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.
measurement
Brewer's Notes
Keys to Consistency
Leaning forward from my last post about lessons learned, I am putting a plan together to help me hit a stretch goal of consistency. While this may seem obvious, I am pretty serious about eliminating "possibly" problematic issues, and striking highly consistent and predictable brewing. So here are
Brewer's Notes
Low Oxygen Brewing; Exploring LODO
Low oxygen brewing has been largely dismissed as a quality issue for home brewing. The term "Hot Side Aeration" or HSA was once considered a serious home brewing problem when George Fix described beer stability issues in Principles of Brewing Science: A Study of Serious Brewing Issues. Since,
Brewer's Notes
Brew-day Walkthrough. Therapy. Meditation.
Brewing, for me, has become therapy, almost meditation. If you are allergic to overly romantic or nostalgic posts, look away, but I am stopping short of writing poetry. I suck at that anyway. Here’s how I brew, with an overly sentimental focus on rhythms and senses. Forgive the grammar
Bru'n Water Tutorial
Bru'n Water 3.2 Subscriber Edition Walkthrough
In March 2015, Martin Brungard released the Bru'n Water Spreadsheet 3.2 to subscribers with major improvements to UI and functionality. This walk through supercedes the 2.0 version which will remain up if you choose not to upgrade. If you have not yet received your 3.0
Brewer's Notes
Bru'n Water 2.0 Subscriber Spreadsheet Tutorial
The original walk through of the Bru'n Water Spreadsheet remains one of the most popular features of Accidentalis.com. While the core information remains relevant, there is a significant difference in workflows between the Free and Subscriber version of the spreadsheet. This tutorial is focused on the Subscriber
Brewer's Notes
Fumble Recovery; Robust Porter becomes a Coffee Porter
Well now. Fumble is a strong word. But by the numbers, yeah, missed it by that much! But recovered, rather than dumping the beer. Recently I re-brewed an old Robust Porter recipe, confident that with the experience I have gained over the last few years it would turn out better
Brew-Magic
Brew-Magic Upgrade, the Recipe Function
In my previous post on the Magic-Soft V3 update for the Brew-Magic V350, I walked through my perceptions of how the Brew-Magic performed with the software update, and was very pleasantly surprised at the ease of hitting strike temperatures. I have had a few more chances to brew, but been
Measurement
Using GH/KH Hardness Test Kits in Brewing
Adapted from http://braukaiser.com/wiki/index.php?title=At_home_water_testing A simple water tool for the brewery can be home water testing kits popularly used to manage aquarium water. In particular, titration kits that measure both GH or General Hardness and KH or Carbonate Hardness are preferred
Brewer's Notes
Water Revisted, Part 2: A Basic Approach
Returning briefly to water, I thought a nod toward a simple approach that yields good results is to take a direct look at AJ deLange's A Brewing Water Chemistry Primer on homebrewtalk.com. This makes fairly straightforward recommendations with a few "exceptions" that I will paraphrase
Brewer's Notes
Calibration Series: A House Recipe, American Pale Ale
I realize most people would consider calibration something you would do with a measurement device. Something that I have been striving for as a brewer is the ability to repeat a recipe, and then make simple/small changes to refine or improve it's characteristics. We should all realize
Brewer's Notes
Calibration Series: Personalized Sulfate and Chloride in Beer
Palmer and Kaminsky, as well as AJ deLange and Martin Brungard, have lately laid out arguments that largely debunk the sulfate/chloride ratio as only effective within a certain range of amounts of ions. This makes sense, as concentration (ppm) of a given mineral drives to a flavor threshold, and