Your First SMaSH Ale
Pale Ale
ABV: varies with yeast selection
IBU: varies with hop selection
SRM: 4-10 (depending on malt selection)
Category: Homebrew Beer
American Homebrewers Association Turns 45
By Julia Herz, American Homebrewers Association Executive Director
On December 7, 2023, the American Homebrewers Association (AHA) turns 45. That’s a lot of beers since 1978. In four-and-a-half decades, the world has changed for the better because of the AHA’s existence, with homebrewers around the world setting the stage.
The AHA has fueled the craft beer movement and, even more relevant, catapulted the modern pastime of homebrewing. Yup, that’s what we did. In 1978, The New York Times published an article titled “Beer Is Most Popular of U.S. Bar Drinks”1, but we know what a dismal time for beer it was.… Read the rest “American Homebrewers Association Turns 45”
2024 National Homebrew Competition News, Dates, Prizes, Oh My!
By Chris Williams, National Homebrew Competition Director
As we bring 2023 to a close, we’re looking forward to the future of the National Homebrew Competition (NHC)—the world’s largest amateur homebrew competition for celebrating the most outstanding beer, mead, and cider, brought to you by the American Homebrewers Association with support by the Beer Judge Certification Program. Collectively, NHC has judged more than 160,000+ homebrewed beers, meads, and ciders in its 46-year history.
The 2024 competition will boast exciting new plans, including expanded award categories, variable shipping dates for first round sites, winners announced on-site during the Great American Beer Festival®, great prizes, and more!… Read the rest “2024 National Homebrew Competition News, Dates, Prizes, Oh My!”
January/February 2024 Zymurgy Magazine Links
Find links to all the web pages mentioned in the January/February 2024 Zymurgy magazine.
About Zymurgy Magazine
Zymurgy is the bi-monthly journal for members of the American Homebrewers Association (AHA). All issues of Zymurgy magazine through the year 2000 can be accessed digitally online or with your smartphone device.
Join the AHA for a Zymurgy magazine subscription and to enjoy other member benefits!
Director’s Cut
Now On Tap
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Homebrewing Champagne-style Beers (and Mead!)
Let’s talk Champagne beers. And, no, we aren’t talking about the macro-brewed American light lager that has commandeered the title.
In our case, “Champagne-style” refers to beers with carbonation and body characteristics reminiscent of sparkling wine. Specifically, beers that exhibit higher-than-typical levels of carbonation paired with a drier finish.
The following Homebrew Con seminar recordings and National Homebrew Competition medal-winning recipes are a great place to start your Champagne-inspired homebrew journey!
Méthode Traditionelle: Brewing in the Champagne Method
Join Annie Johnson–award-winning homebrewer and 2013 Homebrewer of the Year–as she explores how to use the traditional Champagne method to produce amazing Champagne-inspired beers.
January/February 2024 Zymurgy Magazine Now Available
The January/February 2024 Zymurgy magazine is now available! Check out the featured stories including Great American Beer Festival Pro-Am, Bierscapes, Stowe-Aways in Vermont, Master Homebrewer Program, and Gadgets 2024.
The post January/February 2024 Zymurgy Magazine Now Available appeared first on American Homebrewers Association.
American Homebrewers Association… Read the rest “January/February 2024 Zymurgy Magazine Now Available”
Top 50 Homebrew Recipes in 2023
The American Homebrewers Association has over 1,400 homebrew recipes published on HomebrewersAssociation.org. From National Homebrew Competition gold-medalists to “clones” of your favorite commercially brewed beer, you’ll find a recipe for any style you want to brew. And we also have mead recipes, cider recipes, and other fermented food recipes!
Below are the top 50 most-viewed homebrew recipes on HomebrewersAssociation.org in 2023.
Chicken Scratch Cream Ale
Kaltrauch Rauchbier (2022)
Norwegian Farmhouse-Inspired Mead
Tree House Brewing Company Julius
Wee Heavy/Strong Scotch Ale
Len’s American Light Lager
O’Davey Irish Red Ale
Nearly Nirvana Pale Ale
I Left Rome Trappist Single
Domo Arigato (Hoppy Japanese-style Rice Lager)
Cherry Dangerous Mead
Hanella Hazy IPA
Star Gazer Hazy Double IPA
Dark Inception Imperial Porter
Easy Peasy Apple Squeezy
Orange Blossom Traditional Mead
SMaSH Sensory Blonde Ale
Janet’s Brown Ale – Big Brew 2021
Gordon Strong’s Czech Dark Lager
Old School Barleywine
Australian Sparkling Ale
Easy Amber Ale
Winter Spiced Mead
Rogue Chocolate Stout Clone
Bell’s Two Hearted Ale Clone
WeldWerks Brewing Juicy Bits NEIPA
Rocky Raccoon’s Honey Lager
Vitoria Vienna Pilsner
Prost Bock
Bale So Hard Dry-Hopped Saison
Brighid’s Irish Red Ale
Fuller’s ESB Clone
Rushmore IPA (All-Grain)
Klang Freudenfest Oktoberfest (All-Grain)
Battre L’oie Saison (Extract)
Castle Bochet Mead
Russian River Blind Pig IPA Clone
North Coast Old Rasputin Russian Imperial Stout Clone
Sierra Nevada Celebration Ale
Green Flash West Coast IPA
Left Hand Milk Stout Clone
Sierra Nevada Ruthless Rye Clone
Russian River Pliny the Elder Clone
2015 Big Brew Recipe #3: Killer Kölsch
Newcastle Brown Ale Clone
Anchor Steam Clone
Tradition Dry Varietal Mead
Hoegaarden White Clone
Passionfruit-Mango Wildfire Wheat
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The Most Gluggable Czech Dark Lager
Mash at 152°F (67°C) for 60 min. Mash out, then fly sparge for about 60 min. Ferment at 54°F (12°C) for about 2 weeks. Lager.
The post The Most Gluggable Czech Dark Lager appeared first on American Homebrewers Association.
American Homebrewers Association… Read the rest “The Most Gluggable Czech Dark Lager”
10 Smoked Beer Recipes You Can Homebrew
Browse through 10 classic and specialty smoked beer recipes that you can make at home. These homebrew recipes include National Homebrew Competition winners, commercial clones, and beer recipes from Zymurgy magazine.
Beer Judge Certification Program (BJCP) description of smoked beer: A smoke-enhanced beer showing good balance between the smoke, the beer character, and the added ingredients, while remaining pleasant to drink. Balance in the use of smoke, hops, and malt character is exhibited by the better examples.
For even more smoked beer recipes, visit our Homebrew Recipe Library.
Smokeska Porter
Smoked Wee Heavy
Andrew’s Grodziskie
Smoked Helles
Smokey the Beer II (Partial-Mash)
Lichtenhainer
“Resurrection” Historical Grodziskie
Boeing Smoked Apple Lager (extract)
Alaskan Smoked Porter Clone
Smoke Screen
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