May-June 2021
Article
2021 Homebrew Father’s Day Gift Guide
Nothing says “I love you” to a homebrewer quite like a homebrew-related gift. Say so this Father’s Day with the help of our Gift Guide.
Project
Brew System Chiller: A time-saving upgrade
A homebrewer decided to step up to a plate chiller for his all-in-one brew system to reduce both the chilling time and his water consumption.
Article
Spruce Fest: A riverside brewing festival
What started as a spontaneous idea between friends one evening while sitting around a campfire next to a river has developed into a pilgrimage for spruce beer fans: Spruce Fest.
Article
Tasting Glory: Start your sensory program today
Sensory testing should be put in place on day one of starting to brew commercially. Explore ways to establish and maintain a sensory program in your brewery.
Recipe
Gordon Strong’s American Amber Ale
The challenge in this style is restraint, and keeping the flavors in balance. If you do that, this could be a choice as one of your regular house beers.
Article
The Finer Things: Brewing with culinary delicacies
Brewers tend to reach for beer additives that are easy to find and light on the wallet. But what about that $100 black truffle? Welcome to brewing culinary delicacy beers.
Article
Quick Pre-Brew Tips: Collective advice from fellow brewers
We can learn so much from brewing with others. Denny and Drew pulled together some groupthink tips from fellow brewers and from their own experiences.
Article
American Amber Ale
While its popularity peaked in the earlier years of the craft beer movement American amber ales are far from dead. Learn some of the key traits to brewing one of the classic styles in American craft beer lore.
Mr. Wizard
Using Water Profile for Brewing
Rick, water chemistry can indeed be confusing. I think one of the reasons that the topic is so frustrating to read about is partly due to the number of different units that
Mr. Wizard
Pre-Boil vs. Post-Boil Water Ion Concentrations
This is a really good question. Water chemistry is discussed in terms of pre-mash concentrations with minimal attention given to the concentration of ions following mashing (and boil). Perhaps the primary reason
Article
Lagering Techniques and Two Water Chemistry Questions
Mr. Wizard explores a lagering technique that popped up on a Czech brewing forum. Also, two readers ask questions regarding water chemistry.
Mr. Wizard
Alternative Lagering/Carbonation Method?
Nice to see another great question coming in from brewers in Norway! The process outlined above may sound a bit extreme to the modern brewer, but the temperature and time progression described
Article
Beer Evaluation: Tips from the Pros
Experts from the Beer Judge Certification Program and
Cicerone program share how homebrewers can improve their beer evaluation skills and how it will help their brewing.
Article
Ciphering Fruit Beers
Calculating the impact a fruit addition will have on a beer’s ABV is tricky — so much so that even commercial brewers have gotten in trouble for miscalculating their influence on gravity. We take a closer look at the math required to get it right.
Article
Dip Hopping
Dip hopping — letting hops soak at about 170 °F (77 °C) for an hour — has been shown to boost pleasant hop aromas while suppressing or removing unpleasant off-flavors, like myrcene, and aromas that are derived from fermentation.
Article
Kegging 101
Get to know the equipment and techniques required to start kegging your homebrews. With some initial investment, you can soon be serving beers on draught in the convenience of your own home.
Article
Small-Batch Brewing
Five-gallon (19-L) batches have long been the standard for homebrewers, but there are some real advantages to brewing smaller all-grain batches. Whether as your primary system or to use as a “pilot” system, brewing batches of a gallon (3.8 L) or so requires little space and encourages experimentation with minimal risk.
Recipe
Confluence Brewing Co.’s Blue Corn Lager clone
“Blue Corn Lager is made like a classic American Pilsner with a twist. Blue corn makes a sweet wort, with a little bit of that corn chip flavor.” — John Martin
Article
Confluence Brewing Co.
A road trip across the cornbelt of America finds a reader enjoying an unexpected surprise of a beer in Iowa. The Replicator tracks down the story behind the beer, the brewery, and a recipe.
Recipe
Fair State Brewing Cooperative & Arbeiter Brewing Co.’s Bibbidy Drippidy Hop clone
Fair State Brewing Cooperative & Arbeiter Brewing Co.’s Bibbidy Drippidy Hop clone (5 gallons/19 L, all-grain) OG = 1.059 FG = 1.010IBU = 59 SRM = 4 ABV = 6.6% Some may call this
Recipe
Gigantic Brewing Co.’s Belmont Boogaloo clone
Gigantic Brewing Co.’s Belmont Boogaloo clone (5 gallons/19 L, all-grain)OG = 1.051 FG = 1.008IBU = 12 SRM = 9 ABV = 5.6% “This beer dates from 2017 — it has nothing to
Recipe
Boysenberry Crème Blonde Ale
Boysenberry Crème Blonde Ale (5 gallons/19 L, all-grain) OG = 1.065 FG = 1.024IBU = 15 SRM = 5 ABV = 5% This fruit beer straddles the line between decadent and quaffable.
Recipe
Blood Orange Hefeweizen
Blood Orange Hefeweizen (5 gallons/19 L, all-grain) OG = 1.053 FG = 1.013IBU = 9 SRM = 4 ABV = 5.2% Blood orange is a perfect match for the banana and clove of
Article
Aeration and Oxygenation
Learn about the terms aeration and oxygenation, as well as how and when to apply this brewing process.
Article
Drool Page
Featuring some of the latest drool worthy features found in our Homebrew Nation section of BYO. Homebrew Drool Setup — JR Renna • Pen Argyl, Pennsylvania Many of us have fun names