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 [...]

Scientifically, there are two types of yeast used in home brewing beer (or the brewing of any beer..); Saccharomyces Cerevisiae (ale yeast) and Saccharomyces uvarum (lager yeast). 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 co2, which can actually be seen with the use of an airlock on the fermentation container. The yeast multiply by splitting in two. This asexual reproduction [...]

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 [...]

IBU stands for International Bitterness Unit. 1 IBU = 1 milligram of isomerized alpha acid in 1 liter of wort/finished beer. The higher the IBU #, the more bitterness in a given beer. Although this can be slightly deceiving because a malty beer with 50 IBU’s will be perceived as being less bitter than a pale ale with 50 IBU’s. The heavy malt character would balance the bitterness, so it seems less bitter when in fact it has the same bitterness levels as the pale ale. IBU’s can only be 100% accurate when tested in a lab using expensive equipment. [...]

HBU equals the percent alpha acid of hops multiplied by the quantity in ounces of hops used.