So you have the PERFECT all-grain recipe but only limited time to brew it..OR you want a friend to brew it but he/she doesn’t have an all-grain setup. Sound familiar? Converting all-grain homebrew recipes to malt extract is a fairly simple and straightforward procedure. Using the procedures outlined here, you will be able to take an all-grain recipe and easily convert it to extract. Here is the procedure we will be following: Divide the grain bill into different categories to determine if a partial mash or steeping of the grains is necessary. Make calculations necessary to figure out extract and [...]

Rapid start to fermentation is ideal. The quicker the fermentation, the lesser chance of any bacterial contamination. The conditions of fermentation are too severe for any bacteria to grow. Proper pitching temperatures are important, as is holding a constant temperature throughout the fermentation. One way to ensure a rapid start to fermentation is by pitching a yeast starter. The standard package or vial of yeast is generally not enough to get the ideal amount of yeast cells for rapid fermentation. Yeast starters help by growing the number of yeast cells to ideal amounts which is satisfactory for pitching. Basically a [...]

There are two types of yeast used in homebrewing beer (or the brewing of any beer..); Saccharomyces Cerevisiae (ale yeast) and Saccharomyces uvarum (lager yeast). Sometimes you will hear about a third type called saacharomyces delbruckii but these are Saccharomyces Cerevisiae with genetic differences which cause the distinct differences in final flavor profiles.(1) Yeast is a member of the fungus family, and is a single celled organism capable of asexual reproduction. Yeast is responsible for the fermentation of the sweet wort into beer. It feeds on the sugar molecules from the wort and converts them into alcohol. It also excretes [...]

Depending on your skill and equipment level, there are a few different ways you could go about aerating your homebrew. We all know aeration is very important for starting a good healthy fermentation. If you didn’t know that, or just want to know more about aeration, check out our article titled: Wort Aeration: Why It’s So Important. Three ways to aerate: Lift the carboy and shake the hell outa’ it. Aeration stone and wand Inline Please note that when using any any aeration method that it is advisable to use an inline sanitary filter to protect against the chance of [...]

After boiling the wort, aeration is a critical step in a healthy fermentation. The boiling process removes dissolved oxygen which is necessary for yeast growth. This is the only phase of brewing in which the wort should be exposed to oxygen. Adding oxygen to the cooled wort aids in yeast metabolism and decreases the lag time between yeast pitching and the noticeable start of fermentation. Without aeration the yeast struggle and fermentation starts very slowly. This is not desirable because of the stress it puts the yeast under. Decreasing lag time also decreases the chance of contamination by bacteria which [...]