Miklix

Brewing

Brewing my own beer and mead has been a big interest of mine for several years now. Not only is it fun to experiment with unusual flavors and combinations that are difficult to find commercially, it also makes some of the more expensive styles much more accessible, as they are quite a bit cheaper to make at home ;-)

Subcategories

Adjuncts
In beer brewing, adjuncts are unmalted grains or grain products, or other fermentable materials, used alongside malted barley to contribute to the wort. Common examples include corn, rice, wheat, and sugars. They are used for various reasons, including cost reduction, flavor modification, and to achieve specific characteristics like a lighter body, increased fermentability, or improved head retention.

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Hops
While not technically a defining ingredient in beer (as in, something can be beer without it), hops is by most brewers considered the most important ingredient apart from the three defining ingredients (water, cereal grain, yeast). Indeed, the most popular styles of beer from the classic Pilsner to the modern, fruity, dry-hopped pale ales rely heavily on hops for their distinct flavor.

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Malts
Malt is one of the defining ingredients of beer, as it is made from cereal grain, most commonly barley. Malting barley involves allowing it to get to a point where it is just about to sprout, as the grain creates amylase enzyme at this stage, which is is needed to convert the starch in the grain to simple sugars that can be used for energy. Before the barley is fully sprouted, it is roasted to stop the process, but keep the amylase, which can then later be activated during mashing. All commonly used barley malts can be broadly grouped into four groups: Base Malts, Caramel and Crystal Malts, Kilned Malts, and Roasted Malts.

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Yeasts
Yeast is a necessary and defining ingredient of beer. During the mash, the carbohydrates (starch) in the grain are converted to simple sugars, and it is up to the yeast to convert these simple sugars into alcohol, carbon dioxide and a host of other compounds during the process called fermentation. Many yeast strains produce variety of flavors, making the fermented beer a completely different product than the wort the yeast is added to.

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