This week I cover water to grain ratios used during mashing and how it affects the mash and ultimately your
mash ph
This week I take a look at when you should apply different mash techniques to achieve a particular style or
This week I take a closer look at brewing the vaunted New England IPA (NEIPA), also called Hazy IPA and
Max Shafer joins me this week to discuss Craft Pilsners, decoction and controlling the pH of your beer during the whirlpool and for dry hopping. Subscribe on iTunes to Audio version or Video version or Spotify or Google Play Download the MP3 File– Right Click and Save As to download this mp3 file. Your browser […] 
This week I provide an overview of water and its use in beer brewing. While water chemistry is considered by some to be an advanced topic, it makes up 90% of most beers and has a tremendous impact on your finished beer. Why Water Matters In blind tasting tests, changes to the water used in […] 
This week I take a look at some of the key process factors when lautering and sparging your all grain beer. Last week in part one, I discussed equipment design and how a filter bed forms around grain husks and creates channels that the wort flows through. I explained why a poorly designed lauter tun […] 
This week I take a look at the role of the calcium ion in your beer brewing water and how it affects the structure of your beer. Calcium plays an interesting role in brewing. First and foremost, it does acidify the mash, driving the pH down which is typically needed for many lighter beers where […] 
This week I present a design case study for developing a Marzen beer recipe. Along the way I describe my thought processes as I work through creating and brewing a new recipe. Designing a Marzen Beer Before I start a new beer, I sit down and describe what I’m trying to accomplish. This beer was […] 
Colin Kaminski joins me this week to discuss his experiences with professional brewing process control and how it applies to the home brewer. Subscribe on iTunes to Audio version or Video version or Spotify or Google Play Download the MP3 File– Right Click and Save As to download this mp3 file. Your browser does not […] 
This week I take a look at the technical nature of beer brewing and how it differs from making other beverages like wine, cider or mead. Beer Brewing and Technology I often open my designing beer presentations with a description of the technical nature of brewing. Beer brewing is a much more technical hobby than […] 
This week I though I would share a case study in beer recipe design to explore how I approach beer recipe design and some of the critical decisions made along the way. I will be designing a robust porter, which is one of my favorite beer styles. Defining the Robust Porter Before I start on […] 
This week I take a look at what type of water is best for extract beer brewers. I make the case that distilled or RO water may be the best choice for extract brewing. Water Chemistry for Extract Brewers Advanced all grain brewers go through a lot of effort to get their water profiles right […] 
BeerSmith Holiday Sale – 20% Off!Get the lowest price we’ve ever offered on a combined BeerSmith desktop and BeerSmith web Gold license starting at $11.95 for your first year! (Sale ends at midnight Eastern US time on Monday 6 December) Imagine Your Best Beer Ever!Take the guesswork out of your brewing. BeerSmith desktop and BeerSmith […] 
This week I highlight some of the great features in BeerSmith Web, which is our online version of BeerSmith you can use from any device. Simply create an account and log in at BeerSmithRecipes.com to give it a try. Also the editor is part of your license if you have a Gold, Platinum or Pro […] 
This week I take a look at the differences between alpha and beta amylase which act during the mash to convert longer starch chains to simple sugars in beer. Alpha vs Beta Amylase Enzymes are naturally produced in malted barley during the malting process. Chief among these are alpha amylase and beta amylase. They are […] 
Today I focus on some of the principles of good beer recipe design, and how they can help improve your beer. As many of you know I’ve been doing presentations and classes on the topic of beer recipe design for some time now, and thought it best to summarize some of the key elements below: […] 
This week I take a look at the big six water ions in your water profile that drive the water chemistry of beer brewing. The Big Six Water Ions When we measure our starting brewing water or adjust our water, there are six main ions dissolved in the water that drive the mash pH as […] 
Jamil Zainasheff, founder of Heretic Brewing joins me this week for a beer brewing question and answer session. I apologize for the audio quality – we had some echo coming through from Jamil’s audio feed. Subscribe on iTunes to Audio version or Video version or Spotify or Google Play Download the MP3 File– Right Click […] 
An overview of the mash tab in the beer recipe builder for BeerSmith Web as well as a short introduction on how to calculate and make mash pH adjustments. Related Videos: Design Tab | Yeast Starter Tab | Water Profile Tab | Timer Tab | Session Tab | Recipe Adjustment Tools | Find/Scale Recipes | […] John Palmer joins me this week to discuss adjusting your water for beer brewing including mash pH and also improving the flavor of your beer. Subscribe on iTunes to Audio version or Video version or Spotify or Google Play Download the MP3 File– Right Click and Save As to download this mp3 file. Your browser […]