The Brew Times Homebrewing Blog
Do you need to rinse your fermenters and bottles after they are sanitized?
{{widget type="Solvature\VideoSlider\Block\Widget\VideoSliderWidget" video_embed1="8nKFCiAotPQ" video_title1="Do you need to rinse your fermenter & bottles after they are sanitized?" video_cta_color1="white" video_cta_color2="white" video_cta_color3="white" video_cta_color4="white" video_cta_color5="white"}} For first-time brewers this a very common question. I think the term sanitization can imply that it's dangerous or somehow can be harmful to you if it is ingested. Now before we get too far along you don’t want to just drink sanitizer, that is not good for you. We are just talking about that little bit of liquid that is left in your fermenter or bottles after you sanitize them. A lot of people will want to rinse this out, and that is something that you do not want to do. Adding tap water at this time to rinse the fermenter or bottles can lead to the risk of introducing bacteria that can cause an infection. So by using any type of brewing sanitizers like our No-Rinse and StarSan you don’t need to worry about getting it all of your fermenter or bottles. When mixed with water it turns into a type of Hydrogen peroxide and kills off the bacteria on the surface that it comes in contact with. Now if you are sanitizing your equipment with something other than a brewing sanitizer and using bleach or Oxy clean free you will want to rinse it out. These you will rinse out until the smell is gone. Since these are much more powerful chemicals you do not want those lingering around in your beer. Cheers, Robert
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Esters and Phenols in Beer. What are they, and what do they contribute? Part 2
{{widget type="Solvature\VideoSlider\Block\Widget\VideoSliderWidget" video_embed1="bgRGR7NtW1U" video_title1="Esters and Phenols in Beer. What are they, and what do they contribute? Part 2" video_cta_color1="white" video_cta_color2="white" video_cta_color3="white" video_cta_color4="white" video_cta_color5="white"}} You may be wondering, what exactly is a “phenol”? Let me start off with a quote from a contributor to the Journal of The American Society of Brewing Chemists, CW Bamforth. Bamforth says: “there are few more intimidating topics in brewing science than that of polyphenols; the complexity is immense” That’s not scary or anything, NAH! Luckily, today I will attempt to simplify this for you and distill it down to the info you really need to know. So, what is the definition of a “phenol”? well, broadly, a “phenol” can be any of a family of organic compounds characterized by a hydroxyl (―OH) group attached to a carbon atom that is part of an aromatic ring. Phenols are like alcohol but form stronger hydrogen bonds. Thus, they are more soluble in water than are alcohols and have higher boiling points. So now that the technical definitions are out of the way, what do phenols in beer mean to us? To put it simply, phenols or “phenolic flavors” are usually described as clove-like, spicy, smoky or in worst-case scenarios, band aid- like or rubbery and medicinal. Phenolic flavors can be an innate feature of specific brewing yeasts such as Wheat yeasts and other Belgian yeast varieties. Beyond those styles, phenolic flavors are using considered as “off”. Let’s use the clove-like flavor that comes from Hefeweizen beers as an example. Wheat yeasts can target a specific acid found in malt called “ferulic” acid, into a compound called 4-vinyl guaiacol. So actually, while the primary precursor for this phenol comes from the malt (specifically wheat malt in the highest concentrations, as opposed to barley which produces less) This transformation cannot occur without yeast that is capable, though it’s the genetics of this chemical conversion process. This is how we are still able to brew wheat-based beers, with low phenol production, by using a yeast less likely to catalyze the transformation. It’s also important to remember that phenolic flavors can also come from wild yeasts, either intentionally, or unintentionally via unwanted infection. There is yet another way you can end up with phenolic flavors in your beer, and it’s no fun at all. Enter something called a “chloro-phenol”, what in tarnation is that?! That is phenol created by chlorine… yep, the same chlorine you might find in pool water. So how does this happen? Chlorophenols occur when chlorine is present, usually from the brewing water itself but sometimes it can come from cleaners containing chlorine, too. That chlorine bonds itself with the low molecular weight phenols found in malts to produce a Chlorophenol. This is the “phenol” that brings us that awful, burnt band-aid, medicine flavor. And yeah, it’s as gross as it sounds. Luckily, that risk can be eliminated by not using chlorinated brewing water or cleaners that leave chlorine residues. Now I think this next part is worth mentioning, for our All-grain brewers out there. Believe it or not, excessive phenols can also be extracted from malt during the mash and sparge program. The phenols created through this are called “polyphenols” or sometimes “tannins”. If you are an all-grain or even partial mash brewer, you can reduce the incidence of the “polyphenols” by simply lowering your sparge temperature below 170 degrees, and by using brewing water with low alkalinity and or residual alkalinity. If you are steeping grains, and you find yourself getting acrid, sharp tannins in your finished product, try lowering your steep temperature just a bit, this reduces the extraction of tannins coming from the grain husk itself. These astringent tannins serve a purpose for the grain, in that they help to protect the “seed” from fungal infection. So, is there anything positive about phenols outside of them tasting nice in specific beer styles? There is! According to published scientific consensus documents, studies have shown that the phenols in beer and wine, may actually be good for your heart! Here’s a quote from the abstract: “A large evidence-based review on the effects of moderate consumption of beer on human health has been conducted by an international panel of experts who reached a full consensus on the present document. Low-moderate (up to 1 drink per day in women, up to 2 in men), non-bingeing beer consumption, reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease.” In fact, the Managing director for Cooper’s brewery, Dr. Tim Cooper, is a cardiologist! So… if you needed a good excuse to enjoy that nightly brew, now you have it! You’re welcome. Keep in mind, however, this only applies to wine and beer and not to distilled spirits. Sorry guys! Fortunately, science has taught us that phenols protect LDL against peroxynitrite-mediated oxidation. In short, they act as antioxidants! YAY beer! As a side note, if you wish to learn more about the healthy aspects of phenols, I highly recommend checking out the work of Ph.D.’s, Christy Tangney, and Heather E. Rasmussen. All being said, there are too many individual phenols and polyphenols to name them all here. But this should tell you what you need to know for the purposes of brewing delicious beer as well as a bonus justification for drinking it. All right guys! That about wraps it up for today! Thank you for hanging out with me again, and nerding out on my favorite thing, BEER! We’ll see you next time! Cheers, Ashley
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What is the Reinheitsgebot?
If you have been a homebrewer for any length of time, or you’ve found yourself wandering down the vast rabbit hole of Bavarian and German brewing traditions and edicts, then you have probably heard the term “Reinheitsgebot” at least once. No, I did not just sneeze, I spoke German; say it with me “rhine-heights-geh-boat”. Very good! So, what the heck is it, what does it mean and what significance does it have today? These are all questions you may or may not have, but I have very little self-control when it comes to talking or writing about beer, so I am going to tell you anyway. Reinheitsgebot translated literally, means “purity order” is an approximately 500-year-old Bavarian brewing edict that was the brainchild of Wilhelm IV of Bavaria and brought to fruition on April 23rd, 1516… You could say it’s a bit “long in the tooth”. I don’t know about you, but I feel young next to a 500-year-old brewing law! (It’s about time I felt young next to something.) Contrary to what the name implies, the original form of Reinheitsgebot was not as geared toward consumer health and preventing the inclusion of “harmful” ingredients as many may think, though this was a part of it, as brewers sometimes added not-so-healthy things when supplies like hops were short. The original edict which would see many renditions in the coming centuries had slightly different priorities. Ingredients were originally listed as the third stipulation and stated that only barley, hops, and water could be used. Many individuals hear this and have a few follow up questions, and rightfully so. Some of those questions might include confusion about the omission of yeast, and the reasoning on why beers often viewed as traditionally German, include ingredients not allowed by the original edict. You may also be wondering if it’s something you should be paying attention to. So, what on earth was the primary motivation for the creation of Reinheitsgebot law in the first place? When the edict is read in its totality, it becomes clear the primary reason it existed was mostly monetary. Are you shocked? Probably not. The first points stated in law, deal with pricing restrictions, and dictate what could be charged for a product and what season specifically that pricing cap applied to. Within the edict also existed a statement allowing Duke Wilhelm to change any part of the rules, whenever he wanted during grain shortages. Speaking of grain shortages, that brings me to my next point. Many individuals wonder why their Bavarian Wheat beers, or any other traditionally recognized German styles containing wheat, would not have been considered passable under the original law. Wilhelm’s reason for this came, at least partly down to his desire to protect his people from potential food shortages, which were commonplace in 16th century Europe. By restricting brewers to only using barley, wheat was reserved for bakers and helped to prevent the price of bread from inflating beyond what the average person could afford, making the motivation for the edict a far cry from the sometimes “snotty superiority complex” that Reinheitsgebot is often, unfairly associated within the modern-day. When we examine the original edict, it is hard not to notice that yeast is not mentioned. This omission has led many to believe the myth that brewers did not know about yeast in the 16th century. Fortunately, this probably could not be further from the truth, and the brewers of old deserve a bit more credit for their understanding of alcoholic fermentation than that! We know for a fact that brewers were aware of yeast and its role because they had a job title dedicated to the harvesting of yeast from prior batches. This individual placed in this role was called the “Hefener”. If they knew about it, why didn’t they mention it? Brewers in the middle ages thought about yeast as an innate feature of beer production, not as an extraneous ingredient. Though they may not have fully understood where it came from (mostly the air at that point) they knew it was important, and that they needed it to continue to produce beer, but was not viewed as an “ingredient” within what has been their understanding and usage of the word at the time. A very old case of “lost in translation”. When discussing Reinheitsgebot, it’s important to know that in 1506, it only applied to brewers in Bavaria, but not brewers in other places, like Berlin and the surrounding areas. This is at least partly because by this time, Bavaria was already well known and established at brewing lager beers, meaning beers that could ferment in colder temperatures and this was exclusive to Bavaria, only. In other parts of Germany, brewers had completely different mindsets and were brewing funky ales, that allowed for the additions of all kinds of different brewing ingredients, unlike the restrictions set forth by the Duke. Brewers in places such as Belgium even made a concerted effort to set their beers away from those brewed in Bavaria and, Cologne even went so far as to ban the production of Lager beers in 1603. Drama much?! Up until the later 19th century, there was still quite a bit of division between Bavarian brewing traditions and the rest of Germany and what would become part of Germany, going forward. During the German unification of 1871, a new rendition of the purity law was embraced that left out ingredient restrictions, which gave the government the ability to tax all ingredients that brewers were using, across the land. Ah yes, there’s that monetary element, again. Later, in 1906 the law further adapted to include specific rules for the production of lagers and ales as separate, core styles. WW1 brought about yet another reunification under the Weimer Republic. Bavaria would only agree to their inclusion IF their beloved beer law was also included. Talk about shrewd negotiations! In 1919, Reinheitsgebot split into two laws. The older, restrictive Bavarian lager rules seen as one law (the portion often misunderstood today), and the other, a more lenient code applying to Ales. This has understandably created much confusion among modern brewers attempting to understand it or those with a desire to follow it. Fast forward to the present day, and we see many individuals that are under the false impression that proper German beer (or any beer for that matter) is only ever made from barley, hops, and yeast. This is categorically false, as the current Reinheitsgebot covers additional ingredients found in broader traditional German styles such as Wheat, salt, and spices. Nowadays Reinheitsgebot, more than almost anything else, is a tax classification and a point of national historical pride. Unfortunately, it’s still got a lot of people confused, and under the impression that beer brewed outside of the “purity order” does not qualify as “real” beer… This is also, untrue. Attempting to brew a beer according to Reinheitsgebot restrictions in the modern day is quite tough. This difficulty doesn’t come from the law includes, but rather because of what it does not mention at all. Brewing technology has made leaps and bounds over the many decades and centuries since the purity order’s inception. Is a brewer permitted to add water conditioners, nutrients, or malt in extract form? What about dry-hopping or forced carbonation? What about wort aeration? Answer? Pretty much a big, fat, shrug. We can’t know what isn’t even mentioned, unfortunately. Brewers in Germany do their best to follow the modern rendition of Reinheitsgebot, but it often poses challenges that brewers outside of Germany never need to consider. Need to acidify a mash; Thinking of reaching for a spot of lab-created lactic acid? You better not, if you are trying to follow the rules; that acid needs to come from an acidified malt. What about clarifying or fining agents? You better be sure it’s not making it into the finished product, ha! German brewers honor these long-held traditions with pride, however, they are not above admitting that it does create more work for them in general. Reinheitsgebot was originally something the government handled the primary enforcement of, later it was the pride of brewers that kept it policed. In modern-day, it seems to be the customer that is most concerned with this term. This consumer allegiance while admirable and historically significant, is at least partially driven by the misconception that beer brewed outside of these rules, is somehow subpar and that’s a sad prospect. If you are brewing beer outside of Germany, it’s completely up to you to follow Reinheitsgebot or not follow it. It’s the opinion of this brewer, that knowing how to work with your ingredients whatever they may be, with the end goal of producing delicious beer, should always be the primary priority. Part of the fun of brewing your own beer is breaking the rules and having the experience of learning new things! Rules are great, but so is creativity and experimentation! At the end of the day, brewers and drinkers alike should keep well in mind that beer that “tastes good” is the most important “rule” of all, regardless of how you get there! So next time you hear some snobbery pertaining to non- Reinheitsgebot compliant brews, kindly suggest some historical research and a nice cold beer! Maybe you’ll make a new friend, maybe you’ll experience an awkward silence or maybe you would rather just “know more than them” and hey, that’s fine too! Bottoms up, brewers! **Smashes down empty stein** PROST! Ashley
Read moreEsters and Phenols in Beer. What are they, and what do they contribute? Part 1
{{widget type="Solvature\VideoSlider\Block\Widget\VideoSliderWidget" video_embed1="39DYF5PLLrs" video_title1="Esters and Phenols in Beer. What are they, and what do they contribute? Part 1" video_cta_color1="white" video_cta_color2="white" video_cta_color3="white" video_cta_color4="white" video_cta_color5="white"}} You may or may not have heard these two terms before, but if you have brewed or even just enjoyed beer, chances are you have experienced them. Let’s start with Esters first. So, what are they? Esters are fruity tasting compounds. Think flavors like banana or apple or anything fruit-like that isn’t actual fruit. So how are esters formed? Esters in beer are formed by the reactions of organic acids and alcohol created during fermentation. This reaction causes the esterification of alcohols, including the most abundantly created, ethanol as well as other higher, or “fusel” alcohols. The type of ester formed depends on the specific type of alcohol being implicated in the esterification. The MOST abundantly concentrated esters are “acetates”, meaning they use an acetic acid molecule (known as acetyl coenzyme A) as part of their esterification process and others do not use this same chemical acetyl coenzyme A, as a catalyst, but use others instead. The most significant esters found in beer are isoamyl acetate, resembling banana or pear drop, ethyl acetate which is light fruity or solvent-like, ethyl caprylate giving an apple-like character, ethyl caproate apple-like with a little aniseed, and phenylethyl acetate like roses, honey. Let us take Ethyl acetate for example. This ester is caused by the combination of ethanol and acetic acid. Because ethanol is the most abundant alcohol created by brewing yeast, the solvent-like presence of ethyl acetate is often detected in beer, especially in beer that is young or “green”, before the yeast has begun to use the stationary phase, to clean up excessive amounts of this ester. At lower concentrations, this ester can translate pleasantly as pear, or unpleasantly at higher concentrations as the formerly mentioned, solvent. Keeping this ester “in check” is of high importance to many brewers, so an emphasis is placed on control parameters, primarily fermentation temperature and suitably high pitch rates. In addition to being produced by brewer’s yeast strains (Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Saccharomyces pastorianus), ethyl acetate is also produced in large quantities by the wild yeasts Brettanomyces, Hansenula, and Pichia via aerobic fermentation. Therefore, It is important to note that excessive levels of ethyl acetate can also be a result of infection, but mixed-fermentation brewers will often use a wild bacterium to intentionally increase the concentration of ethyl acetate and other esters. Isoamyl acetate, another common ester found in and associated with beer carries that distinctive banana-like flavor and aroma typically found in many German beers such as Hefeweizen. Isoamyl acetate is created by the esterification of Isoamyl alcohol (a fusel alcohol) and its distinctive flavor effect is a signature of Several German Ale styles. Because of the desirability of this ester, brewers will intentionally create conditions in which to exaggerate its production. If high levels of Isoamyl acetate are what you desire in your brew, the first step is to select a yeast variety that is well suited to produce its precursors and catalysts. We will cover that more in-depth, later in this discussion. Isoamyl acetate is an aggressive ester and can be detected on the pallet in quantities as low as 2ppm. Unfortunately, when this ester appears in beers that are not “supposed to” contain it, it is considered an off-flavor. This Ester is usually not particularly difficult to reduce or control in beers where the selected yeast is not prone to producing specific elements during fermentation. Ethyl caprylate, the next “common” ester on our list, though it is not as abundant as the previous two we have discussed. This ester is a bit different in that instead of using acetic acid, this ester is formed by the combination of caprylic acid and ethanol. Caprylic acid is a medium-chain fatty acid with a generally unpleasant smell, and the corresponding ester, while less unpleasant is still usually considered an off-flavor in excessive quantities. Ethyl caprylate comes across and cloyingly fruit or brandy-like. At high concentrations, Ethyl caprylate can contribute to what is often described as an undesirable “yeasty” flavor. It is an ester that when controlled and well placed, can be a positive contribution as well in certain styles only. Like Ethyl Caprylate is Ethyl Caproate, also known as Ethyl Hexanoate. This Ester is created through the condensation of Hexanoic Acid, and Ethanol. Ethyl Caproate has a pineapple aroma that is like lightly flanked by an anise-like or sometimes red-apple-like character that can be pleasant when appearing appropriately, in certain styles. This sets it a bit apart from other apple associated compounds like aldehydes, that translate more like sharper, green apple. That is as long as it stays in normal ranges. A fun fact about Caproate acid; It is one of three fatty acids named in relation to Capra, the genus of goats. The names are derived from the high amounts of these fatty acids found in goat’s milk, which give the milk its characteristic odor and flavor. Hexanoic acid itself, can be VERY unpleasant in high quantities and is typically considered a negative attribute in those cases. The Lambic and wild fermentation styles are notable exceptions where the “funk” that high levels of this acid can be appreciated as a style feature. The final ester we will discuss today is Phenethyl acetate. Phenethyl acetate is the ester resulting from the condensation of acetic acid and phenethyl alcohol. This ester typically has an aroma that is like roses or honey and is often described as tasting like raspberry or even guava. In most cases, it is minimally present. If you decide you want a higher concentration of esters in your beer, or lower for that matter, the first place you must start is yeast selection. All yeast has individual ester production characteristics. Some yeast will produce more esters than others and some will produce different esters than others. Esterification of alcohol is controlled by an enzyme called alcohol acetate transferase (AAT). So, the first way you can increase your beer’s fruity flavors and aromas are to select a yeast strain that produces a higher concentration of that AAT enzyme. As we learned in our prior episode, enzymes are the catalysts for everything! Another common way to increase ester production in fermentation is to under-pitch the yeast, slightly. This creates some stress and stimulates yeast growth, which leads to higher ester production. Another method, the one I typically prefer to use, is temperature modulation. Having a slightly warmer fermentation temp can also promote esters in yeasts that have the potential to make them. Under pitching, in my opinion, and that of many other brewers is too risky for most of us. I think we all know by now how I feel about under-pitching. And lastly, some individuals choose to promote ester production by under-aerating; this I do not recommend as it usually comes with extra aldehydes, as well. Believe it or not, even the shape of your fermenter has an effect on ester production. This is often why breweries with certain specialties will have different shaped tanks, as well. So, now that we know how to increase our ester production, what about controlling them or even decreasing them? I could sum it up quickly by just saying “do the opposite of everything listed above”, and that would almost cover it. If you want to reduce the incidence of esters in your beer, in other words, if you are looking for a “clean” flavor, there are a few key points to consider. It all comes back to yeast management. (see my prior video for more on that!) -Adequately aerate -Select a strain with low ester formation potential -Pitch many viable/vital yeast cells AND -Pitch and ferment within the manufacturer’s ideal temperature ranges Well, that about wraps us up on Esters! Please I hope you enjoyed this, and please join me next week for Part 2. We will be discussing Phenols. Have a great day everyone. Cheers, Ashley
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Yeast Characteristics
Have you ever wanted to know more about the yeasts we sell thorough Mr. Beer? Well, look no further because that’s what we are tackling today! As you may know, besides being the catalyst for alcoholic fermentation, yeast plays a huge role in the flavor, AND style classification of your beer. Have you ever cracked open a delicious Hefeweizen, closed your eyes, and taken in the distinctive aromas of banana, clove, and coriander? Even though some beers contain added spices, these are the fine flavors associated with a proper wheat yeast! Perhaps you prefer a nice, cold American IPA, and yeast may not seem like much of a concern since it’s the hops that take center stage, right? You might be surprised to know that the yeast selected for IPA beers, also changes how those hops and grains express in the finished product. Yeast choice also affects factors in your beer such as fermentation time, body, aroma, etc. I guess you could say… It’s pretty important! Obviously, all yeast labs offer information on the nature and flavor of your strain of brewing yeast; wouldn’t it be nice if you could access a version of those descriptions that don’t require you to break out the brewing dictionary? Well, you have arrived at the right place! Below are descriptions of the yeasts we offer through Mr. Beer, so you can really get to know them without having to learn a different language. Fermentis Saflager W-34/70 (Famous strain from the Weihenstephan Brewery in Germany) Type: Lager yeast (Ferments cold) Best temperature range to ferment: 53.6-59 F The best temperature to add it to your wort: 53.6-59 Flavors/Aroma: Slight floral, fruit on the sniff. With a clean and well-balanced flavor that produces a VERY easy to drink Bohemian lager style. The beers produced with this lager yeast come out, clean and crisp with a refreshing dry character. Fermentis Saflager S-23 Type: Lager yeast (ferments cold) Best temperature range to ferment: 53.6-59 F The best temperature to add it to your wort: 53.6-59 F Flavors/Aroma: This yeast brings a lot of fruity flavors and aromas. This yeast is best suited toward lagers that require that bright and fruity finish. Wonderful for producing summer lagers, Kolsch beers, and when brewed at higher temps, California common! (up to 75 degrees for California common) Since this lager yeast is not as aggressive when it comes to fermenting more complex starches in your wort, it leaves behind a lingering presence in the mouth, and beers brewed with it keep a good level of head retention in the glass and a soft and silky character on the tongue. Fermentis Safale WB-06 Type: Wheat/Ale yeast (ferments at typical Ale temperatures) Best temperature range to ferment: 64-75 F The best temperature to add it to your wort: 68-80 F (the higher end of this range with giving you more banana and “bubblegum” flavors) Flavors/Aroma: This wheat strain is fairly moderate comparatively, to other wheat yeasts and being fruity. This yeast can produce very pleasant banana, clove, and even some “bubblegum” flavors! The fruity, spicy character of this yeast can be increased by brewing and pitching your yeast on the warmer end of the ideal temperature spectrums. If you enjoy beer styles like hefeweizen, this is the yeast that will take you there! Beers made with this yeast leave a slight lingering on the tongue, but that is quickly washed away do the yeasts ability to ferment more complex starches. WB-06 also tends to stay in suspension longer, increasing the likelihood of trub production (sediment) in the bottle which is acceptable in wheat beer styles. Fermentis Safale T-58 Type: Belgian Ale yeast (Great for Trappist style beers) Best temperature range to ferment: 59-68 F (Can be brewed at 70-72 to increase clove flavors) The best temperature to add it to your wort: 59-72 F Flavors/Aroma: This is a “spicy” yeast. Bringing traditional trappiest flavors such as pepper and clove, this yeast can maintain a slightly hazy character in finished beer as well. This is not a “fruity” yeast but rather places a strong focus on well-formed notes of spice. Because this yeast does not aggressively consume more complex starches, it leaves the finished beer with a lingering character on the tongue and a noticeable softness in the mouth. T-58 has a high tolerance to alcohol, making it a great choice for brewing beers with ABV’s up to 11.5%. Fermentis Safale S-33 Type: Ale yeast (well suited for a wide range of ales, including Belgians and Wits.) Best temperature range to ferment: 59-68 F (Can be brewed at 70-72 F but can produce more fruit flavors) The best temperature to add it to your wort: 68-72 F Flavors/Aroma: This yeast is considered to have a balanced flavor profile. It does carry some mild fruit flavors, especially when brewed on the higher end of the temperature spectrum. S-33 can be used in a multitude of styles, especially in brews that desire a fuller body, and lingering presence on the tongue and can leave a haze in the finished beer. This yeast is ideal for beers that have a lower to moderate alcohol range. Fermentis Safale Us-05 Type: Ale yeast (Great for a wide range of American beers, especially very hoppy ales) Best temperature range to ferment: 64-82 F (produces very clean flavors at 70-72 F) The best temperature to add it to your wort: 64-80 F Flavors/Aromas: This is a very “clean” yeast. This means it does not produce a noticeable amount of fruity or spicy character in the finished beer. This yeast is ideal to use in beers where you wish to highlight flavors of hops and grain by letting them shine through unbridled by excessive yeast flavors. Us-05 is VERY good at fermenting more complex starches so it produces a crisp, dry beer that drinks very easily! It’s a favorite for producing IPA and Pale ale styles. Fermentis Safale S-04 Type: Ale yeast (English style ale yeast, suitable for a wide range of beer styles) Best temperature range to ferment: 59-68 F (Can be brewed at 70-72 with great results) The best temperature to add it to your wort: 60-72 F Flavors/Aromas: This yeast is not known for producing a high incidence of fruity flavors and tends to be neutral, and well suited for brewing beers that are on the maltier side. S-04 is ideal for cask or bottle conditioned beers as well. S-04 ferments fast and leaves you with a clear product due to the tightly compacted sediment that it produces. Though you find it most often in browns, porters, and stouts, S-04 can also be a great yeast to use for heavily hopped beers due to its potential for clarity. This yeast leaves a mild lingering presence in the mouth. S-04 also tends to ferment quite quickly! Lallemand Nottingham High-performance ale yeast Type: Ale yeast (English ale yeast, suitable for a wide range of styles and especially useful for making high alcohol beers) Best temperature range to ferment: 50-72 F Best temperature range to add it to your wort: 65-72 F Flavors/Aromas: Nottingham is considered to be neutral in flavor, but some brewers detect a very mild fruitiness, and like many English ale strains, it does not create spice flavors. Nottingham can be used in just about anything but is commonly found in Pale ale, Amber, Porter, Stout and Barleywine style beers. Nottingham is a great option for high alcohol beers as well. When kept in the 70-72 F temperature range, it can fully ferment is as little as 4 days and can finish at lower temperatures in as few as 9 days. Nottingham is very efficient at breaking down more complex starches and produce a dry brew when that is the desired effect. Lallemand Belle Saison Type: Ale yeast (Belgian/Saison ale yeast, suitable for farmhouse ales and traditional Saison beers) Best temperature range to ferment: 59-95 F (Produces more spice and fruit flavors at higher temperatures) Best temperature range to add it to your wort: 65-95 F (Do not use this yeast right out of the fridge, it must come to room temperature before use) Flavors/Aromas: With strong flavors and aromas of pepper, clove, and citrus; this yeast creates complex and multilayered beers. These strong flavor components can be further expressed when the beer is brewed on the higher end of the temperature spectrum. When brewed within optimal temperature ranges, Belle Saison yeast will fully ferment most wort, in as little as 4 days. Because Belle Saison has an easy time fermenting the more complex starches found in the wort, it creates a refreshing and dry finished beer but still takes nicely to fruit additions. Hopefully, this helps you to become a little more familiar with the yeast options we offer, outside of our Cooper’s proprietary yeast. If you ever find yourself needing additional guidance, give us a call or send us an email to our customer service team, we are always more than happy to get “geeky” about yeast with you! Cheers! Ashley
Read moreTips to Prevent Your Spigot from Getting Clogged
{{widget type="Solvature\VideoSlider\Block\Widget\VideoSliderWidget" video_embed1="_pvzwaxYXBg" video_title1="Tips to prevent your spigot from getting clogged" video_cta_color1="white" video_cta_color2="white" video_cta_color3="white" video_cta_color4="white" video_cta_color5="white"}} This can be one of the most frustrating things in homebrewing. Your beer is all done and ready to be bottled and during the bottling process, you start to get clogs in your spigot. Bottling is already one of the most monotonous things about homebrewing, but when you run into issues during bottling that makes it worse. When are brewing a beer that has a lot of additives such as hops or fruit or you are just brewing a big old beer that creates a large layer of trub it can sometimes clog your spigot. Here are a few tips and tricks to help prevent that. This first would be to use a hopsack. If you are adding a large amount, like a few ounces of hops add them to a hopsack. This will help keep the all contained together and if the hop sack gets in the way of the spigot it is easy to grab that with sanitized tongs. The second would be to prop up the front of your fermenter during fermentation. If you put a small book or something just to prop up the front of your LBK it will help all the trub and sediment settled to the back of the fermenter and keep the spigot clear. The third thing you can do is cold crash your beer. This is putting your fermenter in the fridge for 24-48 hours. This will help all of the sediment settled and solidify in the bottom of your fermenter. This is also a great way to help clear up your beer. If you really want to make sure your spigot does not get clogged them prop up the front of your fermenter while you are doing the cold crash. That will help everything settle to the back of the fermenter and solidify with the cold crash. Cheers, Robert
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Bottom of the Barrel Oktoberfest Pretzel Bites & Beer Cheese Dip
Oh Autumn, how we love the signals of your arrival. Changing leaves, cooler temperatures, aromas of cinnamon and spice dancing in the air. Those are just some of the lovely things about fall, but here at Mr. Beer, a couple of other things come to mind. The Fall season brings us the most beer-centric holiday that many of us celebrate all around the world, reaching far beyond its original cultural borders! While enjoying all that fabulous beer, you’re probably going to get kind of hungry, just a guess! We don’t know your life, but we sure know the following recipe will cure whatever hunger pangs that might “ALE” you this beer-fest season! What could possibly be a more appropriate form of sustenance for such a holiday than “Beer pretzel bites” and “Beer cheese”?! The answer? Pretty much nothing. This recipe allows you to incorporate your homebrew into the perfect beer-drinking accessory so that you can be the talk of the party, neighborhood, or office; perhaps the only person you feel the need to impress is reading this, now. Either way, these delicious little golden balls of dough will hit the spot, especially smothered in delicious beer cheese! HEYO! Pour yourself a beer, pull on your best lederhosen or Dirndl, crack your knuckles, and MAKE THIS YEAR’S OKTOBERFEST, DELICIOUS! Here are a couple of handle tips from us, but we’re sure you already knew this stuff: *These recipes were originally created with remaining beer from the bottom of the fermenter after bottling, but bottled homebrew or commercially produced beer also works, great. The nice thing about using homebrew is that you will have more flavor, and better proofing. *Beers that would be great to utilize: Oktoberfest, Bohemian Pilsner, Weiss beer, Golden ale, Classic American light, American ale, Canadian blonde, or bewitched amber *Give yourself enough time, and plan! *Relax, have a homebrew. “Bottom of the Barrel” Oktoberfest Beer cheese Pretzel bites and dip. For the Beer cheese dip: 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter 3 Tablespoons all-purpose flour 1 cup whole milk 2/3 cup of beer (You can use beer you have bottled OR you can use the liquid remains from your keg) 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce .5 teaspoon Dijon mustard .5 teaspoon garlic powder (more if you like that kind of thing) .25 teaspoon smoked Paprika .25 teaspoon salt (or more to taste) 2 cups of good quality, shredded cheddar cheese. (Treat yourself) Start by melting your butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Be careful not to burn the butter. Once the butter is fully melted, begin adding your flour, while stirring constantly to form a roux. This takes about one minute. In a slow stream, pour in the milk and continue to whisk. Next, whisk in the beer, lowering or raising the heat to keep the temperature fairly consistent. Continuing to stir, add in your Worcestershire sauce, mustard, garlic powder, smoked paprika, and salt Lastly, add the shredded cheese while stirring a bit at a time, until the mixture because smooth and incorporated. We don’t have time in our lives for chunky cheese. What would a proper beer cheese be without a vehicle to drive it right into your mouth? Enter: “Bottom of the Barrel” beer pretzel bites! Are You hungry yet? NO? GREAT! Can I have your portion? “BTB” Pretzel Bites: 2 ¼ teaspoons active dry yeast 12 ounces warmed beer about 110 degrees (you can use what’s leftover in your LBK, or you can use already bottled beer) 2 tablespoons honey or sugar 3 ¼ cup AP flour 1 teaspoon Kosher salt ½ cup baking soda (yes It’s really that much!) 1 large egg *additional coarse kosher salt for topping the bites How to make them: Preheat your oven to 450 degrees, and line a baking sheet with parchment paper and or cooking spray. Pour beer into the bowl of a stand mixer (You can hand mix this if you do not have a mixer.) Sprinkle yeast over top, add honey and stir. Allow yeast to bloom for 5-10 minutes. Once it is nice and foamy, it is ready. (You can also use a couple of tablespoons of your beer trub in with the bread yeast as well) Fill an 8-quart pot with water and bring to a boil over medium-high heat (you will utilize this a little later in the process). In a small bowl beat egg and 2 tablespoons water with a fork. Set aside. Wash a section of countertop for rolling out dough. Do not flour it or it will be harder to roll out the dough. Add flour and salt to mixer. Knead for about 3 minutes until the dough comes together in one ball. Add more flour a tablespoon at a time as needed, if the bread is too sticky to come together. The dough should be tacky when you pull it out of the mixer, not sticky. Place dough on the countertop and form dough into a ball. We are going to cut this ball into about 64 even pieces. First-quarter the ball of dough. Roll each quarter into an 18-22” strand. Cut that into 4 equal pieces. Then cut each piece into 4 equal pieces. You can use a bench scraper or a knife. When you are done you will have 64 pieces… Or you know, something like that. Hey, they’re your pretzels! Now, this next part is a little piece of culinary magic for ya! ** PLEASE CONDUCT THIS NEXT STEP WITH EXTREME CARE AND CAUTION. BOILING HOT BAKING SODA IS VERY CAUSTIC AND CAN DAMAGE YOUR SKIN AND EYES. PREFORM SODA WASH IN A WELL-VENTILATED AREA. WE WANT YOU TO LIVE FOREVER** The “soda bath” will give your pretzel bites that hallmark pretzel texture and color! All your friends will say “How did you this, please share your great knowledge?!” and you can reply “SCIENCE! GET SOME!”, while beating your chest with beer-fest pride! Carefully, add baking soda to boiling water. USE CAUTION: IT WILL BUBBLE UP. Reduce heat to medium. Place dough bites into boiling water about 10 at a time. It will bubble up, so use extreme caution. Remove with a slotted spoon after 30 seconds. Place on parchment paper to cool and repeat until all bites have been boiled. Arrange all pretzel bites on parchment so they are not touching. Brush egg wash onto each one and sprinkle with coarse salt. (pretzel bites are known for their anti-social nature) Bake for 7-9 minutes until the tops are browned. Remove them from the over, pat yourself on the back. Last, tell your family you’re leaving and taking your beer cheese creation with you and eat it all yourself while enjoying your finely crafted homebrew and keeping watch for interlopers…. Or you know, share them with people you love and bask in the glory of your culinary accomplishment! PROST! *said through a mouth full of cheese and pretzel bites*
Read moreHow to brew with DME?
{{widget type="Solvature\VideoSlider\Block\Widget\VideoSliderWidget" video_embed1="kci5Gx-UF2k" video_title1="How to brew with DME?" video_cta_color1="white" video_cta_color2="white" video_cta_color3="white" video_cta_color4="white" video_cta_color5="white"}} Brewing with DME can be a little challenging especially if you have never used it before. I think the 1st time I tried it I had a big overflow in my pot and sickly liquid got all over the place, it took forever to clean up. After a few times, you get more use to it and it just becomes pretty easy to use. DME is just liquid malt extract that has been all the way dried out into a powder form. Some of the benefits of DME are that it can be stored for a long time and that it will not darken your beer during a boil like liquid malt extract can. The main downfall of DME is it can be hard to work with. So I thought it would be useful to go over some simple steps to make the process a little easier. Whenever the instructions tell you to add your DME you want to do this very slowly. To turn the heat on and start to warm your water. Cut just the corner of the bag of DME. If you open the whole bag and just dump it all in you will have a plume of sticky dust and it will be hard to mix up. Once your bag is open you just want to slowly sprinkle in the DME and while you are sprinkling it in you want be consistently mixing it into the water with a whisk. If you don’t get it all mixed or you get some clumping that is fine, the yeast will still break that down in your fermenter. Now if you are going to do a hop boil with DME you want to make sure that you get to the hot breakpoint. After you mix your DME and it is starting to boil you will notice the foam will start to rise. If you do not keep the foam in check until you reach hot break it will overflow. As the foam rises you can remove the pot from the heat for a few so it slows down then put it back on, you can also keep stirring the mixture or use a spray bottle with water to keep the foam back. You will notice that when you hit the hot break the majority of the foam will go away, and it will just look like a boil or some people say it looks like Egg Drop Soup. It can take anywhere from 5-20 minutes to reach this point. Now you don’t always need to wait to reach hot break before adding your hops, you can add them once you start boiling, you just want to keep an eye on it to prevent boil overs. Hope this helps improve your DME brewing processes! These are the steps I was taught when I first brewed with DME and I have never forgotten them. Cheers, Robert
Read moreCan you add more yeast to your already bottled beer?
{{widget type="Solvature\VideoSlider\Block\Widget\VideoSliderWidget" video_embed1="8qyQH2_dqLY" video_title1="Can you add more yeast to your already bottled beer?" video_cta_color1="white" video_cta_color2="white" video_cta_color3="white" video_cta_color4="white" video_cta_color5="white"}} You have bottled your beer and let it sit for 2 weeks. You go to check on your bottles and they are still flat! Can you add more yeast to save them? We break it down in this episode of BrewTalk with Mr. Beer. Imagine that you bottle your beer and then you go to grab one and put it in the fridge and the bottles are soft, it feels like there is no pressure in the bottles at all. Worse yet, you put one bottle in the fridge and then you go to drink it and its either super flat or it has a slightly off-flavor that tastes like butter or cider. What do you do? You can add more yeast to the rest of your bottles to either add carbonation to your brew or to help clean up an off-flavor in your beer. There are a few considerations that you need to examine before you do this. Make sure your bottles aren’t leaking. If C02 is escaping, adding more yeast won’t fix the problem. In these cases, sometimes you can try and rebottle, which is not really recommend as it opens up an entire doorway to infection and oxygenation if not done properly. You also need to add more sugar as what was in there was consumed by the yeast. So, if you have leaky bottles adding more yeast will not help create any more C02 in your beer. The other factor is that if your beer has an anaerobic infection adding more yeast won't help. This is basically anything other than that butter or cidery taste in beer that you get from diacetyl or aldehydes in your beer. If those are not a consideration, then you want to follow this process to add more yeast to your bottles. Get a packet of fresh, unopened yeast that is the same as the yeast you brewed the beer with Sanitize and dry a small saucer or plate Wash your hands VERY well Sprinkle some yeast in a thin layer on the saucer Open the bottle and firmly press your fingertip onto the granules so that they stick. (your fingertip should be pretty consistently covered with yeast) Sprinkle what was lifted by your finger into the bottle Quickly reseal the bottle and give it a gentle squeeze to assure there are no leaks Move your bottles to a warm area for 2-3 weeks. That’s it. Now this might not always work as we listed out the other factors that could be at play when you go to do this, but it never hurts to try. Cheers, Robert
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Alternative Yeast Options for Mr. Beer Refills
If you are looking for an easy way to jazz up your Mr. Beer refill, we have an easy solution for you! Just change out the yeast! Yeast imparts a lot of the flavor that you get in your beer so doing a simple change of yeast can create a dramatically different beer. Below we break out all the best options for what yeast to add to each refill. Each yeast will add bring about its own characteristic and flavor to your beer. Cheers! Classic American Light Possible alternative yeast options: Safale US-05 – This yeast ferments clean, with low off-flavors, and finishes relatively dry. It’s a great all-around ale yeast. Safbrew S-33 – This is a Belgian yeast style. It is fruity and bright in character, perfect for creating blondes, Dubbel, Tripel, and Quad styles. Also great for heavily hopped or fruity beers. Safale S-04 – This is a broad spectrum English ale yeast. Typically suited for milds, stouts, browns, porters, and heavily hopped IPA. Provides great precipitation of yeast and creates a tightly compacted trub layer, helping to produce clearer beer. This yeast favors malt flavors and is great for beers that are malt centric, but works well for certain hoppy styles as well. Lallemand Belle Saison – This is a spicy and fruity Saison style yeast of Belgian origin. This yeast has a strong character and allows you to brew beer at temperatures up to 85 degrees! American Lager Possible yeast alternative options: Saflager S-23 – This is a true, bottom-fermenting lager yeast that requires a standard lager fermentation temp of 54-59 degrees but can be brewed up to 75 degrees for certain styles like California Common. This is a fairly estery and fruity lager yeast. It can be used to turn your refill into a “true” lager. Saflager W-34/70 - This is a true bottom-fermenting lager yeast. This yeast comes from the original Weihenstephan strain used by the German brewery. This yeast creates relatively neutral flavors on the lower end of the temperature spectrum and becomes a bit more estery with higher temps. Brews a beautiful, clean bohemian lager beer. Safbrew S-33 - This is a Belgian yeast style. It is fruity and bright in character, perfect for creating blondes, Dubbel, Tripel, and Quad styles. Also great for heavily hopped or fruity beers. Safale US-05 – This yeast ferments clean, with low off-flavors, and finishes relatively dry. It’s a great all-around ale yeast. Safale S-04 – This is a broad spectrum English ale yeast. Typically suited for milds, stouts, browns, porters, and heavily hopped IPA. Provides great precipitation of yeast and creates a tightly compacted trub layer, helping to produce clearer beer. This yeast favors malt flavors and is great for beers that are malt centric, but works well for certain hoppy styles as well. American Ale Possible yeast alternative options: Safale US-05 – This yeast ferments clean, with low off-flavors, and finishes relatively dry. It’s a great all-around ale yeast. Safale S-04 – This is a broad spectrum English ale yeast. Typically suited for milds, stouts, browns, porters, and heavily hopped IPA. Provides great precipitation of yeast and creates a tightly compacted trub layer, helping to produce clearer beer. This yeast favors malt flavors and is great for beers that are malt centric, but works well for certain hoppy styles as well. Safbrew S-33 - This is a Belgian yeast style. It is fruity and bright in character, perfect for creating blondes, Dubbel, Tripel, and Quad styles. Also great for heavily hopped or fruity beers. Safale T-58 – This yeast is selected for its strong fermentation character, intensely fruity, and phenolic flavors – especially banana, clove, and peppery notes. Suitable for a great variety of wheat-based beers and fruity-spicy oriented styles. This yeast prefers to be brewed at 59-70 degrees. Lallemand Belle Saison – This is a spicy and fruity Saison style yeast of Belgian origin. This yeast has a strong character and allows you to brew beer at temperatures up to 85 degrees! American Porter Possible yeast alternative options: Safale S-04 – This is a broad spectrum English ale yeast. Typically suited for milds, stouts, browns, porters, and heavily hopped IPA. Provides great precipitation of yeast and creates a tightly compacted trub layer, helping to produce clearer beer. This yeast favors malt flavors and is great for beers that are malt centric, but works well for certain hoppy styles as well. Safale T-58 – This yeast is selected for its strong fermentation character, intensely fruity and phenolic flavors – especially banana, clove, and peppery notes. Suitable for a great variety of wheat-based beers and fruity-spicy oriented styles. This yeast prefers to be brewed at 59-70 degrees. Safale US-05 – This yeast ferments clean, with low off-flavors, and finishes relatively dry. It’s a great all-around ale yeast. Oktoberfest Lager Possible yeast alternative options: Safale S-04 – This is a broad spectrum English ale yeast. Typically suited for milds, stouts, browns, porters, and heavily hopped IPA. Provides great precipitation of yeast and creates a tightly compacted trub layer, helping to produce clearer beer. This yeast favors malt flavors and is great for beers that are malt centric, but works well for certain hoppy styles as well. Saflager W-34/70 - This is a true bottom-fermenting lager yeast. This yeast comes from the original Weihenstephan strain used by the German brewery. This yeast creates relatively neutral flavors on the lower end of the temperature spectrum and becomes a bit more estery with higher temps. Brews a beautiful, clean bohemian lager beer. Saflager S-23 – This is a true, bottom-fermenting lager yeast that requires a standard lager fermentation temp of 54-59 degrees but can be brewed up to 75 degrees for certain styles like California Common. This is a fairly estery and fruity lager yeast. It can be used to turn your refill into a “true” lager. Safale US-05 – This yeast ferments clean, with low off-flavors, and finishes relatively dry. It’s a great all-around ale yeast. Safbrew S-33 - This is a Belgian yeast style. It is fruity and bright in character, perfect for creating blondes, Dubbel, Tripel, and Quad styles. Also great for heavily hopped or fruity beers. St. Patrick’s Irish Stout Possible yeast alternative options: Safale S-04 – This is a broad spectrum English ale yeast. Typically suited for milds, stouts, browns, porters, and heavily hopped IPA. Provides great precipitation of yeast and creates a tightly compacted trub layer, helping to produce clearer beer. This yeast favors malt flavors and is great for beers that are malt centric, but works well for certain hoppy styles as well. Safale US-05 – This yeast ferments clean, with low off-flavors, and finishes relatively dry. It’s a great all-around ale yeast. Grand Bohemian Czech Pilsner Possible yeast alternative options: Saflager W-34/70 - This is a true bottom-fermenting lager yeast. This yeast comes from the original Weihenstephan strain used by the German brewery. This yeast creates relatively neutral flavors on the lower end of the temperature spectrum and becomes a bit more estery with higher temps. Brews a beautiful, clean bohemian lager beer. Saflager S-23 – This is a true, bottom-fermenting lager yeast that requires a standard lager fermentation temp of 54-59 degrees but can be brewed up to 75 degrees for certain styles like California Common. This is a fairly estery and fruity lager yeast. It can be used to turn your refill into a “true” lager. Safale US-05 – This yeast ferments clean, with low off-flavors, and finishes relatively dry. It’s a great all-around ale yeast. Safbrew S-33 - This is a Belgian yeast style. It is fruity and bright in character, perfect for creating blondes, Dubbel, Tripel, and Quad styles. Also great for heavily hopped or fruity beers. Canadian Blonde Possible yeast alternative options: Safbrew S-33 - This is a Belgian yeast style. It is fruity and bright in character, perfect for creating blondes, Dubbel, Tripel, and Quad styles. Also great for heavily hopped or fruity beers. Safale US-05 – This yeast ferments clean, with low off-flavors, and finishes relatively dry. It’s a great all-around ale yeast. Safale S-04 – This is a broad spectrum English ale yeast. Typically suited for milds, stouts, browns, porters, and heavily hopped IPA. Provides great precipitation of yeast and creates a tightly compacted trub layer, helping to produce clearer beer. This yeast favors malt flavors and is great for beers that are malt centric, but works well for certain hoppy styles as well. Safale T-58 – This yeast is selected for its strong fermentation character, intensely fruity and phenolic flavors – especially banana, clove, and peppery notes. Suitable for a great variety of wheat-based beers and fruity-spicy oriented styles. This yeast prefers to be brewed at 59-70 degrees. Lallemand Belle Saison – This is a spicy and fruity Saison style yeast of Belgian origin. This yeast has a strong character and allows you to brew beer at temperatures up to 85 degrees! Saflager W-34/70 - This is a true bottom-fermenting lager yeast. This yeast comes from the original Weihenstephan strain used by the German brewery. This yeast creates relatively neutral flavors on the lower end of the temperature spectrum and becomes a bit more estery with higher temps. Brews a beautiful, clean bohemian lager beer. Bavarian Weissbier Possible yeast alternative options: Safale Wb-06 – This yeast provides fruity and phenolic character, varying with the fermentation temperatures. Produces well-attenuated beers and it is ideal for wheat base beers, such as Belgian and German Styles (Ex. Wit Beers and Weizen Beers). Produces typical phenolic notes of wheat beers, including clove and banana. Safale T-58 – This yeast is selected for its strong fermentation character, intensely fruity, and phenolic flavors – especially banana, clove, and peppery notes. Suitable for a great variety of wheat-based beers and fruity-spicy oriented styles. This yeast prefers to be brewed at 59-70 degrees. Lallemand Belle Saison – This is a spicy and fruity Saison style yeast of Belgian origin. This yeast has a strong character and allows you to brew beer at temperatures up to 85 degrees! Safbrew S-33 - This is a Belgian yeast style. It is fruity and bright in character, perfect for creating blondes, Dubbel, Tripel, and Quad styles. Also great for heavily hopped or fruity beers. Aztec Mexican Cerveza Possible yeast alternative options: Safale US-05 – This yeast ferments clean, with low off-flavors, and finishes relatively dry. It’s a great all-around ale yeast. Safale S-04 – This is a broad spectrum English ale yeast. Typically suited for milds, stouts, browns, porters, and heavily hopped IPA. Provides great precipitation of yeast and creates a tightly compacted trub layer, helping to produce clearer beer. This yeast favors malt flavors and is great for beers that are malt centric, but works well for certain hoppy styles as well. Safbrew S-33 - This is a Belgian yeast style. It is fruity and bright in character, perfect for creating blondes, Dubbel, Tripel, and Quad styles. Also great for heavily hopped or fruity beers. Golden Ale Possible yeast alternative options: Safale Wb-06 – This yeast provides fruity and phenolic character, varying with the fermentation temperatures. Produces well-attenuated beers and it is ideal for wheat base beers, such as Belgian and German Styles (Ex. Wit Beers and Weizen Beers). Produces typical phenolic notes of wheat beers, including clove and banana. Lallemand Belle Saison – This is a spicy and fruity Saison style yeast of Belgian origin. This yeast has a strong character and allows you to brew beer at temperatures up to 85 degrees! Safbrew S-33 - This is a Belgian yeast style. It is fruity and bright in character, perfect for creating blondes, Dubbel, Tripel, and Quad styles. Also great for heavily hopped or fruity beers. Safale T-58 – This yeast is selected for its strong fermentation character, intensely fruity, and phenolic flavors – especially banana, clove, and peppery notes. Suitable for a great variety of wheat-based beers and fruity-spicy oriented styles. This yeast prefers to be brewed at 59-70 degrees. Safale US-05 – This yeast ferments clean, with low off-flavors, and finishes relatively dry. It’s a great all-around ale yeast. Long Play IPA Possible yeast alternative options: Safale US-05 – This yeast ferments clean, with low off-flavors, and finishes relatively dry. It’s a great all-around ale yeast. Safale S-04 – This is a broad spectrum English ale yeast. Typically suited for milds, stouts, browns, porters, and heavily hopped IPA. Provides great precipitation of yeast and creates a tightly compacted trub layer, helping to produce clearer beer. This yeast favors malt flavors and is great for beers that are malt centric, but works well for certain hoppy styles as well. Safbrew S-33 - This is a Belgian yeast style. It is fruity and bright in character, perfect for creating blondes, Dubbel, Tripel, and Quad styles. Also great for heavily hopped or fruity beers. Bewitched Amber Ale Possible yeast alternative options: Safale S-04 – This is a broad spectrum English ale yeast. Typically suited for milds, stouts, browns, porters, and heavily hopped IPA. Provides great precipitation of yeast and creates a tightly compacted trub layer, helping to produce clearer beer. This yeast favors malt flavors and is great for beers that are malt centric, but works well for certain hoppy styles as well. Safale US-05 – This yeast ferments clean, with low off-flavors, and finishes relatively dry. It’s a great all-around ale yeast. Northwest Pale ale Possible yeast alternative options: Safale US-05 – This yeast ferments clean, with low off-flavors, and finishes relatively dry. It’s a great all-around ale yeast. Safbrew S-33 - This is a Belgian yeast style. It is fruity and bright in character, perfect for creating blondes, Dubbel, Tripel, and Quad styles. Also great for heavily hopped or fruity beers. Safale S-04 – This is a broad spectrum English ale yeast. Typically suited for milds, stouts, browns, porters, and heavily hopped IPA. Provides great precipitation of yeast and creates a tightly compacted trub layer, helping to produce clearer beer. This yeast favors malt flavors and is great for beers that are malt centric, but works well for certain hoppy styles as well. Diablo IPA Possible yeast alternative options: Safale US-05 – This yeast ferments clean, with low off-flavors, and finishes relatively dry. It’s a great all-around ale yeast. Safale S-04 – This is a broad spectrum English ale yeast. Typically suited for milds, stouts, browns, porters, and heavily hopped IPA. Provides great precipitation of yeast and creates a tightly compacted trub layer, helping to produce clearer beer. This yeast favors malt flavors and is great for beers that are malt centric, but works well for certain hoppy styles as well. Safbrew S-33 - This is a Belgian yeast style. It is fruity and bright in character, perfect for creating blondes, Dubbel, Tripel, and Quad styles. Also great for heavily hopped or fruity beers.
Read moreCan you take your beer out of the refrigerator to further condition it?
{{widget type="Solvature\VideoSlider\Block\Widget\VideoSliderWidget" video_embed1="PYoMDhDIzvY" video_title1="Can you take your beer out of the refrigerator to further condition it?" video_cta_color1="white" video_cta_color2="white" video_cta_color3="white" video_cta_color4="white" video_cta_color5="white"}} This is a subject that is often debated amongst brewers, once you put your beer in the fridge can you take it out to let it condition for any off-flavors you might have. We break it down for you in this week’s episode. Now there is not a definite yes or no answer with this question, it really does depend on some factors. It most certainly can work, and it is something I have personally done before but you do have some time constraints that can affect it as well as overall yeast health. That is why in any of our instructions we always recommend that you put 1 or 2 bottles in the fridge first to try it before you add the others. This is a good way to gauge if the rest of your batch is ready to be chilled or if it needs some longer conditioning time. So let’s talk about the time constraints first that can affect this. The safe range we have found for taking a beer out of the fridge to let it further condition would be 7 days. At this stage, the yeast is most likely not dead, but just dormant. So as it warms up the yeast should wake back up and get back to work. If you are in the range of 7-14 days, there is a strong possibility that taking the beers out of the fridge will not do anything. By this point the yeast is starting to die, so once it warms back up you might not have enough viable healthy yeast cells left to get back to work. So, it could work still but most likely it will not. Anything longer than 14 days the yeast is pretty much dead at that point, so you won’t get any benefit from taking the beer out of the fridge. The other factor in this is yeast health, you want to make sure that you are following the brewing directions very closely as this helps promote yeast health. Make sure you are sanitizing everything thoroughly, you are adding cold water to your LBK to cool down the wort, and that you are aerating the wort extremely well prior to pitching the yeast. All of these will help promote healthy yeast growth. This will give you more viable yeast so if you do have to take your beer out of the fridge to condition it, as long as your time frame is good, you should have enough healthy yeast cells to clean up any lingering off-flavors. Again, I can’t stress enough, that is why we do suggest that you just put 1 or 2 beers in the fridge at first and see if you like them. If they taste good, then put them all in the fridge and enjoy it! If you have off-flavors in the one you try, let the beers condition for another week or two and then try it again. Please comment with your thoughts on this subject as we want to hear what you guys think as well. This is not a set-in-stone brewing rule and is based on everyone’s experience. Cheers, Robert
Read moreHow to store malt, hops, yeast and grains if you are not brewing right away.
{{widget type="Solvature\VideoSlider\Block\Widget\VideoSliderWidget" video_embed1="yRVvOPTHgww" video_title1="How to store malt, hops, yeast and grains if you are not brewing right away." video_cta_color1="white" video_cta_color2="white" video_cta_color3="white" video_cta_color4="white" video_cta_color5="white"}} In this video, we break down the best ways for you to store your homebrewing ingredients in-between brews, Cheers! Often times things come up and you are not able to brew right away, or we have such an awesome sale going that you stock up on a few different brews. Now unless you have built out an awesome brewhouse and you have 4 LBK’s going at any one time it could take a few weeks or months to move through 3 or 4 different recipes depending on what you are brewing, so it is critical that you ingredients are stored properly. This will help them last longer and also stay fresh. For this, we will tell you how to store your cans of malt, hops, yeast, and grains. When storing your cans of HME or packets of LME it is pretty easy to store. You want to store them in a cool place that does not have huge fluxations in temperature. The best place is typically somewhere in your house. Now if you are to store malt in your garage for example and the temperature goes up and down a lot and gets hot, that is okay, but you don’t want to do pro-longed storage like that. A few weeks tops. The best place is inside your house. Now looking at grains, you also want to keep these in a nice cool place. All of our grains come milled already and sealed in a bag. If you are going to be storing these grains for a long time you can put them in an airtight container and leave them someplace cool and dry. Humidity is not good for grains. For hops and yeast, you will want to store those in your fridge and if you are looking at long term storage you can put them in your freezer. The cold will help prevent the hops from going bad as well as the yeast. Just remember to pull them out of the fridge or freezer an hour or so before you start brewing. Alright so to recap, malt in a nice cool place, preferably inside your house, grains in a nice cool place preferable in an airtight container and hops and yeast in your refrigerator or your freezer. Cheers, Robert
Read moreDo I need to use a hop sack when adding hops to my beer?
{{widget type="Solvature\VideoSlider\Block\Widget\VideoSliderWidget" video_embed1="77gFyG0PcqA" video_title1="Do I need to use a hop sack when adding hops to my beer?" video_cta_color1="white" video_cta_color2="white" video_cta_color3="white" video_cta_color4="white" video_cta_color5="white"}} One of the common questions that we hear a lot is about if you should use a hopsack when adding hops to your beer. On our answer as with most things is, it depends! Depending on the recipe you are brewing we will have you use or not use a hopsack at certain stages of the process and there is a reason behind that. When we have you use a hop sack, it is usually because there is a large number of hops that you are adding to the beer. If you put in a large number of hops with no hop sack during bottling time those hops can clog the spigot which can make it difficult to fill your bottles. Another reason is when you are mixing different hops together, it is often just easier to group them into a hopsack. We have certain recipes where you will mix ½ a packet of a few different hops together. If you do happen to find yourself in a situation where you add hops without a hop sack and you are concerned that it might clog the spigot if you give the beer a nice cold crashing that will help everything solidify to the bottom. When doing this prop up the front of the fermenter slightly which will help the sediment settle away from the spigot. Now, when we have you not use a hopsack there are also a few reasons behind that. The first is if you are just adding a packet or two or three you don’t need the hop sack and it just adds an extra step that is not needed. Plus if you are dry hopping using a hopsack you need to make sure you sanitize your hopsack. So adding that hopsack adds an extra element to deal with and is another variable that can lead to an infection if it is not properly sanitized. Also, if you go back to a video we did on bittering hops the greater surface area the hops have, the more bitterness you can extract from those hops. So when doing a hop boil just tossing the hops in with no hop sack can help you get more bitterness in your beer. Alright, so those are the reasons why we have you add or not add a hopsack during brewing. Always remember to sanitize your hopsack if you are dry hopping or not adding it to a hot liquid. If you are concerned about getting a clogged spigot during bottling give it a little cold crash and that will help all that sediment solidify. Quick side note always leave the hop sack in your brew unless we call for you to remove it. Cheers, Robert
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