[jill]

Hi all,

I'm currently in planning mode for 2012 issues of Zymurgy. Is there anything in particular you'd like to see in the way of themes or articles? Specific beer styles? Brewing techniques? Equipment? Experiments? Brewing ingredients? Please post your ideas here.

Thanks!

Jill Redding
Zymurgy Editor-in-Chief

[keith238]

Hi Jill, I'd actually like to see some more articles on equipment both purchased and DIY. I'm sure you could devote entire issues to the topic. More realistically, I think it could be a regular feature with available commercial products highlighted and a DIY version to build yourself along with it.

Also, while not necessarily a magazine feature but rather one for the website: Any chance you guys could make more discounts available to members with say promotional codes, groupons or living social discounts for buying equipment or ingredients?

[classic]

A DIY temp controller would be useful.

[Tim McManus]

Update all of the Special Issues from the 1990s on hops, grains, yeast and include a new one on water.  Most of those issues--while being very important--are almost 20 years old.  I'm sure there are many things in those issues that can be updated and reflect more current grains, hops, etc.

It would be great to see a water issue.  A lot more brewers are getting more and more involved with their water chemistry and there are a lot of great resources out there now that didn't exist a few years ago.

A refresh on those issues would be very, very helpful.

[Bret]

Update all of the Special Issues from the 1990s on hops, grains, yeast and include a new one on water.  Most of those issues--while being very important--are almost 20 years old.  I'm sure there are many things in those issues that can be updated and reflect more current grains, hops, etc.

It would be great to see a water issue.  A lot more brewers are getting more and more involved with their water chemistry and there are a lot of great resources out there now that didn't exist a few years ago.

A refresh on those issues would be very, very helpful.

This is a great idea!  I love those special issues.

[weithman5]

echo the equipment, especially smaller brewing/kegging etc. 1-3gallon batches

[hoser]

1. Brettanomyces
2. Alternatives to oak/exotic wood aging
3. Use of New Zealand hop varieties in beer
4. West Coast bitters/San Diego session ales
5. Water chemistry

[jaybeerman]

hey Jill, here's a few thoughts, but I'd mostly say keep up the good work.  cheers, j

1.  Myth busting segments.
2.  More Classic cultural styles (e.g. Grodziskie) that require unusual technique/ingredients w/ explanation from experienced brewers/historians.
3.  More DIY equipment (maybe with a bit of editing – e.g. copper immersion chillers don’t work for fermentation)

This is unrelated and I haven’t looked at next month’s issue, but I miss the judge’s comments that use to be included with the different NHC winning recipes.

[theDarkSide]

This was probably already covered ( I'm a few months behind on my reading ) but I would like to see an article on HERMS/RIMS systems and brewing with these systems.

Also, maybe a in depth article on the process of preparing a bid for hosting the NHC, followed by what needs to be done during the actual conference.

Water is a great idea.  I'm eagerly awaiting the water book by John Palmer and Colin Kaminski.

[Jimmy K]

1.  Myth busting segments.

That would be cool. There is soooooooooo much conflicting information available that is either bad or just confusing.

[punatic]

Update all of the Special Issues from the 1990s

Or perhaps reprint classic articles occasionally. Zymurgy has published some great stuff over the years.  Not everyone has access to the old issues.

[dirk_mclargehuge]

Update all of the Special Issues from the 1990s on hops, grains, yeast and include a new one on water.  Most of those issues--while being very important--are almost 20 years old.  I'm sure there are many things in those issues that can be updated and reflect more current grains, hops, etc.

It would be great to see a water issue.  A lot more brewers are getting more and more involved with their water chemistry and there are a lot of great resources out there now that didn't exist a few years ago.

A refresh on those issues would be very, very helpful.

you read my mind and I didn't even know I wanted this.   

[Hokerer]

1.  Myth busting segments.

That would be cool. There is soooooooooo much conflicting information available that is either bad or just confusing.

As long as it's done in a relatively scientific manner and not the "our one try did/didn't work therefore the myth is true/false" methodology that those clowns on TV use.

[Tim McManus]

One more idea:  An issue dedicated to AHA Sanctioned competitions and judging with a spotlight possibly on clubs and how they support competitions and judging.

There's been a decent amount of interest in judging and this year's national competition saw unprecedented interest.  A nice, thick issue on the aspects of beer competitions would be very informative for a lot of folks.  A look into the BJCP program would demystify it for a lot of folks.

[brewmasternpb]

Please no more equipment issues ... I'm sort of kidding.  For some reason, the annual DIY issue does not interest me at all.  What I would like to see is reviews.  I've been reading late 80's/early 90's Zymurgy's and really think that Their review section was great.  My thought is that you wouldn't want to offend sponsors now, but Colonel John was really honest back then.  If you guys could do that, I'd be pretty happy.