Topic: All Grain Brewing
Killer RIMS
Digital and Plus Members OnlyLike many homebrewers, I came to a point with my partial-mash brewing that provided great beers but didn’t allow for the full creative control of the process that I wanted. Of course the next logical step is all-grain brewing. There are numerous methods to choose from for this style of brewing, but which was right
Mastering the Step Mash: Tips from the Pros
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Infusion Mashing: Tips from the Pros
Digital and Plus Members OnlyBrewer: Richard Young Brewery: Castle Springs Brewing Co. Moultonborough, N.H. Years of experience: Nine Education: BA in criminal justice from Stonehill College, Easton, Mass. House Beers: American Wheat Beer, Munich-Style Lager, India Pale Ale, Porter, Autumnfest, Winter Festival Ale We have a two-vessel brewhouse, a mash/lauter tun with a brew kettle. So we are limited
A Practical Guide to Lautering
Digital and Plus Members OnlyConsidering how important it is to the brewing process, lautering doesn’t get much respect. Many brewers see it as simply the process of rinsing grains. They give it little thought, rush through it, and curse it when it causes problems such as a stuck lauter. But a successful lauter plays an important role in getting
Mashing and the Balanced Diet
Digital and Plus Members OnlyBeer as we know it was first discovered by Sir Francis James Beer III in 1873. Beer (the man) was the court scientist to the Queen of England. After first accidentally inventing diet cola and then wine coolers, Beer succeeded on his third attempt to create the official royal beverage when he modified barley into
A Starter Guide to Mashing
Digital and Plus Members OnlyWhether you’re just beginning or want to brush up on your technqiue, this article walks you through an infusion mash, step by step.
Starter Guide to Decoction Mashing
Digital and Plus Members OnlyAs brewing has evolved some techniques that were once considered essential have become obsolete. Decoction mashing, however, arguably maintains important aspects of crafting a well-respected beer. But its role has changed. In earlier days it was a necessary step in breaking down undermodified malts, which are less prevalent now. Today die-hard decoction mashers are convinced
Feel the Mash Heat
Digital and Plus Members OnlyWhen I look at my mash tun, I feel a sense of pride. When I withdraw my floating thermometer from the infusion of water and malt and it reads 150° F, I feel like a true brewmeister. Oh, but there were rocky times. I’ve overshot, underheated, scorched, and burned. I’ve been down with the iodine
Effective Lautering: Tips from the Pros
Digital and Plus Members OnlyBrewer: Mikoli Weaver Education: BS in food and science bio-chemistry from Universtiy of Washington; degree from Instituto di Cucina e Science, Tuscany To effectively lauter you need to effectively mash. Make sure you don’t disturb the mash process. I have a combination mash/lauter tun, so my grain just sits in the same bed. Then I
Troubleshooting a Stuck Sparge
Digital and Plus Members OnlyThe flow of the sweet wort slows to a trickle and the start of the boil is pushed later and later into the day. When night falls, all your friends leave you high and dry with a stuck sparge and an empty soda keg. Such is the sad tale of the brewer whose run-off has
Bulk Up Your Sparge Technique
Digital and Plus Members OnlyEliminate the need to balance inflow and outflow by sparging with a batch method. It may take the same amount of time as traditional trickle-method sparging, but it requires much less maintenance.
Sparging: Tips from the Pros
Digital and Plus Members OnlyBrewer: Kevin Rokke Brewery: Crane River Brewpub & Cafe, Lincoln, Neb. Years of experience: 10 Education: BS in biology, University of Nebraska, Lincoln House Beers: Whooping Wheat, Sodhaus Altbier, Zlate Pivo (pilsner-style ale), Homestead Pale Ale, Platte Valley ESB, Good Life Stout At Crane River we’re careful not to sparge too hard or too fast.