-Ryan Blankenship- Summertime is usually a slow time for the traditional home brewer. Mainly because it gets so hot outside, most of us don’t want to spend 6-8 hours over a boiling hot kettle. It can also become difficult to regulate your fermentation temperatures. If you’re a diehard brewer like we are, however, you might be deciding on what beers do best during the summer. A few of my favorite summer style beers include: Belgian pale ales, Kolsch, and Saisons. Today I want to give a little … [Read more...] about Brewing in the Summer
sour beer
Kettle Sour vs Barrel Sour
-Ryan Blankenship- Over the past 3-5 years I have noticed there have been a large number of breweries putting out sour beers. Sours have actually been around since the early 1800s when brewers would use open vats to ferment, and wild yeast, or Brettanomyces, would enter the wort creating a sour taste. A sour ale is an ale that is made intentionally acidic by adding either Lactobacillus, Pediococcus, or Brettanomyces. The pH is extremely low, usually between 3.3-3.5. In order to create … [Read more...] about Kettle Sour vs Barrel Sour
Gose Pt. 1: Sour on the Rise
The American craft beer scene has experienced a recent surge in interest for sour beers, and the ensuing explosion of innovation has left few beer enthusiasts unaffected. A number of breweries are participating in this ever-growing trend, and many are experimenting with various bacteria, fruit additions, brewing processes, and more. One particularly intriguing and exciting side effect of this movement has been the resurgence of a number of styles that were previously in danger of slipping into … [Read more...] about Gose Pt. 1: Sour on the Rise
