Dave Carpenter | Craft Beer & Brewing

Esters versus Phenols

You frequently hear the terms “estery” and “phenolic” in sensory descriptions, but what exactly do these terms mean?

The Physics of Foam

What is beer foam and why is it so important?

Do You Know the Muffin Fan?

If your draft system consistently serves supremely sudsy pints, you may need to get to know the muffin fan.

Cooking with Your Homebrew

One of my favorite approaches to pairing homebrew with food is to simply work the beer itself into the dish with which I plan to serve it.

Malt: The Soul of Beer

Without malt, beer would be lifeless and flat. Hops bitterness only works in balance with malt sweetness, and yeast requires sugars and nutrients for fermentation, both of which malt-based wort offers. Here's a malt primer.

Why Isn't My Beer Clear?

Hazy beer is usually more cosmetic than catastrophic. But if you find that your homebrew is consistently cloudy, look into one of these common culprits.

Leaked Intelligence

From flooded kegerators to midnight wet vac rentals, anyone who kegs his/her homebrew has probably encountered a leak at some point.

Grain Storage

The enemies of grain malts are many, and your goal is to eliminate or reduce these adversaries to acceptable levels.

3 Things to Check Before You Buy a Refractometer

Refractometers are fairly simple devices, but take some time to check out the features so you know what you’re getting.

Extract Revealed

Don’t snub your nose at malt extract. It is an indispensable ingredient for homebrewers of all kinds.