Category Archives: Education

My first encounter with beer stone

Posted on July 14, 2020 by mikehoover

I had my first encounter with beer stone recently. My fermenter chiller coils have been collecting a residue that does not come off easily. Normally, to clean them, I run a Scotch brite pads along the coils with some Barkeepers. … Continue reading →

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Notes on my first attempt at making crystal malt

Posted on August 24, 2019 by mikehoover

On Friday, August 23, 2019, I made my first attempt at making some crystal malt. I used Brewcabin.com’s post as a guide. 8:00 AM: Soaked 1 lb Thomas Fawcett Golden Promise malt in about 21 oz of bottled water in … Continue reading →

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First Attempt at Malting Wheat

Posted on March 16, 2019 by mikehoover

I have been reading about malting grains for a good while and finally decided to give it a try after I spotted some raw wheat at Whole Foods the other day. I bought about 2.5 pounds of it to play … Continue reading →

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Boil-off Test On My Small Kettle

Posted on January 27, 2019 by mikehoover

On Sunday, January 27, 2019, I conducted a boil-off test on my small kettle. It is a 62-quart SS Bayou Classic that I have used for five-gallon batches for years. I have been experimenting with lid-on boiling with my 1/2 … Continue reading →

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Apparent Attenuation Using Wyeast 3522 Ardennes Yeast On Two Different Worts

Posted on May 30, 2018 by mikehoover

I recently brewed two different Belgian ales. The first was a Belgian pale ale with a starting gravity of 1.061. The second was a Belgian Strong Blond with a starting gravity of 1.070. Belgian pale ale: OG=1.061, FG=1.007, Apparent Attenuation=87.9%, … Continue reading →

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First Attempt At Making Invert Sugar

Posted on March 27, 2018 by mikehoover

I have been reading some recipes that require invert sugar, so I started exploring where to get some. It seems hard to come by. While Googling, I found many links to making invert sugar. After perusing several sites, I picked … Continue reading →

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Beer Best By Expiration Date Codes

Posted on March 22, 2018 by mikehoover

At some point I became a fresh beer “nerd”. Too many times I have paid good money for beer that was at or beyond it’s “best by” date, so I check the dates each time. Distributors will sneak some old … Continue reading →

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Pressure Canning Starter Wort With A Pressure Cooker

Posted on October 23, 2017 by mikehoover

I am low on canned starter wort so I decided to make up some jars this morning. I moved all the implements to the kitchen, including seven quart jars, lids and rings, my 23-quart Presto pressure cooker and some dry … Continue reading →

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Cicerone Certified Beer Server!

Posted on August 3, 2016 by mikehoover

I achieved the first level at Cicerone.org – Certified Beer Server on July 29, 2016. I studied their BeerSavvy program beforehand and it was well worth the investment. Please follow and like us:

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