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Author Topic: Online brewing courses (moderate to advanced brewing)  (Read 3787 times)

Offline pikelakehomebrew

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Online brewing courses (moderate to advanced brewing)
« on: March 15, 2012, 02:30:16 pm »
I won't lie — craftbrew.com's list of online courses for brewing is pretty sad.  Looking over the actual in-person programs, there's obviously an impressive amount of opportunities to expand one's knowledge of brewing and become better at your craft.  However, I don't have two weeks to go to Madison or Denver to further develop what is presently just a hobby.  Of course like many home brewers, I have shallow hopes of going "pro", a desire that is quickly held in check by reality...that, and the fact that I'm not nearly experienced or knowledgable enough to do so.  I know my limitations.   ::)

That said, are there any good online classes or some good books that would help take this enthusiastic home brewer from "zealous, well-meaning, small batch all-grain brewer" to "dude, this is a kick ass beer! how did you make this on such a small batch scale all-grain brewer"?  I do have a subscription to both Brew Your Own and my new pending subscription to Zymurgy — and I know they're both good reads and filled with great information.  But I could also use some structure to my learning and to take me out of my comfort zone into the chemistry and formulaic facets of brewing, and guide my learning to improve each facet of brewing — to have a solid grasp of why things happen and how to manipulate or control those variables. 

Is there anything out there (that doesn't require me to drop my life for two+ weeks to go to some school) that would take home brewers to the next level of brewing better beer?
pikelakehomebrew.com
On tap: Oktoberfest, Belgian Dubbel, Peach Blonde Ale, Surly Furious clone

Offline scochran13

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Re: Online brewing courses (moderate to advanced brewing)
« Reply #1 on: March 15, 2012, 07:56:13 pm »
There are plenty of books to read out there.  These are the ones I have and recommend.  Read them.  Several times.  Mark places to reference.  These forums are also a great place for information.  Knowledge is power.

How to Brew - John Palmer
Brewing Classic Styles - Jamil Zainasheff and John Palmer
Designing Great Beers - Ray Daniels
Yeast - Chris White & Jamil Zainasheff
The Homebrewer's Companion - Charlie Papazian
Brewing Better Beer - Gordon Strong
Radical Brewing - Ray Daniels

These are great books for learning the craft (and art ) of homebrewing.  I am constantly referring back to them and rereading sections.  And these are definitely not the only books out there, just some of the ones I've read.  If you're a science geek and want to get into more the chemical/engineering side of things there are other books out there.  Search on amazon or google and you'll find some easily enough.  If you are seriously wanting to take courses in brewing, I am currently enrolled in the American Brewer's Guild course that will start this June.  However, the only open enrollement they have is for the starting summer classes of 2014.   Trust me, these books will take you a long way and will cost a whole lot less than the ABG classes.

Offline brewsumore

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Re: Online brewing courses (moderate to advanced brewing)
« Reply #2 on: March 17, 2012, 11:00:45 pm »
Since you are interested in going as high as "advanced", there are plenty others to add to that list.  A few I have that are also good, related to learning styles, and educationally I feel not outdated:

Brew Like a Monk - Stan Hieronymus
Farmhouse Ales - Phil Markowski
Wild Brews - Jeff Sparrow
Brewing with Wheat - Stan Hieronymous
Classic Beer Style Series - various authors
Brewing Lager Beer - Gregory Noonan
Brew Your Own British Real Ale - Graham Wheeler
Brew Classic European Beers at Home - Wheeler & Protz
Old British Beers and How to Make Them - Dr. John Harrison

I still haven't gotten "Sacred and Herbal Healing Beers"

I have other older books that I also treasure; look into books by Stephen Snyder, Dave Miller, Charlie Papazian, the Szamatulski's, Lutzen & Stevens, Burch, and plenty others.
« Last Edit: March 18, 2012, 10:46:50 am by brewsumore »

Online hopfenundmalz

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Re: Online brewing courses (moderate to advanced brewing)
« Reply #3 on: March 18, 2012, 07:27:45 am »
Radical Brewing - Ray Daniels
Radical Brewing was written by Randy Mosher.

If you can find Principles of Brewing Science by George Fix, that is good for some technical stuff.
Jeff Rankert
AHA Lifetime Member
BJCP National
Ann Arbor Brewers Guild
Home-brewing, not just a hobby, it is a lifestyle!

Re: Online brewing courses (moderate to advanced brewing)
« Reply #4 on: April 02, 2012, 08:00:49 pm »
Hi, I'm not sure if you are looking for something more advanced, but you can check out our course.  Is a bit unique where it is a live inline course that covers various technical topics, styles and beer evaluation.
You can email me at jonathan@craftbeeru.com if you wish.  Cheers

Here is the course outline for your review:

Better Beer Scores
12 sessions @ 2 hours/session
Module 1
Introductions
Ground rules, administration and resources
BJCP – Beer Judge Certification Program
The BJCP Exam
Structure
Scoring
Sample exam
Better Beer Scores structure
Technical topics
Beer style topics
Tastings
Quizzes & exams
Overview of Better Beer Scores content (12-week agenda)
Technical topic: BJCP, ethics, judging process
Troubleshooting: Skunky; Buttery
Beer Styles/Tastings
BJCP Style guidelines
Styles questions on exam
Tasting portion of exam
Giving feedback – BJCP Beer Scoresheet
Tasting: Sierra Nevada Pale Ale
Resources, Next Week, Study assignment
Module 2
Technical topic: Malt: The malting process, types of malt, associated styles
Troubleshooting: Cooked Corn; Green Apple
Style Category 1: Light Lager
American lagers
Munich Helles
Dortmunder Export
Style Category 2: Pilsner
German Pilsner (Pils)
Bohemian Pilsener
Classic American Pilsner
Tasting: Warsteiner Pils
Resources, Next Week, Study assignment
Module 3
Technical topic: Hops: Characteristics, how extracted, associated styles
Troubleshooting: Papery/Stale; Sulfidic
Style Category 3: European Amber Lager
Vienna Lager
Oktoberfest
Style Category 4: Dark Lager
Dark American Lager
Munich Dunkel
Schwarzbier (Black Beer)
Tasting: Paulaner Dunkel
Resources, Next Week, Study assignment
Module 4
Technical topic: Water: Water characteristics in brewing process; water’s
influence on beer styles
Troubleshooting: Sweet; Alcoholic
Style Category 5: Bock
Maibock/Helles Bock
Traditional Bock
Doppelbock
Eisbock
Style Category 6: Light Hybrid Beer
Cream Ale
Blonde Ale
Kolsch
American Wheat or Rye Beer
Tasting: Paulaner Salvator
Resources, Next Week, Study assignment
Module 5
Technical topic: Yeast: Stages of yeast development; yeast selection
considerations
Troubleshooting: Fruity/Estery; Bitterness
Style Category 7: Amber Hybrid Beer
Northern German Altbier
California Common Beer
Dusseldorf Altbier
Style Category 8: English Pale Ale
Standard/Ordinary Bitter
Special/Best Bitter
Extra Special/Strong Bitter (English Pale Ale)
Tasting: Anchor Steam
Resources, Next Week, Study assignment
Module 6
Technical topic: Mashing; mashing stages; mash techniques
Troubleshooting: Thin/light-bodied; head retention
Style Category 9: Scottish & Irish Ale
Scottish ales: 60/-, 70/-, 80/-
Irish Red Ale
Strong Scotch Ale
Style Category 10: American Ale
American Pale Ale
American Amber Ale
American Brown Ale
Tasting: Belhaven Wee Heavy
Resources, Next Week, Study Assignment
Midterm exam
Module 7
Review midterm exam
Technical topic: Hot & cold break
Technical topic: Head retention, Clarity, Diacetyl Levels
Troubleshooting: Grassy; Astringency
Style Category 11: English Brown Ale
Mild
Southern English Brown
Northern English Brown
Style Category 12: Porter
Brown Porter
Robust Porter
Baltic Porter
Tasting: Sierra Nevada Porter
Resources, Next Week, Study assignment
Module 8
Technical topic: Diastatic & Proteolytic enzymes
Technical topic: Krausening, Water treatment, Finings
Troubleshooting: Husky/Grainy; Musty
Style Category 13: Stout
Dry Stout
Sweet Stout
Oatmeal Stout
Foreign Extra Stout
American Stout
Russian Imperial Stout
Style Category 14: India Pale Ale (IPA)
English IPA
American IPA
Imperial IPA
Tasting: Guinness Draught Stout
Resources, Next Week, Study assignment
Module 9
Technical topic: Answering Style Questions: Types of questions; most commonly
used styles
Troubleshooting: Clove-like; Phenolic
Style Category 15: German Wheat & Rye Beer
Weizen/Weissbier
Dunkelweizen
Weizenbock
Roggenbier (German Rye Beer)
Style Category 16: Belgian & French Ale
Witbier
Belgian Pale Ale
Saison
Biere de Garde
Belgian Specialty Ale
Tasting: Paulaner Hefeweizen
Resources, Next Week, Study assignment
Module 10
Technical topic: Creating an All-Grain Recipe: Statistics; ingredients; brewing
process; mashing; impact on style
Troubleshooting: Sour/acidic; solvent-like
Style Category 17: Sour Ale
Berliner Weisse
Flanders Red Ale
Flanders Brown Ale/Oud Bruin
Straight (Unblended) Lambic
Gueuze
Fruit Lambic
Style Category 18: Belgian Strong Ale
Belgian Blond Ale
Belgian Dubbel
Belgian Tripel
Belgian Golden Strong Ale
Belgian Dark Strong Ale
Tasting: Duvel
Resources, Next Week, Study assignment
Module 11
Technical topic: BJCP Exam scoring: Essay questions; tasting portion
BJCP Scoresheets
Providing feedback
Aroma
Appearance
Flavor
Mouthfeel
Overall impression
Troubleshooting: Sherry-like
Style Category 19: Strong Ale
Old Ale
English Barleywine
American Barleywine
Tasting: Sierra Nevada Bigfoot
Resources, Next Week
Study Assignment – Real-time simulation exam (Closed-book)
Module 12
Review simulated exams
Question & answer session (all topics)
Preparing for and taking the exam
Conclusion