Writer: Mikoli Weaver
Scotch Strong Ale
Digital and Plus Members OnlyOver the ages, the country of Scotland has been known for many things: proud clans, powerful warriors and some of the best malt beverages ever created. Skullsplitter is the model for this month’s beer, brewed by Orkney, named for the small chain of islands off the northern tip of Scotland. The Orkneys were home to
Brewing Oktoberfest
Digital and Plus Members OnlyThe first Oktoberfest was brewed to celebrate the wedding of King Ludwig I to Princess Maria Therese in 1810. Ever since, the beer has been brewed to commemorate the annual event that takes place on the same Munich village green, known as Theresienwiese, or “Therese’s Meadow.” The original one-day celebration has expanded to a sixteen-day
Huckleberry Ale
Digital and Plus Members OnlyAn American-style pale ale, with a healthy heaping of huckleberries.
Biére de Garde
Digital and Plus Members OnlyA style all its own, really, Biére de Garde’s closest related beer would be Saisons. But Biére de Garde’s often will lack the spicy yeast character of Saisons, providing a more malt-forward style that can often be sweeter that Saisons. Find a classic recipe here.
Williams Brothers Brewing Co.’s Fraoch Heather Ale clone
Digital and Plus Members OnlyHeather can be found in abundance in Scotland, although not native to the region. Combining bittering properties and aromatic oils, heather can be used an alternative to hops to produce gruit.
Aventinus Weizenbock clone
FREEWeizenbock is a strong, wheat-based Bock Lager.
Dortmunder
Digital and Plus Members OnlyDortmunder, sometimes called Dort but more often known as “export,” is a golden German lager. Export originated in Dortmund, an industrial city in the north of Germany. In medieval times, this local style was exported widely throughout the Westphalia region and across the border in the Netherlands, which is how it got the “export” nickname.
Golden Ale
Digital and Plus Members OnlyGolden ale, blonde ale, Canadian ale. No matter what you call it, you’re describing the beer we’re brewing in June. The name may be a bit fuzzy, but the beer is usually an all-malt ale that’s light and dry. It resembles a light lager, with greater bitterness and hop flavor. It’s also similar to pale
Maibock
Digital and Plus Members OnlyThe original bockbier was a top-fermented dark beer made mostly of wheat. According to some records, bockbiers date as far back as 1250 AD. They were produced in winter and stored in ice caves for summer drinking. The name “bock” is from the town where it was first brewed: Einbeck, Germany. Maibocks, also known as
Old Ale
Digital and Plus Members Only Taking Control of Specific Gravity
Digital and Plus Members OnlySpecific gravity affects many aspects of your homebrew, including its alcohol content, sweetness, and mouthfeel. Keep track of a few numbers while brewing to make the best beer possible.
Belgian Golden
Digital and Plus Members OnlyThere is no official “Belgian golden” category. Rather, it is “Belgian pale,” but this beer should not be confused with a regular pale ale of any sort. In fact if it were to be compared with anything, it would be Orval, the deep golden Trappist beer that contains the yeast recommend for fermenting ours or