Writer: Michael Tonsmeire
Brewing With Wine Yeast
Wine yeast ferments wort differently when compared to brewer’s yeast, but that doesn’t mean brewers can’t use them. Michael Tonsmeire offers some tips and ideas for their use.
IBUs: Modern Beers with Old Formulas – Advanced Brewing
While these approximations are reliable enough for classic hopping techniques and amounts, hopping has evolved to be more varied and aggressive.
The Cult of American Saison
Many American brewers are embracing a style of beer that is fast becoming a relic in its native country — saison. This farmhouse ale can be interpreted in many ways, almost like a blank canvas for the brewer. Get seasoned saison advice from pro brewers.
Dark Winter Saison
Saisons are traditionally a warm weather drink, but a few of us have a tradition of getting together each fall to brew a strong, dark, spiced saison. Each year’s version has a different dried fruit and dark malt. The blend of spices along with the earthiness of the Brettanomyces and buckwheat honey make for an almost savory beer. Brett C is a good complement to the Dupont strain because it helps to dry out the beer.
McKenzie’s Brew House’s Saison Vautour clone
his is the recipe for McKenzie’s Brew House’s multi-gold-medal-winning rye saison from head brewer Ryan Michaels. It’s a good example of how a very simple recipe can result in a beer of extraordinary complexity. The clean version has a wonderful rustic character from the rye and yeast, while the barrel-aged version adds some tartness and funk.
Beets by Drie Saison
Beets impart the flavor of fresh soil and a fantastic magenta color to beer. Beets were my answer to rescue a Brett saison with objectionable sulfur. I hoped the renewed fermentation from the sugar in the beets would drive off the volatile aromatics while the aromatics would complement the spicy and earthy wild yeast character. I peeled and shredded three beets on a box grater and racked five gallons (19 L) of beer onto it for an extended secondary. It worked!
The Science of Hop Glycosides
The modern IPA is more about the strong hoppy aroma and flavors than it is about bitterness. Michael Tonsmeire breaks down the science behind hop glycosides, one often misunderstood compounds in the complex hop chemistry matrix
Weizen Trippelbock
Inspired by The Livery’s Trippel Weizenbock. Steve Berthel told us that, “Most lagers do not use black patent, chocolate, or roast barley in the recipes. I favor a two-hour boil with dark crystal malts to achieve the raisiny, toffee flavors.” He combines extra dark 155–165 °L English crystal malt with bready German base malts (malted wheat, Pilsner, Vienna, and dark Munich). Moderate hopping with Perle and Tettnang provide the balance. Mike’s second attempt to dial in this recipe is currently resting in a 5-gallon (19-L) malt whisky barrel from Balcones Distillery in Texas.
Devil’s Backbone Brewing Co.’s Morana clone
In December 2010, head brewer Jason Oliver of Devil’s Backbone Brewing Co. of Roseland, Virginia collaborated with Alistair Reece, homebrewer and beer blogger (http://www.fuggled.net/), on a traditional double-decocted tmavé. Reece penned the recipe and named the beer for the Slavic goddess of death and renewal. Oliver has won an astonishing amount of brewing medals and is a staunch proponent of decoction mashing (see inset), and Weyermann floor malted Bohemian Pilsner malt.
Nitrogen and Stout Faucets
Is there a more mesmerizing sight than beer cascading through the rising bubbles of a nitrogen pour? Understand the science behind nitrogen beers and stout faucets.
Sebastian God Damn
A 100% Brett fermented beer recipe from Michael Tonsmieire. Brett beer is one of the three styles in the new American wild ale category of the 2015 Beer Judge Certification Program style guide and is wide open to interpretation.
Enjoy the Freedom of Homebrewing
Taking a moment to savor the hobby side
