Stuck fermentation is a pretty common problem among homebrewers. This happens when the yeast stop doing their job or die for some reason. This happens with employees as well, I have found. Soak them in beer and they want to…
Technique
Siphoning and a Review of the Auto Siphon
by Carl • • 0 Comments
I recently had someone cajole me into getting an auto siphon racking cane to make the process of siphoning my beer and wine easier. I have to admit that in general, I keep things old skool. I do not use…
Beer Color: Lovibond, SRM, and EBC
by Carl • • 0 Comments
Homebrewers, especially new ones, are overrun with various acronyms and confusing ideas. One of the more mysterious is the Lovibond scale, as well as SRM and EBC equivalents. When we buy grain, it is quantified as being a certain number…
Making Low-Calorie or Lite Homebrew Beer
by Carl • • 0 Comments
https://twitter.com/HancockJM/status/223196742408081408 Loyal follower and beer lover J.M. Hancock asked me whether it was possible to make a lite homebrew beer, and whether it was heresy to even ask such a question. First of all, no it is not heresy. Most…
Top Three Tricks to Improve Your Homebrew Beer
by Carl • • 0 Comments
I recently had a couple beers with some friends and someone asked what variables, other than ingredients and cooking methods, went into making a good homebrew beer. There were two other homebrewers at the table, and we agreed that there…
Cooling Your Wort: Four Methods
by Carl • • 2 Comments
I used to not worry about cooling my wort. When I started making beer 20+ years ago, the general practice for most homebrewers was to boil the wort, pour it in a fermetner, and let it cool overnight. The next…
Temperature Control and Fermentation
by Carl • • 0 Comments
Brew Your Own Magazine this month has a good article about temperature control for fermentation. It outlines the basics of temperature control and different methods for accomplishing it. The reason you might use a temperature controller is to help create…
How to Make a Yeast Starter
by Carl • • 0 Comments
Andy and I have been yammering on a bit about yeast this week, since it is Yeast Week here at RealHomebrew.com. Some companies have Shark Week. We have Yeast Week. It's just as frightful and exciting, though on a microscopic…
How to Label Your Homebrew Kegs
by Carl • • 0 Comments
Every homebrewer needs a system for labeling his or her homebrew kegs. If you only have one keg, maybe this is not an issue for you. However, if you have multiple kegs and a kegerator and sometimes take your beer…
How to Start Kegging Your Homebrew Beer
by Carl • • 0 Comments
If you have ever thought kegging your homebrew was a complicated affair, you are both right and wrong. It seems complicated at first, but once you do it the first time, you will ask yourself why you waited so long to…