Category: Small Batch Brewing

Brewing with Fruits and Spices

Adding fruit beers to your arsenal at home often takes trial and error if you’re building a recipe from scratch. However, when used well, they can elevate your beer to a whole new level. I’m here to help you step it up a notch with this detailed tutorial on how to use fruit and spices…
How to correct low (or high) original gravity

I was inspired to write this guide after a reader wrote in to complain that despite following my recipe to a tee, his original gravity reading came in very low. As all-grain brewers, we have all had this problem eventually. It has happened to me on more than one occasion, and it is beyond frustrating…
Black IPA

I’m a late convert to this style, long of the view that it was a fad that would pass. Well, the style remains, and I concede that a black IPA is a thing of beauty. It’s a style that elegantly contrasts roasted caramel notes with the grassy or tropical flavours. Why not, right?
Spiced Saison

I could tinker with saison recipes without ever touching another style. Saisons offer so much variety and I just love how spicy you can make it while still producing a balanced beer. This one has a classic spice mix that augments the yeast so well.
Session IPA

There are times when you want a smack of hop flavour all afternoon long. Throwing back double IPAs could make for a punishing morning the next day. If you want to sip slow and long, this IPA recipe stays light on the ABV, intense on the hops.
Managing Fermentation

While we often make a fuss about the importance of sanitization in brewing (it’s important!), there is a separate variable that almost single-handedly accounts for the quality of your beer: fermentation. In fact, most of what can go wrong with your beer happens during fermentation.
Edward Ale

Inspired by Hill Farmstead’s renowned version of American Pale Ale, this beer is flowery, with impressions of citrus and pine.
Boston Lager

It can be easy to forget how tasty the Vienna Lager beer style is, and the powerful role the Boston Brewing Company has played in the craft beer movement with its signature interpretation. I went years without drinking Sam Adams’ Boston Lager, and was inspired to brew it after rediscovering such a classic.
New England IPA

This new beer style isn’t officially a style yet, but it’s rather delicious. Be a pioneer and beer this hazy, soft, tropical, stone-fruity IPA.
How to evaluate your beer

As the Godfather of homebrewing, Charlie Papazian once wrote, “the more you know about beer, the more you will appreciate beer flavors and discover what it is you prefer…” As a home brewer, you already know more about beer than most. Even if you just have one brew under your belt, you’re in a league…
American Wheat Beer

This style should not be confused with its German cousin. This is not a Hefeweizen. You won’t find notes of cloves or banana. However, you will notice prominent hop flavour. Here I’ve opted for New Zealand hops to give this a bright, citrusy profile perfect for warm weather drinking.
Blanche de Leslieville

Blanche de Chambly is one of Quebec’s great beers, and one we Canadians take for granted more than we should. It’s readily available on our store shelves, but when it was new to the market, it was one hell of a revelation. Here’s my version, named after the beloved Toronto neighbourhood I call home.
Belgian Wit Beer

This is one refreshing beer. Wit is the Flemish word for white (or so I’m told)—the colour of this beer’s head. This is a pretty complex beer, especially considering the restrained additions in the boil. Enjoy a style made famous in 1800s Belgium, especially on a warm spring day or a scorching summer afternoon.
How to Bottle Homebrew

This is a detailed and approachable guide to bottling your homebrew. I’ve included a checklist so you don’t miss a step, making sure you hit it out of the park every time.
Smoked Porter

This smoked porter is best enjoyed in your study, by the fire, perhaps with a good pipe in hand. Or just a good Netflix series. Either way, it’ll set you right!