One of the most rewarding aspects of homebrewing is learning how to make better beer. To do that, sometimes it’s important to be able to answer the question, “what went wrong with my beer?”.
The first step in the problem solving process is to do a full sensory analysis of the beer. Compare what you see, smell, and taste against what you expect from this style of beer or what you intended the beer to be. What does the beer feel like when you take a swallow? Is it under or over carbonated? The BJCP Style Guidelines is a great place to start when analyzing your homebrew.
When something tastes or smells “off”, it may be a clue as to what went wrong with your your beer. It’s up to you to try to identify the specific aroma or flavor that raises a red flag. This can give you a good indication as to where you need to improve your technique. Here are some of the most common flavor and aroma faults associated with homebrew:

• Phenolic – Phenolic flavors and aromas tend to be described as tasting of plastic, band-aid, smoky, or spicy. Though some degree of phenolics may be desirable in certain beer styles (particularly Belgian ales and hefeweizens), phenols in excess can overwhelm a beer. Excessive phenols are usually caused by fermentation issues, most commonly incorrect temperature or an infection. Clean your equipment thoroughly and do everything you can to control fermentation temperature.
• Grassy – Grassy flavors most often come from raw ingredients. Try reducing the amount of dry hops and make sure your ingredients are fresh.
• Alcoholic – With the exception of some barrel aged beers, in most cases you shouldn’t taste or smell alcohol in your beer. If you find your beer to be excessively alcoholic, try reducing the use of simple sugar adjuncts, lowering fermentation temperature, or allowing the beer to age for a longer period of time.
• Acetaldehyde – You’ll know acetaldehyde when you come across it – it smells and tastes just like green apples. Acetaldehyde is usually caused by stressed fermentation. To avoid acetaldehyde, give your wort good oxygenation, allow adequate conditioning time, and use yeast nutrient.
• Medicinal – A beer the tastes or smells like chlorine could be due to chlorinated water, residual chlorine from bleach-based sanitizer, or infection. Boil your water to vaporize chlorine or use bottled water. Also, rinse bleach-based sanitizers well with very hot water. Finally, clean and sanitize thoroughly to avoid infection.
• Sour/Acidic – Unless you are deliberately brewing a sour beer or a beer with sour ingredients, acidic flavors indicate a possible infection. Certain bacteria produce acid, so be sure to clean and sanitize your equipment thoroughly. Scratched fermenters may need to be replaced.
• Yeasty – Excessively bready or yeasty flavors are caused by yeast still in suspension in your beer. Try allowing the beer more time in secondary so it can flocculate and drop out of suspension. Clarifying agents like gelatin can help. Also, when shopping for beer yeast, look for highly flocculating yeast strains.

You may have noticed that several of the reasons why something went wrong with your beer are due to fermentation problems. Before you make any changes to your homebrew system, I would highly recommend investing in a temperature controlled fermentation space. Between temperature control, using a yeast starter to pitch an adequate amount of yeast, and good cleaning and sanitation, you’ll rarely, if ever, encounter any of the faults above.
So, there you have it! Now the next time you ask yourself the question, “what went wrong with my beer?”, you’ll have an answer!
Do you have an off-flavor horror story? Have you ever had to throw out a batch?
*A full list of BJCP beer faults may be found here.
———————————————————————————————————
David Ackley is a beer writer, brewer, and self-described “craft beer crusader.” He holds a General Certificate in Brewing from the Institute of Brewing and Distilling and is founder and editor of the Local Beer Blog.

There are many debates in the home brewing world: extract vs. all-grain, fly vs. batch sparge, one- vs. two-stage fermentation. Today, let’s consider a topic that doesn’t get talked about very much – the impact of your home brewing equipment on beer quality and the home brewing experience.
Among some of the reasons people quit homebrewing are the various challenges, the time commitment, and the quality (or lack thereof) of the beer they make. A brewer’s choice in equipment can go a long way towards alleviating these problems.
In this three part series, I will review some of the home brewing equipment upgrades that will make your brewing hobby easier, less time consuming, and better suited for producing high-quality beer on a consistent basis. We’ll even find that some items help out in more than one area.
For starters, here’s a home brewing equipment list we’ll review that makes brewing your own beer a little easier…
Home Brewing Equipment That Makes Brewing Easier
Auto-siphon – The auto-siphon was one of those common-sense upgrades that after I got one, I couldn’t believe I hadn’t done it sooner. It eliminates having to suck on the end of your racking hose or try other tricks to get the flow started. Just a pump or two on the auto-siphon and you’re transferring from one fermenter to another! We carry a 3/8” auto-siphon, a 1/2” auto-siphon, and a mini auto-siphon for one-gallon jugs.

Fermenter with spigot – Eliminate the need for siphoning all together with a fermenter with a spigot at the bottom. Just hook up your clean, sanitized racking hose and open the spigot to start racking.

Carboy carrier – A carboy full of beer or wort weighs upwards of 40 pounds, more if it’s made of glass. Save your back and reduce the chance of dropping the carboy with a Brew hauler carboy carrier. The glass carboy handle is a nice piece of home brewing equipment for moving empty carboys.

Digital thermometer – No more squinting at the little dial, no more guessing whether your meat thermometer is accurate or not. A good digital thermometer gives readout in a matter of seconds and is accurate within one degree Fahrenheit.

Keg/carboy washer – Cleaning the inside of a keg or carboy can be tricky.  Eliminate the hassle and get a better clean with Mark’s Keg and Carboy Washer – it saves water too! Another good option is the carboy and bottle washer.

Bottle tree – Easily dry your homebrew beer bottles with a bottle tree. It saves space and it’s effective. We carry 45-count bottle trees. Home brewing equipment like this is a must, when space is an issue.

Homebrew calculators – Though not equipment per se, you can build recipes and figure out the stats on your beer with homebrew calculators. Plus they’ll help with calculating how much priming sugar to use, correcting hydrometer readings for temperature, and a number of other homebrew calculations.
So there it is, a home brewing equipment list for your review. What kinds of equipment make your brew day easier?
————————————————————————————————————————–
David Ackley is a beer writer, brewer, and self-described “craft beer crusader.” He holds a General Certificate in Brewing from the Institute of Brewing and Distilling and is founder and editor of the Local Beer Blog.

Before you fire up that grill this summer, consider using one of your homemade beers for a homebrew chicken marinade. Marinating chicken and meats in beer go a long way towards making them extra tender, juicy, and flavorful. Many different beer styles will work, but I’ve had the best results from brown ale, porter, pale ale, and witbier. Here are three homebrew beer chicken marinade recipes to try!
Grilled Beer Marinated Chicken Recipe with Spices and Lime
(via PicturetheRecipe.com)
Ingredients:

• 8-10 chicken drumsticks
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 tsp onion salt
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
• 3/4 cloves garlic
• juice from 1/2 a lime
• 1 cup beer (use a homebrew!)
• handful of chopped fresh parsley
• salt to taste

Directions:

1. Mix together all ingredients except the chicken in a large bowl.
2. Add the chicken to a baking dish or plastic bag and pour the marinade over the chicken.
3. Marinate in your refrigerator for at least two hours, or overnight.
4. If needed, turn the chicken periodically to make sure it all gets some time to marinate!
5. Grill the chicken for 25-30 minutes or until done. Discard the marinade.
6. Enjoy with a homebrew!

Italian Garlic and Herb Beer Marinade for Grilled Chicken
(via theslowroastedItalian.com)
Ingredients:

• 1 12-oz bottle dark ale (try a porter or stout)
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 6 large cloves of garlic, smashed
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 3 tbsp fresh lemon basil (or 3 teaspoons dried)
• 1 tbsp fresh oregano (or 2 teaspoons dried)
• 1 tbsp fresh thyme (or 1 teaspoon dried)
• 2 tsp kosher salt
• 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 4-5 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts, trimmed and washed

Directions:

1. Place the chicken in a zip-lock plastic bag or large baking dish.
2. Mix together all the remaining ingredients (except the beer) in a blender or food processor. Set aside 1/2 cup of the marinade.
3. Pour the larger portion of the marinade plus eight ounces of beer over the chicken and marinate in your refrigerator for up to 24 hours. If needed, turn the chicken periodically to make sure it all comes in contact with the marinade.
4. Before grilling, allow the chicken to come to room temperature by removing it from the fridge 30-60 minutes before grill time.
5. Grill the chicken for 25-30 minutes or until done, using the reserved 1/2 cup of marinade for basting.
6. Enjoy with a homebrew!

Beer Marinated Chicken Thighs with Garlic, Spices, and Cilantro
(via SimplyScratch.com)
Ingredients:

• 2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken thighs
• 2-3 cloves of garlic, pressed through a garlic press
• 1 tsp ancho chile pepper
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp fresh cracked pepper
• 2 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped
• 1 cup homebrewed beer (try a brown ale or witbier)
• 2 tbsp sesame seed oil
• Juice from half a large lime

Directions: 

1. Mix together all the ingredients except the chicken in a large bowl.
2. Add the chicken to a baking dish or plastic bag and pour the marinade over the chicken. Marinate in your refrigerator for at least two hours, or overnight.
3. If needed, turn the chicken periodically to make sure it all gets some time to marinate!
4. Grill the chicken thighs for 4-6 minutes per side until done. Discard the marinade.
5. Enjoy with a homebrew!

Here’s another blog post for homebrewers who like to cook: How to Make Spent Grain Bread
Do you enjoy cooking with homebrew? What are some of your favorite recipes?
————————————————————————————————————-
David Ackley is a beer writer, brewer, and self-described “craft beer crusader.” He holds a General Certificate in Brewing from the Institute of Brewing and Distilling and is founder and editor of the Local Beer Blog.

Many homebrewers have looked at the pile of spent grains after their mash and wondered, “Isn’t there something I can do with all these spent grains?”
Well in fact, there is! In addition to composting your spent grains or making spent grain dog treats, you can reserve those grains and incorporate them into just about any bread recipe. Here’s how to make spent grain bread:

• First of all, don’t use the spent grains if you’ve added any hops to the mash. This can result in unpleasantly bitter beer bread.
• Unless you intend to use the grains right away, put them in the freezer. Warm, wet grains can get stinky pretty quick! You’ll only need about 2-4 cups of spent grains for a loaf of bread. Discard the rest, compost them, or freeze them until you want to cook with them.
• Your bread will have a smoother texture if you can process the spent grains in a food processor. If you don’t have a food processor that’s ok – just proceed with the recipe.
• Follow the recipe below on how to make spent grain bread!

Recipe: Spent Grain Bread
(makes 1-2 loafs)
Ingredients

• 1 cup warm water (you can also use a flat, malt-forward beer, such as porter or brown ale at room temperature)
• 2 tbsp sugar, honey, or maple syrup
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil or olive oil
• 2 tsp active dry yeast (you can also use beer yeast!)
• 2 tsp salt
• 4 cups all purpose flour
• 2 cups spent grain

Directions

1. Mix together the liquid ingredients (water/beer & oil) in a mixing bowl. Mix in the sugar and yeast and set aside for 5-10 minutes.
2. Place the spent grains in a large mixing bowl. Mix in the all purpose flour and salt and mix well. Don’t be afraid to get messy!
3. Form a well in the middle of the dough and pour in the liquid ingredients. Mix well.
4. Form the dough into a ball. The dough should be easily pliable, but not sticky. If your dough is sticky, knead in more flour.
5. Oil a mixing bowl and place the dough in the bowl to rise. Give it 60-90 minutes.
6. At this point, the dough should have risen. If it didn’t, you may need more yeast, or a fresh batch of yeast.
7. Punch down the dough, roll it into a nice loaf and place it in a greased bread pan or on a greased baking sheet. Let the dough rise for another 60-90 minutes.
8. Heat your oven to 350˚F.
9. Bake the bread for about one hour. The bread is done when a toothpick stuck into the middle of the loaf comes out clean.
10. Smother your bread with butter, make a sandwich, or make French toast – enjoy!

And there you have it, how to make spent grain bread. What do you do with your spent grains? We’d love to hear your ideas!
——————————————————————————————————-
David Ackley is a beer writer, brewer, and self-described “craft beer crusader.” He holds a General Certificate in Brewing from the Institute of Brewing and Distilling and is founder and editor of the Local Beer Blog.

Malt is the backbone of your homebrew. Not only does it contribute flavor to your beer, but it’s also responsible for fermentable sugars, color, aroma, and mouthfeel. Below are a number of terms used when talking about malt and how it’s made:

• Two-Row/Six-Row – There are two types of barley that are grown for brewing: two-row and six-row. The names refer to the way the grains grow on the stalk. Learn about the differences between two-row and six-row barley in this blog post.
• Endosperm – The endosperm is the white, starchy part of the malt grain that contains the carbohydrates which are converted into fermentable sugars during the malting and mashing processes. It’s important to expose this part of the grain when crushing it in order to promote good brewhouse efficiency.
• Germination – Germination, the second step in the malting process after steeping, is simply the act of sprouting. Barley grain must germinate before it can be turned into malt.
• Acrospire – During the malting process, the barley grain begins to grow. The acrospire is the shoot that would turn into a barley stalk if it were allowed to continue growing. Maltsters monitor the length of the acrospire as an indication when the grain is ready for kilning.
• Enzymes – One of the important characteristics of malt is that it contains enzymes. These enzymes (produced during germination) are what help the brewer convert starches into fermentable sugars during the mashing process.
• Modification – During germination, modification is an indication of when activity inside the barley grain is complete. Some malts are referred to as “well-modified” or “less-modified.” Most commercially produced malt is well-modified.
• Degrees Lovibond – Named for its inventor Joseph Lovibond, this is a number which describes the color of malt. Base malts, such as Pilsner malt, may be as low as 1 ºL, whereas heavily roasted malts can be as high as 300-500 ºL.
• SRM – Beer color, which is largely influence by the types of malt in a beer recipe, is measured by SRM, or Standard Reference Method, units. 1 is very pale; 40 and higher is black. An SRM Calculator can easily estimate the color of your homebrew.
• Base Malt/Grains – These malts form the majority of the grains you use in your homebrew. They are generally light in color and must possess Diastatic Power, a number which measures the enzyme content of malt. Examples of malt that can be used as base malt include 2-Row Brewer’s Malt, 6-Row Brewer’s Malt, Pilsner Malt, Vienna Malt, and Munich Malt (10L).
• Specialty Malt/Grains – Specialty malt, such as caramel malt and roasted barley, are used to contribute color and flavor to your beer. Because they contain little to no enzymes, they need to be mashed with base malt in order to extract their fermentable sugar.
• Adjunct Grains – Adjunct grains are those grains other than barley that are used to add gravity, improve body or head stability. Examples include wheat, rye, corn, and oats.
• Milling – The process of crushing your malted grains for brewing.

These are most of the homebrewing terms you should know involving malted barley grains and the malting process. Are there any homebrewing terms you’d like to learn more about? Leave a comment below!
————————————————————————————————————
David Ackley is a beer writer, brewer, and self-described “craft beer crusader.” He holds a General Certificate in Brewing from the Institute of Brewing and Distilling and is founder and editor of the Local Beer Blog.

At one time, both Ireland and Scotland were part of the British Empire. (Today, the Republic of Ireland is a sovereign nation.) There is evidence of brewing in Scotland and Ireland dating back hundreds, if not thousands of years. More recently, both countries have contributed a variety of distinct beer styles to the world of brewing, a few of which are listed below.
From Ireland
When it comes to beers of the world, one of the most widespread styles of beer comes from Ireland, but Guinness isn’t the only player. Kilkenny, Beamish, and Murphy’s all brew traditional Irish beer.

• Irish Stout – Mention Irish beer and the first thing that comes to mind is Guinness. Arthur Guinness founded his brewery in 1759 and soon defined the style known as Irish stout. Black malt and/or roasted barley give the beer a strong, coffee-like dryness. Guinness used a small proportion of soured beer to give its stout a slight pucker. Murphy’s makes another famous stout. Learn what it takes to brew your own Irish stout with our Simple Style Guide: Irish Stout.
• Irish Red Ale – Though few truly Irish red ales make it to the shelves in the US (Smithwick’s is one), many breweries on this side of the pond have adopted the style. Killian’s (a Coors brand) has been a transitional beer for many a craft beer drinker. Irish red ales are copper in color with an emphasis on caramel and/or toasty malt flavor. Since they’re not too hoppy or alcoholic, Irish red ales are agreeable to a wide range of palates. If you’d like to try your hand at an Irish red ale, consider brewing the Steam Freak Dublin Dock Red Ale.

From Scotland
Another country noted for brewing beers of the world is Scotland. As recently as the early 20th century, Scotland had a vibrant brewing industry. During the colonial era, Scottish “export” beer was shipped throughout the British Empire, as far as America, Australia, and India. A variety of traditional styles that originated in Scotland are still brewed today.

• Scottish Ale – Scottish beer is generally more malt forward and sweet than English ales, though there was a fair amount of cross pollination across borders. 60/-, 70/-, and 80/-schilling Scotch ales are named in respect to the price per barrel, which varied based on the alcohol content of the beer. 90/-schilling ales were sometimes intended for export, while 100/-schilling and stronger brews were often called “wee heavies. Read more about guidelines for brewing a Scotch ale at home.
• Heather Ale – Though not widely brewed, a type of beer particular to Scotland is heather ale. There’s no strict definition for it in the BJCP guidelines, but there is evidence that a fermented beverage made from heather, barley, oats, and honey was brewed thousands of years ago in Scotland. Just a handful of breweries still make heather ale: Williams Bros. Brewing Co. in Scotland and Cambridge Brewing Company in Massachusetts are two. Brew your own heather ale with a Brewcraft Heather ‘n Honey Deep Brown Ale recipe kit.

Do you enjoy Irish and Scottish ales? What are some of your favorite beers of the world?
———————————————————————————————————-
David Ackley is a beer writer, brewer, and self-described “craft beer crusader.” He holds a General Certificate in Brewing from the Institute of Brewing and Distilling and is founder and editor of the Local Beer Blog.

At long last, barbeque season is upon us! The perfect homebrewing accompaniment? Rauchbier!
Rauchbier is a style of smoked beer from Bamberg, Germany, notable for its use of smoked malt (rauch means “smoke” in German). The traditional rauchbier recipe is essentially a smoked Oktoberfest amber lager. The smoky flavor from the malt pairs exceptionally well with grilled meats and vegetables, so why not give it a try for this summer grill season?
To get a sense of how much smoke flavor you want in your rauchbier all grain recipe, try some different commercial rauchbiers. One popular brand from Bamberg is Brauerei Heller-Trum/Schlenkerla. Domestically, Sam Adams occasionally brews a smoked lager, as do Victory, Ballast Point, and a number of other American craft breweries. Ask your local bottle shop for rauchbier recommendations.
If you’re looking for a subtler smoked flavor, 20% smoked malt may be all you need in your rauchbier all grain recipe. For smoked beer die-hards, up to 100% smoked malt can be used in the grain bill.
Several breweries in and around Bamberg smoke their own malt using beech, cherry, or alder wood. If you so choose, you can smoke your own malt on your home grill.
Rauchbiers, such as the one below, are often brewed using a decoction mash and fermented as a lager. This rauchbier all grain recipe, from the book Homebrewing for Dummies, won 1st Place at the American Homebrewers Association National Competition. Happy brewing!
Beech Beer (a classic Rauchbier)
(five-gallon recipe, all-grain)
Specifications
OG: 1.056
FG: 1.014
ABV: 5.54%
IBUs: 20.5
SRM: 9
Ingredients
4.5 lbs. Klages (base) malt
2.5 lbs. smoked malt
2.25 lbs. Munich malt
1 lb. Vienna malt
.5 lb. Crystal 40L
1 oz. Hallertauer hops (:105 minutes)
.5 oz. Hallertauer hops (:15 minutes)
.25 oz. Hallerauer hops (:02 minutes)
.25 oz. Saaz hops (dry hop)
Wyeast 2206: Bavarian Lager (4L yeast starter recommended)
Directions for the decoction mash: Mash crushed grains in four gallons of clean water at 105˚F. After 20 minutes, remove one-third of the mash and bring it to a boil. Return this portion to the mash. The new mash temperature should be 125˚F. After 10 minutes, remove one-third of the mash and bring it to a boil. Return this portion to the mash. The new mash temperature should be 149˚F. After 30 minutes, raise mash temperature to 154˚F. After 30 minutes, raise mash temperature to 168˚F. After 30 minutes, sparge with clean water at 168˚F, collecting about 6.5-7 gallons of wort in the brew kettle.
Directions for boil and fermentation: Add one ounce of Hallertauer hops at beginning of 1 hr, 45 min boil. Add half an ounce of Hallertauer hops with 15 minutes remaining. Add a quarter-ounce of Hallertauer hops with 2 minutes remaining. Chill wort to approximately 50˚F and ferment at that temperature for 28 days. Rack to a secondary fermenter and condition at 35˚F for 28 days. Add Saaz hops during the last 5-7 days of the secondary fermentation. Bottle or keg, aiming for 2.2-2.5 vols CO₂.
Are you a fan of smoked beers? Do you have a rauchbier all grain recipe you’d like to share with us?
——————————————————————————————————–
David Ackley is a beer writer, brewer, and self-described “craft beer crusader.” He holds a General Certificate in Brewing from the Institute of Brewing and Distilling and is founder and editor of the Local Beer Blog.

Today’s beer recipe comes from a Popular Mechanics article that shares ten award-winning homebrew recipes from a homebrew club in New York. This one won first place in the American ale category at the 2010 Hudson Valley Homebrew Competition.
I was drawn to this extra pale ale recipe by its use of the hop bursting, a technique in which large amounts of hops are added later in the boil in lieu of the traditional early addition. This results in an assertive hop flavor and aroma without excessive hop bitterness.
The mix of specialty malts in this beer recipe creates a blend of toasty, caramel, and bready malt flavors to support the big-time hop flavor and aroma. If you’re looking for a sessionable, yet hoppy homebrew recipe, this could be the one!
Tips: You’ll need an 8-10 gallon boil kettle in order to do the all-grain version of this extra pale ale recipe. I’d also recommend using Irish moss and gelatin to avoid haze and to help hop trub settle out. Add the Irish moss with 10 minutes left in the boil; add the gelatin during secondary fermentation.
If you’d rather do this extra pale ale recipe’s extract version, see the partial-mash option at the end.
Happy brewing!
Ray Leeota’s Freezer Cleaner Extra Pale Ale
(All-grain recipe, 6-gallon batch)
Brewers: Ray Girard & Lee Jacobson
Style: American Pale Ale
OG: 1.053
FG: 1.013
IBUs: 40 IBU
ABV: 5.3%
9 lbs. American two-row malt 
1 lb. wheat malt
1 lb. crystal 40L malt
1 lb. Munich malt
0.5 lb. Victory malt
1 oz. Columbus hops (14 AAUs) at :20
0.5 oz. Amarillo hops (4.25 AAUs) at :10
0.5 oz. Centennial hops (5 AAUs) at :10
1 oz. Columbus hops (14 AAUs) at :5
1 oz. Centennial hops at flame out
1 oz. Amarillo hops at flame out
Wyeast 1056: American Ale Yeast
Directions: The day before brewing, prepare a 2L yeast starter. On brew day, clean and sanitize equipment. Mash crushed grains in 4.5 gallons of water. Hold at 152°F for 60 minutes. Sparge and collect about 7.5 gallons of wort. Boil wort for 60 minutes, adding hops according to the schedule. Add flame out hops when heat is turned off. Chill wort, transfer to a sanitized fermented, aerate, and pitch yeast. Ferment at 68°F.
Partial-mash option: Replace the American two-row malt with 6.6 lbs. of Steam Freak Light LME. Do a mini-mash with the specialty grains in 5 qts. water, strain wort into a brew kettle, and add malt extract. Top off with water to bring boil volume to 7.5 gallons and proceed with recipe as above.
This extra pale ale recipe as already proven itself to be a winner, so why not give it a try with either all-grain or extract. Either way it sound delicious!
Interested in other hoppy brews? Check out the Brewers Best: Imperial Pale Ale Recipe Kit!
——————————————————————————————————-
David Ackley is a beer writer, brewer, and self-described “craft beer crusader.” He holds a General Certificate in Brewing from the Institute of Brewing and Distilling and is founder and editor of the Local Beer Blog.

Whether you just started beer brewing or have been making beer at home for years, we all need some inspiration from time to time. Luckily, many professional brewers are very open about sharing their passion for beer brewing and even go as far as to share their insights online.
Check out five of the best beer brewing blogs for recipes, advice, industry trends, and more!

1. Charlie Papazian – President of the Brewers Association
   OK, Charlie Papazian doesn’t own or work at a brewery, but as founder of the Great American Beer Festival and President of the Brewers Association, he damn well deserves to be on top of this list. Many of you know the godfather of the American craft beer movement as author of The Complete Joy of Homebrewing, but he is also the National Beer Examiner at Examiner.com. He regularly contributes thought provoking posts like “What if Prohibition Never Happened?” and “Origin of Beer Species”. Be sure to check out his beer recipe for a Homebrewed Coconut Porter.
2. Mitch Steele – Stone Brewing Company
   Brewmaster at Stone Brewing Company since 2006, Mitch Steele wrote the book on IPAs — literally. Last year, Brewers Publications released IPA: Brewing Techniques, Recipes and the Evolution of India Pale Ale, probably the most comprehensive resource on the style. If you want to learn how to nail an IPA or learn more about the life of a pro brewer, follow Mitch’s beer brewing blog, the Hop Tripper.
3. John Cochran – Terrapin Brewing Company 
   John Cochran is the President and co-founder of Terrapin Brewing Company, makers of the infamous Terrapin Rye Pale Ale. He began home brewing in college and helped found Terrapin in 2002. Through his beer brewing blog, John at Terrapin, he gives a brewery executive’s perspective on the beer industry, writing about trends and news from Terrapin.
4. Mike Karnowksi – Green Man Brewing Company 
   Mike is a brewer at Green Man Brewing Company, one of Asheville’s original craft breweries. He’s responsible for some of their latest specialty craft beers, including a series of IPAs and stouts brewed from historical records. On his beer brewing blog, Asheville Brewer, he shares some of his homebrew experiments, including a series of Czech lagers and a rye stout with caraway seeds.
5. Michael Tonsmeire – The Mad Fermentationist
   Known as the Mad Fermentationist, Michael Tonsmeire writes one of the most comprehensive and dedicated beer brewing blogs around, sharing his beer recipes and techniques since 2007. He has contributed numerous articles to Brew Your Own magazine and is set to release his book, American Sour Beers in Spring 2014.

So there they are: some of the best beer brewing blogs around. Are there any others you consider a valuable resource? Let us know, and comment below…
————————————————————————————————————-
David Ackley is a beer writer, brewer, and self-described “craft beer crusader.” He holds a General Certificate in Brewing from the Institute of Brewing and Distilling and is founder and editor of the Local Beer Blog.

Homebrewing can be such a personal hobby. After all, we spend time researching, preparing and making the beer we love so much.
This Valentine’s Day, let’s not lose track of why we fell head over hydrometer for homebrewing in the first place. Today, I’m looking back at some of the special moments I’ve spent – and will spend – with that boozy love of ours.
——————————————-
Dear Homebrew,
It’s been a wild ride since things first started fermenting years ago. I feel like our relationship is still hotter than my propane burner blasting 55,000 BTUs to warm you up. I’ve been thinking about all our wonderful time together…
Meeting Homebrew
It’s crazy how things like this happen, isn’t it? A lot of people use the Internet to find brews like you these days, but I guess I’m just old fashioned. It was really nice for Andrew to introduce me to you. A friend of a friend. You inoculated me with love at first sight. No adjuncts needed.
I thought it was kind of weird that Andrew wanted to chaperone the first time we met, but it was his brew day and I was just along for fun.
The First Date
Wow. You really looked great that afternoon. I’ll never forget how your boiling wort frothed up twice during the boil. But you never overflowed. I knew from the start you were a kind and gentle soul. Your IBUs were low because how could you ever treat me bitterly? It’s like this was meant to be.
I really appreciated the care you put into how you looked and smelled. I know I was only steeping grains for you, but that aroma of 2-row and Crystal 20 malts was intoxicating. You sure do know how to drive a homebrewer wild.
The First Overnight
I’m usually pretty bad at this – I was so nervous. I mean, you had already come home with me and the owner at the local homebrew shop was really nice when he sold me your ingredients. I couldn’t wait to pay attention to your attenuation.
I felt bad about leaving you all alone in the downstairs closet. Do you get lonely? I thought I heard you crying, but it was just the “glug, glug, glug” of active fermentation. Your microorganisms sure do work fast. Wyeast 1056 seemed like such a good fit. I was so happy you liked it too.
Getting Engaged
It wasn’t clear when we first met, but I knew you came into my life to fill a beer-shaped hole in my heart. We have a hot break that lasts and lasts. That’s why I never want to let you go.
I loved that you could leave all your stuff at my place – I primed the perfect spot in the attic for all your pots, buckets and airlocks. There’s even a nice location for you in the fridge. A shelf that I knew you’d like a lot and will always be ready for you.
Marriage
At first I thought my wife would get jealous of our relationship, but it became clear that we could all co-exist. It was real ale love.
When we argued about you, I promise it wasn’t meant to make you upset. It’s just that sometimes when we have our dates, you take up three or four hours of my time and that can get in the way of other things. Especially when I pay extra attention to your partial mash.
Don’t worry, though. I’m committed to you. Long term. The Missus knows I love her; it’s just different with you. That’s why I knew I needed to put an O-ring on your keg.
A Long Life
I have a feeling this relationship will go on for a long time. Let’s not get caught up in the threat of terminal gravity.
You don’t know how much I look forward to spending anniversaries with you. We’ve already celebrated a few and when we mark our fourth year together in 2014, I’m pretty sure I already know what kind of traditional fruit present I’m going to get you. Here’s a hint: you’ll be a wheat ale soon.
———————————————————————————————————–
Bryan Roth is a beer nerd and homebrewer living in Durham, North Carolina. You can read his thoughts on beer and the beer industry on his blog, This Is Why I’m Drunk, and send him suggestions on how to get his wife to drink craft beer via Twitter at @bryandroth.