We all make mistakes now and then, and our brewing experiences are no different. Mistakes can range from fermenting too warm to nearly killing yourself. No lie. Gordon Strong, the president and highest ranking judge in the Beer Judge Certification Program, had this happen. In the introduction to his book Brewing Better Beer, Gordon describes how he and his partner were using a smoldering stick to kill any mold in a bourbon barrel they intended to use for aging a barleywine. The fumes ignited and the barrel exploded. It took them over eight weeks to recover from their injuries. So keep your … [Read more...]
How Spirits and Liquors Are Made
Spirits and liquors are all created using a millennium-old process called distillation. While many of the ingredients and processes vary dramatically, they all rely on this ancient process. Good distillation is part art, part science. It takes an artisan's keen and developed senses to properly "cut" the product during this process. However, it is equally important that there be some serious attention to detail. Ingredient ratios, temperatures, and time are all variables that must be exact in order for the product to turn out right. In this post we'll go through the basic steps a distiller must … [Read more...]
Competition Brewing: Part I
Step up to the plate Okay, so you’re making progress with your homebrews. You’ve made some beers that you and your friends really like. Everyone who tasted your last IPA said you really hit it out of the park. You feel as if you’re ready to take the next big step. Okay, maybe not the major leagues just yet. You’re not ready for brewing on a larger scale or on a professional basis, but wouldn’t it be nice to know what people outside your circle of friends or your homebrew club think about your beer? There are homebrew competitions taking place all over the world all the … [Read more...]
FastWasher Bottle Washing System Review
Everyone likes a party, but no one wants to clean. Easily the best part about homewbrewing is drinking the fruits (and grains) of your labor. But cleaning and sanitizing your home brewery equipment... THAT'S another story. Bottle cleaning is tedious and a time commitment, but necessary if you're brewing enough to save and share. But there's a new product you need to hear about called the FastWasher Bottle Washing System from the team at FastBrewing have just released the this new product and we're a big fan. We'll get to that in a second, first, here's a great way to clean your … [Read more...]
Smoked Amber Ale Homebrew Recipe
Sometimes I’m asked if brewing beer, like breaking up, is hard to do. I always say, “I wear loafers because I don’t feel like bending over to tie my shoes. If brewing were hard, I wouldn’t bother.” But the real answer is that it’s not difficult; it’s challenging. Whether you’re using HME kits or brewing original all-grain recipes, there’s always something new - be it ingredients, styles, equipment, or improvements on your process. What keeps the hobby interesting for me is the wide-open possibilities for experimentation. Okay, I know that, back in my January article, I warned about … [Read more...]
What To Do When You’re New To Homebrew
If you were one of the fortunate ones to get a beer-making kit during the holiday season, you’re probably experiencing a mixture of excitement, anticipation, and abject terror. I know those were my feelings when my wife got me my first kit eight years ago. I’d been curious about brewing beer for a while, but didn’t know how to go about it. Everything I’d read about homebrewing (which wasn’t much) made it seem as though you needed an advanced chemistry degree and the unlimited finances and laboratory facilities of a Bond Villain. In my case, ignorance wasn’t bliss, it was a roadblock. … [Read more...]
All-Grain Brewing Made Easy
Have you been wanting to take your extract brewing to the next level? Do you feel intimidated about the possible cost or complexity behind the All-Grain brewing method? Are you looking to brew high-gravity beers and improve the control over your homebrew taste profile? Every brewer hits a point where extract brewing just isn't hitting the perfect tune of their homebrew craft perfection. To help inspire and make it easy for our adventurous extract homebrew friends who want to up their game, we've highlighted these 9 easy steps to producing all-grain beer. All-grain brewing will help you … [Read more...]
A Brew to Woo – Brewing to impress!
Homebrewing is a great topic of discussion to bring up when you are out on that first date or getting to know someone that you fancy. It sheds light into your inner complexities as a man who values quality libations and has more depth than the average person ordering "whatever's on tap". Once you've brought up the topic of homebrew, you're bound to get their taste-buds wondering what a home brewed beer could even taste like and if you're any good at the craft. This leads to a good chance of a second date and an opportunity to bring your homebrews along to woo her with your brew! A … [Read more...]
Spiced Porter for the Winter Holidays
In my last entry, I mentioned that I named a beer after my cat, Duncan. Well, in a roundabout way, I did. I modified a recipe from a friend who called it “King’s Porter.” And since porters are a dark beer, and my cat is black, and since King Duncan is a character in my favorite Shakespearean play, I thought calling my recipe King Duncan’s Holiday Porter was a good idea. The point is, it’s a special spiced beer that suits the Thanksgiving and Christmas seasons very well. It can serve as a dessert beer or as the perfect toast to the festivities. And it’s a welcome change from the mulled … [Read more...]
Mashing Pumpkins – How To Turn Post-Halloween Pumpkins Into Amazing Homebrew Beer Recipes
Autumn is upon us. With the coming harvest, crisp mornings, colder nights, and fireside, family get-togethers, comes the time of year to brew one of my favorite seasonal beers: Pumpkin beer! Pumpkins have been used in American beer recipes as an alternative fermentable source since the colonial days. When you are deciding what ingredients you'd like to incorporate into your next Pumpkin Brew, it's important to stick to a few simple basics in getting the style on point. An Ace of a Base It's important to start with choosing your base style of beer. Many beer styles are adaptable as a base … [Read more...]