Brewing Tips

Notes from out sensory training education night held on September 2023. We used Siebel fault kits with tasters blind to the faults at first. Only common beer faults were discussed. Notes feature the talking points of the night including the perception of the faults, how the occur, and how they can be prevented. Contents: 1. …

The table below table shows the full results of laboratory water analyses commissioned by BABBs in November 2022. Several areas of Brisbane are represented, but be aware that there is some variation in sources over time. These samples should definitely get you in the ballpark. A reminder that Brisbane water is treated with both Chlorine …

Taking a look at some lesser known IPA sub-styles with Tony Van Der Linden When you think of IPAs these days, where does your mind normally go? Is it hazies and the (these days) ever-present NEIPA, or the revival of “proper” West Coast IPAs? Perhaps you’re reminded of that one good Brut IPA you ever …

By José Perez If you got served the two beers below, which one would you choose to drink? If you picked the one on the right, then you can already instinctively recognise a beer poured in a “beer-clean” glass compared to one poured in a not so beer-clean glass. But what is a “beer-clean” glass? …

By Dion Clark Reaching your proper final gravity is something that newer brewers in particular worry about a lot. Here are some tips. Learn your tools Whatever tool you are using for your gravity readings, be sure that it is calibrated. Either a refractometer or hydrometer should read 1.000 when reading distilled water (the stuff …

By Nick Holt Are your beers scoring low 30’s and fault free, but your not getting those competition wins? Take heart, these scores are a sign you are really a good brewer. When a judge says a recipe needs some work or tweaking, this indicates that the beer does not meet all the style parameters …

with Anthony “Ziggo” Zigenbine Sour beers have been around since beer was invented, and this new trend of fruited sours is just their latest incarnation. You can impress your friends by telling them that they’re often known as Catharina Sours, as brewers in the Santa Catherina region of Brazil were the first to popularise the …

by Dion Clark Steve from Hilltops very generously hand delivered three pots of Chinook hop plants to my door recently. As a token of my gratitude, and in normal home brewer fashion I gave him a couple of bottles of my current beers; a Citra-Simcoe Kveik Golden Ale, and a Bretted Table Saison. He quite …

by Dion Clark These faults were sampled in our March 2019 education night sensory training session. They represent some of the most common beer faults. Tips aim to be relevant to our member’s brewing practices. Diacetyl Aroma of butter, Werther’s caramel, or artificial popcorn butter.  Taste is buttery, and leaves a characteristic oily slickness on …

Guide to improving your hoppy beers by Nick Holt The Hops The first and most basic is the hop itself. Look at the type and try and select more classic American hop types for that typical hop character. Australian and NZ hops can be great, but start with a classic well known hop you know …