Writer: Michael Tonsmeire
The Finer Things: Brewing with culinary delicacies
MEMBERS ONLYBrewers 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.
The Evolution of IPA
MEMBERS ONLY“I used to be with ‘it,’ but then they changed what ‘it’ was. Now what I’m with isn’t ‘it’ anymore and what’s ‘it’ seems weird and scary. It’ll happen to you!” – Abraham Simpson Occasionally I hear a beer drinker bemoan that with all the “hazies,” IPA has lost its way over the last few
Sapwood Cellars’ Cheater X clone
MEMBERS ONLYSapwood Cellars’ Cheater X clone (5 gallons/19 L, all-grain)OG = 1.079 FG = 1.026IBU = 80+ SRM = 4.5 ABV = 7.1% This is the culmination of what we learned during our first year of brewing hazy IPAs. It utilizes two of our favorite “cheater” hops for dry hopping for an intense aroma of
Sapwood Cellars’ Nu Zulund clone
MEMBERS ONLYSapwood Cellars’ Nu Zulund clone (5 gallons/19 L, all-grain)OG = 1.055 FG = 1.007IBU = 0 SRM = 3.5 ABV = 6.3% Sapwood Cellars’ one and only kettle sour was a sour IPA showing off Wai-iti and Waimea hops from New Zealand. The result was fruitier than some of our fruited sours, with big lime and
Sapwood Cellars’ Western Shore clone
MEMBERS ONLYSapwood Cellars’ Western Shore clone (5 gallons/19 L, all-grain)OG = 1.070 FG = 1.017IBU = 80+ SRM = 4 ABV = 7.1% Our take on a West Coast IPA, through the lens of hazy IPA brewers. Drier and more bitter, but not quite as dry and bitter as the classics. Strata® is a relatively
Westorval
MEMBERS ONLYThis is my unauthorized imagined collaboration between the monks of Sint-Sixtusabdij Westvleteren and Abbaye Notre-Dame d’Orval. The malt, hops, and primary fermentation are inspired by the flawless Westvleteren Blond (Green Cap) and the bottle conditioning is pure Orval. The result is fantastic around two months in the bottle when it has herbal hops, peppery yeast, and a mellow earthiness.
Alsatian Funky Saison
MEMBERS ONLYThis beer is all about showcasing an alternative universe where Germany developed the saison and wild culture of Belgium. Rather than trying to get my hands on Alsatian Gewürztraminer grapes, I blended in a bottle of wine post fermentation. The fruity notes from the wine meld beautifully with the new German hops and lemony-funky-minerally Brettanomyces. The extended warm conditioning also provides an opportunity for the Brettanomyces to free aromatics from glycosides in the hops and wine, and to work under pressure to create flavors quickly so that the fresh hop nose is still evident.
Recipe Design Ethos
FREEHomebrewers and craft brewers often have slightly different goals when it comes to recipe design. But craft brewers have been taking cues from homebrewers on ways to improve, so too should homebrewers take cues from craft brewers.
Sapwood Cellars’ Ziparillo clone
MEMBERS ONLYSapwood Cellars’ Ziparillo clone (10 bbl/12 hL, commercial-size) OG = 1.048 FG = 1.016 IBU = 14 SRM = 5 ABV = 4.2% This hoppy wheat beer was designed to introduce hop-averse beer drinkers to the new ways hops are being used. A low-temperature whirlpool reduces alpha acid isomerization, allowing more hop flavor without big
Fermentations Apart: Selecting different yeast for different jobs
MEMBERS ONLYBrewers often add adjuncts right into the main batch of beer before or during fermentation with the hopes that the characteristics of the beer will play nicely with the additive. But Michael Tonsmeire explains that fermenting the two separately may sometimes be your best approach.
Tonsmeire’s Acorn Oud Bruin
MEMBERS ONLYI brewed a beer with compatible flavors for the acorns: A rye sour somewhere between English old ale and Flemish oud bruin.
Brewing Table Beer: The challenges of making a 3% ABV beer
MEMBERS ONLYTriple NEIPAs and maple-Bourbon imperial stouts grab a disproportionate share of the hype, but quietly “session” beer is garnering excitement in the craft beer world. While there are classic session beer styles, as a style-modifier “session” denotes lower alcohol (typically 3-5% ABV). Session IPAs in particular have become big business. Typically they have enough character