The Great IBU Test

Submitted by drew on

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Most of us geeky adherents to the world of homebrewing love our numbers. What's your efficiency rating, what's your gravity, your pH, your blah, blah, blah, blah..... There's a comfort, cold as it may be, in having a number we can look at. Numbers provide a reasonably solid, nonsubjective measure of the world - a target, a pin in the map. 

Subject: 

Experiment Status: 

How do the IBU calculation formulas compare to the reality of IBU's in a beer when put to the test under different gravity scenarios

The Saison Files - Tasting the Saison Strains of the Yeast Bay

Submitted by drew on

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Less Talk - More Yeast Writings

So you know I'm a Saison Nut, right? It's the style I'm known for more than anything else. It's the style I brew more than anything else. It's playful, expansive, complex and approachable. The style has allowed me lots of room to be creative. You've got my Year of Saisons, my "Your Farmhouse" Saisons, my hoppy Saisons, my Champagne Saisons, my Guacamole Saisons, my Chowdah Saison, etc, etc.

Writeup: Olive Oil vs No Aeration

Submitted by drew on

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We're back at it! Now that HomebrewCon has passed and we can get back to our regularly scheduled program of experimental madness. And for this round, we'll be revisiting the experiment we covered earlier this year in the podcast. (Episode 13 to be precise!) 

IMPATIENT RESULT: FAILED

Executive Summary

Denny and I went into this experiment with a clear expectation of what the eventual answer would be and for once science agreed with us. It was a novel happenstance!

Brew Toy Review - Monster Mill 3

Submitted by drew on

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A quick note before we begin - we will always tell you when a manufacturer has provided us with goods to test. In this case, Monster Brewing Hardware did not provide Drew the mill. This is his review of his purchase.

It's funny the little things that conspire to keep you from doing a thing you love. Time, family, work, obligations are all a part of it, but sometimes it's also just a small pain point that's enough to prevent you from building up the head of steam to overcome the joyful inertia of sitting on your butt (particularly when it's hot and there's A/C inside)

The Store is Live!

Submitted by drew on

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Ever wanted to wrap your body in Dr. IGORStein? Ever wanted a book directly from the authors or a way to get a signed copy? Look no further! Starting today - you can make Denny do work! Order a book, order a shirt! Watch his efficient moves as he gets you your gear and you get to show your support for the show and our efforts!

Just click here! Store

 

Episode 16 - Lucky Transplants

Submitted by drew on

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It's HomebrewCon Week! As this episode goes live we're at the hotel in Baltimore getting ready to rock out with some homebrew! So this episode is going to be a real "quick" one (for us).

In feedback Denny talks about a great response he got from Spain and then Drew has to issue a correction from the Correctional Department of Corrections about a misstate he had about yeast strains. 

Episode 15 - All About the New England IPA

Submitted by drew on

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As we get ready to head to the NHC, our schedules get a little screwy (we have one more episode before the Wrath of Conn Con)

In feedback we hear about some fun experiences and a nice gesture on the part of a listener. Also we hear from others about Denny and Marshall's recent commentary about skipping over aeration/oxygenation

New England IPA Series - Is it the Yeast?

Submitted by drew on

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The IPA is the king of the current American craft beer scene and in recent years the new belle of the Hop Ball has hailed from New England. Heady Topper from Vermont's Alchemist was the first to catch beer lover's attention and since then many beers in the same vein have appeared. Skipping over a great many of the discussion of the style centering on the word "juicy" - a number of beer exhibit an intense hazy appearance. This murk is a controversial part of the equation (not every example has it for instance).

Subject: 

Experiment Status: 

Does the yeast choice generate the haze in a "New England Style IPA"

Oh Say Can You See (through your beer)

Submitted by denny on

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In the last couple years, we've been seeing the growth of what I guess you could call a new style of beer....The NorthEast style, usually made as an IPA.  The common factors seems to be a "soft" bitterness (often brought about by adding large amounts of calcium chloride to the water, rather than calcium sulfate which is more usual), a massive hop flavor with a pretty forward aroma, and usually a hazy appearance.  And by "haze", I mean a lot of them look like gravy!  Proponents of the style say "who cares how it looks, it's about the taste".  Others, like myself, are mystified.  Why does a g

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