Lab-First
High-Gravity ABV and the Precision Gap
A data-driven look at why standard ABV formulas fail in high-gravity fermentation and how to implement higher-precision models.
Matthew Chrispen
Matt Chrispen | Accidentalis Brewery. Overly serious home brewer sharing long-form articles on beer, mead, and gear. Passionate about historical and modern techniques and systems. Documenting the ongoing journey to mastering craft from my garage.
Nice to meet you - Again.
Pull up a chair and crack open a beer. Hi, my name is Matt, and I make craft beverages.
A Change of Venue: Relocating the Brewhouse
After 13 years and a deliberate philosophical shift, I traded corporate demands for a quieter, simpler life. Here is the plan for the new cellar.
🧪 The Homebrewer’s Mead Yeast Master Table
A practical guide to widely available wine, cider, ale, and mead yeasts — optimized for honey must, not malt.
Brewer's Notes
SNA vs TOSNA: A Comparitive Guide to Nutrient Addition Methods in Meadmaking
Discover the key differences between SNA (Staggered Nutrient Additions) and TOSNA (Tailored Organic Staggered Nutrient Additions) in meadmaking. This comprehensive guide explores traditional and organic nutrient management methods, helping both novice and experienced meadmakers choose the right appr
competition
On Brewing Competitions, Competitors, Rules and Ethics
We need an honest and direct discussion about brewing competition. Of course, being a homebrewer, I am mainly focused on amateur beer, mead, cider, and wine competitions, which often also have a commercial or professional track. Here in 2024, competition stakes are very high, and success is critical
competition
Improving BJCP Tasting Exam Scores - REDUX
There are a few common Examinee mistakes that are easily addressed and should ensure a fairly easy shot at an 80 score. This is pretty straightforward advice that applies to any BJCP Beer/Cider/Mead Tasting exam.
History
"Guile Brews" by Peter Symons - a review
"Guile Brews" is a historical treatise on the brewing traditions of Cornwall, Ireland, and England. This reasonably narrow region of focus allows a deep dive into brewers logs, local news reporting, and even into legal records (which are plentiful) of specific breweries in specific locations. This i
Rambling
When Perfection is the Enemy of...
With the exit of 2020 and a horrible start of 2021 behind us, I feel the need to address some of the issues hampering my brewing over the past few years and the resulting lack of regular content for Accidentalis.com. Hopefully, this will be cathartic for me and perhaps
judging
Improving your BJCP Tasting Exam Scores
Suggestions for improving your BJCP Tasting Exam scores.
Blichmann
Over Complicated Home Brewing, Going Electric
If there is a theme to my personal homebrewing career, I over complicate everything. It is in my personality to over-engineer, and sometimes my solutions are laughable. That said, after letting my brewing lapse for the past year, I am looking for a new start and a solution to two
Bru'n Water Tutorial
Walkthrough - Bru’n Water Subscriber Edition, V 5.3
Overview of the Bru'n Water Spreadsheet Subscriber Edition, V 5.3, a major update released in July 2018.