Weird Beer: Kveik Pomegranate Sour Homebrew

March 16, 2019

Sour beer can often take a year or more to make. That isn’t good news if you’re a homebrewer who wants to make sour beer. Delayed gratification is a thing of the past, instead of waiting to make sour beer we wouldn’t blame you for picking some up at your local bottle shop instead. Once... Read more

Brewing Lager Beer

September 6, 2018

If you’ve mastered brewing ales, it's time to take things to the next level with a lager. These beers require a few additional steps during the mash and fermentation processes - impeccable cleaning and sanitation, precise temperature control, and a lot more patience to name a few. If you’re game for the challenge of making a... Read more

How to Clean and Sanitize Brewing and Distilling Equipment

March 13, 2017

Properly Cleaning and sanitizing your equipment may be the most overlooked aspect of making great beer (and high proof alcohol) – especially among rookie homebrewers. If you don’t take extra time and care to kill all the unwanted bacteria and wild yeasts that are trying to dine out on any leftovers clinging to your equipment, you’ll... Read more

Brewing Beer: Cleaning and Sanitation

March 2, 2017

While most new homebrewers and distillers get excited about putting their equipment and recipes to the test right away, they also tend to overlook one of the most important parts of the brewing process: cleaning and sanitizing. Please realize that we’re not here to play the role of your mom (or significant other) telling you... Read more

How Craft Brewing Went Mainstream

February 27, 2017

There are now a record number of breweries in the U.S. – and the total continues to grow. If you're more of a whiskey fan, you' might be interested to hear that the craft whiskey market has seen similar growth. One could argue that the craft beer boom that has raced across the country can be... Read more

Is Homebrewing Legal?

February 24, 2017

The ancient art of homebrewing and the law have had an interesting relationship over the years, especially here in the U.S. While homebrewing is legal in all 50 states today, that wasn’t always the case. Yet, as with most things in life, nothing is ever simple and easy – which means that there are some... Read more

Homebrewing: A Brief History

February 20, 2017

Politics aside, homebrewing in the U.S. might not exist today if it wasn’t for Jimmy Carter. But I’m getting ahead of myself. The first beer ever brewed was likely an accident. And it happened perhaps as long as twelve thousand years ago. How lucky are we for that! Think about it: beer is really just... Read more

How to Calibrate a Thermometer

February 22, 2016

A thermometer is one of the most important tools used when brewing and distilling. Thermometers are inexpensive and simple tools, yet people first getting into the hobby often overlook their importance. A properly calibrated thermometer is necessary to ensure the correct mash temperature, a safe pitching temperature for yeast, and used during the distillation process... Read more

How To Make Hopped Vodka

August 13, 2014

What Is Hopped Vodka? These days, there are all kinds of ridiculous types of vodka available at liquor stores. Our absolute least favorite is Cake Vodka, which more or less makes a mockery of distilled spirits. However, not all flavored vodkas are as silly as cake vodka. We present to you (assuming that you've never... Read more