at the bar, notably with cocktails, wines made from different grape varieties and with beers such as “black and tan,” where Guinness and a pale beer are mixed in the glass. When I
Cooking With Tripel
Digital and Plus Members OnlyThe Trappist tripel ale is a beautiful beverage. My first experience with a tripel was back in 1993 when I had generally been consuming mostly what could be found in the grocery aisle; lots of pale ale, amber, a few porters and stouts and a couple of German imports. I was then introduced to the
Brewing Belgian-Style Tripels
Digital and Plus Members OnlyTripel is pale to golden in color, and strong (the BJCP guidelines list it as OG 1.075–1.085, and 7.5–9.5% ABV). However, three things keep it from seeming like a big beer — it’s relatively dry, sufficiently well-hopped and highly carbonated. There is considerable variation under the above umbrella and Belgian tripels even include beers, like Tripel
Saison
Digital and Plus Members Onlyby the numbers OG: 1.048–1.065 (11.9–15.8 °P) FG: 1.002–1.012 (0.5–3.1 °P) SRM: 5–14 IBU: 20–35 ABV: 5–7% Sometimes I think defining saison is a lot like defining pornography: I know it when I see it (or rather, taste it). There is such a wide variation in the farmhouse ales of Wallonia (the French-speaking part of
Oxidation, Gluten Free & Keg Pressure: Mr. Wizard
Digital and Plus Members OnlyQ Does adding pre-boiled water to the carboy after I rack my beer help against oxidation (less headspace) or hurt it (risk of splashing)? Adam Woods Belding, Michigan A Headspace can cause oxidation, especially in secondary fermenters. Anything that is done to eliminate air helps minimize oxidation. And adding de-aerated water can reduce the odds
Pecan Street Brewing Company’s County Jail Pale Ale: Replicator
Digital and Plus Members OnlyDear Replicator, Recently a friend and i took two days to drive around central Texas (mainly Austin) to visit new breweries. On our way to Fredricksburg we were driving through Johnson City and noticed a sign for Pecan Street Brewing. They had only been open for a couple of months but they already had six
Tudor Beer
Digital and Plus Members OnlyRecipe author Terry Foster comments on his Tudor Beer, “Overall, it was a good crisp, fresh-tasting session beer, resembling a low-hopped version of an English summer ale. This is not so surprising when you consider that in 1503 this beer would have been in competition with the maltier and probably sweeter unhopped ale.”
What are some tips for making gluten-free beer?
Digital and Plus Members OnlyCeliac Disease is an immune reaction to certain gluten proteins found in wheat, barley, rye and oats. This means that when a brewery brews a beverage specifically for this group of people great caution must be taken to prevent these special gluten-free beers from being contaminated by the normal brewery environment. This is not an
Adding water to carboys after racking
FREEHeadspace can cause oxidation, especially in secondary fermenters. Anything that is done to eliminate air helps minimize oxidation. And adding de-aerated water can reduce the odds of oxidation, but the process deserves