Brewing during the summer presents a unique set of issues for home brewing enthusiasts, especially those in the southeastern United States. The ambient temperatures are conducive to only a select few yeast strains, high humidity plays with your boil off rate, and ground water temperatures make chilling your batch a huge pain. So, with summer upon us, get ready to crank the AC, play the guesstimation game, and pull out the ol’ wort chiller. Whether you’re working with a classic immersion chiller, … [Read more...] about Wort Pre-Chillers: How effective?
homebrew
Hop Pellets vs. Whole Hops
It never ceases to amaze me how reticent many brewers are to use whole cone hops when presented with the option. In the era of IPAs and heavily hopped beers, every brewer should have the full repertoire of hop products available to them and at their disposal. That being said, I felt it would be helpful to discuss some of the differences between pellet hops and whole hops, so that deciding between the two doesn’t have to be challenging. Regardless of whether you’re considering whole cone hops … [Read more...] about Hop Pellets vs. Whole Hops
Cyser: Making Mead with Apples
Apple juice and apple cider are incredibly popular drinks, especially during the fall harvest season. But despite the fact that the fruit is practically synonymous with fall, apples are largely underrepresented in our alcoholic beverages. Hard apple cider, once the drink of choice for colonial Americans, is experiencing a revival in popularity, but still lags behind mainstream go-tos like beer and wine. In fact, both beer and wine can be made or accentuated with apples, but you'll be … [Read more...] about Cyser: Making Mead with Apples
