In my last post about ‘Keeping it Clean’ I discussed the importance of cleaning your brewing equipment. To all the brewers that are now using alkaline cleaners instead of dish soap, you made my day; your brew will thank you.
If you would have asked me three years ago about hard cider making I might have scoffed and rolled my eyes. I’m a “beer guy.” Two years ago a friend talked me into making a few 6 gallon batches of hard cider using apples from the family farm. It was excellent!
Seems like the answer should be pretty straight-forward: “So I can drink it!”…right? After all, almost everybody who brews started out by bottling their beer.
Dirt and microbes are the mortal enemy of every brewer – but proper cleaning and sanitizing can take your beer from good to great!
You’ve spent hours making your latest creation. You’ve sweated over the mash tun, rested at all the notable temperatures, infused, decocted, whirlpooled, first wort hopped, hop rocketed, chilled, and pitched your yeast. You relax and pour yourself a pint, looking forward to seeing that layer of krausen the next day and hearing the happy sound of healthy yeast pushing off C02. Now, you get to choose your own adventure.
As summer draws near, it brings with it two unshakable constants of warm weather: beer and grilling. This is not surprising as they are some of the oldest traditions in human history, however, I think our ancestors would be jealous of the diverse options for both categories we enjoy today! So, how do you know which beer to pair with that sweet baby back rib?