Sour ales, or beers that feature acidic and tart qualities derived from one or more strains of lactic acid bacteria, can be made in many different ways. Generally speaking, there are traditional, long-aged sour ales and there are quick/wort-soured sour ales. Most of the commercial sour ales on the market are [...]
I love chocolate porters, stouts, and brown ales, but most of the commercial examples I have had lack the chocolate depth I desire, and many seem to get their chocolaty flavor more from dark malts than actual chocolate additions. I get it, though. As a homebrewer, I understand how challenging it [...]
Pico has recently introduced its new Model C brewing appliance, which builds on the technology created for its big brother, the Pico Model S (and its even bigger brother, the Zymatic). The company says this new machine is easier to use and more affordable. As of today (5/9/17), nearly $1.7 million [...]
Any self respecting beer lover has at least peered through brewpub windows at the stainless hardware in the brewery, where the magic (blood, sweat, and tears) happens. Most of us have set foot in a real brewery to dream about what goes on inside those shiny vessels. Some of us [...]
UPDATE: Jenn Tadder is the canning lead at Kulshan Brewing as of March, 2016. When Jenn Tadder started homebrewing, she never imagined it could be anything more than a hobby. A year and half later, Jenn is now a medaled homebrewer, collaborating with owner and head brewer of Aslan Brewing [...]
While researching PicoBrew’s Pico homebrewing appliance, I read through many online forums to get a feel for what others thought of it. Some of the threads turned into philosophical discussions on what it means to be a homebrewer and, more specifically, what is the definition of a homebrewer. Of course, the [...]
After reading Ariana’s post about the PicoBrew Pico homebrew system, I became intrigued by the machine, and I even considered purchasing one. When PicoBrew released the Zymatic in 2013, I found it interesting, but I didn’t even consider buying one because it was too expensive (roughly $2,000). PicoBrew’s recently released Pico, [...]
The most common homebrew batch size is 5 gallons, which results in about two cases of beer. 5 gallons became the standard for a variety of reasons. Supposedly, glass carboys of this size were readily available when homebrewing took off decades ago. Nowadays, 5-gallon glass and plastic carboys and food-grade buckets [...]
"What if you could explore fresh craft beer from breweries around the world, and what if you could brew it yourself customized to your own taste in your own home?" Ladies and gentlemen, put away your kettles and carboys because homebrewing just got a whole lot easier. A new device based out [...]
The first home brew shop I walked into in the late ’90s only had two types of generic beer yeast for sale, lager yeast and ale yeast, and both came in the dried form. As if that weren’t bad enough, most packets were out of date (or had no date), so viability [...]
Calling all homebrewers and those wanting to get into the rewarding hobby of homebrewing: Here is a great opportunity to join the American Homebrewers Association (AHA), have fun at Boundary Bay Brewery and meet local beer enthusiasts. On Sunday, Sept. 13 (during Bellingham Beer Week), from 1 to 4 p.m., Boundary Bay Brewery (1107 [...]
I love to make beer, but I hate to make yeast starters. Call me lazy, but I think they require too much pre-planning, they’re a hassle and they’re time-consuming. The added steps that they demand also increase the likelihood of contamination. I realize, however, that yeast starters are critical for high-gravity beers, and they [...]
The largest homebrew competition in Whatcom County recently took place, and on Sunday, Aug. 2, the winners were announced at the Best of the Bay Awards Ceremony and Homebrew Festival, which was graciously hosted by Boundary Bay Brewery. The Best of the Bay Homebrew Competition (BOTB) is run by the Bellingham [...]
Apparently, there are many homebrewers out there that are more passionate about water than I realized. Shortly after posting an article about Beer Dust, I received quite a few PMs, tweets and emails from homebrewers both near and far. Curiously, my article on water got more of a reaction than why [...]
Water is the least sexy ingredient in beer, yet it is arguably one of the most important ingredients because it makes up 90 to 95 percent of beer’s mass. Brewing water also directly influences the taste of the finished beer. Since I began brewing many years ago, I have often heard the [...]
A couple years back, while attending Sierra Nevada Beer Camp, I got a VIP tour of the brewery’s hop storage rooms, which are kept just above freezing. The crisp air was pungently spicy, minty and piney, making for an incredible olfactory experience. As we toured around, I was drawn to a [...]
How do you tell how much beer is left in your keg? Do you just open your kegerator, lift and guess? This company is proposing a brand new way to manage your homebrew with it's innovative "KegSmarts." It will tell you what's in the keg, how much is left, manage your keg's [...]
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