-Peter McMindes- Norway has been using kveik for centuries, passing it down through generations of brewing families, providing unique characteristics to farmhouse ales. Kveik (pronounced “kwike”), means “yeast” in Norwegian, and the strain has remained relatively unchanged in areas that engage in traditional farmhouse brewing. The name kveik refers to the yeast itself, not the style of beer, and it is extremely genetically diverse while exhibiting characteristics not typical in other brewing … [Read more...] about Kveik: A Hot New Yeast Trend in Homebrewing
yeast
Gifts for the Homebrewer: Our Top Picks!
Shopping for people who have interests or hobbies that you’re not familiar with can be stressful. It’s difficult to know what they may already have, what they would want, what products are mere novelties, and what’s really quality. Here at Fifth Season Gardening we’re constantly helping guide folks through this arduous process, and we relish any opportunities to share our knowledge and experience to the benefit of our customers. In that spirit we have put together a collection of items that we … [Read more...] about Gifts for the Homebrewer: Our Top Picks!
Pure Pitch: White Labs’ New Look
Those of you who have recently visited your local homebrew shop in search of liquid yeast have no doubt noticed that one of your favorite brands has a different look. White Labs is slowly transitioning from the thick plastic vials that you’ve always used to a new, sleek, fancy pants white pouch that they call PurePitch®. This new packaging will completely replace the vials for all strains, eventually. So, I bet all of this has you wondering ‘What’s different about the PurePitch®?’ and ‘How does … [Read more...] about Pure Pitch: White Labs’ New Look
Liquid Yeast: How old is too old?
Liquid yeast is simultaneously one of the more rewarding and frustrating products that homebrew retailers work with. On the one hand, carrying liquid yeasts allows brew shops to offer their customers an extremely diverse selection of fermentation options, cater to very specific needs, and greatly expand the potential for batch-to-batch experimentation. On the other hand, liquid yeast is a low margin product, has a relatively short ideal shelf life, and it's difficult to stock what everyone would … [Read more...] about Liquid Yeast: How old is too old?
Oxygenation when your brew needs it most!
A properly aerated wort is crucial to ensuring a clean, rigorous, and complete fermentation. Yeast cells generally need about 10 ppm dissolved oxygen in the wort in order to function properly. A lack of oxygen can negatively impact your brew in a number of ways. First, some background. Yeast cells need oxygen in order to reproduce. The oxygen is a critical component in the production of cell membranes, organelles, and various compounds the yeast need to produce in order to survive. In … [Read more...] about Oxygenation when your brew needs it most!
