Below is a generic recipe that can be used to experiment with yeast strains. Simple alterations of hop and yeast varieties will alter the base beer dramatically. Specs for 5 gallons, OG 1050, 30 IBU, Amber All-grain recipe: 7.5# American two-row or English pale ale malt 2.0# German Munich malt 0.5# 40 L crystal malt... View Article
After 24 years of homebrewing, I am still mesmerized by the hypnotic churning and billowing suds of fermenting wort as it is metamorphosed into beer by the humble fungus, yeast. More than a mere catalyst, yeast can exert the most influence of any ingredient.
American Stout (extract) 5 gallons, OG 1.065, 50 IBU 6 pounds light DME 2 pounds Munich malt extract Steeping grains: 0.5 pound black patent malt 0.5 pound roasted barley 0.5 pound 60° L crystal malt 10 AAU Perle hops (60 min) 1 ounce Cascade hops (15 min) 1.5 ounces Cascade hops (0 min) Ferment with... View Article
All-grain proportions are listed by percentage of grist and extract by weight per 5-gallon batch. Altbier: For that coppery color, use 2 percent or 3 ounces of Carafa II. Irish Red Ale: Ireland’s answer to English pale and Scottish ales. For a hint of roast and reddish color, go with 2 percent or 3 ounces... View Article
Homebrewers have a particular affection and appreciation for dark beers. Often considered too harsh, bitter and assertive by the timid or uninitiated, they are just as often agreeable, even mellow. The proper use of roasted grain and malt makes them possible, and in some cases they are fairly defined, or even dominated by these emphatic... View Article
Summer Saison 5 gallons, OG 1050 ¾ lb dextrine malt for steeping 6 lb extra light dried malt extract 1 oz East Kent Goldings hops, 60 minutes 1 oz Styrian Goldings hops, 25 minutes 1 oz Saaz hops, 5 minutes Optional: Add ¼ oz fresh ground white peppercorn and ¼ oz fresh ground coriander, and... View Article
Warm weather presents something of a dilemma for brewers, as yeast is wont to misbehave under high temperatures. Rather than letting the brewhouse lie fallow, use this period to brew saison, the seasonal, quirky farmhouse brew of Wallonia in southern Belgium. Modern saison differs from its historical counterparts in some ways, and with regard to... View Article
OB Wit This is a classic witbier recipe, augmented with orange blossom honey. OB honey is ripe with citrus and floral notes. It is a perfect replacement for bitter orange peel, a complement for coriander, and a balancing act for the tartness of the yeast and wheat. Extract: Create 3.5 gallons of wort with 3.3#... View Article
Said to be at least 9,000 years old, mead is considered our most ancient intentionally fermented beverage. The uninitiated assume that today’s mead is heavy and cloyingly sweet, a surprisingly prevalent misconception. To be sure, mead can be made sweet, but honey as a medium allows for a vast number of interpretations, the majority of... View Article
