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A common off flavor in both commercial and home brewed beers is a skunky “light-struck” flavor and aroma. It can give your beer a strong skunky aroma and make it most unpleasant to drink. The Cause of Skunky Beer Skunky beer occurs when beer is exposed to light. Some of the compounds in hops remain […]

How to Backsweeten Beer, Cider and Mead

by Brad Smith on March 7, 2017 · 8 comments

This week we take a look at backsweetening – a technique commonly used in mead and cider making but not well known by beer brewers. In certain cases, backsweetening can enhance the flavor of many beers, ciders and meads. Why Backsweeten? Backsweetening is a technique used in hard soda, meads and ciders, particularly those containing […]

This week I offer a tip for extract brewers about steeping grains and why its important not to steep your grains with too much water. Many extract brewers start by steeping their grains with their entire boil volume, which can lead to excessive tannin extraction. Steeping Grains in Extract Brewing and Tannins Tannins are a […]

Dr Charlie Bamforth joins me this week to discuss clarity and haze in beer as well as steps you can take to improve clarity through finings, conditioning and brewing techniques. Subscribe on iTunes to Audio version or Video version or on Google Play Download the MP3 File – Right Click and Save As to download […]

Last week I covered the basic features and setup of the Brewmaster Chronical from SS Brewtech. This week I ferment a few batches of beer to see how well the fermenter performs. [Note – I included some affiliate links in this post – use them if you want to support the blog] The SS Brewtech […]

This week I take a look at the Brewmaster 14 gal (52 l) Chronical from SS BrewTech. In this first part I’ll cover my initial impressions after unboxing, assembling and cleaning the fermenter. In part 2, I’ll cover brewing and fermenting with the unit. Do You Really Need a Stainless Conical for Home Brewing? Lets […]

Rory Lawton joins me from Berlin, Germany to discuss the tradition of the German Purity Law or “Reinheitsgebot” and some very controversial efforts to challenge it. Along the way we discuss the history of the law, how it has evolved and how it affects brewing in Germany. Note: This is a controversial topic in Germany, […]

Despite its reputation as the perfect metal for beer brewing, stainless steel can actually corrode or rust. So this week we take a look at how and why stainless steel can corrode as well as how you can passivate your stainless steel beer brewing equipment to protect it. Stainless Steel and Rust Steel is made […]

Chris Graham, President at MoreBeer joins me to talk about large all grain beer brewing equipment for home brewers. Chris and I discuss RIMS and HERMS systems, pumps, chillers and more. Subscribe on iTunes to Audio version or Video version or on Google Play Download the MP3 File – Right Click and Save As to […]

Matt Brynildson, the Brewmaster for Firestone Walker and five time GABF brewer of the year joins me this week to discuss hops and brewing Firestone Walker’s beers. Subscribe on iTunes to Audio version or Video version or on Google Play Download the MP3 File – Right Click and Save As to download this mp3 file […]

Wort, Whiskey and Scotch when Brewing Beer

by Brad Smith on December 14, 2016 · 3 comments

Here’s a quick tip about whiskey, wort and beer brewing I picked up at my last Craft Beer and Brewing retreat in Colorado. John Mallett from Bell’s Brewing shared it with me though I’ve since found that other brewers also know this trick. Hot Wort and Whiskey or Scotch So the tip is this: while […]

Drew Beechum joins me to talk about experimental homebrewing, his new book Homebrew All Stars, the launch of his podcast, saisons and more in this week’s podcast. Subscribe on iTunes to Audio version or Video version or on Google Play Download the MP3 File – Right Click and Save As to download this mp3 file […]

John Mallet, Director of Operations at Bell’s Brewery and Andrea Stanley from Valley Malting join me to have a discussion about craft malt houses, malt and how small malt and hop houses are changing the face of craft beer. Subscribe on iTunes to Audio version or Video version or on Google Play Download the MP3 […]

Metallic off flavors can occur in both commercial and home brewed beers. They are almost always considered an off-flavor or flaw in the beer to be avoided. Metallic off flavors can vary in taste and aroma. Copper, tin or iron flavors are common and even blood-like flavors may be present. The Root Cause of Metallic […]

Grassy Off Flavors in Home Brewed Beer

by Brad Smith on September 23, 2016 · 5 comments

Grassy off flavors in beer can ruin an otherwise excellent brew. This week we take a look at the cause of grassy flavors in beer and what you can do about it! Grassy Flavors and Aroma Grassy flavors include vegetal, plant-like, hay, fresh leaves or aromas reminiscent of fresh cut grass. These flavors tend to […]