Mr. Wizard
Topic: All Grain Brewing
Mashing Enzymes
Your understanding of mashing is correct — sugars are not restructured when the temperature is increased from 117 ºF (65 ºC) to 122 ºF (68 ºC) — but I know a scenario
Mashing Out
Mr. Wizard
Brewing Process: Homebrew vs Brewpub
In a very generalized sense, all beer is made using the same basic steps. All beer begins as wort that is then fermented, aged, clarified to some extent and packaged. The biggest
Reduced Mash Times
There are some brewing topics I address because I have been asked, and some subjects I opine about whether asked to or not. And there are some things I tend to avoid.
Steeping oats and flaked barley
I assume when you use the term “serious brewing references” you mean texts that are full of chemistry, biochemistry, microbiology and engineering principles. These serious references are totally devoid of recipes and
Shortening the Brew Day: Mr. Wizard
Is there any good way to shorten the brew day? The Wiz explores the options.
Single malts
The Wiz has just one thing to say about single-malt Pilsner.
Extract vs all-grain brewing?
This is a pretty heavy question because it hits to the foundation of homebrewing. The way I see it, homebrewing is about brewing your own beer. Mashing is certainly part of what
Tannins during a decoction
This is a very good question that inevitably arises when knowledgeable all-grain brewers begin thinking about doing a decoction mash. The conventional rule is to mash-out at around 170 ºF (77 ºC)
RIMS systems
I must confess that I am one of those particular brewers who likes nailing my target temperature and appreciate the gadgets of modern brewing. I have a mash mixer where I work
Infusion vs. Step Mashing
Infusion mashing is a traditional method using an unheated mash tun, resulting in a single temperature mash. In reality, the temperature drops slightly over the mash rest and increases during sparging. Step
Calculate brewhouse efficiency
The easiest way to calculate brewhouse efficiency is to go metric! You need four pieces of information to perform this straightforward calculation. The data you need is: post boil wort volume in
