Writer: Chris Colby
Brewing Experiments
Learn how to replace the hot air of opinion with the cold, hard facts of science — by conducting an experiment. Put your favorite homebrew argument to rest with an appropriate test.
Balanced Recipe Formulation
Tired of brewing other people’s recipes? Learn the basics of recipe formulations, from making an ingredient list to choosing the right techniques. We’ll cover what you need and how to go about it, with discussions of all major brewing ingredients and what they add to beer. Plus, discussions of balance, complexity, harshness in dark grains, grains for body and cohumulone in hops. Plus: a recipe for "copper ale"
Brewing American Pilsner
Is there some style we haven’t covered yet in this column? Hmm….oh, yeah, there is that one that occupies 97% of the shelf space on the beer aisle — American Pilsner.
Decoction Mashing Techniques
Looking to make some malty wort the old school way? Try decoction mashing.
Kräusening Techniques
Question: What’s a good thing to add to lager beer? Answer: More beer! Read this kolumn to krack the kode on kräusening.
Countertop Partial Mashing
What do you get when you combine partial mashing, batch sparging and the extract late method of extract brewing? An easy, flexible way to brew better beer on your stovetop — countertop partial mashing.
Troubleshooting Homebrew Techniques
How to troubleshoot problematic beers and get back on track as fast as possible. A step by step guide to the most effective approach to fixing a bad batch.
Extract Method to your Madness
You’re mad about brewing. But if you want to get serious about extract brewing, you need a method to your madness. Explore the most common methods of extract brewing, including the no-boil method, concentrated boil method, extract late method and the Texas two-step, and decide for yourself which best suits you. Plus: Recipes for each method and 4 web-only bonus recipes!
Making the Most of Your Mashes
Extract efficiency and squeezing the most out of your all-grain mashes.
Mashing Variables
So you’ve got the basics of single infusion mashing down? Where do you go from there? Learn the variables that allow you to get a grip on your grain bed.
5 British Ale Clone Recipes
We got the scoop on five classic British ales and serve them up like bangers and mash. Try our clone recipes for Bass & Co.’ Pale Ale, Young’s Double Chocolate Stout, Newcastle Brown Ale, Young’s Special London and Fuller’s London Porter.
Calibrate Your Hydrometer and Fermenter
How accurate is your hydrometer? And how much wort is in that carboy, anyway? How to use the weight of water to calibrate your hydrometer and brewing vessels.
