17 RECIPES YOU CAN MAKE |

SEARCHING FOR
REMBRANDT’S
H
WWE Y
E W
LOST BEER

BR
REVISITING THE
REINHEITSGEBOT
BREWING
GLUTEN-FREE
STOUT

OU R
Y
FIN
O J
D
O
M& MAKE
GREAT
THINGS

HOLIDAY
GIFT GUIDE
WITH EXCLUSIVE PROMOS TH
EM
A G A Z INE OF T
HE

VOL 45 • №6
NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2022 HomebrewersAssociation.org
 ZYMURGY
Staff

Follow the AHA @homebrewassoc

Published by the American Homebrewers Association, a
THE MAGAZINE OF THE AMERICAN HOMEBREWERS ASSOCIATION® AMERICAN HOMEBREWERS ASSOCIATION division of the Brewers Association. The purpose of the
Publisher | Brewers AssociationSM Executive Director | Julia Herz Brewers Association is to promote and protect small and
independent American brewers, their craft beers, and the
Editor-in-Chief | Dave Carpenter Web & Content Manager | Duncan Bryant community of brewing enthusiasts. The Brewers Association
Associate Editor | Amahl Turczyn Competition Director | Chris Williams is a not-for-profit trade Association under Section 501(c)
Technical Editor | Kaylyn Kirkpatrick Project Coordinator | Megan Wabst (6) of the Internal Revenue Code. Offices are located at
1327 Spruce Street, Boulder, CO 80302 USA. Membership
Art Director | Jason Smith
AHA GOVERNING COMMITTEE MEMBERS is open to everyone. Zymurgy (ISSN 0196-5921, USPS
Production Graphic Designer | Kelli Gomez 018-212) is the bi-monthly journal of the American
Jen Blair, Matt Bolling, Sandy Cockerham, Shawna Homebrewers Association and is published six times per
Marketing & Communications
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Operations Manager | Dan Goloback Printed in the USA. and its magazine, Zymurgy.

CONTRIBUTORS

KRISTEN KUCHAR has covered the food ROEL MULDER is a Dutch historian who
and beverage industries for the past writes about beer history. He has written a
14 years. She has written for Brew Your book about Dutch beer, including historical
Own, BeerAdvocate, CraftBeer.com, The recipes, and is currently researching the
Beer Connoisseur, DRAFT, All About Beer, origins of the many Belgian beer styles.
VinePair, and many more.

LEANDRO MEINERS & MATIAS CAVANNA MARK PASQUINELLI resides in the bucolic
are co-hosts of the Spanish-language town of Elysburg, Pa., where he spends
Birratecnia podcast. Meiners and Cavanna his time in varying degrees as a husband,
have founded and brewed at breweries writer, homebrewer, microbiologist, and
in Argentina and Uruguay. manservant for seven felines.

HomebrewersAssociation.org Zymurgy | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2022 | 1

 EDITOR’S
Desk
BY DAVE CARPENTERR

The
Brewer’s
Share
D
istillers often speak of the angel’s share,
that portion of a barrel-aged spirit
lost to evaporation through permeable
wooden staves. The angel’s share—the
image is so charming, the language so
euphonious. There are many barrels in this
world. The angels must be having one hell
of a party.
One of my favorite things to do as a
homebrewer is sneak my own brewer’s
share. That’s what I call the sample I get
to drink while racking, adding dry hops,
packaging, or otherwise interacting with
a batch in some meaningful way. Airlock
sniffing, albeit a vital part of the process,
does not count as meaningful. fresh sample, I know I’m enjoying some- mug and blend it with a generous measure
Usually it’s only a small taste, but some- thing nobody else can. of your favorite Scotch whisky. The perfect
times I indulge in a full pour, such as It’s a simple pleasure, one shared by all cold-weather cocktail, the hot Scotchy is
happened not long ago when I packaged a of us who enjoy making things. The per- especially cheering when the brew day has
helles. The finished beer is brilliantly clear son cooking breakfast gets to eat that first run long (or, more likely, you’ve mashed
in the keg, but my glass of Zwickelbier, sacrificial pancake, the one that’s either a in late) and you find yourself lautering
stolen straight from the fermenter, was little raw in the middle, or a bit too done at after sunset.
hazy enough that it could visually stand the edges, or probably both. Is it the best Reclaim a bit of what the angels might
in for a New England IPA. I enjoyed the pancake in the world? Probably not. But is otherwise have taken and pair it with
lightly carbonated lager while I racked the it memorable? You bet. what you yourself have stolen. It needn’t
remainder to a keg. I’ll share the rest of This issue of Zymurgy goes live a few be Scotch, of course—bourbon, rye, Irish
the beer with friends and family, but that days before Halloween, which is my favor- whiskey, and rum can all blend blissfully
glass was all mine. ite holiday of the year—not because I’m with sweet, warm, malty wort—but then
I’ve talked about this before, the notion particularly Gothic, but because Halloween you need to call it something else. Use
that homebrewing affords one the privi- happens to fall (ha!) at the end of my favor- what you like, and go ahead and float some
lege of enjoying, for a fleeting moment, an ite month. Autumn is as elusive as those whipped cream on top while you’re at it.
Photo courtesy of Dave Carpenter.

experience that is exclusively yours. transitory sips of the brewer’s share and Sprinkle on some crushed chocolate malt
“Why would I homebrew?” they ask. must be relished while it’s there. Because for garnish. You’ve earned it.
“There’s so much great beer out there now.” it’s not there long. And the best part? It’s all yours.
True. There is a lot of great beer out As the days grow cooler, I think of the
there. But only my homebrew is mine hot Scotchy. That’s what you get when you Dave Carpenter is editor-in-chief
exclusively. And when I’m sipping on that divert a portion of hot mash runoff into a of Zymurgy.

HomebrewersAssociation.org Zymurgy | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2022 | 3

 TABLE OF
Contents

a t u r e s
Fe
32
FINDING YOUR MOJO
Have your brew sessions
degenerated into a chore?
Have you lost your
homebrewing mojo? You can
get it back, but first you need
to take a step back. Learn to
love your brew days all over
again.

By Mark Pasquinelli

40
LOOKING FOR
46
CIDERS OF THE
54
SKEPTICAL BREWING, PART 6
62
ZYMURGY’S HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE
REMBRANDT’S LOST BEER PACIFIC NORTHWEST In the final installment in the Once again, our sponsors offer
There’s a party going on in Nowhere is the growth of Skeptical Brewing series, we up exclusive holiday promo
Rembrandt’s painting The American cider more evident aim a critical eye at the IBU, codes for AHA members.
Prodigal Son in the Tavern. than in the Pacific Northwest. challenge the famous “tongue From boxes of hops and
What’s that beer the man is Cidermakers here are innovative map,” and consider how much newly released books to
hoisting aloft? What was beer and adventurous, influenced a beer’s appearance influences density meters and innovative
like in Rembrandt’s time, in by an abundance of apples, judges’ perceptions. Stay fermenters, there’s something
Amsterdam in the 17th century? the popularity of craft beer, skeptical! here for every brewer on your
proximity to wine country, and list. And probably for you, too.
By Roel Mulder a favorable climate. By Leandro Meiners and
Matias Cavanna By Zymurgy’s sponsors
By Kristen Kuchar

HomebrewersAssociation.org Zymurgy | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2022 | 5

 l u m n s
C o
3
EDITOR’S DESK
13
DIRECTOR’S CUT
80
LAST DROP
The Brewer’s Share Foraging Brings Authenticity and Customize Your Hops
Awe to Fermented Homemade Gifts
By Dave Carpenter By Steve Ruch
By Julia Herz

t m e n t s
e p a r e c i
R uide p e
D G
8 NOW ON TAP

17 DEAR ZYMURGY Learn to Homebrew Day Hoppy Amber Ale. . . . . .10

23
Captain Clutterbuck’s Best Bitter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

23 YOU CAN FERMENT THAT!

Cherryish Wheat. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Sauerkraut. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Peanut Butter–Banana Dog Treats. . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Vegan Kimchi . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
29 BEER SCHOOL Fermented Hot Sauce . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Preserved Lemons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Basic Kombucha. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

70 RELAX, DON’T WORRY,

HAVE A HOMEBREW!
Camembert. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
Hello Darkness Dry Oat Stout. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .31
Hey, Porter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38

73 FERMENT ON THIS
Todd the Rush Man . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Soet Bier, 1683 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42

29 73
Bruinbitter Bier, 1687. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
Mol from Nijmegen, ca. 1690 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44

79 ADVERTISER INDEX
Bush Telly. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57

Cover Photo ON THE WEB

Luke Trautwein Find these homebrewing recipes
and more on our website @
HomebrewersAssociation.org/
Vol 45 • No. 6 (zĪ ’m r jē) n: the art and science
e
homebrew-recipes
November/December 2022 of fermentation, as in brewing.

HomebrewersAssociation.org Zymurgy | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2022 | 7

 NOW ON
New Books
Tap
GLUTEN-FREE BREWING
TECHNIQUES, PROCESSES, AND INGREDIENTS
FOR CRAFTING FLAVORFUL BEER
By Robert Keifer
The ubiquity of gluten-containing grains, such as barley, wheat, and rye, in mod-
ern-day brewing has prevented many potential consumers from fully enjoying the craft
beer revolution. Individuals who have celiac disease, non-celiac gluten intolerance, or
gluten sensitivity (as well as those who simply feel better when they avoid gluten) have
historically been unable to enjoy today’s characterful beers. But many other types of
grain can be used to brew beer of all styles; such alternative grains greatly expand the
options available to beer lovers and brewers who cannot or choose not to ingest gluten,
or those who just want to experiment with new and interesting flavors.
Gluten-Free Brewing includes a discussion of available gluten-free ingredients, how to
source them, and how to malt them. Explore the world of ancient grains and adjuncts
and learn how today’s malted and roasted varieties can be used to brew to-style beers.
Learn about different mashing techniques, when to use them, what additional ingredi-
ents and enzymes can help throughout the brewing process, and how they can deliver
specific flavors in your beer. Take a deep dive into recipe formulation and fermentation
challenges, as well as flavor, body, head retention, and color considerations when using
these not-so-alternative grains to create mainstream flavors.
More than 30 tested recipes are included to help brewers explore British, German,
Belgian, New World, and ancient-style beers. Gluten-Free Brewing will teach you how to
brew full-flavored, world-class gluten-free beers.
Gluten-Free Brewing retails for $19.95 and is available now from Brewers Publications.
Read an excerpt on pages 29–31 of this issue of Zymurgy to learn about gluten-free stouts,
and then visit BrewersPublications.com to snag your copy.

THE CHEMISTRY OF BEER

THE SCIENCE IN THE SUDS, 2ND EDITION

The Chemistry of Beer cover art design by Marcy Barth; Cover photo by Naomi Hampson
By Roger Barth
One thing we’ve learned at Homebrew Con over the years is that homebrewers who stay up a bit too late
on Thursday can somehow still manage to wake up early on Friday for a lively discussion about pH. If you
happened to be in Pittsburgh’s David L. Lawrence Convention Center on the morning of Friday, June 24,
2022, then you might have joined the standing-room-only Homebrew Con crowd that gathered at 9:00 to
hear Prof. Roger Barth’s seminar, “pH Measurement and Control for Better Beer: You Don’t Need a pH.d.”
Even if you do hold a PhD, you’ll still learn something from Prof. Barth’s second edition of The
Chemistry of Beer, available now from Wiley. Upon this volume’s more than 350 pages, Dr. Barth, profes-
sor emeritus of chemistry at West Chester University, explains beer chemistry with a refreshing combina-
tion of rigor and accessibility. Topics range from milling and mashing to fermentation and foam. The text
includes an entire chapter on organic chemistry, which will benefit readers who have never studied the
subject or whose skills have gone a bit rusty.
A particularly bright note is that Prof. Barth devotes Chapter 15 to homebrewing, a topic we have long
felt would improve McQuarrie and Rock’s General Chemistry immeasurably.
The Chemistry of Beer retails for $50.95. Learn more at wiley.com.

8 | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2022 | Zymurgy HomebrewersAssociation.org

 WILD BREWS
W
TTHE CRAFT OF HOME BREWING, FROM SOUR AND FRUIT BEERS TO FARMHOUSE ALES
By Jaega Wise
B of things. Discussions of wood, fruit, and
tinctures round things out, and a limited
N to be confused with the Brewers
Not library of recipes includes such classics as
Publications book of the same name, Wild
P Flanders red ale and Gose, plus modern
B
Brews offers a broad overview of homebrew- brews such as Kveik New England IPA.
iing mixed-culture beers and quick sours A notable strength of this book is the
aalike. As the title suggests, Wild Brews focus- chapter on off flavors, which addresses
ees on fermentations that depend on more most of the flaws homebrewers are likely to
tthan Saccharomyces alone. encounter in their beer. Wise explains how
Jaega Wise, head brewer at Wild Card each off flavor is created, where it’s likely
BBrewery in London’s Walthamstow district to crop up, and, most importantly, how to
((E17 if you prefer), leads readers through prevent it.
the entire homebrewing process, most of Wild Brews is published by Kyle Books
it just as relevant to brewers of clean beers and retails for $24.99. To learn more, visit
as it is to those who prefer the wild side jaegawise.com.

Cheers
to You!
Congratulations to Jen Blair for being
named one of Wine Enthusiast’s Future
40 Tastemakers & Innovators of 2022.
An Advanced Cicerone, National BJCP
beer judge, and exam manager for the

We’re Making Beer! Cicerone Certification Program, Jen

also cohosts the False Bottomed Girls
podcast and serves on the American
LEARN TO BREW IN A BAG WITH JULIA Homebrewers Association Governing
Committee.
Julia Herz, American Homebrewers Association
executive director, explains the all-grain brew-in-a- Cheers, Jen!
bag method in five new and easy-to-follow instruc-
tional videos. In 15 minutes, Julia demonstrates:

1. How to Brew in a Bag

2. Steps for All-Grain Mashing
3. Boiling & Adding Hops
4. Adding Yeast & Fermentation SCAN ME TO
5. Bottling Your Homebrew WATCH THE VIDEO
Homebrewing makes life more delicious! Get excited, be inspired, select a recipe
(found in this issue or on HomebrewersAssociation.org), and soon you’ll be to enjoying
your all-grain homebrew! Scan the QR code above to find the videos, and share it with
your friends who have yet to discover how easy and rewarding homebrewing can be.

HomebrewersAssociation.org Zymurgy | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2022 | 9

Brehwis!
Learn to Homebrew Day HOME
BREW
T

Hoppy Amber Ale CON

This Hoppy Amber Ale is the Learn to Homebrew Day 2022 official recipe! Learn to Homebrew Day—
2023
brought to you by Grainfather—is an annual celebration where homebrewers show newbies how awesome
it is to make beer at home.
This extract-based homebrew recipe is quick and easy, yielding 1 gallon of ale (bottling volume) with a JUNE 22–24
hop profile that pushes the limits of American-style amber ale into IPA territory. SAN DIEGO, CA
For an in-depth walk-through on extract homebrewing, visit the American Homebrewers
Association’s How to Brew Tutorials at HomebrewersAssociation.org. You can also find a
3-gallon version of this recipe with a video tutorial. And be sure to join us for Learn to Homebrew
Day on November 5! Homebrew Con 2023
Batch volume: 1 US gal. (3.8 L) DIRECTIONS It’s almost time to start planning your trip
Color: 14 SRM Heat 1.5–2 gallons (3.8–5.7 L) of brewing to San Diego for Homebrew Con 2023.
Bitterness: 45–60 IBU water to 160°F (71°C). With the specialty grains Mark your calendar for Friday, November
Alcohol: 4–5% by volume in a steeping bag (often called a muslin bag at 4, which is when hotel rooms become
homebrew shops), steep the grains. After 30 available to book at the San Diego Town &
MALTS minutes, remove/discard the grain bag and stir Country, our host venue for the conference.
14 oz. (400 g) Pilsner dry malt extract in the malt extract. Stir until the extract is fully Also on November 4, the American
10 oz. (280 g) Pale dry malt extract dissolved, taking care none has collected on the Homebrewers Association will begin
5 oz. (140 g) Crystal 40 malt bottom of the pot. accepting proposals for Homebrew Con
5 oz. (140 g) Crystal 80 malt Once the extract is dissolved, bring the liquid educational seminars. Proposals will be
to a boil. Follow the hop addition schedule listed accepted through December 16, so start
HOPS in the ingredients. Note that the timing of hops brainstorming today!
0.4 oz. (11 g) Nugget hops (60 minutes) is from the end of the boil. This recipe calls for a For more on Homebrew Con 2023, head
0.25 oz. (7 g) Amarillo hops (15 min) 60-minute boil, so the 60-minute hops addition is on over to HomebrewCon.org.
0.25 oz. (7 g) East Kent Goldings hops (0 minute) added as soon as the boil begins.
After 60 minutes, turn off the heat and add in the
YEAST 0-minute hop addition. Chill your wort to below
1/2 packet dry ale yeast 70°F (21°C), transfer to a fermenter, and pitch the
(ex: Mangrove Jack’s M42 New World yeast. Ferment in the temperature range called for BREW OVER
Photo © Getty/Ron and Patty Thomas (San Diego)

Strong Ale) by the yeast you use. In the Sept/Oct 2022 issue of Zymurgy, we
When fermentation is complete (typically about listed Billy Lambert as the gold-medal
ADDITIONAL ITEMS 2 weeks), bottle condition using the corn sugar winner for Category 16 (American Porter
0.8 oz. (23 g) corn sugar (for bottling) listed in the ingredients to carbonate your beer. & Stout) in the 2022 National Homebrew
After another 2 weeks or so in bottles, you’re good Competition, but we failed to include
to taste your homebrew! co-brewer Theresa Wilks in the entry.
We sincerely apologize for the oversight
and will bravely attempt to console our-
selves with an American porter and stout.
(Seriously, congrats, Theresa!)

10 | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2022 | Zymurgy HomebrewersAssociation.org

Brehwis! Brehwis!
T T EXTRACT
3 lb. (1.36 kg) wheat dried malt extract

HOPS

Captain Clutterbuck’s Cherryish Wheat 1 oz.

0.5 oz.
(28g) Sterling, 7% a.a. @ 10 min
(14 g) Sterling, steep 15 min

Best Bitter Recipe by Steve Ruch

To achieve the subtle cherry character Steve

YEAST
1 packet Fermentis SafAle K-97

Recipe by Steve Ruch Ruch describes on page 80, you’ll need to use ADDITIONAL INGREDIENTS
customized hops that have been “watered” 3.5 oz. (99 g) sugar to prime
This British-style bitter was originally brewed with cherry juice. However, you can still brew
using homegrown US Goldings that had been a rewarding American-style wheat beer using BREWING NOTES
irrigated using grapefruit juice (see Last Drop this recipe with regular, good old-fashioned Heat 3.3 gal. (12.5 L) distilled water to 150°F
on page 80 of this issue of Zymurgy). The Sterling hops. (66°C). Thoroughly mix in the extract and bring
grapefruit character shows through in the to a boil. Add 1 oz. (28 g) Sterling and boil for
finished beer, but it’s also an excellent pint if Batch volume: 3.2 US gal. (12.1 L) 10 minutes. Turn off the heat, add 0.5 oz. (14 g)
you go with conventionally grown Goldings. Original gravity: 1.042 (10.5°P) Sterling hops, and steep for 15 minutes. Remove
Cheers! Final gravity: 1.010 (2.6°P) hops, chill wort to 66°F (19°C), and pitch yeast.
Bitterness: 16 IBU Bottle after two weeks.
Batch volume: 3 US gal. (11.4 L) Color: 4 SRM
Original gravity: 1.040 (10°P) Alcohol: 4.3% by volume
Final gravity: 1.010 (2.6°P)
Bitterness: 30 IBU
Color: 9 SRM
Alcohol: 4% by volume

MALTS
4 lb. (1.81 kg) Maris Otter pale ale malt
8 oz. (227 g) Baird’s Carastan malt
6 oz. (170 g) Briess Victory malt

HOPS
0.5 oz. (14 g) US Goldings, 5% a.a.,
first wort hop
1 oz. (28 g) US Goldings, 5% a.a. @ 45 min
0.5 oz. (14 g) US Goldings, 5% a.a. @ 10 min

YEAST
1 packet Fermentis SafAle S-04 In Pursuit of Local Beer
ADDITIONAL INGREDIENTS THE SAN DIEGO ESTATE BEER PROJECT
Pinch Irish moss @ 15 min
2.5 oz. (71 g) sugar to prime By Pat Walls

BREWING NOTES What does local beer mean? When we think about buying local, we tend to focus on pur-
Mash grains for 45 minutes at 152°F (67°C) using chasing products that are made within close proximity. As homebrewers, we consume beer
a mash thickness of 1.5 qt./lb (3.1 L/kg). Vorlauf that is truly locally made.
until clear, add first wort hops, and sparge with While supporting nearby craft breweries—more than 9,000 breweries of all sizes in
enough water to collect 3.5 gal. (13.3 L). Heat to the US alone—champions local labor and businesses, the ingredients are often not locally
boiling, remove first-wort hops, add 1 oz. (28 g) grown or processed. Is the beer made down the street or in your own garage truly “local” if
Goldings hops, and boil for 35 minutes. Add Irish it’s made with European hops, Canadian malt, and San Diego yeast?
moss and boil 5 more minutes. Add 0.5 oz. (14 g) The San Diego Estate Beer Project (SDEBP) is the brainchild of San Diego Brewers Guild
of Goldings hops and boil 10 more minutes. Turn board members Tom Kiely (Thorn Brewing Co, Slow Food Urban San Diego) and Erik
off heat, remove hops, and chill to 66°F (19°C). Fowler (White Labs). The SDEBP explores what local San Diego Estate beer style(s) could
Transfer to fermenting vessel and pitch yeast. be and how to better utilize locally grown ingredients. Historically, beer styles are an out-
Bottle after two weeks. come of readily available agricultural goods, water sources, and technology improvements.
(This is why the newly revised History and Style Comparison sections are some of my
favorite parts of the 2021 Beer Judge Certification Program Beer Style Guidelines.) The wine
industry has long used the term “estate wine” to connote that the wine comes from grapes
grown on the winery’s own property.

HomebrewersAssociation.org Zymurgy | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2022 | 11

 San Diego County, like California as
a whole, grows an abundance of agri-
cultural goods. We have a nascent hop
industry, and commercially grown fruits
and vegetables are exported across the US
and around the world. We are also the
self-proclaimed capital of craft beer, with
more than 150 breweries (including three
of the top 50 craft breweries in 2021 per
the Brewers Association), plus numerous
craft cideries, meaderies, wineries, distill-
eries, and producers of hard kombucha,
hard tea, and hard seltzer. Yet, with few
exceptions, the fermented beverage pro-
ducers are disconnected from the local pro brewer will be pouring at least two-and- Additionally, the San Diego Brewers Guild
agricultural producers. a-half barrels at the fest, plus more in their is exploring creating a group purchasing
The SDEBP aims to close that gap. The taprooms, and we will have a consumer organization so brewers and homebrewers
first activity of the SDEBP was to explore choice judging, hopefully using DraughtLab can contract with local farmers to purchase
what local beer means to homebrewers. software to gain useful feedback and famil- locally grown brewing ingredients on a scale
Erik and Tom reached out to QUAFF, the iarize consumers to the app. that we previously could not fathom. This
(arguably) most award-winning homebrew • Billy Lambert and Theresa Wilks helps farmers forecast what brewers need and
club in the world, to organize a homebrew will be brewing their Cherry and brewers forecast what they will brew. Admiral
competition that explores what local beer Kumquat San Diego Weisse, made with Maltings of Alameda, Calif., is exploring
means to passionate local homebrewers. homegrown fruit and a self-isolated wild opening the first Southern California region
We organized the competition a bit yeast strain, with Thorn Brewing Co. craft malthouse. While drought-tolerant bar-
differently than other AHA- and BJCP- • Eli Palma will be brewing his Don ley could possibly grow here, other grains
sanctioned competitions. Homebrewers Prickles Prickly Pear Kölsch, made with such as rye, triticale, maize, and kernza can
were asked to not only submit their contact locally harvested prickly pears and local readily grow in our region.
info and the beer style but were also asked well water, with Viewpoint Brewing Co. The estate beer model is not a short-
to submit a narrative about their recipe • Patrick Colchin and Andrea Colchin term investment in time and resources. It
and process. Entrants were also to include will be brewing their Bay Bridge Wit, is replicable anywhere in the world, and
a narrative answering the question “What made with locally grown whole juniper it is the historical model of brewing. See
does local mean to you and this beer?” berries, black pepper, and lemon zest, what fruits, vegetables, herbs, and fungi
There were three criteria for the competi- with White Labs Brewing Co. are available at your local farmers markets.
tion, shown in the accompanying table. • Billy Lambert and Theresa Wilks Check with your local farm bureau or land
We held the homebrew competition in will also be brewing their San Diego grant university for what commercially
August 2022 at White Labs. Ben Frymark Farmhouse “Twist” SHV Saison, made grows in your area. Find inspiration in Stan
(QUAFF president) and I coordinated the with homegrown Saaz hops, pink Hieronymus’s Brewing Local: American-Grown
three-ring circus. Qualified BJCP judges lemon zest, Makrut lime leaves, and the Beer; The Homebrewer’s Almanac: A Seasonal
quietly judged with full BJCP scoresheets same self-isolated wild yeast strain, with Guide to Making Your Own Beer From Scratch
in one room while professional brewers Pure Project. by Marika Josephson, Aaron Kleidon, and
and members of Slow Food Urban San Given that it is a pro-am competition Ryan Tockstein; Stephen Harrod Buhner’s
Diego, Seed Consulting Group, San Diego and the scale that these brewers work on, Sacred and Herbal Healing Beers: The Secrets
Community Health Improvement Partners, the beers will deviate from their original of Ancient Fermentation; Giuseppe Caruso’s
and California State University (CSU) San recipes. However, the spirit of the beers The Botany of Beer: An Illustrated Guide to
Marcos Brewchive judged the flavor profile will continue to evolve. Future SDEBP More Than 500 Plants Used in Brewing; and
and locality narratives. activities include locally grown food and The Homebrewer’s Garden: How to Easily
Four beers won the competition and will estate beer dinners, commercial collabo- Grow, Prepare, and Use Your Own Hops, Malts,
be scaled up for the second SDEBP activity: rations, and expanding the next competi- Brewing Herbs by Joe Fisher and Denis
the SDEBP Pro-Am Competition at the San tions to mead, cider, and other fermented Fisher. We are only getting started in creat-
Diego Guild Fest in November 2022. Each beverages. ing local beer styles. Happy brewing!

Pat Walls is a Certified BJCP Judge,

Criterion Description Judges Overall Score Certified Cicerone, and published
Traditional homebrew judging independent historian of food, drink, and
Beer Quality Experienced BJCP judges 20% culture based in San Diego. He serves
using BJCP scoresheets
as the QUAFF Club-Only Competition
Creativity of your recipe and its potential as Co-Coordinator, the SDEBP Coordinator,
Photos courtesy of Pat Walls

Flavor Profile a commercial beer (e.g., costs, processes, Professional San Diego Brewers 40% and a Slow Beer committee member for
potential accessibility of ingredients) Slow Food Urban San Diego, and he
spends his days working at San Diego
Narrative of what local means to you Agricultural & San Diego
Locality 40% State University. He (occasionally) writes
and this beer regional experts
at muralbrewing.com.

12 | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2022 | Zymurgy HomebrewersAssociation.org

 DIRECTOR’S
Cut
BY JULIA HERZ

Foraging
Brings
Authenticity
and Awe to
Fermented
Homemade Gifts

L
ocal is even more local when we source
unique ingredients and materials to
add to gifts and offerings. With that,
getting into nature always prompts a
relieving exhale for me, and I often find
gems to bring home. #WinWin. Outside
in open space, all senses adjust, recali-
brate, and slow down. My mind becomes
more present, vitamin D boosts the spir-
its, smells catch my attention, and softer
sounds inspire. Then, the basic feeling
of relief, exploration, and adventure take
over. I know I’m fully in the zone when
I transition into a relaxed, alert state,
silently wondering what I can forage to
add to my diet, homebrew, meal, and
handmade presents.
Giving the gift should never feel forced,
yet sometimes it does when we are not
prepared with something of meaning. You
know that empty feeling of last-minute we ferment or mentor others to do so, dandelion petals picked from a meadow
walking around a store? This time of year we bring magic and marvel to the party, near our cabin outside of Nederland,
Photos courtesy of Julia Herz

and the tradition in many, many cultures providing a weight of authentic meaning Colo. We’ve made a fresh-hop pale ale
of gift giving can be overwhelming. All I beyond compare. for whomever stopped over (hey, when
can say is that we homebrewers have the Over the years, forage-influenced gifts you offer food or drink to guests in your
world’s tools (our equipment) and treasures I’ve made include homemade mead given home, that is gift giving!) using hop cones
(nature’s bounty) to impress the best and to each attendee at my and my husband growing along the fence line of my back-
most discerning recipients. Plus, when Greg’s wedding. It was infused with yard. We’ve also given winter holiday

HomebrewersAssociation.org Zymurgy | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2022 | 13

stout infused with spruce tips harvested your brewing game. The mighty Stan
along the Colorado Front Range moun- HOP HUNTING Hieronymus’s Brewing Local, my and
tains at just the right time of year. Join Julia Herz and her family on Gwen Conley’s Beer Pairing, or Sacred and
For this holiday season, I sourced ruby their annual hop hunt, where they Herbal Healing Beers: The Secrets of Ancient
gem-colored chokecherries that Mother find wild Cluster hops >> Fermentation by Stephen Harrod Buhner
Nature had organically planted in our tinyurl.com/vur35b77 come to mind. One year, Greg and I made
backyard. As I harvested, the fruit fell a St. John’s wort, echinacea, and rosemary
into the bucket as easily as pulling pop- mead from Buhner’s book. It was knock-
corn from a bag at the movie theater. your-socks-off kind of good, and it sure
Also, late this summer, several morn- into a porter to be made in collaboration was “gift-level” stuff when we shared that
ings before sunrise at my local park, we with Kim and Adam, who are officers with others.
scored eight-plus pounds of wild plums with the Southern Nevada Ale Fermenters Whatever your gift giving looks like
bursting with a rustic, sugary sweetness Union (SNAFU) homebrew club in Reno, this year, don’t sweat it. You’ve got all
balanced by diluted tart acidity and bold Nev. The plums will be added to a Belgian you need around you and at home to
tannins from the skin. golden strong ale that I brewed to give to make and give something of meaning. No
After washing the fruit and cooking loved ones in December. matter how simple or advanced, the fact
down both these harvests, the yield was The gift of homebrewing can be a gift that it comes from you is the best reward
fresh juice that felt nurturing to drink and in and of itself, with no need to forage of all.
rebellious to freeze until ready to add to for “wild” provisions. One year in the
a homebrew. The chokecherries will go fall, I used my 10-gallon mash tun and Julia Herz is executive director
outdoor propane burner to can fresh of the American Homebrewers
Colorado Western Slope peaches we Association. Follow her on Instagram
bought from the Boulder, Colo., farmers @ImmaculateFermentation.
market. Another holiday season, we used
our smaller homebrew kettle to make
ricotta cheese packaged in swing-top
Mason jars and seasoned with herbs that
only my spice cabinet could produce.
Rummaging through one’s home or local
market can be foraging, too. It’s not
cheating in my book.
Don’t have time to forage outside or in?
The American Homebrewers Association
has you covered. Buy a loved one a
homebrew kit, an AHA membership, or
any of the fantastic books on how to up

BREWERS PUBLICATIONS® BREWERS PUBLICATIONS®

Find your copy of Stan Sacred and Herbal Healing Beers
Hieronymus’s Brewing Lcoal by Stephen Harrod Buhner
at BrewersPublications.com. can be foraged at
BrewersPublications.com.

14 | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2022 | Zymurgy HomebrewersAssociation.org

 DEAR
Zymurgy

Dear Zymurgy,
Regarding Dave Carpenter’s column, “Big sometime later, but it’s hard to recall. Of
Brew, Small Batch” (Zymurgy, Jul/Aug course, we broke rules—most of ’em hadn’t
2022), in which Dave encourages an edu- been invented yet!
cated breaking of the rules, I brewed my For the record, I’ve only poured out two
first batch in a stockpot and a pickle bucket batches for being beyond redemption, and
following instructions in C.J.J. Berry’s book there was one early IPA that needed to be
Home Brewed Beers and Stouts (Canadian cut with cheap lager to be palatable. Most
edition, as homebrewing was still illegal in of the experiments turned out OK, though,
the States). and some were incomparable. If you ever
We found ingredients and a crude bottle get enough elderberries or black currants
capper in the canning section of the local for a fruit beer, go for it!
supermarket. I think I bought a hydrometer It’s so, so much easier now. Go for it!
Photo © Getty/kev303

Cal Frye
Homebrewing since 1976

HomebrewersAssociation.org Zymurgy | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2022 | 17

FOR ACCURACY’S SAKE
Dear Zymurgy,
The sake recipe in the Jul/Aug 2021 issue
of Zymurgy has an apparent issue. Can you
help me clear it up before I spend a month
possibly making something not exactly
unlike sake?
The recipe given on page 52 calls for a
total of 6 gallons of water to be used in the
batch, which includes water and melted
ice. But, if you add up all the water and Other than this problem, I think the article water plus 2,610 mL ice, and it should in fact
ice additions summarized in Table 1 and was very informative and well written. be 10,167 mL water plus 2,610 mL ice. That
detailed in the article, you get about 6.75 2,733 mL discrepancy is where you are seeing
gallons. That is a 12.5 percent discrepancy Thanks for your help, the approximately 0.75 gallons of extra water.
that would make a significant difference in Mike Riddle I went back and checked Fred Eckhardt’s New
the alcohol level, a major factor in the bal- Sake Recipe for 2 gallons, which is what my
ance of the finished beverage. Zymurgy associate editor Amahl article is based on, and I noticed that his total
I have acquired all the equipment and Turczyn responds: Hi Mike, glad you liked batch volume of water adds to 880 milliliters
ingredients and would like to know wheth- the article! I went back and ran the numbers, more than it should, which I think is why my
er the correct amount of water is 6 or 6.75 and there is, indeed, too much water in the water volume was off. But thanks for catching
gallons before I start down this long road. tomezoe addition. My recipe calls for 12.9 L my mistake. Let us know how it comes out!

DEAR ZYMURGY
Send your Dear Zymurgy letters to [email protected].
Letters may be edited for length and/or clarity.

YOUR HOMEBREW LABELS

Our homebrewery name is taken from our

daughter Isabella’s nickname from when
she was younger. We used to call her Itchy
Belly all the time. I can’t quite remember
where it came from, but I assume she was
always snacking. Today, she and her broth- I got chastised by other homebrewers in a Facebook homebrewing group because I added
er Alex both help me in the garage on brew lactose to a Kölsch. They thought I was the devil, but I think the best part about home-
day and they also help me make home- brewing is the ability and option to experiment if you want to. The beer turned out to be
made sodas. (Homebrewer 10+ years, AHA very tasty, with great peach flavor with hints of cinnamon and vanilla. It was a fan favorite
member 4 years) among friends and family around Thanksgiving. (Homebrewer 1.5 years, AHA member
1.5 years)
Anthony Palmisano
Ale and Lager Enjoyment School (ALES) Jordan Vaughn
Spring Hill, Fla. Sonora, Calif.

SUBMIT YOUR LABEL

Do you make custom labels for your homebrew? Want it featured here in the pages of Zymurgy for all to see your work?
Send them to us at HomebrewersAssociation.org/magazines/submit-bottle-label and we will take it into consideration!

18 | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2022 | Zymurgy HomebrewersAssociation.org

 YOUR HOMEBREW LABELS

I cohost a podcast called Brews, Views and I had been brewing for two years when my best friend’s daughter was to be married. She
Other Nerdities (BVON), and I wanted is one of a few women I know who appreciate a good IPA, so I set out to help celebrate
to brew a beer and create a series based the wedding with one made for the happy couple. When I learned they were being mar-
on some of the show’s contents. We had ried at a rustic stone church, the name was born. I used a common greeting-card program
recently featured several Civil War–themed and found a picture of the historic church online. A little personalization on the label
episodes, so we discussed brewing a beer made it complete. The IPA turned out to be the best mini-mash I’d made to date—I gifted
using a Civil War concept. Thus was born a case of it to the wedding party, and it was a huge hit. The AHA has been an inspiration
General McHoplan IPA! I discussed the for Preacher’s Kid Brewery to be creative in all aspects of brewing. Thanks! (Homebrewer
idea with my daughter, Isabella Martinez, 12 years, AHA member 12 years)
who currently attends School of the Art
Institute of Chicago, and she designed the Paul Kennon
label. The General will definitely be coming Lansing, Mich.
back soon! Cheers! (Homebrewer 1 year,
AHA member 1 year)

Leonard Martinez
Monterey Park, Calif.

We have been owned by many dogs in

our 44 years of marriage, and each time
one passes on, I design a memorial beer
intended to capture the individual char-
acter of each one. Some beers are tastier
than others! Here is a photo of just some
of the bottle labels created in their memo-
ries. (Homebrewer 45 years, AHA member
30 years)

Eric Ginsburg
Chapel Hill, N.C.

HHomebrewersAssociation.org
b A Zymurgy | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2022 | 19
 YOUR HOMEBREW EXPERIENCE
Homebrewing is all about sharing, and we get hoppy when Zymurgy readers share their homebrewing and fermentation
experiences with us. We’d love to show the AHA community what your experience looks like. From 1-gallon batches on
the stovetop to 20-gallon brew days on your custom sculpture, we all have fun with family, friends and pets while we
make and enjoy our favorite beverage. Show us your brewing/fermentation day, who you brew with, the ingredients you
include, what special processes you use, and how you enjoy the final product of beer and beyond.

Upload photos of your homebrew-related fun at

HomebrewersAssociation.org/your-homebrew-experience

Here is Bucky, my 8-month-old Golden Retriever puppy, Bill George and Joe Froehlich brew their 199th batch together with
absconding with my mash paddle. He isn’t always the most dog Love. She is a Morkie, and her favorite beer is German Leichtbier.
helpful brew buddy, but he always has a great attitude! (Homebrewer 7 years, AHA lifetime member)
(Homebrewer 10 years, AHA member 9 years) Joliet Brewers Guild, Plainfield Ale and Lager
Christiana Bockisch Enthusiasts, Chicago Homebrew Alchemist of Suds, and
Forest Grove, Ore. Aurora Brew Crew
Crest Hill, Ill.

Delta on her 14th birthday, overseeing my American amber ale

for my first competition submission and awaiting a spent-grain
birthday cake!
Robert Hedge
Roanoke, Va.

Piper was always scared of my propane burner,

but since I’ve switched to electric brewing,
Nathan Wanger’s brew buddy Harper helping make a Pilsner. she’s here for oversight and quality control.
(Homebrewer 8 years, AHA member 6 years) Loran Hayes
East Side Brewers (ESB) (Homebrewer 10 years, AHA member 3 years)
Alton, Ill. Sandy, Utah

SHARE YOUR BEST HOMEBREWING SHOTS! E

Homebrewing is all about fun and sharing. We would love to show others in the community what
SCAN M
your homebrewing/fermentation experiences looks like. Upload photos of your homebrew related fun at
HomebrewersAssociation.org/your-homebrew-experience and you may see it in the pages of Zymurgy!

20 | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2022 | Zymurgy HomebrewersAssociation.org

HomebrewersAssociation.org Zymurgy | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2022 | 21
 You Can
FERMENT THAT!

You Can Should Ferment That!

Seven Recipes You Can (and Should) Make for the Holidays
By Zymurgy editors

A
s the holidays approach, you may find info on processes and the stories behind
yourself looking for that perfect gift. these recipes, check out the back issues
We say you can never go wrong with in which they originally appeared by log-
something homemade. Here are seven ging into HomebrewersAssociation.org and
holiday gifts you can still make in time for digging into the Zymurgy archive. Happy
whichever winter festivals you and your holidays from all of us at the American
friends and family celebrate. For more Homebrewers Association!

HomebrewersAssociation.org Zymurgy | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2022 | 23

 nt nt nt
Fermheis! Fermheis! Fermheis!
T T T

Sauerkraut Peanut Butter– Vegan Kimchi

Recipe by Amahl Turczyn.

Originally appeared in You Can Ferment That!,

Banana Dog Treats Recipe by Amahl Turczyn.

Originally appeared in You Can Ferment That!,

Zymurgy, Jan/Feb 2020 Recipe by Amber DeGrace. Zymurgy, Jul/Aug 2020

Batch volume: about 1 quart (1L), Originally appeared in “New Life for Spent Batch size: about 4 lb. (1.8 kg)
with liquid Grains,” Zymurgy, May/June 2011
FERMENTABLES
FERMENTABLES 3 lb. (1.36 kg) Napa cabbage
1 head (approx. 2.2 lb./1 kg) green or red Do not use grains that have been in contact with 3.5 oz. (100 g) non-iodized salt (to pickle
cabbage hops. Hops have been shown to be toxic to dogs. cabbage)
1 bunch scallions, trimmed and chopped finely
OTHER INGREDIENTS Store spent grains in a large pot or bin after 1 bunch buchu (Asian garlic chives), trimmed
1 Tbsp. (15 g) plain active-culture yogurt mashing. If you’re not going to use all the and chopped finely
(optional) grains, you can store them in the refrigerator 8 oz. (227 g) Korean white radish or daikon,
1.5% (15 g) sea salt for later use to ensure they don’t get moldy. peeled and julienned
(or any non-iodized salt) 1 medium carrot or red bell pepper,
Water or vinegar to cover cabbage (optional) INGREDIENTS peeled and julienned
6 cups (1.4 L) spent grains 0.5 oz. (14 g) fresh ginger root (grated)
NOTES 6 cups (720 g) flour 1 head (about 10 cloves) garlic, peeled and
Wash cabbage and remove outer leaves if nec- 1-½ cups (400 g) peanut butter minced
essary. Using a sharp knife, halve the cabbage 3 eggs ½ white onion, grated to a pulp
down the center of the core. Remove core. 1 banana, cut into small pieces 2 oz. (57 g) ripe pear, grated to a pulp
Slice cabbage into fine ribbons. Sprinkle with
salt and toss occasionally for 20 minutes until DIRECTIONS OTHER INGREDIENTS
cabbage begins to release water. Mix in yogurt Mix all the ingredients in a large bowl (I usually 0.5 oz. (14 g) glutinous rice powder (or corn
evenly, if using. Pack into a glass, plastic, or mix in my stock kettle because the quantity starch)
other acid-safe container, bruising cabbage is so large). The dough will be thick and sticky. 1 cup (236 mL) water or vegetable stock
with extreme prejudice to encourage more Lightly spray one or two cookie sheets with 1.75 oz. (50 g) salt (to flavor gochujang)
liquid if desired. Weigh down solids so that baking spray and press the mixture into them. 1 cup (115 g) gochugaru (Korean red chile
they remain submerged in liquid, topping up Score treats however you like; I usually create flakes)
with water or cider vinegar if necessary. Cover three rows lengthwise. If your dog likes their
fermenter with plastic wrap and ferment in a treats fancy, you can use cookie cutters to cre- RECIPE NOTES
cool (55–65°F, 13–18°C) place for 4–6 weeks ate shapes. Make sure you score it now so they Wash cabbage and remove outer leaves if neces-

Photos © Getty/FotografiaBasica (Sauerkraut); Getty/DebbiSmirnoff (dog treats); Getty/Nungning20 (kimchi)

until kraut yellows, stops off-gassing, and has can be broken when baking is complete. sary. Using a sharp knife, chop the cabbage into
reached a pH of at least 3.5. Package in liquid Bake in a 350°F (176°C) oven for 30 minutes bite-sized pieces, removing core. Sprinkle with
and refrigerate for up to 3 months. or until they begin to harden. Remove the trays non-iodized salt and toss occasionally for an hour
and finish cutting the treats where you scored or two until cabbage wilts and releases water.
them. Put the trays back in the oven, turn down Meanwhile, make the gochujang by boiling
to 200°F (93°C) and bake for 5 to 10 hours. The glutinous rice flour briefly in water until very
treats will be done when they are completely thick. Mix in remaining red pepper flakes,
dry in the center. If you are unsure whether the ginger, garlic, pear pulp, onion pulp, and salt to
treats are ready, break one in half. It should not make a thick chile paste.
be gooey inside because this will cause it to Soak salted cabbage in fresh water to
mold quickly. Store treats in a sealed bag in the remove as much of the brine as possible. Rinse,
refrigerator and reward your canine friends for drain, and add to a large bowl. Add remaining
all their hard work during brew day. vegetables and chile paste and mix thoroughly
until everything is coated.
Pack into a glass or earthenware fermenter,
cover, and allow to ferment at cool room tem-
peratures (55–65°F, 13–18°C) or in the refrig-
erator. Try to keep solids submerged as much
as possible and stir gently every few days to
release bubbles. When desired level of acidity is
reached, package (optional) and refrigerate.

24 | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2022 | Zymurgy

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T T T

Fermented Hot Sauce Basic Kombucha Preserved Lemons

Recipe by Amahl Turczyn. Recipe by Amahl Turczyn. Recipe by Amahl Turczyn.

Originally appeared in You Can Ferment That!, Originally appeared in You Can Ferment That!, Originally appeared in You Can Ferment That!,
Zymurgy, Sept/Oct 2020 Zymurgy, Sept/Oct 2021 Zymurgy, Jan/Feb 2021

The yield of this recipe depends on the chile Batch volume: 4 liters (1.06 US gal.) Batch volume: 1 US qt. (1 L)
pepper variety, but a 32-ounce (950 mL) ferment
usually makes at least 16 ounces (475 mL) of FERMENTABLES EQUIPMENT
finished, strained sauce. 200 g (7 oz.) sucrose (table sugar) 1 qt. sanitized Mason-style jar with lid and ring
20 g (0.7 oz.) tea leaves (bagged or loose)
INGREDIENTS INGREDIENTS
1 lb. (454 g) hot chile peppers, washed, YEAST 8 large organic lemons,
trimmed, and sliced 1 fully hydrated, active kombucha preferably Meyer
3 Tbsp. (51 g) non-iodized salt SCOBY 6 tsp. non-iodized salt
1 qt. (950 mL) filtered, chlorine-free water 1 stick cinnamon (optional)
4 large garlic cloves, peeled (in blender) OTHER INGREDIENTS ½ tsp. 2.5 mL whole coriander seed
1 bunch fresh cilantro stems (optional) P 4 liters (1.06 gal.) filtered, (optional)
½ tsp. (2.5 mL) whole allspice berries, toast- chlorine-free water 3 bay leaves (optional)
ed and then ground P distilled white vinegar as needed
1 tsp. (5 mL) whole black peppercorns, to adjust pre-ferment pH DIRECTIONS
toasted and then ground P other flavorings to add at bottling: Wash the lemons well and trim off the stems.
1 tsp. (5 mL) whole coriander seed, toasted fruit purees, spices, herbs, etc. (optional) Slice each fruit lengthwise into quarters, but
and then ground not all the way through: leave about half an
1 tsp. (5 mL) whole cumin seed, toasted EQUIPMENT inch of the rind to connect the pieces at the
and then ground P pH meter or test strips in the 2.8 to 4.4 range end. Sprinkle a teaspoon of salt (or a half tea-
1 cup (237 mL) brine, reserved from the P wide-mouth 1.5-gallon (5.7-liter) jar spoon if you prefer a less salty pickle) evenly
pepper ferment or bucket to use as a fermenter over the inside of each quarter, and pack
1 cup (237 mL) coconut vinegar or rice P coffee filter or tight-weave cloth tightly into your quart jar. When the solids
vinegar and rubber band to cover fermenter come up to about an inch from the rim, juice
1 tsp. (5 mL) arrowroot, as a thickener P pressure-ready PET bottles as many extra lemons as you need to cover
(optional) the fruit with juice. Tap out any air bubbles
DIRECTIONS and screw on the lid snugly, but without tight-
FERMENTATION NOTES Boil water and add tea leaves. Steep 1–5 ening. This will allow any gas from fermenta-
Wash and trim peppers, then cut a slit in each minutes, depending upon tea variety. Remove tion to escape. Keep in a cool, dark place for
one, or coarsely chop. Pack peppers into your tea leaves and stir in sugar until it dissolves. three weeks.
fermenter jar. Mix salt and water until salt is Cover tightly with a lid or plastic wrap and Check the jar daily for the first three or four
dissolved and pour over peppers. Place a weight allow to come to room temperature (70–80°F days, using a clean spoon to push fruit down
or water-filled baggie over peppers to keep them or 21–27°C). Add sweetened tea to sanitized below the level of liquid and to circulate the
fully submerged, then cover jar loosely with a lid fermenter, then add SCOBY and 2 cups of starter brine a bit. After a few days, this shouldn’t be
or tightly with an airlock. Keep out of sunlight kombucha (or ¼–½ cup distilled vinegar). Stir necessary, and you can let fermentation contin-
at cool temperatures, topping up with water or well, then remove a small sample and test pH. If ue, topping up the liquid with more fresh lemon
brine as necessary. Ferment one to three weeks, below 4.5, cover fermenter with screen material juice if necessary.
or until brine reaches 3.5 to 4.5 pH. and secure with rubber band. Keep fermenter in After three weeks, store in the fridge for
Drain and reserve brine. Add peppers to a the correct temperature range for 7 days. at least one more week and then remove,
Photos © Getty/kaanates (pepper); Getty/Kelenart (lemon)

blender jar and process with garlic, cilantro, and Take a small sample, smell, and taste. If you rinse, and taste your pickles, discarding any
spices, if using. Strain pulp through a ricer or are happy with the flavor and acid balance, seeds. You can also keep adding extra, clean
coarse sieve to remove pepper skin flakes and use a sanitized funnel to fill your bottles. Don’t lemon rinds or fresh wedges, making sure to
seeds. Bottle in shatterproof or loosely covered worry about splashing—Acetobacter likes air. push them to the bottom of the jar to keep
squeeze bottles and refrigerate if keeping pro- Leave about an inch (2.5 cm) of head space in the ferment going and allow the fully cured
biotic, or heat pprocess or can and use vacuum each bottle. If your tea is still too sweet, fer- pickles to rise. Always make sure everything is
l d for
lids f longer
l storage.. ment a few days more and taste again. submerged in salty lemon juice.
To carbonate, there’s no need to add addi-
tional priming sugar—your tea should still have
plenty of sucrose. Just keep the bottles at the
same temperature for 3–7 days, squeezing
them gently every day or two to gauge the level
of condition. When fully carbonated, transfer to
Zymurgy | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2022 | 25
the fridge and enjoy cold.
 nt
Fermheis!
T

Camembert
Recipe by Gabe Toth.

Originally appeared in You Can Feerment That!, Zymurgy, May/June 20222

You likely already have much of the equipment needed to make cheese. Many homebrew
shops stock the necessary cheesemaking ingredients. They’re also readily available online.

EQUIPMENT
P Measuring spoons/cups Place two round cheese molds about four
P Nonreactive pot (stainless steel or enamel Dutch oven) with lid to four-and-a-half inches in diameter onto a
Read about more fermentation
P Thermometer draining mat on a draining tray in a ripening
magic by Gabe Toth in his book
P Long, thin metal spatula (such as an icing spatula) or similar tool for cutting box or other space that will allow whey to The Fermentation Kitchen at
curds (those who want the precise tool for every job might seek out a curd drain off the rounds. Using a slotted spoon, BrewersPublications.com.
knife, widely available for purchase online) gently ladle off the curds into the cheese
P Slotted spoon molds and let drain for at least two hours,
P 4- to 4.5-inch round cheese molds until the curds have firmed up enough to flip
P Drying mat the molds. After the initial hours of sitting, flip the molds and let sit for an
P Ripening box with lid hour. Continue flipping once an hour for five hours. The easiest way to flip
and draining tray the cheeses is to have an extra mat and tray to put on top of the molds,
P Curing chamber, temperature-controlled fridge, or other space that maintains which allows the cheesemaker to put one hand under the bottom tray and
about 50°F (10°C) one hand over the top tray, pick everything up at once, and turn it over in
one swift motion.
INGREDIENTS After five hours of flipping every hour, remove the plastic molds. The curds
1 gal. (3.8 L) cow’s milk (whole, pasteurized, and homogenized) should be consolidated and the cheeses firm enough to stand on their own. Pat
1/4 tsp. calcium chloride (CaCl₂) them dry and evenly salt all surfaces of the cheeses. Handle gently—they will
1/4 tsp. MA11 cheese culture still be fairly soft. Place both rounds on a drying mat, on a draining tray, inside
1/16 tsp. (a pinch) Penicillium camemberti of a plastic ripening box. Leave the ripening box open at room temperature
½ tsp. liquid rennet overnight or for up to a day, wiping out any residual moisture that accumulates
15 g (about 1.5 Tbsp.) salt in the tray. This stage will help excess moisture to evaporate and encourage the
growth of the surface mold, though it won’t be visible yet.
DIRECTIONS When the room-temperature rest is complete, put the lid on the ripening box
Add ¼ cup of unchlorinated, room-temperature water to the cheese bacteria and move to a space that is about 50°F (10°C) and 80 to 90 percent humidity.
and molds (MA11 and Penicillium camemberti) to hydrate. If the aging box begins to collect moisture, the humidity is too high, and if the
Gently bring milk to 90°F (32°C), being careful not to heat it too quickly, cheese rind begins to dry out, the humidity is too low. Too moist an environment
which could scorch the milk. Add calcium chloride while heating and whisk in. will allow the surface mold to form, but the layer just inside the cheese rind
Once the milk is up to temperature, add the hydrated cheese cultures, whisking will age too quickly, resulting in a gap between the rind and the interior of the
them into the milk using an up-and-down motion to fully incorporate. Let the cheese and a rind that can slip right off of the cheese. Insufficient humidity will
milk rest 90 minutes. At around minute 75, low heat may be needed to return interfere with the growth of the P. camemberti.
the milk to 90°F (32°C) before proceeding to the next step. Condition for five to seven days in the aging space, after which a layer of
After a 90-minute rest, add ½. tsp rennet diluted in 1/4 cup of unchlorinated white fuzz should be developing on some of the cheese surface. This is the
water. Mix rennet in using an up-and-down motion to fully incorporate into the Penicillium gaining a foothold and starting its work. Flip the cheeses and let age
milk. Let rest another 90 minutes. for another three to five days as necessary, until white mold covers most of the
After the second 90-minute rest, once the curds have coagulated and are cheese (it doesn’t have to be completely covered). When the cheeses are mostly
cleanly separated from the whey (testable by performing an initial cut into the covered with white mold, they can be wrapped in cheese paper or wax paper
curds to see if they have knit together), use the spatula, curd knife, or another and put into the regular refrigerator for another month.
long, thin tool to cut vertically through the curd in ½-inch increments. Turn the The cheese is ready when the center feels soft or when it’s at the preferred
pot 90 degrees and repeat the cuts, giving you ½-inch by ½-inch square curds. ripeness. Camembert will continue to ripen as it sits in the fridge, moving grad-
Turn the pot again and, rather than cutting vertically, angle your cutting tool 45 ually from firmer and more delicately flavored to very soft and pungent. As with
Photo © Shutterstock/Sloniki

degrees and cut again at ½-inch increments. Turn the pot once more and cut many fermented foods, “ready” is a very subjective point on a spectrum of ripe-
again at diagonal ½-inch increments. Gently stir the curds, which will be very ness, and it may take eating some too-fresh and some too-ripe Camemberts to
delicate still, to check for large masses of curd that didn’t get cut. determine the Goldilocks moment when it’s just right. Because cutting into the
Let the curds sit for ten minutes, gently stirring every couple of minutes to cheese will interrupt further ripening, it helps to make a few cheeses at once,
prevent them from matting and to encourage them to release additional whey. especially when still learning to gauge the desired level of ripeness.

26 | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2022 | Zymurgy HomebrewersAssociation.org

 Learn how to brew
full-flavored,
world-class
gluten-free beers

30+ Recipes for Brewing

with Sorghum, Rice,
Millet, Quinoa, Amaranth,
Sunflower Seeds & More

Recipe Formulation &

Considerations

Mashing Techniques &

Enzymes

Gluten-Free versus
Gluten-Reduced Brewing

OW
BrewersPublications.com AVAIL
N
ABLE
 BEER
School

Gluten-Free Stout
By Robert Keifer

F
or most drinkers, roasted barley flavor is what typically denotes a stout, especially in
competition categories. From the many gluten-free grains available, you will find it nec-
essary to turn to roast malts like Eckert’s dark, “Gas Hog”, and Pitch Black rice malts,
and Grouse’s roasted buckwheat malt, chocolate roast millet, dark roasted millet, and
Caramel 240L millet malts. You might get away with using small quantities of these grains
in a porter, but specific stout categories should have larger quantities of these very
dark roasts, with special attention paid to aspects like darker foam and
promoting slightly higher finishing gravities than found in the aver-
age porter while still preserving dry roast character. This is especially
true when making something like an export stout or sweet stout, as
the roast will help balance the residual sweetness that is character-
istic of these styles. No matter what, a layering of
additional medium roasts and unmalted grains
and adjuncts to provide additional body and
smoothness will help you stay true to style
when crafting a gluten-free stout.

HomebrewersAssociation.org Zymurgy | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2022 | 29

DRY IRISH STOUT Editor’s Note:
Thanks to the brewing juggernaut that is when selecting base and roast malts, but This excerpt from Gluten-Free Brewing:
Guinness, dry Irish stout is likely most beer this style may also benefit from some Techniques, Processes, and Ingredients
drinkers’ first impression of a stout. There deeper caramel malts (like the caramel for Crafting Flavorful Beer is reprinted with
is often a smoothness that is described millet malts from Grouse) to lend a bit of permission of Brewers Publications. Gluten-Free
as a creamy character in some guidelines sweetness. You will likely want to have Brewing, written by Robert Keifer, is available
but not others, and may not actually be your enzymes in contact with the mash now at BrewersPublications.com.
as appropriate as it would be in other for less time to elicit a higher finishing
stout categories. Coffee flavors and a dry gravity—this will also mean that you will
finish are important, as the flavors should need to use more malt than with a dry
not linger on the palate. These beers are Irish stout.
noticeably lower in alcohol than other stout Commercial examples: Watchstander to achieve the correct volume with an
styles; while some commercial versions Stout (Ghostfish Brewing Company), Riva appropriately high starting gravity.
may be a little higher in ABV, their dry fin- Stout (Holidaily Brewing Co.), Blackbird You can also consider exposing the
ish puts them into this category. Since this Stout (Bierly Brewing) mash to your enzymes for a shorter time to
is a drier style, you will likely want to focus ensure a higher finishing gravity. Adding
on enzymatic contact times and stay away IMPERIAL STOUT ample amounts of maltodextrin is another
from caramel malts and similar ingredients. Imperial stouts are rich and malty, with way to boost the final gravity and increase
Commercial examples: Moka high finishing gravities usually between fullness in the mouth.
Diosa Stout (Divine Science Brewing), 1.020 and 1.030. For a gluten-free impe- Commercial examples: Santa’s Nightcap
TantaMount Stout (Evasion Brewing), rial stout, this will mean either using (Holidaily Brewing Co.), Imperial Darkness
No Doubt Stout (Two Bays Brewing Co.), back-sweetening as a strategy or carefully and Kantankerous Stout (Ground Breaker
Glutenberg Stout (Glutenberg) selecting malts and adjuncts to achieve Brewing), Batch 2 Barrel Aged Imperial
a high finishing gravity. Base malts like Stout (Evasion Brewing), Hella Nibs
EXPORT STOUT Grouse’s millet and buckwheat malts nat- (Otherwise Brewing).
Export stouts are typified by coffee, roasted urally make good choices, and the various
malt aroma, some acidity and astringency rice malts from Eckert will help with both Robert Keifer discovered craft beer in his
but with body and sweetness, a higher ABV sugar extraction and color. early 20s and started living a gluten-free
than dry stout, and persistent head reten- American versions of imperial stout lifestyle shortly thereafter. Dismayed by
tion. Higher ABV aside, this category has tend to have higher levels of fruity esters. the limited selection of gluten-free beers,
specific notes about more body and sweet- Therefore, I suggest adding sorghum he soon took up homebrewing. His quest
ness that distinguishes it from dry Irish syrup to the recipe to boost starting grav- for excellent gluten-free beer propelled
stout, although the two styles are strikingly ity and lend a noticeable fruit note in an him into teaching others about gluten-free
similar in description and guidelines. Just American version of a gluten-free imperial brewing. He is a frequent guest speaker
bear in mind that neither dry Irish stout stout, but I do not recommend this for a and writer on the subject for brewing
nor export stout should be confused with a British version of the same. When brewing magazines. Robert is a member of the
sweet stout or specialty stout. a British version and your brewing system Zero Tolerance Gluten-Free Homebrewing
With export stout, you can follow many limits mash tun space, I recommend dou- Club and co-founder of Divine Science
of the suggestions from dry Irish stout ble or triple batching into your fermentor Brewing Company.

COMPARING ROBUST PORTER AND STOUT

The line between porter and stout is often hard to define. Consider brown porter compared with dry
Irish stout, which have the same starting and finishing gravity ranges; travel to the Guinness facto-
ry and even there they’ll say it’s hard to tell the difference between a porter and a dry Irish stout. All
porters and stouts are opaque, and all of them have roast, chocolate, caramel, or coffee notes per-
missible by style. The largest difference is the presence of fruity flavors in porters, especially stone
fruit and citrus. Robust porter recipes can feature various fruity hops, or even coriander, to achieve
noticeable fruit flavors, as well as adjuncts like coffee, cacao nibs, or vanilla. This is due to the lower
level of roasted malts in porter compared with stout. Where you might even be able to get away
with a little bit of banana flavor in a porter, stouts have almost no fruit esters whatsoever.
The most interesting comparison that can be drawn is when digging into American-style stout
categories. One could contend that the American stout style overlaps with robust porter to some
degree, as it calls for fruity and citrus aromas and flavors. The largest difference is American stouts
call for a distinct dry roast finish, high bitterness and astringency, and a noticeable hop contribu-
tion. When designing a robust porter recipe, where sorghum seems to be a common ingredient in
Photos © Aaron Colussi

gluten-free examples, you can consider achieving fruitiness through syrups with additional roasted
grains peppered in. Stout recipes, by contrast, are better when brewed all-grain, as this appears to BREWERS PUBLICATIONS®
Grab your copy of Gluten-Free
be the best way to achieve the right “stout-like” qualities. Grains like oats, quinoa, and buckwheat
Brewing by Robert Keifer at
will help lend a fuller mouthfeel when paired with grains like millet and rice in a stout.
BrewersPublications.com

30 | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2022 | Zymurgy HomebrewersAssociation.org

Brehwis!
T Hello Darkness Dry Oat Stout
Gluten-Free Dry Irish Stout
Contributed by Brian Newcomb (Gluten Free Brew Supply)

Brian Newcomb, owner of Gluten Free Brew Supply, says, “I love a good stout with a silky body. A huge dose of gluten-free malted oats combined with the sorghum
malt base and specialty malts and highlighted with hops results in a classic DARK dry oat stout.”

Batch volume: 5 US gal. (18.9 L) BREWING NOTES

Original gravity: 1.045 (11.2°P) Heat strike water to 135°F (57°C) and mash in with entire grist; mash
Final gravity: 1.006 (1.5°P) temperature should be 125°F (52°C). Add Ceremix Flex and Ondea Pro and rest
Color: 59 SRM (116 EBC) for 25 min. at 125°F (52°C).
Bitterness: 25 IBU Raise mash to 150°F (66°C) and rest 25 min. Raise mash to 175°F (79°C)
Alcohol: 5.1% by volume and hold for an additional 25 min. Mash out at 180°F (82°C) for 10 min., then
perform sparge and boil.
FERMENTABLES Chill wort to 60°F (16°C), and pitch yeast. Ferment at 60–65°F (16–18°C) for
5.0 lb. (2.27 kg) red sorghum malt 7–10 days, then cold crash and package.
4.0 lb. (1.80 kg) gluten-free oat malt
1.5 lb. (0.68 kg) Eckert biscuit rice malt 5°L
1.5 lb. (0.68 kg) Grouse pale buckwheat malt
1.0 lb. (0.45 kg) Grouse chocolate roast millet malt
1.0 lb. (0.45 kg) Grouse medium roast millet malt
1.0 lb. (0.45 kg) Grouse Caramel 120L millet malt
0.5 lb. (0.23 kg) Eckert Pitch Black rice malt

ENZYMES
15.5 mL Ceremix® Flex (equivalent to 1 mL/lb.
grain, or 2.2 mL/kg)
15.5 mL Ondea® Pro (1 mL/lb., or 2.2 mL/kg)

WATER
Aim for a “Kilkenny” water profile:
Ca2+: 35 ppm, Mg2+: 8 ppm, Na+: 46 ppm, Cl−:
77 ppm, SO42–: 21 ppm, CaCO3: 90 ppm, pH: 5.6

HOPS
0.5 oz. (14 g) Northern Brewer (9.5% AA)
@ 60 min.
0.5 oz. (14 g) Northern Brewer (9.5% AA)
@ 30 min.
0.5 oz. (14 g) Fuggle (4.5% AA) @ 30 min.
0.5 oz. (14 g) Fuggle (4.5% AA) @ 15 min.
1.0 oz. (28 g) cocoa nibs @ 15 min.

YEAST
1 sachet (11 g, or 0.39 oz.) Lallemand
Nottingham ale yeast

HomebrewersAssociation.org Zymurgy | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2022 | 31

 Photos © courtesy of

32 | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2022 | Zymurgy HomebrewersAssociation.org

 FINDING YOUR

MOJO
A Tale of Homebrewing Redemption

By Mark Pasquinelli

I
was recently at a homebrewing cross-
roads. It should have been a time of bliss.
My beers were good; some would say
excellent. I’d never possessed more brew-
ing savvy. The quality and variety of ingre-
dients at my disposal were unsurpassed. I
brewed with equipment that I could only
have dreamt of when I began homebrewing
in the mid-’90s. Yet something was amiss.
My soul-restoring brew sessions had
degenerated into a chore. The joy was
gone, having been somehow incrementally
sapped. In short, I’d lost my homebrewing
mojo—that loving feeling—and I needed to
bring it on back.
But to do so, I needed to take a step back.

HomebrewersAssociation.org Zymurgy | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2022 | 33

SPACE TIME
The discovery process was arduous and Time is perhaps our most important com-
continues to this day. I spent countless modity. It’s irreplaceable, and I realized I
hours reading, interacting on social media was wasting lots of it. Anything that would
groups, watching podcasts, and thinking My brewing rig, the centerpiece of my shorten my brew day would surely be a
(and occasionally over thinking). My find- hobby, was next to go under the analyti- huge stress relief.
ings were simultaneously revealing and cal knife. It has evolved from a three-tier, A quick analysis singled out my fly sparg-
humbling. To paraphrase a famous Pogo gravity-fed stand made from angle iron to a ing. Knowing my boil evaporation rate,
cartoon strip, “I have met the enemy, and single-tier edifice, constructed from super I’d sparge over a 45-minute period—the
he is me.” strut and held together by an impossible time-honored method—until my wort hit
One look around my garage told me amount of hardware. Three banjo burners the desired temperature-corrected gravity.
where to start. I crave order, but my (See “Cooking with Gas,” Zymurgy, Jan/Feb Sadly, though, I was over-sparging, haphaz-
homebrewery had cratered into chaos. My 2018) are connected in series, and wort is ardly adding to my hot liquor tank as if I
garage—bequeathed to me by my wife, powered through my system by two March were assisting in the birth of triplets instead
mostly to get me out of the kitchen—is pumps. I later added a RIMS tube for better of homebrewing. This caused me to leave
enviably large, yet the layout neglected a control of my mash temperature. precious gravity points in my mash tun.
sane workflow. Thus, a goodly portion of I thought of reducing my footprint, BeerSmith solved the problem with a
my brew days was spent wandering, like maybe converting to a two-kettle system, function that I’d simply ignored. It calcu-
Moses in the wilderness, searching for this, but that would have involved massive lated the water absorption of the grain and,
that, and the other. deconstructing and reconstructing to affect with my boil evaporation rate, determined
Fortunately, this realization coincided little change. I also saw no point in switch- how much sparge water I really needed. No
with a Pennsylvania winter, when I usual- ing to brew-in-a-bag or an electric all-grain more leaving wasted wort in the mash tun.
ly take a hiatus to plan my homebrewing system, so I left my brew stand as it was I also examined my 45-minute sparge time.
activities for the year. It was the perfect and moved on. Was it really necessary? Modern thought
time for a major renovation. I gutted a wall I then considered process and workflow. seemed to say otherwise. I now hastily sparge
of haphazardly constructed shelving and My grain mill had always been cantan- into the mash tun and pump the wort to the
replaced it with twice as much storage. kerous—a constant source of frustration boil kettle. The new process takes only ten
Like items were retrieved from all corners since its purchase. Its wonky rollers minutes, saving me over half an hour.
of my brewery and properly arranged. Bags often slipped, providing an inconsistent And while I was trying to shorten my
of base grains were moved to Vittles Vault crush and a loss of brewing efficiency. brew day, was a 90-minute boil also nec-
containers and neatly stacked on heavy-du- Serendipitously, a gently used Barley essary? It was my standard, and conven-
ty shelving. Specialty grains were sorted Crusher fell into my lap, allowing me to tional wisdom held that it was required to
into labeled containers. With those simple quickly dial in my roller settings and get eliminate dimethyl sulfide (DMS) and its
changes, my garage was transformed— a consistent crush. Since then, I haven’t unmistakable aroma of creamed corn in
chaos into order, bringing an instant sense looked back, having regained my efficiency brews with large amounts of lightly kilned
of feng shui and tranquility. while losing a ton of frustration. base malts.
 Modern malts are highly modified, and
the majority of the recipes I see recom-
mend only a 60-minute boil. I cut another
half hour from my brew day with no ill
effects, although I make sure my Pilsner-
laden brews get a more vigorous boil, and
I still boil my wee heavies and barleywines
for 90 minutes or more. My brew days
were gradually falling into place. I could
now sense feelings of my lost mojo just
within my grasp, yet one more problem
needed to be addressed.

INSPIRATION
Perhaps the biggest source of my angst was
the beers themselves. I consider myself to
be a traditional brewer. I love the classic
styles: Pilsners, stouts, saisons, IPA, and
so on. But I also have a wild, adventurous
streak that must be nourished. I’d see an
outlandish recipe and say, I have to brew
that! That is after, after all, one of the joys
of homebrewing—being limited only by My single-tier brewing rig.
your imagination.
However, as Hamlet opined, “Ay, there’s
the rub.” These off-the-wall homebrews before feeling confident he could replicate
often turned out well, but I’d flit from rec- it. Crispy’s recipe—Nearly Nirvana Pale
ipe to recipe, never mastering a particular Ale, now in its 88th iteration—is a bit
one. After over two decades of homebrew- more malty than SNPA, with a little more
ing, I didn’t have any “house” recipes, hop flavor and aroma. The recipe is so
vetted by time, that were usually on tap. I revered that it became an official recipe for
needed tried-and-true recipes that could National Homebrew Day in 2000.
be brewed by memory—a concept I call Crispy’s efforts aren’t confined to SNPA.
déjà brew. That’s when I reached out to two He’s brewed his tripel approximately 35
homebrewing senseis—Chris P. (Crispy) times and also made a Belgian quad for his
Frey and Denny Conn—for guidance. They 444th career batch, using four grains, four
were more than happy to help. hops, and four water adjustments.
Crispy started homebrewing in 1994. Denny Conn developed his famous rye
At someone’s suggestion, he decided to IPA recipe for his wife’s yearly birthday party.
pick a favorite beer and clone it. Sierra In slightly edited form, here’s his story:
Nevada Pale Ale (SNPA) made sense. It It began as a fairly straight-ahead
was hoppy, malty, and (by current stan- IPA. At the time, there was a lot of
dards) not over the top. He started with talk about using rye. I started exper-
several clone recipes that he winnowed to imenting with it in various amounts,
his first iteration, which didn’t match the and it took me maybe five or six tries
original SNPA. A dozen recipes followed before I got it where I wanted it.
over the next year, “tweaking this that Then, I started playing with the hops.
Photos © Getty/ NiseriN (astronaut); courtesy of Mark Pasquinelli

and the other thing.” For some reason, I decided to use

Trying to change multiple things—mash both German(ish) and American hops.
temperature, yeast strain, or hop addi- Columbus was starting to gain popu-
tions—only made him realize the need larity so I decided to give that a try. I Closed CO₂ transfer of Hey, Porter to a corny keg.
to focus on one variable at a time. “In also had some Mt. Hood in the freezer,
addition, I needed to be sure that I could and I decided those two would be it.
reproduce my process time and time again. It took another three or four batches to the rye. Next, I brewed a few more
This meant taking lots of notes regarding before I settled on amounts and tim- batches exactly the same way to be
ingredients, processes, temperatures, time, ing. The final tweak was the yeast. I’d certain it was going to be repeatable.
etc.,” he notes. just started culturing Brewtek CL-50 All told, I made about 13 test batches,
He brewed it 10 or 12 times before (which later became Wyeast 1450) changing one thing at a time, before
feeling it was close to what SNPA should and decided to give it a try. Its velvety deciding I had the recipe. Since then, the
be and then another five or six times mouthfeel was a perfect complement only changes I’ve made were usually to

HomebrewersAssociation.org Zymurgy | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2022 | 35

 brew it without the wheat and Carapils.
If I was designing that recipe today, I
wouldn’t have used them. But for my
24th anniversary, I went back to the orig-
inal recipe and was surprised to find that
they indeed make a difference. I won’t be
brewing it without them again!
Back then, I was using my
“Cheap’n’Easy” system: a 48-quart rect-
angular cooler, with a hose braid to
separate the wort from the grain. I used
that and a converted keg cooler for
over 20 years and 500-plus batches.
That system has been retired in favor of
Grainfather equipment: a G40 and G70
brewing system, three conical fermen-
ters, and their glycol chiller unit. It’s no
longer cheap, but it can’t be beaten for
easy! As I’ve aged, I’ve found that the
brewing experience is the most import-
ant thing for me. I want it to be fun
and easy—and that supersedes even the
beer. With my new equipment, I can
have a flawless brew day in less than
four hours, including cleanup. The
enjoyment that’s added to my hobby is
immense. I would never go back to the
old equipment.
Crispy had found his Nirvana. Denny’s
homebrewing enjoyment was at an all-
time high. Now it was my turn. With
their wisdom in hand, I set out to create
a few “house” homebrews—not by trying
to make clones, but by fine-tuning the
recipes to my personal tastes via constant
iterations. My first choices were based on
two favorites: Surly’s Todd the Axe Man and
Great Lakes Brewing’s Edmund Fitzgerald
Porter. For a jumping off point, I turned
to the internet, the world’s go-to source for
unimpeachable information. Prepping for closed addition of Citra and Mosaic dry hops.

FORMULATION
I culled information for Todd the Axe Man ounces of Carapils for good measure. The brewing had allowed me to fall prey to the
from Surly and a homebrewing forum, bitterness also seemed to be lacking—I’d siren call of gadgetry. Each session was dif-
came to a consensus, plugged my guessti- been a little cautious on the first try—and ferent—a vain attempt to recreate the wheel.
mates into BeerSmith, and hoped for the in keeping with the spirit of the beer, I Stepping back allowed me to literally sepa-
best. I had to compromise on the forum’s ditched my standard Magnum bittering rate the grain from the chaff. Seeing clearly,
original and final gravity (OG and FG) esti- addition for the prescribed Warrior hops. I learned to simply dump hops into the fer-
mates (1.072–1.076 and 1.016–1.020) and As the iterations proceeded, I adjusted the menter rather than bagging; to use a closed
Surly’s (1.065 and 1.011) to get an alcohol late hopping schedule of Citra and Mosaic hop addition method that shielded my IPA
content of approximately 7.2% by volume. (in a 2:1 ratio) and tried to interpret the exact from oxygen; and how to do a closed trans-
My first attempt was surprisingly good, quantity of hops needed for “dry hopped fer of IPA from fermenter to the keg.
but there was still work to be done. Due through the roof,” as described in the home- But a closed transfer wouldn’t be possi-
to my equipment and terroir, I knew some brewing forum. I tend to go overboard with ble until I addressed the vexing problem
tweaking would be in order. The recom- dry hopping. Not surprisingly, my initial of hops clogging my lines, which I solved
mended choices of White Labs WLP007 amounts were too much, well past the point by patiently dumping the hops over sev-
Dry English Ale Yeast and 100% Simpsons of diminishing returns. I eventually settled on eral days instead of trying to do it in one
Golden Promise malt looked to be good the current guideline of about two ounces of or two shots. In addition, the clogging
ones. However, the body seemed light. I dry hops per gallon for hoppy brews. issues were leading to oxidation, resulting
bumped the mash temperature from 150°F In the process, I also stumbled on to more in a torrent of profanity (that’s still rever-
(66°C) to 153°F (67°C) and added a few efficient hopping techniques. My manic berating through the loft of our garage)

36 | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2022 | Zymurgy HomebrewersAssociation.org

and my wife’s walking out on me. These
simple changes restored a great deal of
marital bliss, and my blood pressure is
much lower.
As a sidebar, I realized the value of
Crispy’s admonition to take notes. I used
to kid myself and rely on my “steel trap”
memory. Now, I jot everything down on a
(paper) tablet and transfer the information
to my BeerSmith notes.
My house IPA, dubbed Todd the Rush
Man, after homebrew club member Todd
Rush, is now in its fourth iteration. There
are still some minor adjustments in the
works before I call it a done deal. “Rush
Man” is a big favorite at club meetings
or when entertaining. With aromas and
flavors of mango, grapefruit, and hints of
pine, it’s exquisitely smooth and crushable.
And there’s enough bitterness to satisfy
hopheads while not offending those who
claim not to like IPAs.
I could never homebrew without my
wife’s support. As Denny did for his wife,
I made a porter in my wife Karol’s honor.
It’s one of her favorite styles, and Great
Lakes Edmund Fitzgerald is at the top
of her list. Using the same approach, I
turned to the AHA’s clone recipe (Zymurgy,
Jul/Aug 2008).
The first try went well; Karol was
pleased. But the beer was understated,
hardly robust. I reviewed my recipe, first
finding that I’d been a little tame with the
original gravity. Northern Brewer bitter-
ing hops were swapped for my standard
Magnum, with the IBUs increased, and the
late East Kent hopping additions—which
really only contributed bitterness—were
sunk into the Magnum charge. To get
some East Kent Goldings hops into the
recipe. I opted to add an ounce at knock-
out for complexity.
Specialty malts looked to be key to up
my porter’s game. I’d always been hesitant
about using black malt (formerly black pat-
ent) since I’d once gotten carried away with
it in a Russian imperial stout. I cautiously
added more.
Roasted barley, however, had the poten-
tial to be the biggest game changer. Great
Lakes touts its porter as roasty. Mine
wasn’t. I increased the amount, making
me think of another friend in my home-
brew club, who had the pleasure of know-
ing “Rocket Rod” Romanek. Rod won the
Homebrewer of the Year award in 2004
and formulated Positively Porter, which
was featured as an AHA Big Brew recipe
in 2011. When sampling someone’s por-
ter, he’d always admonish, “Needs more

HomebrewersAssociation.org Zymurgy | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2022 | 37

Brehwis!
T

HEY, PORTER
Recipe by Mark Pasquinelli

Batch volume: 5.0 US gal. (18.9 L)

Original gravity: 1.060 (14.7° P)
Final gravity: 1.014 (3.6°P)
Efficiency: 72%
Bitterness: 47 IBU
Color: 44 SRM
Alcohol: 6.1% by volume

MALTS
10.0 lb. (4.5 kg) Briess pale malt
12.0 oz. (340 g) Briess 60°L caramel malt
10.0 oz. (284 g) Briess black malt
10.0 oz. (284 g) Bairds roasted barley
4.0 oz. (113 g) Dingemans Special B malt

HOPS
0.90 oz. (26 g) Magnum, 12.2% a.a. @ 60 min
0.50 oz. (13 g) East Kent Goldings, 4.8% a.a.
@ knockout

YEAST
1 pack (11.5 g) Fermentis Safale US-05

ADDITIONAL ITEMS
0.5 tsp. Wyeast Nutrient @ 10 min
1 tablet. Whirlfloc @ 10 min

BREWING NOTES Base malts and specialty malts neatly arranged.

To adjust my very soft water, I add 1 tsp. of
gypsum and 0.5 tsp. of calcium chloride to
the mash. Adjust the minerals as needed for roast.” Who was I to argue? As a tribute, I found. Although sometimes I think it was
your water profile. Mash at 153°F (67°C) for 60 followed his advice, increased the roasted intentionally hiding, forcing me to chal-
minutes. Sparge to collect 5.75 gal. (21.8 L) and barley, and also added a touch of Special B lenge myself and vault my homebrews to a
boil for 60 minutes, adding hops as directed. that’s prominently featured in his recipe. higher level.
Chill and ferment at 68°F (20°C) to completion. Hey, Porter (Karol is a big Johnny Cash
Cold crash to 38°F (3°C) and keg or bottle. fan) is in its third iteration. The roasted
Carbonate at 2.3 vol. (4.6 g/L) CO₂. character is much more pronounced now REFERENCES
and the Special B addition provides a nice 1. HomebrewersAssociation.org/
EXTRACT VERSION caramelly-dark fruit complexity to go homebrew-recipe/great-lakes-brewing-
Steep specialty malts at 155°F (68°C) in 5.75 with the notes of chocolate and coffee. I’ve edmund-fitzgerald-porter
gal. (21.8 L) of water for 20 minutes, add 6 always thought of porter as a fall/winter 2. homebrewtalk.com/threads/anyone-
lb. (2.7 kg) light dried malt extract, and follow beverage, but Hey Porter is proving to be a got-a-surlys-todd-the-axe-man-
all-grain directions from boil. Top off volume refreshing year-round thing. clone.526868
if necessary. 3. surlybrewing.com/beer/axe-man

BREWER, HEAL THYSELF Mark Pasquinelli resides in the bucolic

With a series of simple changes (and a little town of Elysburg, Pa., where he spends
help from my friends), I’m in a much better his time in varying degrees as a husband,
homebrewing place now. The mojo that I’d writer, homebrewer, microbiologist, and
lost, like a Biblical tale of redemption, was manservant for seven felines.

38 | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2022 | Zymurgy HomebrewersAssociation.org

Brehwis!
T TODD THE RUSH MAN
American IPA
Recipe by Mark Pasquinelli

Batch volume: 5.5 US gal. (20.8 L)

Original gravity: 1.070 (17.1°P)
Final gravity: 1.015 (3.8°P)
Efficiency: 72%
Bitterness: 81 IBU
Color: 3 SRM
Alcohol: 7.3% by volume

MALTS
19.5 lb. (8.9 kg) Simpson’s Golden Promise malt
6.0 oz. (170 g) Briess Carapils malt EXTRACT VERSION
Substitute 11.0 lb. (5.0 kg) extra-light dried malt extract for malts and follow
HOPS directions from boil.
0.60 oz. (17 g) Warrior, 17.5% a.a. @ 60 min
1.50 oz. (43 g) Citra, 12% a.a. @ 10 min
0.75 oz. (21 g) Mosaic, 11.3% a.a. @ 10 min
1.50 oz. (43 g) Citra, 12% a.a. @ 0 min
0.75 oz. (21 g) Mosaic, 11.3% a.a. @ 0 min
2.50 oz. (71g) Citra, 12% a.a. - 20 min. whirlpool @ 180°F (82°C)
1.25 oz. (35 g) Mosaic, 11.3% a.a., 20 min whirlpool @ 180°F (82°C)
2.0 oz. (57 g) Citra, 12% a.a., dry hop 3 days
into primary fermentation
1.0 oz. (28 g) Mosaic, 11.3% a.a., dry hop
3 days into primary fermentation
2.0 oz. (57 g) Citra, 12% a.a., dry hop 6 days
into primary fermentation
1.0 oz. (28 g) Mosaic, 11.3% a.a., dry hop
6 days into primary fermentation

YEAST
2.5 L
starter White Labs WLP007 Dry English Ale Yeast

ADDITIONAL ITEMS
0.5 tsp. Wyeast Nutrient @ 10 min
1 tablet Whirlfloc @ 10 min

BREWING NOTES
The recipe is set for 7.0 gal. (26.5 L) to compensate
for wort absorption by the hops. My water is very
soft, so I add 3 tsp. gypsum and 1 tsp calcium
chloride to the mash. Adjust the minerals for your
water profile. Mash at 153°F (67°C) for 60 minutes.
Sparge to collect 8.0 gal. (30.3 L) wort and boil
for 60 minutes. (To decrease vegetal matter, you
can use HAAS LUPOMAX Citra and Mosaic hops
for whirlpool and dry hop additions, in which case
decrease the quantities by 40%.) Add hot side
hops and additional ingredients as directed. Chill
and ferment at 68°F (20°C) to completion. Dry hop
as directed. If possible, dump hops, crash to 38°F
(3°C), and close transfer by CO₂ to keg. Bottle or
carbonate at 2.5 volumes (5 g/L) CO₂.

HomebrewersAssociation.org Zymurgy | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2022 | 39

 The Prodigal Son in the
Tavern, a 1635 painting by
Rembrandt, is a portrait
of the artist and his wife
Saskia. The striped beer
glass, a so-called "pass
glass," was used in drinking
games.

SEARCHING

FOR

REMBRANDT’S

LOST

BEER

4
400 |N
NOV
NOOV
O EEMB
EM
MBEER/
MB ER
R/D
R/ DEEC
DEC
ECEEMB
EM
M
MBBER 022 | ZZy
ER 20
202
202 Zym
yym
murg
rggy
 By Roel Mulder

A
young man joyfully lifts a glass
of blond beer, a smiling woman
on his lap. A large white feather
adorns his hat, and he has a glimmering
sword on his belt. On the table, we see a
knife and a pastry with a bird’s head and
two wings. There sure is a party going on
in Rembrandt’s painting The Prodigal Son in
the Tavern, which dates from 1635. It may
be the biblical prodigal son. The woman
might be a prostitute. Today we might even
call it a “selfie,” as it is in fact Rembrandt
himself we see looking at us, while the
woman’s face is that of his wife, Saskia.
But I’m not an art historian, and the pic-
ture’s artistic value was not necessarily the
reason why CRAFT, the Dutch trade asso-
ciation for independent brewers, asked me
to look at it. No, their question was in fact
quite mundane: what beer is Rembrandt
drinking here?
They had their reasons, of course. As
part of a campaign to make beer lovers in
the Netherlands aware of the vitality of the
Dutch craft beer scene, CRAFT had envis-
aged a project to recreate the beer seen in
Rembrandt’s painting. They asked me to
come up with a plausible historical recipe
that they could adapt into a more contem-
porary version and then invite their mem-
bers to brew. The whole process would be
filmed for use as an online marketing tool.
Good idea! Beer history is great, but it’s
even more wonderful when you can taste
the past. But where do you find such a rec-
ipe? And what was beer like in Rembrandt’s
time, in Amsterdam in the 17th century?

One of the original

recipes for Soet bier as
recorded by Melchior
Mels. Was this the
beer that Rembrandt
was drinking?
 A PRODUCT OF ITS TIME
Today, The Prodigal Son in the Tavern is in But now the real question—what was
the Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister, a museum that beer? As anyone can see, it was pale
in Dresden, Germany. The painting is a typi- and clear and had at least some foam. The
cal product of its time, seemingly just show- depicted glass is a so-called “pass glass”
ing a scene of joy and drunkenness, but that was used in a drinking game. The
with a biblical connotation nonetheless. The long, cylindrical glass, which was marked
A BOOMING CITY parable of the prodigal son, who first wastes like a measuring cup, would be passed
Rembrandt van Rijn was born in 1606 in all his money but is still welcomed home by from one drinker to the next. The goal was
the city of Leiden, home to the country’s his loving father, was a popular theme in art. to drink just the right amount so that the
oldest university. His father was a miller, The work also enabled Rembrandt to level of the beer would arrive exactly at the
but Rembrandt was destined for great- show off his skills for painting fabrics and next mark. If the player failed, naturally he
er things. After taking the first steps as other materials, such as the feathers and was required to drink even more.
a painter’s apprentice in his hometown, the lady’s shining pearl. It’s also one of the A party beer, then: no weak brew, but
he moved to Amsterdam in 1631. At the many self-portraits Rembrandt painted, probably also not too heavy or the game
time, Amsterdam was booming. Within a this time accompanied by his wife. It gave wouldn’t have lasted very long. Naturally,
few decades, its population had tripled to art collectors of the time an opportunity to the light color suggests pale malts were
over 100,000 and that number was still have a likeness of the great master in their used. It probably was a multi-grain beer, as
growing. It had become the largest city in home, and at the same time, Rembrandt most Dutch beers of the time were. And it
the Republic of the Netherlands, a bustling could show the world what a great rich would have been top-fermented, as bottom
trade hub where merchants from all of life he had. It had at least some parallels fermentation would not reach the Low
Europe would flock to sell their goods. to today’s self-promotion on Instagram and Countries until the 19th century.
Clever businessmen made their for- other social media. Now, all I needed was a contemporary
tune, and all these wealthy and proud
burghers paid good money to have their
portraits made by skillful artists like
Rembrandt. It was Holland’s Golden Age,
Brehwis!
S O E T B IE
ER, 1683
and the arts flourished. Of course, not
everybody benefited. A large gap between T
rich and poor remained, and Amsterdam’s
wealth was in part due to its colonial A nice three-grain 17th-century Dutch “s “ weet beer” recorded by Melchior Mels
enterprises in Asia, where the Dutch did from
om Dorrdr
d ec
e hth , thatt jusst ma
m y rese
s mblee what Re R mbbrandt wawas dr
d inking in his
not shun the use of violence. paainnting The Prodigal Son
on in the Ta
Tavern. The secret addition of coriander and anise seeds was apparently
In the Netherlands, beer was part of weell kep
e t from
om
m the brewery wor o kers Thi
or h s iss my addaptationn off th
thee originall recipe. The 5.0% ABV version
everyday life. In fact, after the introduction elabororra edd by thhe me
orat m mb
m ererss of
o CRAAFT
FT,, the
thhe Duutc
tch trada e association for independen e t brewers, has an original
of hops in the 14th century, it had been grav
gr a ity of 1.057 (14°P °P). Their ratio for both coriande
°P d r and anise is 300 grams each for 1,500 liters of beer.
a major beer-producing and -exporting
country, even teaching the Belgians and the Batcch volulu
ume:: 20 0 L (5.28 US gal.) Color: 5 SRM (10 EBC)
English how to make hopped beer. They Orig
i in
i al graviity: 1.08
08
80 (1
(19
9.3°
3 P)
3° Bittterneess
Bi s : 20 IBUU
introduced the word beer to the English Fiina
n l gr
g avvitty: 1.02 028 (7.11°P)) Alco
c hol: 6.8 % by volume
language, as a counterpart to the unhopped Effficien
ncyy: 75%
ale that had been produced on the British
Isles up to that point. Amsterdam was not MA
M A LT
L S & AD
A JU
J UNC
N TS
NC S
a major export center for beer, but one 3.51 kgg ((77.7
. lb.) Pilsner ma
malt
of the reasons it had managed to develop 2 36 kg (5
2. (5.22 lb.)) bbuuckwh
whea
whe t or
ea or buc
u kw
kwhe
h att mal
he at
from a small fishing village into a major 1.62 kg (3.6 lb.) flaked oats
port of trade was that, in the 14th century, Photos courtesy of Regional Archives Dordrecht, City Archives Amsterdam
it had been designated as a place where for- HOPS
PS
eign beer merchants were to stop and pay 5 g
50 (1.75 oz.) tra
r ditional European hops @ 60 mi
min
import taxes.
By the time Rembrandt came to ADDI
D TION
N AL ITEMS
S
Amsterdam, there were 19 breweries 2.5
5g (0.1 oz.)) grrou
o ndd coriandder @ 10
0 mi
minn
in the city, with names like Het Duifje 5g ( .22 oz.
(0 z.) grrou
o nd ani
n ssee seeds @ 10 min
(“The Dove”), De Dubbele Arend (“The
Double Eagle”) and De Keizerskroon (“The Y AS
YE A ST
Emperor’s Crown”). Another one was De Trrad
adit
ittional Euuroope
p an
a topp-fer
e menting beer yeast
Hooiberg (“The Haystack”), which in 1864
would be bought by Gerard Heineken, BR
R EWIN
E W N G NO
EW OTE
TES
founder of the well-known brand with the Mash at 66°C (151°F) for
o 60 minutes. Boil 60 minutes, addi
d ng hops, coriand
nder, and an
anisee seed
e as indicated.
green label and the red star that is still with Chill to 18°
8 C (6
( 5°
5 F) and ferment
nt to coomppletion
onn.
us today.

42 | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2022 | Zymurgy HomebrewersAssociation.org

 The Waereld (‘World’)
recipe that matched these requirements. brewery in Amsterdam.
However, 17th-century brewing records or Horses would carry the
recipes are quite rare, in the Netherlands or beer barrels around town
elsewhere. Luckily, there is one source that on a large wooden sled.
contains a whole lot of them. But it does
require us to have a look around in another
Dutch city: Dordrecht.

DRAWBRIDGES AND
COBBLED STREETS
Dordrecht is about 100 kilometers to the
south of Amsterdam. At first glance, it
looks similar to the Netherlands’ capital,
with drawbridge-spanned canals, tall old
houses and warehouses, and cobbled
streets. It is situated at the confluence of
three rivers where large barges pass over
the shimmering water all day. In fact, in
the Middle Ages, Dordrecht was easily
Holland’s biggest city, and it had a flour-
ishing trade when Amsterdam was still a
tiny fishing village. By the 17th century,
Dordrecht’s fame had waned somewhat, but
it remained a bustling place.
Here, on Voorstraat (“Fore Street”), that

Brehwis!
runs along the narrow old harbor, there

BRU
UIN
NBITT
TER BIER, 1687
was a brewery called Het Witte Anker
(“The White Anchor”). In 1660, one T
Adriaan Mels (1636–1673) is mentioned as
its owner. Not much is known of his life, “Brown
w bitter beer,” another fun 17th century Dutch brew recorded by Melchior
but we know what he brewed thanks to his M lss. I si
Me s mplified itt by leaving out the complicated mash scheme. The original
son Melchior Mels, who left us an interest- recipe just mentions “brrow o n malt,” which I substituted here with Munich and Vienna malts, wh w ich,
ing set of handwritten notebooks. combinnede , shhould
ouuld hav
avve en
e ou
o gh diasts atic power. I’ve add
d ed some caramel malt to recreate the effect of a
loong
n boil. The amount of cardamom is an educated guess. Eighteenth-century beer writer Wouter van Lis
f om Rottte
fr terdamam nottes that soomee bre r we
wers als
l o added pooppiees and dyer’s alkanet (probably the roots) to
give it a red color, and wormwoood for bitterrness.
gi

Batch h volume
me: 20 L (5.28 US gal.) Color: 36 SRM (71 EBC)
O ig
Or i in
nal
a gra
avi
vity
ty: 1.106
ty 69 (1
( 6.
6 8°P)
P) Bitterness: 40 IBU
F nal gr
Fi g av
a ity:
y 1.017 (4.33°P
°P)) A cohool:
Al 6.8 % by volume
Effici
ciiency
cy: 75 5%

MALTS & AD
MA DJU
J NC
N TS
3.2 kg (7
3 (7.1
7 1 lb.)) Mu
Munnich mal
alt
1.184 kg (4
(4.1 lb.)) Vi
V enna malt
0.96
0. 96 kg (22.11 lb.
b ) fllaked
ak oat
atss

HOPS
HO PS
S
95
95g (3
3.44 oz.) tr
t adittionaal Eu
E ropean hopps @ 60 minn

A DI
AD D TI
T ON
O AL
A ITE
TE
E MS
M
Anise was one of the 10
0g (0..3
(0 35 oz
oz.).)) carrddaamom
m @ 10
1 min
secret ingredients of
Soet bier. One modern Y AS
YE A T
adaptation by Dutch European top-fermentin
ing beer yeast
brewers uses star
anise instead. BREW
E ING
EW G NO
NOTE
T S
TE
Mash
M a h at 66
66°C°C (15
51°F
1°°F)
F) for 60
0 miinutes. Boil 60
0 min
i ut
u es, adding hops and cardamom as indicated. Chill to
18
8°CC (65
5°FF) and fe
fermmennt to compl
om
mplet
etio
i n.
n

HomebrewersAssociation.org
A g Zymurgy | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2022 | 43
 The original manuscript by
Melchior Mels, a brewer who
recorded many 17th-century
Dutch beer recipes.

The former Anker brewery in

Dordrecht, where Melchior Mels once
brewed, photographed in the 1960s.
It is the building marked "Peels."

Melchior was a brewer like his father, but

probably also a physician and pharmacist. In
his notebooks, today preserved at the Allard
Pierson museum in Amsterdam, he wrote
down a large number of medicinal recipes
Brehwis! and medical instructions. But more inter-
T MOL FROM NIJMEGEN, estingly, he also recorded recipes for various
foodstuffs, such as sweet pastries, waffles,
C A . 1 690
0 pudding, smoked sausages, onion soup, and
head cheese. There are even instructions how
to make fireworks and a camera obscura.
A unniqque
u beer from the easa tern part of the Netherlands, preserved by Melchior Mels in his notebook, andd But, of course, I wouldn’t mention all
adapteteed by
b Ruddol
olf Nuune
n s Ferro (199
9 4)
4 . It cann onlly bee kep
e t for a shhor
o t period
o of time (unless you pasteurize this if there weren’t any beer recipes. There
it) once
it c the
h sweet-sour combin ination
n has started foaming. A good beer to try for a festival or an event. are more than 50 of them, dating from the
period from 1660, when his father was still
Ba
atch
h volume: 20 L (5.28 US gal.) running the brewery, up to 1696, when a
few immigrants from Wallonia (today the
MAL
MA
MALT
LT
TS southern part of Belgium) were working
3 5 kg
3. ( .7 lb.
(7 b.)) pa
p lee bar
a ley ma
malt
l there. Several beers are mentioned more
than once, such as brown bitter beer,
H PS
HO S English beer, sweet beer, Mechelen beer,
5g ( .2 oz.) traditionaal Eu
(0 Europeann hops @ 60 min and Liège beer (the latter is featured in
“Lost Belgian Beers: Liège Saison,” Zymurgy,
YE
E AS
A T Sept/Oct 2019). There is a raspberry beer
Europe
p an top-f
-ff
-ferment
tin
i g beeer
e yeast (mentioned in “Lost Fruit Beers of Belgium
and the Netherlands,” Zymurgy, Jan/Feb
B EW
BR E IN
N G NO
N TE
TES
S 2022), a medicinal beer that was also used
FFiirst wo
wort: rtt: Ma
Mashh thee barle ley
ey ma
malt lt. Fr
Fromm this, col olleect
c 13.5 5 L (33.6
6 gal.)) of wort witth a gravity of 1.059 (14.5°P). in the city’s hospital, and a laxative beer
Keep 2.2 L (2.3 qt.)) off th this wort apar app rt. Boilil the
thh reststt for one hour withh the hopps. “from the doctor currently serving the king
Secondd wor ort: Fro
r m thhe sa
ro s mee mash, h colllect ct anoothher 8 L (2.1 gal.) of wort with a gravity of 1.020 (5.1°P). of England.”
Com
Co
Comb mbbin i e thhe ho
hopp
p ed wor o t wi
w th thee unh n op o pe p d se
secoccoondd wort to
t get
et 19.33 L (5.1 gal.) of wort with a gravity Another beer of interest is the mol from
of 1.043 (10 1 .7°P). Leave
v this to souur foor ten hours and then add top-fermenttin i g yeast. Thiss will ferment to a the city of Nijmegen near the German
sour
so u whi h te bee e r of
of approxi xxiima
matet lyy 4.3
te 3% AB BV.
V border. It was an all-barley light-colored
Boilil theh 2.2 .2 L (2.3
3 qtt.). of rese s rvedd wort from the hee first mash to get e a syrupupp-like subs bstaanc
n e of 0.7 litters beer, hopped very sparingly. A portion of
(0
0.75 5 qtt.)) andd an OG OG of 1.118 189 (4(41.9°9 P)
P). In the
h originall recipe, this tak a es thrhreee days. the wort would be removed at the start
AAddd thee syyrruupyy wortt to thee sour wh w itee beer. Wa W itt for fer e me
erm ntatioioon to
t ressta
t rtt. TThhe re
r su
s lt is a foam
am
minng, of the brewing process and boiled for
sweet-sour white beer. This is the momennt to drink it! Do not bo b tt
t le—it is still fermenting. After about 10 three days until a sweet syrup was left.
daayyss, aalll th
the
h su
s ga
g r from
omm the h wor ortt sy
or syru
ruup willlll hav
a e feermennted, lea e vi
v ng
n a souur, flaat be b er
er. The rest of the wort was used to make a
rather sour Berliner weisse-like beer, to
which the syrup was added. Thus, the

44 | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2022 | Zymurgy HomebrewersAssociation.org

The Star, one of the many
breweries in 17th-century
Amsterdam.

One of the original recipes for Soet bier as recorded by Melchior

Mels. Was this the beer that Rembrandt was drinking?

acidity of the beer was complemented by original one too, especially since anise is
the syrup’s sweetness, and, as refermen- not often found in historical beers, and it
tation kicked in, it produced a generous requires some skill not to make it too dom- Roel Mulder is a Dutch historian writing
foam. That was the moment to drink it. inant in the resulting brew. about beer history. He has written a book
In this state, it could only keep for a few In any case, from this information I about Dutch beer including historical
days until only a sour, dull liquid was reconstructed a simplified recipe that was recipes and is currently researching the
left. Nijmegen mol was a unique beer type then given to a few Dutch brewers, members origins of the many Belgian beer styles.
that disappeared near the end of the 18th of CRAFT. Over the course of a few months
century and never seen again. in early 2022, they made several test brews
with the goal of establishing a combined
CORIANDER AND ANISE new recipe that all members could use once
But what beer was Rembrandt drinking in the publicity campaign had started—a “beer
his painting? Mels’s manuscript provides a of the past, to drink in the present.”
detailed overview of the beers that existed On 25 April, 2022, we all gathered at
in Holland in the 17th century, and at the Jopen brewery, located in a wonder-
least his father Adriaan was Rembrandt’s fully repurposed church building in the
contemporary. Adriaan Mels even brewed historic city centre of Haarlem. Shining
a brown bitter beer explicitly stated to copper kettles; warm, red-painted walls;
be brewed for sale in Amsterdam. But we and fluffy carpeting. Of course, no Dutch
were looking for a light-colored beer. An brewer is using 17th-century equipment
interesting candidate is the soet beer (pro- anymore, which led one of them to com-
nounced “soot”), which means “sweet.” ment, “Of course, we’re using the ingre-
Sweet beer was made with pale malt, oats, dients of the past to create a new beer.”
and buckwheat. The manuscript contains Another said, “Only by using our modern
no fewer than seven descriptions of it dat- equipment, we are already modernizing
ing from 1660 to 1688. this recipe.” As a nod to the past, they
These sweet beer recipes are rather com- had added some smoked malt. Though
plicated, with several mashes conducted 17th-century brewers already used coal
in sequence, but it seems that in the end to dry their malt instead of wood, in
all the wort was combined again to form order not to make it too smokey, it may
one beer. Interestingly, the wort from third still have had some taste of it. One of the
mash was not hopped, but instead ground brewers had replaced the anise with star
coriander and anise seeds were added. This anise, which gave excellent results.
was done by Mels himself “after the work- All in all, we were happy with this “new
ers had gone to bed,” to keep this addition old” beer we recreated. Despite the name,
a well-kept secret. it was not too sweet, and the combina-
A three-grain beer with a “secret” addi- tion of the spices, grains and the pinch
tion of spices would be, of course, an of smoked malt made for a beer we had
excellent recipe for today’s Dutch brewers never tasted before. A beer Rembrandt
to experiment with, I thought. A rather would have loved.

HomebrewersAssociation.org Zymurgy | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2022 | 45

 Ciders
PACIFI C N O RTH W E ST
O F T HE

WA S HIN GTO N , O REG O N , A ND C A L IFO RNI A

Photos © courtesy of

46 | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2022 | Zymurgy HomebrewersAssociation.org

 By Kristen Kuchar

A
Editor’s note: This is the
merican cider has witnessed an incred-
second in a series of articles ible revolution over the past decade.
that explore regional ciders
produced in the United States Nowhere is this more evident than in
and around the globe. In this
installment, we discover ciders
the Pacific Northwest. Cidermakers
of the Pacific Northwest. here are innovative and adventurous, influenced by
access to an abundance of amazing apples and
other fruit, the popularity of craft beer, proximity to
wine country, and a favorable climate.
Many of the producers in Oregon and the greater
Pacific Northwest grew up during the birth of the
craft beer revolution, including us.
— Dave Takush

“There is a lot of access to great apples

here in the Pacific Northwest; there is no
doubt about that,” says Dave Takush, head
cidermaker at 2 Towns Ciderhouse in
Corvallis, Ore. Two-thirds of the nation’s
apples are grown in Washington state, but
Takush points out that the region has even
more to offer.
“There is also access to other amazing
agriculture like Oregon marionberries,
Oregon blueberries, Oregon honey, Pacific
Northwest fruit in general,” he adds. “It’s all
here at our fingertips.”
Takush believes the region’s thriv-
ing craft beer presence also influences
cidermakers. “Many of the producers in
Oregon and the greater Pacific Northwest
grew up during the birth of the craft beer
revolution, including us,” he says. He
explains that cider producers in the Pacific
Northwest are influenced by craft beer
styles, which sparks stylistic diversity in
the cider community.
“In 2010, we even coined the use of
‘imperial ciders,’ borrowing from the impe-
rial IPAs of the day, to communicate to
the consumer a stylistically high-ABV, rich
cider that was the first commercial example
of its kind,” he says.
“American cider is pushing the envelope
and evolving fast,” says Dan Pucci, co-au-
thor of American Cider and founding bev-
erage director at New York City’s first cider
bar, Wassail.
This area is home to the Northwest
Cider Association—the only regional cider
trade association that crosses state lines—
which serves Washington and Oregon,
Photos courtesy of the Washington Apple Commission.

as well as Idaho, Montana, and British

Columbia. The goal of the organization
is to support the region’s cidermakers,
increase sales, improve the quality of cider
produced, and cultivate the cider commu-
nity in the Northwest.
What started in 2010 with 13 cideries
has grown to almost 200 cideries through-
out the region. “It has just exploded,” says
Northwest Cider Association Executive

HomebrewersAssociation.org
Director Emily Ritchie. Nowadays, it’s not
just beer and wine on the menu. “There’s
been this revival and interest in cider across
the country,” Richie says.
Thanks in part to a population that
appreciates good cider, there is an abun-
dance of cider festivals in this region as
well. These include Washington Cider
Week, Oregon Cider Week, Cider Smash,
Portland International Cider Cup, Cider
Summit Seattle, Olympic Peninsula Apple
and Cider Festival, Hood River Cider Fest,
Cider Summit Portland and Central Coast
Cider Festival.
Cider expert and “The Ciderologist”
Gabe Cook says cider is experiencing not
only an increase in quality, but a growth
in the range of ciders, and cidermakers are
better than ever.
“There’s never been a better time to be a
cider drinker,” Cook says.

WASHINGTON
It’s no surprise that Washington is a top
cider location since it’s the leading state for
apple production. “We have this thriving
apple industry that really provides the
backbone of cider here,” Ritchie says.
What began as one orchard in the
1820s has flourished to more than
175,000 acres of apple farms. With
approximately 1,260 growers throughout
the state, Washington produces more
than 70 percent of the fresh apples in
the United States and 85 percent of the
country’s certified organic apples. There
are more than 100 million bushels (40-
pound boxes) produced each year, and American cider is
during peak harvest season, it takes
approximately 40,000 pickers to harvest pushing the envelope
these apples.
More than 30 varieties of apples grow and evolving fast.
here—top cultivars include Gala, Red
Delicious, Fuji, Granny Smith, Cripps
— Dan Pucci
Pink, Golden Delicious, Honeycrisp, and
Ambrosia. Takush’s favorite apple variety,
Cosmic Crisp, was 20 years in the making.
Bred by Washington State University, this

HomebrewersAssociation.org Zymurgy | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2022 | 49

 It is really fun to be a
hybrid of Honeycrisp and Enterprise is,
according to Takush, “outrageously crunchy cidermaker in Oregon
and high in acid, and has some really
unique Sauvignon Blanc-esque qualities since the craft beer indus-
when fermented.”
According to the Washington Apple
Commission, the state’s arid climate and
try is so strong here.
nutrient-rich soil make it an ideal growing
condition for apples. There are five main — Dave Takush
growing regions in Washington: Columbia
Basin, Lake Chelan, Okanogan, Wenatchee
Valley, and Yakima Valley. The Olympic Peninsula Cider Route is
Craft Brewing Business named Seattle one of the first established in the United
one of the hottest cider spots in the States. This features Alpenfire Organic Hard
country and the number two on a list Cider, Eaglemount Wine and Cider, and
of the top U.S. cities for drinking cider.1 Finnriver Farm & Cidery. Other notable
Capitol Cider, Seattle Cider Company, cideries in Washington include Meriweather
Schilling Cider House, Locust Bar and Cider Company and Dragon’s Hard Cider. In
Number 6 Cider are just a few of the downtown Olympia, The Cider Barrel serves
cideries here. hundreds of hard ciders.

OREGON
Dave Takush, 2 Towns Ciderhouse head
cidermaker, says it’s awesome to be a cider-
maker in Oregon, and they like to say they
have a winery license but a brewery spirit,
which offers the best of both worlds.

HomebrewersAssociation.org
HomebrewersAssociation.org Zymurgy | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2022 | 51
 “It is really fun to be a cidermaker in nation, and Craft Brewing Business ranked CALIFORNIA
Oregon since the craft beer industry is the city number one out of the top 10 U.S. In the last few years alone, more than 100
so strong here. Consumers are not afraid cities for drinking cider.1,2 new cideries have launched in California,
of innovation and products that push the Oregon is also the birthplace of hopped according to BevZero.5
boundaries of what cider can be,” Takush cider. According to a 2013 Brew Your “A lot of the U.S.’s fruits come from
says. “That is not the case in all states Own article by Glenn BurnSilver, Salem’s California, which gives cideries out here an
and definitely not true across the pond Wandering Aengus Ciderworks came up advantage with better access and freshness,”
in Europe.” with the idea.3 Spruce Eats recently named says Jason House, vice president of produc-
Takush is particularly fond of unique Washington’s Finnriver Dry Hopped Cider tion and operations.
Oregon-born apples. “Two of my favorites one of the best hard ciders of 2022 and the “In Sonoma County, we’re known for
are Hudson Golden Gem and Airlie Red best cider for beer drinkers.4 our Gravenstein apple, a dessert apple that
Flesh/Hidden Rose/Mountain Rose—the The city is home to numerous innova- makes for a slightly tart, naturally sweeter
name depends on who you ask,” he says. tive cidermakers, such as Portland Cider cider,” House says.
The cidermaker has had the opportu- Company, Bushwhacker’s Cider, Reverend “Cider in California has gotten more
nity to see Oregon cider evolve in recent Nat’s Hard Cider, Cider Bite, Cider Riot and experimental over the years,” House says.
years. In the past, he says, it used to be Schilling Cider House. Dan Pucci notes there has been a rise in
about sweet versus dry, or what type of The Hood River Valley has 15,000 acres winemakers embracing cider.
single berry you would use to complement of orchards and is home to Slopeswell Prominent California cideries include Far
the cider, such as raspberry or blackberry. Cider, Fox Tail Cider and Crush Cider West Cider Co., Tilted Shed Ciderworks,
“These days, it is more about flavor inno- Café, which showcases local and regional Posterity Ciderworks, The Honest Abe
vation, whether that comes from ferment- ciders with 17 on tap.2 Cider House and Meadery, North Canyon
ing with a specific kind of yeast strain, or In the Willamette Valley area of Cider Company, Red Branch Cider
doing some wild combos with exotic fruit,” Oregon, you’ll find E.Z. Orchards, 2 and Brewing Company and Ironbark
he says. “For example, we just released Towns Ciderhouse, Salt Creek Cider Ciderworks.
Dragon’s Day Off, a Pacific Northwest blend House, Wildcraft Cider Works and Cider bars in the state include Redfield
of apples fermented with dragon fruit, pas- Bauman’s Cider at Bauman Farm. Cider Bar and Bottle Shop, Crooked City
sionfruit, and hibiscus.” CiderBite is an award-winning cider Cider Taphouse, The Cider Junction and
Portland is home to one of the largest house in Portland’s Pearl District, with 32 Upsider, the first cider house of California,
populations of cider consumers in the rotating taps. established in 2012.

THANK YOU 2022 PRO-AM SPONSORS!

52 | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2022 | Zymurgy HomebrewersAssociation.org

 “We are really happy to see a thriving
cider culture and community here in the
Pacific Northwest, and honored to be a part
of it,” Takush says. “We look forward to
seeing it continue to grow and evolve.”

RESOURCES
1. craftbrewingbusiness.com/news/
top-10-cities-for-cider
2. bestofthenorthwest.com/
northwest-travel-ideas/
best-of-northwest-cider
3. byo.com/article/hopped-cider
4. thespruceeats.com/
best-hard-ciders-4774266
5. bevzero.com/
the-cider-market-at-all-time-high

Kristen Kuchar has covered the food and

beverage industries for the past 14 years
and is a regular contributor to Zymurgy.
She has written for Brew Your Own,
BeerAdvocate, CraftBeer.com, The Beer
Connoisseur, DRAFT, All About Beer,
VinePair, and many more.

HomebrewersAssociation.org Zymurgy | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2022 | 53

 SKEPTICAL
BREWING
6

Photos © courtesy of

54 | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2022 | Zymurgy HomebrewersAssociation.org

 This is the sixth in a series of articles called “Skeptical Brewing,” a deep dive into
commonly held brewing beliefs. In this series, we discuss their origin stories and review the
science and research behind them to reach a verdict on their plausibility. We have chosen
common brewing superstitions to try to challenge established paradigms and shed light on
many supposedly unquestionable truths. We hope this helps foster the habit of questioning
handed-down wisdom. Always be skeptical!

By Matias Cavanna & Leandro Meiners

1
THE IBU IS AN EFFECTIVE BEER
BITTERNESS SCALE

T
ORIGIN STORY WHAT DOES SCIENCE HAVE TO SAY
he IBU (international bittering To assess if the IBU is effective at measuring
unit) gauges beer bitterness. beer bitterness, we will evaluate it from
That’s what most of us are taught four different angles:
when we start our paths in the • Definition
beer world. The higher the IBU value, the • Measurement
higher the bitterness of the beer. • Calculation
Beer aficionados over the age of 40 like- • Tasting
ly remember the “IBU wars” of the early
2000s, when new IPAs pushing the IBU DEFINITION
limit to the max were launched almost daily. The IBU only considers the concentration
The IBU story dates to the mid-1900s. of iso-њ-acids in beer. Several studies have
In 1952, iso-њ-acids were discovered in since proven that while iso-њ-acids are still
beer, and a few years later, in 1956, a the main contributors to bitterness in beer,
study concluded that alpha-acids (adhu- they are certainly not the only ones.
mulone, cohumulone and humulone) A 2016 paper concludes that humuli-
from hops were beer’s primary source of nones are 66 percent as bitter as iso-њ-ac-
bitterness.1,2 ids and that hulupones are 84 percent as
Between 1956 and 1968, at least six bitter as iso-њ-acids. The study also found
methods were designed to measure the that both hulupones and humulinones
amount of iso-њ-acids in beer. In 1968, were bitter enough to have a potentially sig-
the American Society of Brewing Chemists nificant impact on beer bitterness.4
(ASBC) created the IBU, defining it as Another study from 2017 talks about
1 IBU = 1 part per million (mg per liter) “Auxiliary Bitter Compounds in Hops,”
of iso-њ-acids in beer which refer to “all bitter compounds in the
The ASBC adopted Moltke & Meilgaard’s hop resin which are transferred to the beer
IBU testing protocol as the official IBU and are not iso-њ-acids.” These “auxiliary”
testing method.3 compounds include those previously

Zymurgyy | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER
O C 20222 | 55
mentioned, as well as non-isomerized њ-ac- our previous article that different All these changes have had such an
ids, which are 10 percent as bitter as their hops have different alpha acid impact as to make the IBU, as a bitterness
isomerized equivalents, together with other isomer proportions and different scale for finished beers,
hop compounds (i.e., polyphenols, etc.).5 isomerization efficiencies), • Not relevant from a definition point
The study mentions that beers brewed • A particular wort composition of view, given that it only considers
with only one hop addition at the begin- (different grists can affect concentrations of iso-њ-acids and
ning of the boil don’t have such com- isomerization rates), none of the many auxiliary bittering
pounds; however, in beers brewed with • A specific boil vigor, and compounds present in modern beers.
several hop additions, mainly dry hopping, • Specific atmospheric conditions • Not relevant from a measurement
the concentration of auxiliary bitter com- (elevation, etc.). point of view with a
pounds can more than double the concen- Even if you can match all these factors, spectrophotometer for modern beers,
tration of iso-њ-acids. other factors are not considered by any of given that the calibration coefficient to
the IBU estimators, such as transform an absorbance measurement
MEASUREMENT • Boil pH, which has been proven to into an IBU result will greatly vary
The official IBU testing method uses a affect isomerization rate (higher pH from beer to beer.
solvent to extract all bittering compounds. increases the rate)10 and • Not relevant from an estimation
Then, using an ultraviolet (UV) spectropho- • The addition of calcium or magnesium point of view, given that all calculators
tometer, it measures UV absorbance and to the wort, which increases available are specific to the authors’
applies a calibration formula to estimate the isomerization efficiency.11 conditions and don’t factor in several
concentration of iso-њ-acids.3 elements that influence isomerization.
A book from 1991 called Chemistry and TASTING • Not relevant from a tasting point of
Analysis of Hop and Beer Bitter Acids states Several other characteristics can also influ- view, given that higher IBUs don’t
that “iso-alpha acids determination in beer, ence perceived bitterness without affecting necessarily translate to more bitter-
has not yet advanced to a generally accept- the IBU (or auxiliary bitter compounds) tasting beers.
ed, reliable state, but this may change in value. We must conclude that the commonly
the near future.” Many years have passed • A study from 1957 shows that at held belief that IBUs objectively measure
since 1991, but the IBU measurement higher pH, the same IBU level tastes beer bitterness is an outright myth.
method hasn’t changed.6 more bitter.8 As brewers, we can, however, still use IBUs
The spectrophotometry method was cal- • A 2016 study concluded that increasing to measure and correct bittering hop addi-
ibrated with beers with known iso-њ-acid hop aroma in beer also increases the tions, meaning that it’s a good tool to stan-
concentrations back in the late 1960s. It perception of that beer’s bitterness.9 dardize the quantity of hops for each bittering
thus makes several assumptions that might • Grist selection can reduce the addition in more than a 15- to 20-minute
have been true back then but do not neces- perception of bitterness. A high boil. In this case, we use it to control the IBU
sarily apply anymore. percentage of crystal malts lessens contribution of each addition (when using
• Thirty percent of the absorbance is for this perception, as does the “relative different batches or substituting hops) but
non iso-њ-acids, i.e., auxiliary bitter bitterness ratio” (IBU/OG) in high- not as an indicator of the overall perceived
compounds. gravity beers. bitterness of the beer.
• Hops in the 1960s were baled and had These and other perception factors, such
high oxidation levels with 30 to 50 as polyphenol impact, translate into the REFERENCES
percent alpha acid loss. IBU not being a reliable indicator of the 1. Rigby & Bethune (1952)
• Hops alpha-to-beta acid ratios were perceived bitterness level in beer. Thus, Countercurrent Distribution of Hop
close to 1:1, which is typical for when comparing perceived bitterness of a Constituents. Proceedings. Annual
noble hops. 50 IBU imperial stout with a 20 IBU ses- Meeting – American Society of Brewing
• At that time, it was believed that sion IPA, the session IPA will most proba- Chemists, 10(1), 98–105
bittering potential was not affected by bly be perceived as more bitter. 2. Brenner, M.W. et al. (1956). Hop bitters
hop age. (isohumulones) in beer, Proc. Am. Soc.
VERDICT Brew. Chem., pp. 48-61. 7.
CALCULATION When first created, the IBU was a suitable 3. ASBC Methods of Analysis, Beer
There are several IBU estimation methods, scale for measuring bitterness in the beers Method 23A: Bitterness units
but the best known among homebrewers of that time: macro lagers with simple hop- (International Method). Approved Illustrations © Getty/nadia_bormotova (person); Getty/Paket (beer)
is probably Tinseth’s method, created in ping regimes using noble hops. The evolu- 1968, rev. 1975, American Society of
1997. Some people use Garetz’s (1994), tion of the brewing industry over the past Brewing Chemists, St. Paul, MN, U.S.A.
Rager’s (1990), or Daniels’s (2000). 50 years has been significant, specifically in 4. Algazzali, V. A.; Shellhammer, T. (2016):
In principle, all calculations try to esti- • Creation (or revival) of new styles “Bitterness intensity of oxidized hop
mate the hop utilization factor, U, as close • Creation (or revival) of new brewing acids: Humulinones and hulupones”, in:
to reality as possible. U was originally processes and techniques, such as J. Am. Soc. Brew. Chem. vol. 74, no.1,
calculated based on empirical testing of dif- hop bursting, whirlpool/hop-stand pp. 36-43.
ferent beers with known parameter changes additions at lower temperatures, and 5. Forster, A. Gahr and F. Schüll (2017)
during the brewing process. The issue with dry hopping What are Auxiliary Bitter Compounds
such U calculations is that for each formula • Creation of new ingredients, such as in Hops and how do they Affect the
they were calculated with modern hop varieties, hop pellets, Quality of Bitterness in Beer?, Brewing
• A particular kettle design, concentrated lupulin powder/pellets, Science, vol 70 pp. 203-209.
• A specific hop (remember from extracts, etc. 6. Verzele M, De Keukeleire D (1991)

5
56 | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER
NO C 2022 | Zymurgyy HHomebrewersAssociation.org
 TEST IT YOURSELF!
Still skeptical and unwilling to let all this scientific research change your mind? Make this experimental brew and challenge your and your mates’ taste buds!

Brehwis!
T
BUSH TELLY
Modern Australian Sparkling Ale

“Bush telly” is Aussie slang for a campfire or for looking at the stars while sleeping in your swag (a kind of Australian bivvy bag). Featuring Aussie Galaxy and Eclipse
hops, this modern take on the good, old thirst-quenching, highly drinkable Australian sparkling ale, very dry and highly carbonated, will have you looking at the stars. It
will also allow you to test how pH can affect perceived bitterness, which is one of the reasons why the IBU scale is not helpful for gauging beer bitterness.

To test this impact, you just need to brew the recipe once and then do a triangle test between the original beer and the same beer with the addition of either
phosphoric or lactic acid to reduce the pH by at least 0.2 points. To do this, we suggest serving two pitchers of the beer and adding the acid to one of them, drop by
drop, until the pH drops, for example, from 4.3 to 4 or 4.1. Once achieved, do the triangle test to assess which beer feels more bitter. It’s the same base beer with the
same IBUs and even the same IBU/OG ratio. The only change is the final pH.

If you can’t get your hands on Eclipse hops, Enigma is a good substitute from Australia. Or, stick with the celestial theme by substituting Ekuanot (formerly known as
Equinox) or Comet. If Super Pride hops are hard to come by, try swapping in Centennial.

Batch volume: 19 liters (5 US gal.) WATER

Original gravity: 1.048 (11.9°P) Ca * 50 ppm, Mg ) 10 ppm, Na ) 10 ppm, SO4 ≈ 75 ppm, kettle to yield 5 gallons (19 L) in the fermenter.
Final gravity: 1.006 (1.5°P) Cl ≈ 50 ppm, HCO3 ) 10 ppm
Color: 4 SRM Boil the wort vigorously for 60 minutes, adding the
Bitterness: low/medium YEAST hops, sucrose (table sugar), Whirlfloc, and yeast
Alcohol: 5.5% by volume White Labs WLP009 Australian Ale, Wyeast 1335 nutrient as indicated. After the 60-minute boil, lower
British Ale II Yeast; Omega British Ale VI (OYL-013) the temperature to 90°C (194°F), add whirlpool hops,
MALTS & ADJUNCTS or British Ale I (OYL-006); Lallemand Nottingham; or and let steep for 10 minutes before chilling the wort.
3 kg (6.6 lb.) pale malt (72% of grist) Fermentis Safale S-04.
650 g (1.4 lb.) white wheat malt (15% of grist) Chill wort to 19°C (66°F) and transfer to the
300 g (10.6 oz.) Weyermann Carahell malt (7% of grist) Alternatively, if you can get hold of a Coopers Pale fermenter. Aerate thoroughly and pitch the yeast.
250 g (8.8 oz.) sucrose/table sugar @15 min Ale or Coopers Sparkling Ale, propagate the dregs Increase fermentation temperature by 1°C (1.8°F)
(6% of grist) from the bottle. each day. Add dry hops per the indicated schedule.

HOPS ADDITIONAL ITEMS After 3 days with no yeast activity (no gravity
4.5 g (0.16 oz.) Super Pride, 9% a.a. @ 60 min (5 IBU) 0.5 tablet Whirlfloc @ 10 min change), cold crash and chill the beer to as close to
15 g (0.53 oz.) Galaxy, whirlpool @ 90°C (194°F) 1 tsp. (3 g) yeast nutrient @ 5 min 0°C (32°F) as you can. Keep chilled for a week or two
15 g (0.53 oz.) Eclipse, whirlpool @ 90°C (194°F) 160 g (5.6 oz.) table sugar (sucrose), if naturally prior to bottling or kegging.
25 g (0.88 oz.) Galaxy, dry hop when SG < 1.015 carbonating
25 g (0.88 oz.) Eclipse, dry hop when SG < 1.015 Australian sparkling ales are normally naturally
BREWING NOTES carbonated (at higher than normal levels) with table
Mash at 64°C (147°F) and adjust pH to 5.2–5.5. sugar (sucrose), so if you are kegging, feel free to
Rest for 60 minutes. If sparging, do so at keg condition the beer to 3.4 vol. (6.8 g/L) CO2.
75–78°C (167–172°F). Collect enough wort in the

Chemistry and Analysis of Hop and The utilization of hops in the 10. Malowicki, M, Shellhammer, T. (2005).
Beer Bitter Acids, Developments in brewhouse. Proceedings 6th Congress Isomerization and degradation kinetics
Food Science, Elsevier, Pages 316-329 European Brewing Convention of hop (Humulus lupulus) acids in
7. Fritsch, A.; Shellhammer, T (2007): 9. Oladokun O, et al (2016), Modification model wort-boiling system. J. Agric.
“Alpha Acids do not contribute of perceived beer bitterness intensity, Food Chem. 53, 4434–4439.
bitterness to Lager Beer”, in: J. Am. Soc. character and temporal profile by 11. Verzele, M. (1965). Practical aspects of
Brew. Chemist vol. 65, pp. 26-28. hop aroma extract, Food Research the isomerization of њ-acids. Proceedings
8. Meilgaard, M., and Trolle, B. (1957) International, Vol. 86, Pages 104-111, from EBC Congress, 398–404.

HomebrewersAssociation.orgg Zymurgyy | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER

O C 20222 | 57
 2
Behavior indicates that each taste bud
DIFFERENT AREAS OF THE TONGUE contains 50 to 100 receptors for each taste
and that an average Jane or Joe has approx-
HAVE DIFFERENT TASTE RECEPTORS imately 5,000 to 7,500 taste buds. This
article also indicates that current scientific
research proves that all taste qualities are
ORIGIN STORY sensitivity for each taste in each region, found on all regions of the tongue.5
The tongue map, with its four taste areas, is seeding an idea that different areas of the
arguably one of the most recognized icons tongue have different taste receptors and
of the taste sense. Most of us have first seen creating the “tongue map.”
it in elementary school biology, and many This map has even influenced beer glass
would have even done an experiment with design, with some beer glass manufacturers
cotton swabs dipped in different solutions claiming things like:
to prove it. “A wide-mouthed glass allows beer
This map was first brought to life by to flow more directly to the back of the
Edwin Boring in a book he published in tongue, where bitterness registers.”
1942,1 based on his interpretation of data “A narrow and stemmed glass encourages
from a study conducted in 1901 by David sipping which is perfect for sour and salty
Hänig, a German scientist.2 beers that register on the sides and tip of
In the original study, Hänig indicates the tongue”
that subjects could detect several tastes all
around their tongues and that even though WHAT DOES SCIENCE HAVE TO SAY?
there seemed to be different taste sensitiv- In the 1970s, Virginia Collings’s study VERDICT
ities for each taste in the different areas of reviewed this subject and concluded that Even though the tongue map is highly
the tongue, these differences were small. differences in sensitivities of taste around appealing as an idea and would be a great
Forty years later, Boring uses a graph the tongue, as well as the soft palate and excuse to justify the design of different beer
from Hänig’s study that was designed to even in the epiglottis, are insignificant.3 glasses, there is no solid foundation to its
visually showcase differences in relative This is in line with Hänig’s original study inception, and it was created mainly from
sensitivities for each taste detector. He from 1901 and basically means that all a lost-in-translation and badly interpreted
assumed the minimum value was 0 and tastes can be detected anywhere. results mishap. All scientific studies on
that the curves overlapped with each other, David Smith’s nerve cell activity tests the subject indicate that taste receptors for
implying no detection for that particular prove that all taste neurons can respond to sweet, sour, bitter, salty, and umami are
taste in that region of the tongue. different types of taste stimuli—sweet, salty, distributed all over the tongue, palate, and
The main issue with this assumption sour, bitter, and umami.4 epiglottis, which allows us to conclude that
is that it ignores all the tabulated data in The Sense of Taste section of the 2012 the tongue map is an outright myth.
Hänig’s study with the absolute or total edition of the Encyclopedia of Human
REFERENCES
RELATIVE SENSITIVITY GRAPH 1. Boring, E. G. (1942). Sensation
and perception in the history
of experimental psychology.
Appleton-Century.
2. Hänig, D.P (1901) “Zur Psychophysik
des Geschamackssiness,” Philosophiche
Studien, 17, 576-623.
3. Collings, V (1974) “Human taste
response as a function of locus of
stimulation on the tongue and soft
BASE RIGHT EDGE TIP LEFT EDGE BASE palate.” Perception & Psychophysics
16, 169–174
4. Smith D. et al. (1999) Neural Coding
SWEET of Gustatory Information, Current
Opinion in Neurobiology, Vol. 9, No. 4,
BITTER pages 427–435
SOUR 5. Daly B.P et all. (2012) Sense of Taste
(Effect on Behavior), Encyclopedia of
Relative sensitivity from Hänig’s study. Note that there is no indication of horizontal axis values and that they all share minimum Human Behavior (Second Edition),
and maximum values. Graph is adapted from Hänig, D.P., “Zur Psychophysik des Geschamackssiness,” Philosophiche Studien (1901). Academic Press, pages 373-378

58 | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2022 | Zymurgy HomebrewersAssociation.org

 3
VISUAL APPEARANCE
HAS NO IMPACT ON JUDGE
TASTING PERFORMANCE
ORIGIN STORY For Spearot’s thesis, a similar experi-
Although not strictly an explicitly held ment was conducted in which 85 partici-
belief, our standard beer judging approach pants were given three beers: a blonde, a
assumes that visual appearance doesn’t brown, and a black, all of which were the
affect our aroma and flavor perceptions same beer dyed with varying amounts of
as we judge with clear glasses. But is that Sinamar.7 Sinamar is a Weyermann colorant
really the case? produced from dark/roasted malts that does
Numerous academic studies analyze not affect flavor or aroma. Its flavor- and
the impact color has on our perceptions aroma-neutrality were verified by a triangle
and preferences.1,2 Additionally, there are test in Spearot’s thesis.8
studies that focus on specific impacts Participants were asked to taste the
related to coloring and on our percep- three beers and rate their level of bit-
tions, for example terness, sweetness, acidity, and saltiness,
• How the color of a plate alters the on a scale from 1 to 15. The results of the sumers as an indicator of better product
perception of food3 and statistical analysis showed that there was a quality, again exemplifying the prejudice
• How the color of a label affects our significant correlation only with the level that the visual aspect entails.
perception of a product.4 of bitterness. The participants evaluated
Given the surprising results from these bitterness not just by taste, but also con- VERDICT
studies, we decided to dive into the lit- sidering the color, with darker beers com- What does all this mean? First, upholding
erature to understand if beer color has a ing in as less bitter.7 the belief that you can separate your eval-
discernible impact that could merit recon- In another study, the participants—one uation of aroma and taste without being
sidering how we judge beers. group of trained tasters and one of casual influenced by appearance is an outright
We decided not to consider the more beer consumers—were asked to group myth. Thus, we should really try to taste
general questions relating to ambiance, nine beers of three different colors and our beers blindly in order to concentrate on
such as the environment in which tasting from three different breweries, under two their organoleptic qualities and not let our-
takes place or the effect background music different experimental conditions: being selves be influenced by color, clarity, tur-
can have on how much you enjoy a beer.5 able or not to see the color of the beers. In bidity, and other appearance characteristics.
Most books related to beer evaluation do the tests where they could see the color, Second, asking whether tastings in com-
recognize the effect such variables as light- the beers were grouped according to the petitions should be appearance-blind is a
ing, color, and sound could have on beer color, both by the trained and the amateur valid discussion to have as a beer commu-
assessment and offer recommendations on tasting panel.9 nity. One might imagine initially scoring
what an ideal tasting setting should be. However, when these beers were aroma and flavor blindly and then con-
grouped without being able to assess color, sidering appearance with a new pour in a
WHAT DOES SCIENCE HAVE TO SAY? the resulting classes were more strongly crystal-clear glass.
The first study we reference, despite its determined by beer brands, indicating that The BJCP tasting sheet awards only three
focus on wine, offers forceful results at an organoleptic level, there were more points out of 50 to appearance, effectively
with which we might frame our analy- similarities between beers based on brand assigning it low importance relative to other
sis. The authors of that study organized than on color. factors. However, study results suggest that
a tasting with 54 oenology university That the results of the two tests are so judges may subconsciously assign higher
students who were asked to evaluate a different indicates that even trained tasters weight to appearance by adding points to
white wine and the same white wine are strongly influenced by color. or subtracting them from other attributes.
that had been dyed red with an odor- In another study, multiple visual param- Hence, we should acknowledge this and
less, tasteless beverage-grade colorant. eters—foam, head retention, and lacing either start tasting blindly or accept that
The authors found that the descriptors (how foam adheres to the glass)—are eval- appearance has a greater impact than the
used by the tasters reflected the color of uated as quality predictors for consumer mere three points awarded in the score sheet.
the wine and not its aroma; that is, the expectations.10 The study was repeated in Moral: Do not present bad-looking
tinted white wine was described as a red the United States and Scotland, and the beers in a competition. They probably
wine despite having the same aroma as results were similar: moderate levels of won’t be judged fairly, despite judges’
the unchanged white wine.6 foam and lacing were interpreted by con- best intentions.

HomebrewersAssociation.org Zymurgyy | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER

O C 2022 | 5
59
REFERENCES
1. Spence, C., Levitan, C. A., Shankar, (2016). Music Influences Hedonic Perception. Journal of the Institute
M. U., & Zampini, M. (2010). Does and Taste Ratings in Beer. Frontiers in of Brewing, 108(1), 37–42. https://
Food Color Influence Taste and Flavor Psychology, 7. https://doi.org/10.3389/ doi.org/10.1002/j.2050-0416.2002.
Perception in Humans? Chemosensory fpsyg.2016.00636 tb00120.x
Perception, 3(1), 68–84. https://doi. 6. Morrot, G., Brochet, F., &
org/10.1007/s12078-010-9067-z Dubourdieu, D. (2001). The Color of Leandro Meiners earned an MSc. in
2. Clydesdale, F. M. (1993). Color Odors. Brain and Language, 79(2), brewing and distilling at Heriot-Watt
as a factor in food choice. Critical 309–320. https://doi.org/10.1006/ in Scotland. Having gained practical
Reviews in Food Science and brln.2001.2493 experience working at two breweries in
Nutrition, 33(1), 83–101. https://doi. 7. Spearot, J. (2016). Influence of Beer France, he returned to his homeland of
org/10.1080/10408399309527614 Color on Perception of Bitterness Argentina to start a brewery and taproom
3. Piqueras-Fiszman, B., Alcaide, J., (Thesis for MSc in Food Science). called PLACEBO (@placebo.brewing).
Roura, E., & Spence, C. (2012). Is it DREXEL University. Leandro also has a blog in Spanish about
the plate or is it the food? Assessing 8. Spearot, J., & Lahne, J. (2016). “How brewing science called Zythologia, and
the influence of the color (black or Dark It Is”: Comparing Methods he is co-host of Birratecnia, a podcast
white) and shape of the plate on the for Darkening Beer Without Flavor in Spanish focused on sharing academic
perception of the food placed on it. Change. MBAA Technical Quarterly, research and putting it into context of day-
Food Quality and Preference, 24(1), 53(3). https://doi.org/10.1094/ to-day brewing activities.
205–208. https://doi.org/10.1016/j. tq-53-3-0826-01
foodqual.2011.08.011 9. Lelièvre, M., Chollet, S., Abdi, H., Matias Cavanna is head brewer at
4. Shankar, M. U., Levitan, C. A., & Valentin, D. (2009). Beer-Trained Dos Dingos Cerveza Independiente
Prescott, J., & Spence, C. (2009). and Untrained Assessors Rely More in Argentina and De Puerto brewpub
The Influence of Color and Label on Vision than on Taste When They and Rural barrel program in Uruguay.
Information on Flavor Perception. Categorize Beers. Chemosensory Matias started homebrewing in Australia
Chemosensory Perception, 2(2), Perception, 2(3), 143–153. https://doi. and developed practical and technical
53–58. https://doi.org/10.1007/ org/10.1007/s12078-009-9050-8 knowledge in Australia, New Zealand, and
s12078-009-9046-4 10. Smythe, J. E., O’Mahony, M. A., & Japan at Asahi’s small and large breweries.
5. Reinoso Carvalho, F., Velasco, C., van Bamforth, C. W. (2002). The Impact Matias also co-hosts Birratecnia.
Ee, R., Leboeuf, Y., & Spence, C. of the Appearance of Beer on its

60 | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2022 | Zymurgy HomebrewersAssociation.org

 To:

From:
 Zymurgy’s 2022

Holiday
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24 new and/or noteworthy items for the
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Be sure to check out your local
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Illustration © Getty/Viktoriya Klubovich

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or independent craft beer to make the best gift of the season.

Zymurgy | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2022 | 63

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HomebrewersAssociation.org Zymurgy | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2022 | 67

 Hi,
MAKES I’m E
A GREAT m!
G I F T!

Em Sautter’s wit,
E
humor, and whimsical
illustrattions take
r
readers on an
entertaiining and
informa
f ative journey
t
throughgh the history
and wor rld of craft beer.

Order No
Now:
BrewersPublications.com
 Relax, Don't Worry,
Have a Homebrew!
All-Grain and Partial-Mash Recipes
T hat mantra rings as true today as it did in
1978 when Charlie Papazian cofounded
the American Homebrewers Association
might include a water
profile. If you can’t (or
don’t want to) deal with
Unless otherwise specified, all-grain
brewers can conduct a single-temperature
with Charlie Matzen. Homebrewing can water chemistry, don’t infusion mash with these parameters:
be as simple or as complex as you want to worry about it: just go
make it, but the first step is always to relax ahead and brew! Extract • Water/grain ratio: 1.25 qt./lb. (2.6 L/kg)
and not worry. brewers needn’t add
minerals to water. • Mash efficiency: 70%
To aid your relaxation and help you get
the most out of Zymurgy, here are some Malt Extract Recipes • Mash temperature:
standard assumptions and methods for our Making wort from malt extract is easy. 150–153°F (66.7–67.2°C)
recipes. Of course, when a recipe says to do
something different, follow the recipe. But • Crush specialty grains, if any. • Mash duration: 60 minutes
you can always fall back on these general
tips to brew great beer. • Place milled grains in a mesh bag Partial-mash recipes make the same
and tie it off. assumptions but use a smaller amount
of grain and augment the wort with
ON THE WEB • Steep bag of grains in 150–160°F malt extract.
For more detailed info, head over (66–71°C) water for 30 min. in your
to HomebrewersAssociation.org brew pot. BOILING
and dive into our How to Brew No matter how you get here,
resources. • Remove bag of grains from the pot. everyone loves adding hops.

• Fully dissolve extract in the hot, grain- • Boil time is 60 minutes

infused water (if there are no specialty unless otherwise stated.

BREWING WITH ZYMURGY grains in the recipe, you can skip

directly to this step). • Boils are assumed to be the full
Photo © Jesse James Galarza

batch volume, but you can also boil

MAKING WORT • Top up with water to your desired boil a concentrated wort and top up with
Most recipes in Zymurgy offer an all-grain volume. (Leave some room for foam!) water in the fermenter.
version and a malt extract or partial-mash
alternative. Pick the procedure you prefer • Hop additions are given in minutes
and prepare some wort! Some recipes before the end of the boil.

70 | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2022 | Zymurgy

Brew Lingo Every field has specialized language, and homebrewing is no different.
Here are a some of the key terms, abbreviations, and acronyms you’ll
find throughout Zymurgy.

AA – alpha acid DO – dissolved oxygen MLT – mash-lauter tun

ABV – alcohol by volume EBC – European Brewing Convention (beer color) NHC – National Homebrew Competition

AHA – American Homebrewers Association FG – final gravity OG – original gravity

BBL – US beer barrel (31 US gal or 117.3 L) FWH – first wort hops, added to the boil kettle as it °P – degrees Plato (wort/beer density)
fills with sweet wort after mashing
BIAB – brew in a bag RIMS – recirculating infusion mash system
HERMS – heat exchange recirculating mash system
BJCP – Beer Judge Certification Program RO – reverse osmosis, a water purification process
HLT – hot liquor tank that removes most dissolved ions
Chico – American ale yeast, AKA Wyeast 1056,
WLP001, SafAle US-05, and others IBU – international bittering unit SG – specific gravity (wort/beer density)

CTZ – Columbus, Tomahawk, and Zeus: interchange- LHBS – local homebrew shop SMaSH – single malt and single hop
able high-alpha-acid hops
°L – degrees Lovibond (malt color) SMM – S-methyl methionine, precursor to dimethyl
DME – dry malt extract sulfide (DMS)
LME – liquid malt extract
DMS – dimethyl sulfide, an off flavor similar to SRM – Standard Reference Method (beer color)
canned corn or cooked vegetables LTHD – Learn to Homebrew Day

FERMENTING & CONDITIONING If you force carbonate in a keg, • Add 0.5 psi (35 mbar) for every 1,000
Pitch yeast into chilled, aerated or • Use the chart to dial in the gauge feet (300 meters) you live above sea level.
oxygenated wort. pressure on the regulator.
• To convert psi pressures to mbar,
• Use twice as multiply by 69.
much yeast for
lagers as you • To convert volumes of CO2 to g/L,
do for ales. multiply by 2.

• Ales ferment at 60–70°F (15–20°C).

Lagers ferment at 45–55°F (7–13°C). REGULATOR PRESSURES (PSI) FOR VARIOUS CARBONATION LEVELS
AND SERVING TEMPERATURES
• Condition ales at room temperature or
colder for a week or two. VOL. CO2
2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 2.8 2.9 3.0 3.1
• Condition lagers at close to freezing for
33 5.0 6.0 6.9 7.9 8.8 9.8 10.7 11.7 12.6 13.6 14.5
several weeks if you can (traditional but
not required). 34 5.2 6.2 7.2 8.1 9.1 10.1 11.1 12.0 13.0 14.0 15.0

BOTTLING & KEGGING 35 5.6 6.6 7.6 8.6 9.7 10.7 11.7 12.7 13.7 14.8 15.8
If you bottle,
36 6.1 7.1 8.2 9.2 10.2 11.3 12.3 13.4 14.4 15.5 16.5
• Use 1 oz. of dextrose
TEMP. (°F)

(corn sugar) per 37 6.6 7.6 8.7 9.8 10.8 11.9 12.9 14.0 15.1 16.1 17.2
gallon of beer
(7.5 g/L) for a good, 38 7.0 8.1 9.2 10.3 11.3 12.4 13.5 14.5 15.6 16.7 17.8
all-purpose level of CO2. 39 7.6 8.7 9.8 10.8 11.9 13.0 14.1 15.2 16.3 17.4 18.5
• Use less sugar for less fizz. 40 8.0 9.1 10.2 11.3 12.4 13.5 14.6 15.7 16.8 17.9 19.0

• Take care with higher carbonation 41 8.3 9.4 10.6 11.7 12.8 13.9 15.1 16.2 17.3 18.4 19.5
levels—many single-use beer bottles 42 8.8 9.9 11.0 12.2 13.3 14.4 15.6 16.7 17.8 19.0 20.1
aren’t designed for high pressure.
Source: Brewers Association Draught Beer Quality for Retailers
= PSI

Zymurgy | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2022 | 71

 FERMENT
onThis

The German Reinheitsgebot

506 Years of Purity?
By Jan Brücklmeier

T
he German Reinheitsgebot, translated
literally as the “purity commandment,”
is often called the oldest still-valid food
purity law, having been in place in
Germany since 1516 without major chang-
es. This statement couldn’t be more wrong.
Everyone seems to know the facts—that
Bavarian dukes Wilhelm IV and Ludwig
X proclaimed the Reinheitsgebot in
Ingolstadt on April 23, 1516, and that this
exact law, to protect the purity of beer, has
been in place in Germany ever since. Also,
many brewers around the globe know the
famous words:
We wish especially that, henceforth and
everywhere, in our towns, markets, and in the
countryside, shall be employed and used in no
beer more constituents than alone barley, hops,
and water.

HomebrewersAssociation.org Zymurgy | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2022 | 73

 (Original: Ganz besonders in th
he 1500s was anything but
wollen wir, dass forthin ssecuure. Compared to wheat,
allenthalben in unseren Städten,
Märkten und auf dem Lande REINHEITSGEBOT bbarlley is a relatively unde-
man nding crop that can grow on
zu keinem Bier mehr Stücke commparatively unfertile ground.
als allein Gersten, Hopfen
und Wasser verwendet undd
n We wish especially that, b
Crittically, though, barley can’t
be uused to bake bread due to its
gebraucht werden sollen.)
I don’t know how many cop-
henceforth and everywhere, w
low gluten content. So, to secure
wheeat for use in bread pro-
ies of the proclamations adorn
the walls of breweries and bars
in our towns, markets, d
b
duction, Wilhelm and Ludwig
bann ned its use in brewing. Had
worldwide today. Unfortunately, I
am here to destroy your romantic and in the countryside, shall b
theyy truly been convinced of
barlley’s “purity” for brewing, it
dreams about brewing purity.
be employed and used in no wwouuld have been crazy for them
to alllow the Baron of Degenberg
THE LAW OF THE LANDS
beer more constituents than
in 1548, only 33 years after
First, there was no such thing as the proclamation of the
Germany in 1516, when Wilhelm ““Reiinheitsgebot,” to brew wheat
and Ludwig were dukes of barley, hops, and water alone. bbeerr and to make brewing with
Bavaria. The “Bavaria” they ruled wwheeat a privilege of the royals.
at that time was much smaller Fourth, parts of the law were
than the modern state of Bavaria. Wilhelm IV & Ludwig X channged only four years later
At best, their decree would have Ingolstadt, Germany, April 23, 1516 after
f r the original decree had
been the “Bavarian purity law” or, bbeenn issued. In 1520, the very
more precisely, the purity law of ssam
me Wilhelm IV changed the
the Bavarian Duchy. bbeerr price in the law. True, he
Second, the 31 words dealing ddidn
dn’t change the allowable
with beer ingredients are just gredients—that part of the
ingr
one part of an entire book called llaw was changed by his son,
the Landesordnung, or general code off law. proclaimed law for
p f beer ingredients. In fact,
f Albrecht V,, in 1551,
1 who allowed corian-
This book has four parts and deals with a larger part of the law that concerns beer der and bay leaves in beer. Later, in 1616,
topics like how to deal with murderers or actually addresses the price of it. Maximilian added salt, juniper, and cara-
muggers and how and when to apply tor- Third, the 1516 law has nothing to do way to the list.
ture in interrogations. It was never just a with the purity of beer. The food supply As noted earlier, the Reinheitsgebot
was proclaimed in the Duchy of Bavaria,
which was a small part of today’s mod-
ern state. But even when the law became
binding in the entire state of Bavaria, the
Kingdom of Bavaria at that time in 1806,
it was not law in the rest of Germany
as we know it today. This didn’t happen
until 1906, when Bavaria joined the
German Empire. So, for the first 390
years of its existence, the Reinheitsgebot
was not a German law; it was only bind-
ing in Bavaria.
After the Second World War ended,
the regulation was only valid for
West Germany. East Germany, the
German Democratic Republic (Deutsche
Demokratische Republik or DDR), had dif-
ferent laws that allowed such ingredients
as sugar, rice, corn, and enzymes. There,
the Reinheitsgebot was called the TGL
7764. The “German” purity law was not
binding for Germany in its entirety for
431 out of 506 years.
Photo © Getty/Geerati (scroll)

Fifth, it was never called the

Reinheitsgebot when it was first pro-
claimed. The term was probably first used
in 1909 in the petition committee in Berlin
by treasury senior civil servant Joseph
Bavaria, 1516. Credit: Jan Brücklmeier, 2022 Rheinboldt during a discussion about

74 | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2022 | Zymurgy HomebrewersAssociation.org

 The Reinheitsgebot as a marketing tool: Label of wheat beer,
claiming to be brewed according to the purity law of 1516 even
though the original regulation excluded the use of wheat.
Bayrische Landesordnung. Credit: Wikimedia Commons Credit: Tom Tiburon

brewing processes. The first documented It may sound like I have a problem with that their subjects would import less
use of the term is from 1918 in a transcript the Reinheitsgebot, but this is not the case. beer and drink more Bavarian beer, thus
of the Bavarian Parliament. I think it helped make Bavarian beer, the increasing tax revenue. This might also
Last, there are much older brew- foundation of our culture, famous around have been one of the reasons why the
ing laws and regulations. When the the world. It also lay the fertile ground for regulation only mentions malt, hops, and
Landesordnung was proclaimed, the first the number of breweries that still produce water, but not yeast. Malt and hops were
known regulation had already been in beer. As an example, the lowest number taxed, but yeast was not. Also, hops were
place for more than 350 years. Even the of breweries in the USA was 89 active farmed in Bavaria, unlike the gruit that
limitation of the grist to barley is much breweries in 1978, compared to 1,275 in was used in other beers.
older—the oldest known, still-existing Germany in 2003, nearly 40 times as many
source dates to 1302 in Nuremberg. The per capita. 1516 TO PRESENT
brewing law of Weimar from 1348 made But I think it should be seen as what it But what about the “Reinheitsgebot” today?
hops mandatory. Towards the end of the is and was—not a law to ensure the purity The initial regulation from 1516 was
1400s, most brewing regulations includ- of beer, but a law to ensure the compet- adapted several times. In 1806, the
ed the absolute same ingredients as the itiveness of Bavarian beer and Bavarian Electorate of Bavaria, together with Tyrol
so-called Reinheitsgebot: barley, water, breweries. Wine was the preferred drink and Vorarlberg (today part of Austria),
and hops. in Bavaria for a very long time. That became the Kingdom of Bavaria, and the
changed in the late 1400s as the climate influence of the regulation was expand-
THE WRITING ON THE WALL began to cool in the so-called Little Ice ed to the entire national territory. In the
I apologize for destroying your imagination, Age. Temperatures in Bavaria, once famous same year, the mode for taxation changed
but I’m not done. Sorry. for wine, fell below what was needed to as well. Now tax was calculated based on
You might argue now that you have seen grow wine grapes. Thus began Bavarians’ the amount of malt used to brew. It seems
a copy with the signature and seal of duke ever-lasting love for beer. logical that the monarch of this time wasn’t
Wilhelm on so many walls around the Northern German cities, in particular the interested in any beer ingredient except
globe. There must be a grain of truth to the cities of the Hanseatic League, were famous (taxable) malt.
story—you saw it with your own eyes. for their beer, which they produced en In 1861, the regulation became
You must be strong now. Even these cop- masse. Hamburg, for example, produced part of Bavarian law as the so-called
ies are a total fake. The seal is not the seal close to 315,000 barrels at the end of the Surrogatsverbot (surrogate ban). Surrogate,
of Duke Wilhelm IV, the signature is not 1400s, with only one-sixth consumed with- in the spirit and purpose of the law,
his, and the original document is a page in the city. The rest was exported. meant replacements for barley malt and
out of a book. There is no single document The issue the Bavarian monarch had hops. In 1870, Bavaria became part of
entitled Reinheitsgebot. with this was that taxation of beer was the Norddeutscher Bund (North German
One final comment. It is often said that indirect at that time. Beer itself wasn’t Confederation), but only on the condition
yeast is not part of the regulation since it was taxed, but its production was. This meant that Bavaria retain its sovereignty to tax
not known at the time it was written. Again, that if more beer were imported, less tax beer, a condition that was accepted. It’s
sorry, this is not true. Much older regulations, could be collected. Bavarian beer was not surprising that the king insisted on
such as the Bamberger Ungeldordnung, a brew- already well-known, unfortunately for its this condition, since between 25 and 35
ing regulation from 1489, mentions barley, bad quality. Hence, Bavarian sovereigns percent of Bavaria’s tax revenue came from
hops, water, and yeast. had an interest in increasing quality so this source.

HomebrewersAssociation.org Zymurgy | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2022 | 75

 into Germany. This law was repealed by
the European Union in 1987. In 1993,
after West Germany had been reunited
with East Germany, a new version of the
Biersteuergesetz took effect.
In modern Germany, as part of the
European Union, beer laws are everything
but simple. I don’t want to overwhelm you,
but if you’d like to dive into the mystery of
the Reinheitsgebot, you can use the accom-
panying diagram to find all the applicable
laws and regulations.
I must admit—those copies of the
“Reinheitsgebot,” contrived though they
may be, look considerably better on the
wall of a brewhouse or pub than this
chart does!

Born and raised in Munich, half a mile

away from Oktoberfest and the Augustiner
The modern “purity” law: Law and regulation concerning beer. Credit: Jan Brücklmeier brewery, and with one grandmother in
the beer business and the other a former
In 1906, the entire German Reich adopt- In 1923, the same rules were absorbed into pub owner, Jan Brücklmeier’s destiny was
ed the Bavarian law. For lager beer, the law the new Biersteuergesetz (beer taxation law), almost predetermined. He brewed his
still dictated barley malt, hops, yeast, and which was renewed in 1952 as law in the first batch of beer in the late 1980s and
water as the only allowed ingredients, but newly founded Federal Republic of Germany, made his passion a profession when he
other malts and sugars were permitted for again with stricter rules for Bavaria. studied brewing sciences and beverage
ales. If the beer was brewed for export, it In 1958, Germany became part of the technologies at the world-famous beer
could deviate from the law. But Bavaria, European Union. Until 1987, by law, university, Weihenstephan, from which he
making use of its veto right, outlawed the only beer that was brewed according holds a master’s degree. Jan has written
use of sugar within its borders. to this law was allowed to be imported two books about homebrewing and beer.

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HomebrewersAssociation.org Zymurgy | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2022 | 79

 LAST
Drop BY STEVE RUCH

Customize Your Hops

T
ime really flies when you’ve having I then had to decide just how to add
fun—and, at my age, even when you’re the grapefruit and cherry: artificially fla-
not. Back in the March/April 2015 issue vored extract, fresh fruit, concentrate,
of Zymurgy, I explored brewing options fresh-squeezed juice, or bottled juice with
in the event of another hop shortage no additives. As a semi-retired freelance
(“Preparing for the Hopacalypse”). If you layabout, I, of course, chose the form that
remember the hop shortage that occurred offered the most natural flavor for the least
way back then, raise your hand. amount of effort: bottled juice. When the
I was taken back to that time when I hop buds began to appear, I started to
ran across the notes from an experiment I substitute grapefruit juice for some of the
did after that piece was published, notes water used to irrigate the Goldings and
that were tucked away and rediscovered cherry juice for the Sterlings. I also added a
two major moves later. In 2015, I was bit of black food coloring to trace the prog-
growing two varieties of hops in the back- ress of the juice up the bines. Once black
yard: U.S. Goldings, with their subtle bit- appeared in the leaves closest to the hop
terness and mild, pleasant English flavor buds, I discontinued the coloring.
and aroma; and Sterling, which was herbal When it came time to harvest the hops,
and spicy with a pleasant floral hint. I’d there was a definite grapefruit aroma to the
brewed some pretty good bitters with the Goldings, while the cherry aroma was subtle
Goldings and some great Pilsners with the in the Sterlings. When the Goldings were in
Sterling, but I didn’t want to limit myself the dehydrator, their grapefruit smell filled
to just those styles. my brew room. The Sterlings’ cherry aroma
While browsing the web, I ran across an Steve Ruch tending his hops and was there, but it was subdued.
interesting experiment to try with kids. If “watering” with bottled fruit juice. The real test came on brew day. See
you cut white flowers, such as daisies, and the recipes for Captain Clutterbuck’s Best
put food coloring into their water, the color the roots to the leaves and, in this case, hop Bitter and Cherryish Wheat in this issue of
will migrate to the petals as it’s transported cones. Water is transported through the Zymurgy. As they say, “The proof is in the
along with the water. xylem by capillary action, in which mole- pudding,” or, in this case, in the beer. Had
I also discovered several websites detail- cules of water are pulled upwards through I not known better, I would have sworn
ing how to add flavor to cannabis. To do surface adhesion and surface tension. Water that Captain Clutterbuck’s Best Bitter was
so, you stop watering the plants three to travels through the xylem until it reach- brewed with Cascade hops. On the other
four days before harvesting to dry out the es mesophyll cells that release the water hand, the Cherryish Wheat beer had only
soil. Then, mix half an ounce (15 mL) through stomata pores, which are triggered slight cherry flavor and aroma. I discov-
of essential oil or food-grade extract in by daylight to open, also signaling the plant ered one thing that worked great and one
2 quarts (2 L) of water, and slowly water to draw in more water. that sort of worked and considered this
the plants with the solution. Certain nutri- My first consideration was to decide experiment a success.
ents added to the plant over the last three what flavors and aromas I wanted to add to I’d encourage anyone reading this to
or four weeks of the flowering stage will the hops I was growing. The decision was give it a try with any flavor or aroma addi-
also add flavors. a no brainer, at least to me: something to tion that sounds good to them. And while
Photo courtesy of Steve Ruch

Hmmm, hops and cannabis are related. allow me to brew American pale ales and this experiment was a success, it’s not one
Movement of fluid in plants occurs via West Coast IPAs. That meant grapefruit for I’ll be doing again. It ended up being kind
osmosis, which starts when the root hair the Goldings and cherry for the Sterlings of expensive!
cells absorb water and/or flavoring from (some of today’s newest hops feature stone
the soil. Plant tissue cells called xylem are fruit flavors and aroma, which I suppose Steve Ruch lives in Fort Wayne, Ind., and is
arranged in long, thin tubes that travel from means I was ahead of my time). a regular contributor to Zymurgy.

80 | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2022 | Zymurgy HomebrewersAssociation.org