Pilot brewing lessons and recipes, storing yeast starters and more

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Find Recipes Start your free trial Brew Day Bulletin Dear Homebrewer, Tasting critically isn't only for judges. Two experts in this field share their advice for homebrewers who want to better their evaluation skills [Digital Members]. Homebrewers can learn a lot from the pilot systems [Free] used by commercial brewers as the brewhouse starting point. Case in point: these pilot clone recipes [Free] from Odell Brewing Co., Worthy Brewing Company, Summit Brewing Co., and O.H.S.O. Brewery.  Some may call Fair State Brewing Cooperative & Arbeiter Brewing Co.'s Bibbidy Drippidy Hop clone recipe [Digital Members] a "zero IBU IPA" as no hops are added in the boil.  The first Oktoberfest took place in 1810. Continue the tradition with this Hofbrauhaus Oktoberfestbier clone recipe [Free].  Build an inline refractometer to get real-time density readings [Free] and a heat shield to retain that wasted energy [Digital Members]. Mr. Wizard shares a few tips on storing yeast starters [Free] and Irish moss substitutes [Digital Members]. Cheers! Brad Ring Publisher Read & Brew: Free Content For All Recipe Hofbrauhaus Oktoberfestbier clone The first Oktoberfest took place in 1810, to celebrate the wedding of the Bavarian prince Ludwig to Princess Therese. All of the people of Munich were invited to celebrate with them in the fields by the front gates of the city. The fields were nicknamed Theresienwiese, or "Theresa's fields," in honor of the princess. The festival has been celebrated every year since then. Oktoberfest beers traditionally are brewed in the spring, lagered during the warm summer months and served in September during the annual festival. (5 gallons/19 L, extract with grains) OG = 1.062  FG = 1.014 IBU = 23  SRM = 8  ABV = 6.3% Ingredients 1 lb. (0.45 kg) German Munich malt 4 oz. (113 g) Belgian caramel Munich malt 3.75 lbs. (1.7 kg) Muntons extra light dried malt extract Read more Celebrate Father's Day With 50% Off BYO! Happy Father's Day! Gift and regular subscriptions for Digital Memberships and print subscriptions are half-off your first year.** Use code Dad21 at checkout.  Article Pilot Brewing Lessons & Recipes In order to think big, you need to start small. That is the prevalent thinking for many of today's commercial brewers who frequently utilize pilot systems as the brewhouse starting point. Pilot systems range in size from 10 gallons (38 L) to 8 barrels (1 barrel = 31 gallons/117 L) with numerous variations in between, and often commercial brewers are experimenting on systems that wouldn't look out of place in a homebrewer's garage. Read more Ask Mr. Wizard Storing yeast starters Q After making a starter is it possible to store it long term? I have some leftover London Ale yeast sitting in my fridge . . . how long will that last? If I make a yeast starter, what could I do to make it last? A Reusing yeast is certainly one of those things that makes sense from a cost-savings perspective. Indeed, brewers have been harvesting yeast crops at the end of fermentation, temporarily storing the yeast and re-pitching it into subsequent batches for a very, very long time.   Read More Project Inline Refractometer: Getting real-time density readings The idea of this project was to measure the Brix of a wort inline during recirculations and transfer during the various processes of a brew day. For example it could be used as part of the sparging process, so that the sparge can be stopped when the standard gravity (SG) approaches 1.008 (2.1 °Brix) to prevent the extraction of tannins. I can measure the mash's first running's to be able to see if the conversion efficiency was higher or lower than expected.  Read More For Digital Members Only Members get access to thousands of recipes, all new BYO issues and more. Try membership risk free for 14 days.* Brew Better. Try Membership, Free!* Recipe Fair State Brewing Cooperative & Arbeiter Brewing Co.'s Bibbidy Drippidy Hop clone Some may call this recipe a "zero IBU IPA" as no hops are added in the boil. Of course, whirlpool and dip hop additions will contribute both bitterness and IBUs when measured using a spectrophotometer. (5 gallons/19 L, all-grain)  OG = 1.059  FG = 1.010 IBU = 59  SRM = 4  ABV = 6.6% Ingredients 8.5 lbs. (3.9 kg) Rahr North Star PilsTM malt 3 lbs. (1.4 kg) Rahr white wheat malt 1.25 lbs. (0.57 kg) Simpsons malted oats   Read more Article Beer Evaluation: Tips from the Pros Tasting critically isn't only for judges. In fact, it greatly benefits all brewers. Being able to evaluate changes to recipes, techniques, and fermentation dynamics is the best way to determine what works and doesn't work. Two experts in this field share their advice for homebrewers who want to better their evaluation skills. Read more Ask Mr. Wizard Irish Moss Substitutes Q I have read about using Irish moss in brewing to clarify beer but I have not tried it yet. I am curious, however, as to whether or not I could use other sea vegetables in the same way or as a nutrient boost in my homebrews. Would there be any advantage or disadvantage to adding kelp/kombu or alaria/wakame (or any of the other number of seaweeds) to the wort? Would it matter when I added it? A Irish moss is the general name given to the red algae Chondrus crispus that grows in the Atlantic ocean off the shores of Europe and North America. The reason that Irish moss works as a fining agent is that it has a high density of negative charges on its surface and when added to wort it binds with certain proteins that have positive surface charges. Like many things added to beer I often wondered when some brewer decided to add this "seaweed" to the kettle . . . it probably was the same brewer who added fish swim bladders to beer!   Read more Project Heat Shield: Retain that wasted energy As an engineer by trade, I find that I have a natural tendency to improve upon things to make them more efficient, cheaper, and faster. If you've seen Dilbert's "the Knack" clip, you get the idea. Brewing, with its numerous processes and large number of variables, will likely provide me with years and years of tinkering. Read more *Free Trial Terms and Conditions: For new members and subscribers only. Limit one per customer. Additional auto-renewal terms apply. See product checkout page for details.  **Father's Day Sale Terms and Conditions: For new members and print subscribers/gift recipients only. Offer expires June 20, 2021 11:59 Pacific. Additional terms and conditions apply; see product checkout page for details.Cannot be combined with other offers.  Copyright © 2021 Brew Your Own, All rights reserved. You were subscribed to the newsletter from Brew Your Own Our mailing address is: Brew Your Own 5515 Main St Manchester Center, VT 05255 Add us to your address book Want to change how you receive these emails? You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list.