The items included in the recipe to make the beer/wine
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 ...
12
votes
3answers
3k views
Using honey in beer
This thread is not actually one single question, but a number of different ones.
When calculating sugars used in the wort, how much sugar does honey contain? Is it closer to dry malt extracts, raw ...
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 ...
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 ...
9
votes
2answers
541 views
Fruit for fruit beers
What are the best fruits for brewing fruit beers?
Some fruits appear to be classics like cherries raspberries. Some fruits you rarely hear about like kiwi and papya.
Which fruits have flavor ...
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.
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?
9
votes
2answers
499 views
Why do extract recipes call for a late addition of the bulk of the extract?
My recipe calls for a pound of DME at the beginning of the boil and 6 pounds at 15 minutes to go. What's the point of that?
9
votes
1answer
288 views
Adding Oak Flavor/character to beer
Short of buying an oak barrel, what forms of oak are available to the homebrewer for getting oak into yuor beer?
Are they available with different levels of toast?
Are some forms easier to sanitize ...
8
votes
3answers
298 views
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. ...
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 ...
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, ...
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 ...
8
votes
3answers
702 views
Using Multiple Strains of Yeast in the Same Batch?
I've been thinking about this recently, so I figured I'd ask it here. Is there any reason you couldn't use two strains of yeast in the same batch of beer? For a particularly high gravity amber ale, ...
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 ...
7
votes
2answers
1k views
Munich and Vienna Malt
How do these two malts differ? I can find sources at times with slightly different colors and I know there must be flavor differences.
I was wondering if anyone could shed light on how the two are ...
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, ...
7
votes
5answers
2k views
Why would a recipe use both Light LME and Light DME?
I just brewed a clone of Belhaven Scottish Ale using the extract recipe from the book, Clone Brews. The recipe calls for both light LME and light DME. Why would it use both? It does specify brands ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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?
7
votes
1answer
1k views
Whirlfloc versus irish moss - pros and cons?
What are the pros and cons of using irish moss versus whirlfloc tablets for clarifying beer?
7
votes
2answers
404 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 ...
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.
6
votes
2answers
338 views
What's the shelf life on crushed specialty grains?
What's the shelf life on crushed specialty grains?
6
votes
2answers
901 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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
6
votes
2answers
959 views
Buying bulk hops online
I'm often tempted to buy my commonly used hop pellets online in bulk and storing them in my freezer. A lot of the cheap bulk hops are from the previous year. Assuming they are vacuum packed and ...
5
votes
4answers
894 views
What is Extract Twang?
This term pops up from time to time and it often cited as a reason to go to all grain. But maybe its because I don't really know what it tastes like.
Do you believe in extract twang?
How do you get ...
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 ...
5
votes
1answer
300 views
What is different between American Oak and French Oak?
What other "nationalities" of Oak are used in brewing?
5
votes
2answers
856 views
Flavor extracts - add to secondary or add during bottling?
What are the pros and cons of adding flavor extracts (fruit, chocolate, what have you) at bottling time versus adding them to the secondary? Does it make a difference? Is there a trade-off between ...
5
votes
2answers
537 views
Using nuts for beer aroma
I'm planning to brew an scottish heavy ale, and I wanted to give it a little different aroma using hazelnuts (other stuff too, but I want hazelnuts to be the main aroma). How do you suggest i use ...
5
votes
3answers
563 views
Dry vs. Liquid Extract
Dry and liquid extract each have their advantages and draw-backs.
What are the perceived ups and downs for using one or the other?
5
votes
3answers
1k views
Chile Pepper Ale
I've brewed a simple base ale recipe. It's fermenting happily.
I want to add Chile Peppers to the beer to make a spiced ale. I'm not looking for something with a lot of heat, but I do want some ...
5
votes
1answer
187 views
Estimating Alpha Acids of Home Grown Hops
For the homebrewer that grows and harvests his/her own hops; how best can one approximate the alpha acids in the hops they have?
Is it worth it or should brewers stick to using home grown hops for ...
4
votes
3answers
553 views
Chilli Alcohol Recipe
Is it possible to ferment chilli-peppers and produce a liquor with a alcohol content and also a hotness?
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 ...
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 ...
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) ...
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 ...
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
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 ...
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
2answers
81 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
3answers
540 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 ...
