American Homebrewers Association

The art and science of formulating a beer recipe from scratch is an involved process. While we aren’t going to walk through all the steps since they could fill a book (in fact they do: Designing Great Beers), here are … Read More

Having the ability to precisely control fermentation temperatures can be the difference between a good tasting beer and a great one. In an ideal situation, a refrigerator or freezer is outfitted with a dual stage temperature controller that can either … Read More

The hydrometer is an instrument most homebrewers eventually add to their arsenal of beer making equipment, as it allows you to measure gravity, track fermentation and help determine when a beer is “finished.” But, to the newbie, it can be … Read More

For many, lagers are a daunting category of beers to attempt to make on the homebrewing level. Recipes tend to call for decoction mashes and long periods of near-freezing fermentation temperatures, which can be difficult without the ideal equipment. But … Read More

This Homebrew Hack was submitted by AHA member Steve Lusk on the AHA Forum. Thermometers come in all sorts of sizes and materials, and many of us already have digital thermometers that pull double duty for cooking and brewing. The trouble is, a … Read More

Homebrewers always start with malt when sourcing fermentables, but it doesn’t have to stop there. Specialty sugars and other sugar sources can create unique characteristics when included in a recipe. Here are a few things to keep in mind before dosing your … Read More

It’s a day or two after the yeast was pitched in your most recent homebrew and there are signs of fermentation in the form of foam called krausen. A few days later, the rocky froth nearly fills the headspace of … Read More

Who has time to putz around trying to fix a pesky stuck sparge? One of the best ways to deal with this issue is to prevent it from happening in the first place! Here are five tips to keep wort … Read More

Malt extract tends to get a bad rap. Some assume brewing with grains will automatically create better beer, which isn’t necessarily the case. Sure you have more control over the brewing process and access to additional ingredients when undertaking the mash, … Read More

The sky’s the limit when it comes to formulating homebrew recipes, but having too many choices of ingredients can manifest itself through the curse of muddy, unfocused beer. Instead of cramming recipes chock full of hops and malts, try stripping them … Read More

Whether you are new to the homebrewing scene or want to be able to talk beer making with your non-homebrewing friends, a basic understanding of the vocabulary used when learning and discussing the craft is essential. Here are five terms that … Read More