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I recently brewed a AG Kolsch. At bottling time, I split it into two mini-kegs, force carbing the first, and putting a co2 blanket on the other and set it aside for about a month. The first was a nice light tasting classic fizzy yellow beer, with decent clarity. I just tapped the second one...

I just built a new boathouse on Lake Guntersville this year. For Father's Day, my wife commissioned a very cool (IMHO) custom boat house sign for me in the style of a beer label. As my last name is Brown, it was created for a fictitious Brown Ale. Well, not fictitious for long. I have all...

Okay, it is going to be whatever it is going to be, but I have to ask: I have a Kolsch in the primary, and using my chilling rig, I managed 4 solid days of active fermentation at close to optimal temp (65 deg F) Then the April tornados struck here in Alabama. I have been without power...

It was the best of beers. It was the worst of beers. Anyway, about 7 weeks ago I brewed my first all grain as described here. Two weeks later, using the same process, finings, etc, but newfound knowledge, I brewed an all grain Newcastle clone from AHS that went much better. For the Chimay, I...

Here is my new IPA label, created using the resources on DeviantArt (and credited appropriately:) Thanks gregger) I wanted something subdued and monochromatic, quite unlike the beer inside. Here it is on the bottles:

Ok, no worries, but a cautionary tale... So today, I did my first all grain batch. What an experience! But first a little background info. For Christmas, my SWMBO very generously gave me a 10g mash tun (cooler) with SS false bottom, a grain mill, a bayou burner, scales, and bunch of other...

Really, what catchy title can you come up with here? I am about to brew a Chimay Grande Reserve clone from AHS, and every time I mention the word Chimay around my wife she breaks into song. Here is my first cut at a label... Homage to Billy Joel.

Getting ready to bottle an IPA based on the Northern Brewer Chinook IPA extract w/ speciality grains. Going to use this label. What do you think? By the way, the QR Code in the corner includes the name, bottling date and URL for purchasing the kit. Comments?

I have a 4-gallon enamel pot that I used back in the 90s as my primary brew pot. I know people warn against using them as brew pots as when they chip, they rust and impart yada, yada, yada... Well, I am moving to all grain, and I now have an SS 8 gallon brewpot, so that is not an issue...

My LHBS is more Health Food Store than LHBS, so advice is limited. While I was in there today I decided to get some Irish Moss to put in inventory for later. I was faced with the choice of a coarse irish moss, or a fine powder style. Having no recent experience with Irish Moss, I made a...

Just getting started at this again. Came to find out labeling (and unlabeling) not nearly as tedious as wit was 15 years ago thanks to milk and oxyclean. Here is my first shot at a new label for a tripel I have in the bottle now: Opinions anyone?

Ok, so I have never done anything but extract kit brewing, however, I am standing at the edge ready to jump in. In prepping for this, I have been doing a lot of reading, specifically "Designing Great Beers". This has inspired me to craft my own recipe, completely untested and not bounded by...

Given that immersion chillers are held prisoner of the inlet temperature, it occurs to me that there might be a way to counteract that. If you put two immersion chillers in-line, and submerge the first in a bucket packed in ice and water, you could likely reduce the inlet temperature by as much...

So, I brewed a dozen batches (all extract kits) back in the early 90’s but life and children and limited budgets got in the way so I sat it aside. A couple years ago, I gave wine a shot and did a couple of batches (both red and white). However, the results were not of the high quality that I...

I know everyone says using chipped enamel pots is a no no, but I can't find any real details on why. My main brew pot is stainless, but I still have the enamel canning pot I used when I home-brewed in the early 90s. I intended to use it for heating mash and sparge water, but what is the real...

I am getting ready soon to bottle a Belgian Triple, my first beer in years. I know that Belgian Ales are typically high in carbonation, and that Williams Brewing, who produced the kit, claims to typically under carbonate their Belgians (although I can no longer find that reference). The...

I am once again new to home brewing (did it several times 15 years ago, but not since). Jjust a couple of days ago I started a Belgium Tripel from Williams Brewing. In some research since I got the batch going, some concerns have come up. Specifically, the Wyeast 1214 that I used, claims to...