Author: Greg Foster

Belgian Candi Syrup: Homemade vs. Commercial | exBEERiment Results!

Author: Greg Foster

Belgian beers are known for a few things such as possessing unique esters and phenols compared to styles from other regions, as well as being higher in ABV while maintaining the quintessential dryness expected in styles like Golden Strong and Tripel. In order to accomplish this wonderful melding of drinkability and buzz-building strength, brewers of Belgian ale often employ the use of sugar, usually added to the boiling wort in amounts of up 10% to 20% of the fermentables.

Briefly, I want to discuss some differences in the types of sugars commonly used in brewing. Pure sucrose sourced from sugar cane or beets, also known as table sugar, is made of a glucose molecule bonded with a fructose molecule and is the building block of many Belgian candi sugars and syrups. While completely capable of being used in beer, some smart people discovered yeast more readily digests sugar that has been inverted, a process that splits the fructose and glucose apart, producing a moderately viscous syrup that’s perceptibly sweeter than sucrose alone. Dextrose, on the other hand, which is commonly known as priming sugar to homebrewers, is a simple sugar derived from corn that consists of a single molecule of glucose, meaning it does not require any inversion. When it comes to Belgian candi,  there are two main options, a crystalline rock or syrup. While researching the topic revealed some terminological confusion, it seems candi sugar is commonly reserved for the type that comes in non-inverted rock form, while candi syrup refers to the inverted liquid form. Regardless of the veracity of these claims, this xBmt concerns the latter.

99_candisugar1_blamStan Hieronymous, in his fantastic literary tribute to Belgian beer, Brew Like A Monk, tells of how a friend who began making his own candi sugars recognized that given the Belgian spirit to “make a great beer with what we have,” spending upwards of $2 per pound was “anti-spirit.” A homebrewer’s mentality, indeed! Sharing this spirit, I hit the web in search of recipes for my preferred form of sugar, candi syrup, eventually settling on a simple method that produced beers I was largely pleased with. However, due to the veil under which makers of candi syrup tend to keep their processes, I began to wonder how close my hack was to popular commercial varieties. An xBmt born! (more…)

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Hop Stand vs. Dry Hop | exBEERiment Results!

Author: Greg Foster

The last hop stand xBmt comparing the impact of different temperatures was intriguing in that no statistical significance was found, though I have to admit I was a little disappointed, not because the results failed to uphold my assumptions, but since it did little to inform me how to go about making better IPA.

Woeful is the plight of the hophead!

Thirsting to learn more about how to get as much hop aroma into my beer as possible, I decided to compare techniques commonly known for maximizing hoppiness– the hop stand and the dry hop. I won’t go into full detail about the typically discussed ways a hop stand differs from a dry hop, that information is readily available on web. Briefly, hop stands are typically performed in wort warm enough to  volatize some hop oils, while the dry hop occurs in cooler fermented beer where volitization isn’t a concern. Sounds good, but does really make all the big of a difference? Let’s find out! (more…)

The Hop Stand: Hot vs. Chilled Wort | exBEERiment Results!

Author: Greg Foster

Hop stand. Whirlpool. Steeping. Flameout. Hop bursting. Aroma hops. Finishing hops. Hopsploding. Hopception…

Ok, I may have made those last two up, but you get the point– there are a bunch of terms regarding how hops can be used at the end of the boil. This isn’t all that surprising considering IPA is one of the most popular styles and no one has conclusively proven which method best unlocks the maximum flavor and aroma of hops. As a self-proclaimed hop-head, I’ve done my share of futzing around with these techniques to varying degrees of success. A method I frequently use is the hop stand, or at least that’s what I call it. Since these terms can be kind of confusing and are often used to describe similar though slightly different processes, we figured it best to provide an operational definition for the purposes of this article:

Hop stand refers to a method whereby hops are added at the conclusion of the boil, once the flame has been turned off, and allowed to steep for a given amount of time with the goal of extracting flavor and aroma while limiting the isomerization of alpha acids (bitterness).

Some sources claim a “real” hop stand requires the reduction of wort temperature prior to adding the hops, but our research into the topic revealed most seem to view it more as a flameout addition where the hops are left to steep for 10+ minutes. Whatever you call it, I’ve used both techniques in my brewing. Theoretically, reducing wort temp prior to adding hops ought to lead to more hop character since many hop oils have flashpoints lower than boiling. This reasoning makes sense to me and is the primary reason my standard practice when brewing IPA is to chill the wort to 170°F/77°C before adding the hops for a 20-30 minute soak. It takes a bit more time and effort to pull off, which my anecdotal experience combined with the advise of respected brewers has led me to believe it’s been worth it. But is it really impacting my beer in an appreciable way? Only one way to find out! (more…)

Wort Aeration – Pt. 3: Nothing vs. Pure Oxygen | exBEERiment Results!

Author: Greg Foster

The results of the prior oxygenation xBmts were confounding to me, as I’d been convinced oxygen (O2) played an integral role in healthy yeast growth and fermentation. While this definitely got me thinking, it wasn’t enough to stop me from using pure O2 in my brewing. And it’s worked fine, my beers have been good, though that skeptical voice in my head continues to nag me– is it really making a difference?

Following the Shaken vs. Pure O2 xBmt, we received many suggestions to focus these types of tests on beers purported to require higher concentrations of O2 in order to ensure the best fermentation, particularly high OG styles known for stalling early. While preparing to get this going, I embarked on a search for valid evidence demonstrating the positive impact of O2 that wasn’t focused solely on the commercial brewing scale, though what I discovered certainly didn’t confirm my presumptions. About a year ago, an article by Tracy Aquilla called Oxygen’s Role in Beer Fermentation appeared on MoreBeer.com that seemed to imply O2 isn’t nearly as important as I’d come to believe. From the author:

It is true that aerating or oxygenating wort is generally beneficial to fermentation, but it is untrue to say that yeast requires oxygen to reproduce or that yeast uses oxygen to respire during fermentation.

Generally beneficial? Yeast doesn’t require oxygen to reproduce? I highly recommend everyone read the article, it provides a truly thought provoking look at the biochemistry of yeast. Changing such a strongly held belief isn’t easy and, despite the evidence Tracy shared, the part of me that finds comfort doing what I’ve been told, appealing to authority, has convinced me there must be situations where wort oxygenation makes a difference. (more…)

Under Pressure – Pt. 2: The Impact of Pressurized Fermentation on Saison | xBmt Results!

Author: Greg Foster

HoPbanner

Support for this xBmt comes from House of Pendragon Brewing Company, producers of some of the finest craft beer in the Central Valley of California. Next time you’re in Fresno/Clovis, be sure to stop in for a pint!

In the first pressurized fermentation xBmt, I was curious to explore whether there was any truth to rumors that pressure somehow improved hop forward beers. Ultimately, neither the participants nor I were able to detect a difference between an IPA fermented at different pressures, but the responses I received critiquing the xBmt were nearly unanimous: pressure doesn’t affect hops, it affects yeast!

With my hophead curiosities temporarily satiated, it was time to begin looking into the relationship between pressure and yeast character. Theoretically, fermenting at higher than atmospheric pressure results in the suppression of flavors imparted by the yeast (1, 2, 3, 4). The xBmt I originally had planned, the one I thought would be most interesting, would have explored whether increased pressure suppresses yeast off-flavors in a clean lager beer fermented warm. However, as I started gearing up for this xBmt, something happened that caused me to change my course– the results of the 3rd fermentation temperature xBmt were published, the one where a rather large group of qualified tasters were unable to reliably distinguish between lager beers fermented 16°F apart.

Who knew making flawed beer would be so difficult? (more…)

Yeast Blending: Vermont Ale vs. Vermont Ale + San Diego Super Yeast | exBEERiment Results!

Author: Greg Foster

In my unyielding quest to develop the perfect IPA, and inspired by Marshall’s comparison of WLP090 San Diego Super Yeast and the TYB Vermont Ale strain, I conceived what I thought would make an interesting xBmt. My go-to yeast has been WLP090 for over a year now, though I’ve been eager to try the Vermont strain due to the praise it’s been getting in the homebrew world. After reading that 93% of participants in the aforementioned comparison preferred the beer fermented with Vermont Ale over the one made with San Diego Super Yeast, I knew I had to get my hands on some immediately.

There was just one big glaring issue I had with Vermont Ale yeast, a recurring issue reported by many users of this strain– low attenuation. Over my years of homebrewing, I’ve developed a strong preference for bone dry West Coast style IPA, as it seems to allow the hops to shine. In my mind, an IPA finishing at 1.017 SG is just unacceptable. Not that it would be a disaster, obviously it wasn’t, but I can’t imagine a scenario where a dryer version wouldn’t be better. If Vermont Ale yeast is really that good, then dammit, I’m going to try it, but I’m unwilling to compromise on my demand for a well attenuated beer. What to do?! That’s when the idea hit me:

Combine both yeasts to create a super ultra mega yeast! (more…)

Wort Aeration – Pt. 2: Shaken vs. Pure Oxygen | exBEERiment Results!

Author: Greg Foster

Years ago, during one of my frequent moments of homebrew soul searching (i.e., coming up with excuses to buy shiny new gear), I got it in my head that the key missing ingredient in my process was oxygen (O2). Like many homebrewers, I’d been employiong the shake method since I first started homebrewing, a rudimentary process that involves shaking the living hell out of a fermentor full of chilled wort. A couple minutes of this and voila, it’s oxygenated.

As I progressed in the hobby, the shake method began to seem like a less viable option. First of all, it’s difficult to know just how much shaking is required to add the proper amount of oxygen to the wort. Then I had the realization this method relies on dissolving air from the immediate environment into a liquid I would later be ingesting… dirty, contaminated air.

(more…)

Real Wort vs. Dextrose Yeast Starter | exBEERiment Results!

 Author: Greg Foster

 “Yeast that has been eating sucrose, glucose/dextrose, or fructose will quit making the
enzyme that allows it to eat maltose- the main sugar of brewer’s wort.”
~From How to Brew by John Palmer~

Yeast starters have been discussed ad nauseum in brewing books, blogs, and forums, as they’re considered to be one of the most important building blocks in the production of good beer. The number of yeast starter how-to’s (ahem) one can find with a simple Google search is a testament to their importance, and while methods may differ in some ways, they all agree on one major point:

Brewer’s wort must be used to make starters. (more…)

Under Pressure: The Impact of High(er) PSI Fermentations | exBEERiment Results!

Author: Greg Foster

When brainstorming new ideas and techniques to improve my brew, my thoughts often drift toward professional brewery practices. While commercial techniques don’t always scale down to the homebrew level, I figure the pros generally know what they are doing, so emulating their techniques is as good of a place to start as any. When I learned about professional breweries fermenting under pressure, I knew I had to give it a try.

What the heck is pressurized fermentation, anyway? The idea really is as simple as it sounds– find some way to pressurize the fermentation vessel and adjust the PSI as needed. A plastic or glass carboy is not going to work too well with this technique, as they’re unlikely to withstand the higher pressures. Luckily, many of us own corny kegs, which are designed to hold fairly high amounts of pressure, making them ideal for this application. The only other gear needed is an adjustable pressure relief valve, often referred to as a spunding valve, which is designed to maintain a set PSI while releasing any excess pressure. Unfortunately, off-the-shelf options are quite limited, but with a little research and a bit of DIY spirit, anyone can build their own spunding valve that’s right for the job, just like I did. (more…)

Whole Leaf vs. Pellet Hops – Part 1: Dry Hop | exBEERiment Results!

Author: Greg Foster

WCH_PH

I’ve always been interested in the differences between pellet and whole cone hops. Clearly both can be used successfully– Sierra Nevada makes world famous beers utilizing only whole cone hops, while the majority of commercial breweries tend to stick with pellets. As a homebrewer with fairly easy access to pellet and whole cone hops, I use both regularly. It seems to me that most brewers’ decision whether to go with pellets or whole cone generally has to do with storage and filtering considerations, with pellet hops requiring less space to store and cone hops providing better filtration. However, for me an even more important question remained: which one makes the best beer?

(more…)