The items included in the recipe to make the beer/wine
2
votes
1answer
76 views
Brewing with Tonka Beans
I am planning a recipe with Tonka Beans. At what point should I add them and approx. how many?
I know that vanilla is usually added after primary.
Should I do the same with these or can I add them ...
1
vote
2answers
114 views
What effect does adding flaked corn to a recipe have?
I've been taught to look down on breweries that use corn in their beer, because it's a cheaper ingredient, and obviously men would never put corn in their beer.
That being said, why would you put ...
2
votes
1answer
64 views
Can I leave the sulphites out of my store bought wine kits
Have trouble with any sulphites. I have all the wine making equip including a filter machine and have made 100 bottles of wine. Would love to try and leave the sulphites out but hate to wait 3 months ...
7
votes
2answers
111 views
Green wood in beer
I was wondering if I can make some post-christmas beer out of the christmas tree (Norway Spruce).
So my question is, does wood have to be dried in order to use it for flavoring or can I use green ...
4
votes
3answers
170 views
Looking to make an Ancient Egyptian brew, but what about bittering and flavoring?
I've done some research on wines and beers of Ancient Egypt and I've decided I want to try and brew a beer based on the ingredients that would have been available at the time. I don't want to make a ...
1
vote
1answer
124 views
LHBS Got my grain bill wrong. Suggestions?
I went to my LHBS today and there was a guy there who I've never had service with (been going to this place about 3mo now). He ended up giving me the wrong grains, and I'm wondering what I can do with ...
3
votes
5answers
231 views
What are the possible consequences of putting dry yeast straight into the wort?
I always put my dry yeast directly into the wort, even though the packaging says to rehydrate it first. I've never had (noticed?) any problems with fermentation.
What could this habit cause to go ...
3
votes
1answer
160 views
Are there sulfites in homebrew?
My friend, who has a severe sulfite allergy, wanted to try some of my beer. I had to refuse because I wasn't 100% sure that there weren't sulfites in it.
How are sulfites introduced to beer? I was ...
1
vote
1answer
92 views
Coffee Beans for Homebrewing [closed]
I'm planning to brew a Coffee Oatmeal Stout in a couple of weeks and was curious about what kind of coffee beans most people use in their homebrews. I was thinking about roasting some beans myself ...
7
votes
1answer
283 views
Can I make urwagwa?
Urwagwa is a popular beer in Rwanda made from bananas, and I'd like to brew some myself. The recipes and methods I've read online have some very traditional methods (e.g. Bury the bananas for a ...
1
vote
3answers
643 views
Apple juice for hard cider (UK)
I need a recommendation about an apple juice that I can buy in order to make hard cider. I have read that it requires an apple juice without preservatives, but is there anything else I need to look ...
7
votes
5answers
343 views
How do you make your own recipe?
I guess most people brew from kits, or from the many available recipes on the net. But for those few recipe formulators, how do you go about building a recipe?
And, given the inexactness of brewing, ...
13
votes
5answers
5k views
What are the benefits of using brewing sugar over types of sugar?
In many kits I've used, the instructions recommend using brewing sugar. Of course it's okay to use other sources of sugar, but I was wondering whether there are any benefits of using brewing sugar ...
6
votes
2answers
899 views
How should I design my new home brewing space?
I am moving into a new house, and the garage in the back garden is just screaming out to be converted into a home brewery.
I realise planning a brewing space depends on a lot of specifics (space ...
10
votes
3answers
829 views
Confused by malts!
great site. I am a total newbie at brewing (used a Mr. Beer kit a few times with success), and recently got a 2 tier homebrewing system for Christmas. I got a prepackaged "American Amber Ale" kit as ...
3
votes
3answers
538 views
What's wrong with using finings?
I've heard a lot of folks complaining about the use of finings in beer & one in particular claimed that commercial brewers stopped using finings once they had to start listing ingredients on the ...
3
votes
2answers
80 views
What are the best online hombrew retailers in Australia?
I've been looking for good homebrew ingredient and equipment retailers in Australia and would like some recommendations. If you have recommendations for online retailers that have the follow qualities ...
3
votes
6answers
574 views
Which sweeteners are good
I need something to sweeten my alcoholic ginger beer. Im currently at the last fermentation stage before bottling.
I was thinking of using Honey as the primer since not all of it will ferment in the ...
8
votes
3answers
369 views
Suggestions for cheap recipes
I would like to create a recipe (or recipes) that is fairly cheap and will serve as a session beer that I can drink when I just want a beer in the evening, and I'm not particularly choosy about what ...
7
votes
2answers
402 views
Carastan substitute?
I recently brewed a recipe that called for Carastan malt. My LHBS didn't carry it, so I just used 40 L Crystal. In the finished beer, I'm missing the toffee and toastiness found in the original. Does ...
2
votes
1answer
194 views
What are the hops varieties Sticklebract & Galena?
A homebrew shop has just opened up near me (hooray!). Browsing their wares I saw two hops varieties unknown to me: Sticklebract (I think this is the correct name) and Galena. They seem to have been ...
4
votes
3answers
475 views
How to avoid a boozy flavor in high-gravity beers
Many of the high-gravity commercial beers I taste end up coming off as boozy. What kinds of ingredients or processes will limit this flavor? I want to brew a big beer, perhaps in the 1.100 ...
8
votes
5answers
696 views
How do you calculate a beer's nutrition facts?
How can I figure out a beer's nutrition facts when I've homebrewed?
It's not a sum of the ingredients any more, is it?
--EDIT--
So when I say "beer's nutrition facts" I means values like calories, ...
7
votes
1answer
241 views
Victory v. Biscuit malt
Are there flavor differences between these two malts?
How can each be described?
I have used them both but often in complicated recipes, and never side by side for comparison.
How is each produced?
6
votes
2answers
230 views
What elements are common to Shiner Bock and Real Ale's Fireman's #4?
Shiner Bock and Fireman's #4 both have this weird aftertaste that I can't stand. Any idea what they both have in common so I can avoid it?
EDIT: It's almost a slimy taste (I know slimy is not a ...
8
votes
2answers
307 views
At what point can a beer be called organic?
A lot of the homebrew I make is made with organic ingredients - organic grain and hops. However, I have never come across organic yeast (!?) or irish moss. Can I rightly call this beer organic, or ...
3
votes
1answer
520 views
How much Malto Dextrine or Cara Pils is needed to mimic higher mash temps?
So from what I've read, a lot of professional brewers mash all their beers at the same temps (usually around 150F), and use ingredients to adjust the "body" or "sweetness" of the final beers. At their ...
4
votes
3answers
251 views
Complete Ingredient List/Database?
I'm looking for an extensive database of grains, hops, yeasts, and other additives. Preferably with information like potential, SRM, alpha, flocculation, etc.
I've found BeerSmith's lists, but the ...
6
votes
2answers
160 views
Needs to be mashed
I recently had a debate with a brewing buddy of mine about malts that "need to be mashed".
For instance victory malt is listed in Palmers "How to Brew" as being in the needs to be mashed column. I ...
2
votes
1answer
602 views
What's the difference between 2-row and 6 row base malt? [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
What's the difference between 2-row and 6-row malt?
I've been brewing all-grain for several years, but have been using recipes and kits. I'm starting to develop my ...
2
votes
2answers
623 views
Malted or Flaked Rye?
I'm wanting to make an American Rye Beer, and I'm wondering which sort of rye I should use. My LHBS carries flaked rye, and the nearby big-box brew supplier carries both flaked and malted rye.
...
8
votes
1answer
10k views
What is torrified wheat?
What is torrified wheat and in what styles is it used?
Are there any restriction or special procedures you need to follow to when using torrified wheat?
Can you substitute torrified wheat with ...
1
vote
2answers
123 views
What form of hops should I use for this recipe?
My LHBS sells whole hops, hop pellets, and hop plugs. Is there a way to know which this recipe calls for, and is there some sort of conversion formula between the different forms?
...
5
votes
3answers
312 views
Do you use a default/standard base malt? What are the advantages?
Does anyone use a standard base malt to build your recipes from? What are the advantages?
A couple of obvious advantages would be having the ability to buy large bags of the base malt (and ensuring ...
2
votes
2answers
386 views
quick brew recipes
What quick brews are there? ~ 2 weeks from start to drink...
Should be simple, boozy and tasty. any type of fruits or roots will do! so far have mainly tried a ginger beer, cider and elderflower all ...
8
votes
3answers
298 views
4
votes
3answers
552 views
Chilli Alcohol Recipe
Is it possible to ferment chilli-peppers and produce a liquor with a alcohol content and also a hotness?
0
votes
2answers
181 views
Do I need to add 6-Row to my extract + grains dunkelweizen for proper conversion?
Do I need to add some 6-Row or otherwise tweak this recipe? I'm going to be brewing a dunkelweizen later this month. My recipe uses 6 lbs. of wheat extract and 2.5 lbs. of caramel and chocolate wheat, ...
7
votes
3answers
64 views
How do i determine the quality of ingredients?
I'm new to home brewing and want to make sure I'm using quality ingredients. I've been to a few stores, but have trouble knowing if what they offer is good quality or not. What tips / techniques can i ...
3
votes
3answers
1k views
Adding chili peppers to beer - when?
I'm making a chili beer tonight. Is there any sort of extraction that needs to happen, or is just adding the chili (I'm gonna puree it) enough?
I'm thinking of adding a habanero (or a half of one) ...
3
votes
1answer
274 views
Using math to hit exact spice level
This is a question that will combine your knowledge of food, chemistry, and beer.
Spiciness is measured in Scoville Units. Basically:
In Scoville's method, an alcohol
extract of the capsaicin ...
4
votes
2answers
162 views
Rauchbier smoke source
What is the difference between using a nice smoked malt vs. maybe using some liquid smoke for making Rauchbier?
Can you detect the difference in complexity?
Is smoked fruit woods (apple, cherry) ...
6
votes
2answers
338 views
What's the shelf life on crushed specialty grains?
What's the shelf life on crushed specialty grains?
8
votes
4answers
2k views
What causes a stout's creamy head?
Stouts, especially beers like Guiness (its cousin Kilkenny as well), have a head that's really creamy. Being a stout lover myself, I always envied this head, but I have no idea how one can achieve it. ...
6
votes
3answers
659 views
Using commercial (breakfast) cereals in a mash
This question looks similar to Using flakes in a mash, but is not actually the same. I was thinking, if someone runs out of maize flakes, and definitely wants to use some for his mash, what happens if ...
9
votes
4answers
4k views
What malt should I use to get a red beer?
So, I want to make a red beer, what is the best malt to get this color?
6
votes
3answers
823 views
Why is it bad to pitch too little yeast?
What are the effects of underpitching your beer?
We have an answer for over pitching, I think we need the complete set.
9
votes
1answer
2k views
Why is it bad to pitch too much yeast?
What are the effects of over-pitching? Where is the line for, say, a 1.050 beer?
There is also a question for to under-pitching.
11
votes
1answer
293 views
[WIKI] Characteristics of a Good Cellaring Beer
Every once and a while I come across beers that say they can be kept up to 5 years and become more developed over that time period, while other beers that are of the same style don't indicate this at ...
5
votes
1answer
300 views
What is different between American Oak and French Oak?
What other "nationalities" of Oak are used in brewing?
