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Brew-day technique, fermentation, chilling and equipment guides, written from the workshop in Vancouver. Pick a topic or search.

Illustration: The Role of Oxygen in Brewing: Aeration vs. Oxidation Fermentation4 min read The Role of Oxygen in Brewing: Aeration vs. OxidationOxygen helps at one point only: in chilled wort before pitching. Everywhere else it causes oxidation. Here is when to aerate, how much, and how to keep oxygen out afterwards. Illustration: History of IPA: Why It's Called India Pale Ale, and How It Changed Styles & recipes4 min read History of IPA: Why It's Called India Pale Ale, and How It ChangedIPA started as a well-hopped pale ale shipped from London to India in the late 1700s. Here is the real history, the myths that stuck, and how it became West... Illustration: Bitterness vs. Hoppiness in Beer: Unraveling the Tastes Ingredients3 min read Bitterness vs. Hoppiness in Beer: Unraveling the TastesBitterness is a taste from boiled hop alpha acids, measured in IBU. Hoppiness is aroma and flavour from hop oils added late. Here is how they differ and how to... Illustration: Is Decoction Mashing worth it? Brew day3 min read Is Decoction Mashing worth it?Decoction mashing boils part of the mash and returns it to raise the temperature. Here is how it works, when it’s worth the extra time, and the simpler alternatives. Illustration: Step Mashing Explained: Rest Temperatures, Schedules and When to Use It Brew day5 min read Step Mashing Explained: Rest Temperatures, Schedules and When to Use ItStep mashing holds the mash at two or more temperatures to favour different enzymes. Here are the rest temperatures, schedules by style, when modern malts actually need it, and how... Illustration: Mash Temperature Chart: What Temperature and How Long to Mash Brew day5 min read Mash Temperature Chart: What Temperature and How Long to MashMost beers mash at 148 to 158°F for about an hour. Here is what each temperature does to body and dryness, a mash temperature chart by style, the enzymes behind... Illustration: Pilsner vs Lager: What's the Difference? (And Where Ale Fits In) Fermentation7 min read Pilsner vs Lager: What's the Difference? (And Where Ale Fits In)All pilsners are lagers, but not all lagers are pilsners. Here is what separates a pilsner from the rest of the lager family, how both compare with ale, and what... Illustration: Conical Fermenters Explained: How the Cone Works, Types, and How to Use One Fermentation4 min read Conical Fermenters Explained: How the Cone Works, Types, and How to Use OneThe cone is the whole point: dump trub, harvest yeast, and never rack to a secondary again. What a conical fermenter does, the four types, a dump schedule that works,... Illustration: How to Achieve Peak Dry Hop Extraction Fermentation4 min read How to Achieve Peak Dry Hop ExtractionMost of the aroma from a dry hop extracts within a few days. How much to use, how long and how warm, when to add the hops, and how to... Illustration: The Importance of Quickly Chilling Your Wort Chilling4 min read The Importance of Quickly Chilling Your WortChill wort to pitching temperature within about 20 to 30 minutes. Here is why it matters, target temperatures, and how immersion, counterflow and plate chillers compare. Illustration: Brewing Kombucha in a Stainless Conical Fermenter: Batch Size, SCOBY, and Carbonating Under Pressure Fermentation9 min read How to Make Kombucha in a Stainless Fermenter: Step by Step, 5 to 33 GallonsHow to make kombucha in a stainless conical fermenter, from steeping the tea to kegging: ratios by batch size, the temperature for each stage, the cold crash, and carbonating the... Illustration: Understanding the Importance of Mash Tun Dead Space in Brewing Process Brew day5 min read Understanding the Importance of Mash Tun Dead Space in Brewing ProcessDead space is wort that stays in the mash tun below the outlet. Here is why it matters, how to measure it once, and how to account for it in... Illustration: The Art of Dry Hopping: Enhancing Flavor and Aroma in Beer Fermentation4 min read The Art of Dry Hopping: Enhancing Flavor and Aroma in BeerDry hopping adds hop aroma and flavour with very little bitterness. Here is how much to use by style, when to add the hops, how long to leave them and... Illustration: How to Make a Yeast Starter: A Step-by-Step Guide Fermentation4 min read How to Make a Yeast Starter: A Step-by-Step GuideA yeast starter grows more healthy yeast before brew day. Here is the starter recipe, rough sizes by batch, and how to time, pitch or decant it. Illustration: A Guide to Choosing Brewing Malts Ingredients4 min read A Guide to Choosing Brewing MaltsBuild a grain bill in layers: base malt for sugar, specialty malts for colour and body, and roasted malts for dark beers. Here is what each does and how much... Illustration: Sparge Arms Explained: Do You Need One, and Which Kind Brew day4 min read Sparge Arms Explained: Do You Need One, and Which KindA sparge arm spreads rinse water across the grain bed so it does not cut a channel and leave sugar behind. When it matters (fly sparging), when it does not... LODO Brewing Explained: What the Science Gets Right — And What Most Brewers Misunderstand Brew day9 min read LODO Brewing Explained: What the Science Gets Right — And What Most Brewers MisunderstandA comprehensive, modern guide to low-oxygen brewing for serious home and small-scale brewers. Low-oxygen brewing (“LODO”) has grown from a niche topic into a widely discussed brewing technique. At its... How to Use a Counterflow Wort Chiller: Setup, Flow, Cleaning Brew day6 min read How to Use a Counterflow Wort Chiller: Setup, Flow, CleaningA counterflow chiller drops boiling wort to pitching temperature in one pass. Here is how we hook one up, throttle it, sanitize it in the last ten minutes of the...
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