Topic: Brewing Science
From Juicy to Crazy Hazy
Juicy. Hazy. These style descriptors have become so commonplace in the craft beer world over the past two decades that everyone can picture the beer in their mind upon a single word.
Cold-Side Considerations: It’s lurking out there . . . oxidation
Oxidation and the effects of staling on beer is one of the great frustrations of brewers. John Palmer lays out the root causes and things we can do at different stages of production to minimize this problem.
Sour Power: The many ways to Lacto
The popularity of Lactobacillus in the modern craft beer scene is hard to miss. But not all Lacto species (or sub-species) act similarly. Get the scoop on a few of their differences.
Digging Into Seltzer Nutrients
The answer to this question requires an upfront disclaimer about any bias or product promotions that may accompany my answer. I work for BSG (Brewers Supply Group) and we carry several products
Testing Your Hypothesis: Experiments you should do
Homebrewing and experimenting are about as old as brewing itself . . . but modern scientific method delineates theories and proven facts. Denny and Drew provide some pointers.
Enzymes Ex Machina: Explore the world of exogenous enzymes
For a long time the only enzyme most brewers would ever think about adding was some amylase enzymes . . . boy have times changed. Learn about the rapidly expanding world of exogenous enzymes.
Bitterness & The IBU – What’s It All About?
In the earlier days of the American India pale ale, bitterness was king. The more Bitterness Units (BU), the better. We didn’t have the hazy-juicys, we had bitter and hoppy, piney, ashy,
Tastes Great, Less Filling? Crafting low-carb beers
The keys to clearly understanding this topic are knowing about the types of starch present in a brewery mash and how malt enzymes act upon these large carbohydrates, appreciating how exogenous enzymes
The Phenolic Phamily
The word “phenol” often comes up in the beer world, but its use can vary widely. In fact hundreds of phenolic compounds have been found to exist in beer. Learn some of the basics about the family of organic compounds.
Biotransformation
The word “biotransformation” has gotten a lot of buzz as brewers look to fermentation — and specifically, yeast — to transform the aroma of hops. Learn what exactly biotransformation is, how it occurs, and how homebrewers can use it to our advantage.
It’s Complicated: Understanding oxygen in brewing
Oxidation has negative connotations in all areas of brewing except one. Learn how oxygen finds its way into our beer and some of the keys to controlling it.
Diastaticus
Saccharomyces cerevisiae var. diastaticus has been the culprit in highly publicized recalls and poses an economic and safety risk to brewers. On the other hand, diastatic yeast produces the gold standard of saison and Belgian ales. Learn what makes this fascinating bug tick, how it can be managed, and how to embrace it in your brewery.
