Simple Test for Starch Conversion During the Mash
One of the most critical aspects of whole grain brewing is determination of the completeness of your conversion of starch to simple sugars and this is critical if you are to provide the yeast with sugars they can metabolize. Grains contain sugars in long chains called starch [...]
No Comments »
Filed under: General
Bottling for Beginners
This description assumes you wish to bottle condition/carbonate your new creation. I use a bleach sanitization method which is different from others. This approach is cheap, easy and reliable if you follow the directions and leaves no residues on your bottles/caps. It is easier on the environment than iodine though [...]
No Comments »
Filed under: General
I have never kegged my beer due largely to space constraints early on and then later not having the equipment. Maybe that is about to change but I can say for certain that after more than 30 years brewing I have had my share of failures to carbonate, especially early on. In fact [...]
No Comments »
Filed under: General
Easy Dishwasher Sterilization of Bottles
I think everyone is looking for the most efficient techniques for dealing with the most labor intensive and repetitive parts of brewing. Nothing fits this description better than the process of cleaning and sterilizing bottles. Years ago Bruce Smith introduced me to this technique and with the advent of [...]
No Comments »
Filed under: General
Belgian Candy Sugar - Make Your Own
Belgian candy sugar is a critical part of any higher alcohol Belgian beer being used to increase ABV without attendant increases in maltiness or mouthfeel associated with using malt for the same purpose. It helps keep things light in body and taste when the alcohol rises. Think [...]
1 Comment »
Filed under: General
Yeast Reuse and Storage - Creation of your own yeast library!
Saving Yeast: To save and reuse a batch of yeast simply rack off the fermented beer from the primary fermenter into the secondary taking care to keep the primary from becoming contaminated (leave the lid mostly on and your fingers mostly out). This will leave [...]
No Comments »
Filed under: General
New Belgium Brewery “Fat Tire” Clone of Belgian Ale
– R. Curtis Bird September 2007
Grain
– 4 lb Belgian Pilsner
– 5 lb Munich
– 12 oz biscuit (Victory)
– 2 oz dark crystal 90 LV
– 3 oz caramunich
– 3 oz aromatic
– 0.5 lb rice hulls (optional to improve sparge – add to dough-in without milling)
Additions to Boil
– ¾ oz Hallertauer – 60 min
– ¾ oz Hallertauer – 10 [...]
No Comments »
Filed under: General
What a delightful find - the Auburn Brew Club! I have been homebrewing for about 30 years, the last 22 years in Auburn. I am a whole grain brewer with a fairly simple cooler-style setup but the beer is good by all accounts. I have a proper freezer incubator fermentation chamber and am a professional [...]
1 Comment »
Filed under: General