John

Gueuze beer and Teku glass

Beer Substitutes for Sparkling Wine that Aren’t Brut IPA

In the late 2010s, Brut IPA was the IPA de jour. Having an extremely dry finish from the help of exogenous enzymes added in the brewing process to increase the fermentability of its wort, Brut IPAs are pale, highly carbonated beers somewhat reminiscent of dry sparkling wines.  While many breweries were suddenly making the style in the late …

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Three beers in glasses

Beer Glass Selection Guide: How to Choose the Right Glass

Beer glassware choice affects many aspects of how we perceive beer, from appearance to flavor and aroma. With many glass types, it can be difficult to know which glass to reach for when serving a beer style. This article: Explores how glassware affects various aspects of the perception of beer Recommends an essential set of …

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Dry Hops and Fermenter

Dry Hop Creep: Unexpected beer refermentation with dry hopping

Adding hops to beer either during or after fermentation has been done for centuries, but an unexpected side effect has recently arisen. Some newly created beer styles with extremely high hopping levels are refermenting beer in what is called dry hop creep. Table of Contents Boiled Down Summary Dry hopping is the addition of hops …

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Diagram of dextrin to glucose and dextrin with enzyme

High-attenuating brewing yeast: STA1 and extracellular glucoamylase

Some ales, particularly those of Belgian origin, are known to be highly attenuated and have a crisp, dry finish. But what makes these beers so highly attenuated compared to other beers also fermented with Saccharomyces cerevisiae? The answer is a yeast strain capable of producing extracellular glucoamylase, an enzyme that degrades dextrins and soluble starches in …

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Malted barley

From Starch to Fermentable Sugars: Enzymes in the Mash

At the beginning of the brewing process, brewers combine hot water and crushed malted barley in a process called mashing. During the mash, enzymes naturally present in the malted barley convert starches into fermentable sugars. Table of Contents Boiled Down Summary Enzymes are protein catalysts that increase the rate of a specific chemical reaction by …

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Beer with bubbles

Beer Carbonation Basics

One of the key features of beer is carbonation. Carbonation has many functions in beer, from enhancing aroma and flavor to increasing beer’s visual appeal to providing a palate-cleansing effect when pairing a beer with a meal. While beer carbonation is simply carbon dioxide dissolved into beer, its use in various beer styles and traditions …

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Thiols – Small but Mighty Aroma Contributors in Beer

American craft beers are well-known for their bold flavor and aroma profiles. Many popular American beer styles, particularly Juicy or Hazy IPA, focus on juicy, fruity aromas derived from hops. Volatile thiols make up a tiny portion of the total weight of hops but can bring massive tropical, citrus, and other fruity aromas to beers.   …

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