We have become rather smitten with sours in recent years, an affair that shows no sign of waning. The venerable examples are more attractive than ever, and brewers are embracing them passionately. This, in turn, has piqued great interest from homebrewers, who now have at hand the necessary design and ingredients. Brewing sours by traditional... View Article
There is no denying the popularity of the new wave of “wild” brews. These cutting-edge, contemporary versions are variously inspired by the aged sour, earthy and musty brews of Belgium and Germany and old stock ales of Britain. European brewers use both anachronistic and more modern techniques today to get that natural, primitive personality, but... View Article
Coffee and beer are generally relegated to different parts of the day. In the end, both serve a similar purpose, enhancing the mood and purpose of the moment, sip by sip. They even share comparable paths in recent years, from mundane indulgence to culinary feature. Coffee and beer, uncannily similar in many ways, have become... View Article
Outfitting a homebrewery capable of making 10-gallon batches allows for an efficient use of precious brewing time. It comes with a caveat though: 10 or more gallons is a lot of one particular brew to have on hand. One solution is to turn it into two different brews. There are many ways to approach this,... View Article
The unassuming ales of Scotland sometimes get lost in today’s dynamic brewing shuffle. Once as well-known for IPA, porter and stout as they were for their indigenous brews, the Scots have in more recent times begun brewing ale that pays homage to their roots. Malty, modestly hopped and full of warming color, they are accented... View Article
It is always assumed that subtle, low-gravity beers are the greatest challenge in homebrewing. But high-gravity, boldly flavored beers also present some difficult hurdles. Nearly every aspect of their construction, from recipe formulation to proper maturation, entails some prudent, crucial considerations that more modest brews do not. I consider anything above OG 1080 to be... View Article
Rye has become quite the dashing addition to microbrews in recent years. This flavorful, hearty grain is generally cast in a supporting role, but it is emphatic enough to lend a noteworthy performance even in spot duty. Especially common in pale ale and IPA, rye is capable of embellishing many other brews, both top- and... View Article
There should always be a spot reserved in the cellar for abbey and Trappist beers. Though the brewers of these beers may be considered idiosyncratic, it would be fair to say that they have largely settled on a few loose styles. North American microbrewers have long been disciples of the abbey/Trappist doctrine, but homebrewers also... View Article
The cans holding today’s craft beers are very different from those that first hit shelves over 75 years ago. In those days, cans were made from rolled and riveted tin and steel made into flat-top cans and cone-top cans (cans that were formed so they could be filled on bottling lines). Cans sold today are... View Article
