The Beer Thrillers

Tag: Home Brew

  • Pumpkin Patch Noir – Chocolate Pumpkin Stout (Homebrew Recipe)

    Pumpkin Patch Noir – Chocolate Pumpkin Stout (Homebrew Recipe)

    Pumpkin Patch Noir – a Chocolate Pumpkin Stout

    Pumpkin Patch Noir

    Introducing Pumpkin Patch Noir, a dark, decadent creation that brings together the cozy essence of autumn and the rich complexity of a stout. This beer is an ode to chilly nights spent by the fire, wrapped in warm blankets, and the scent of spices lingering in the air.

    Appearance: Pouring a deep, velvety black with a creamy tan head, Pumpkin Patch Noir is as visually striking as it is delicious. The head slowly dissipates, leaving behind a delicate lacing that clings to the glass, hinting at the full-bodied experience that awaits.

    Aroma: As you bring the glass to your nose, the first thing you’ll notice is a blend of chocolate and roasted malts, mingling with the unmistakable scent of pumpkin pie spices. Cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and a touch of clove rise from the glass, evoking memories of freshly baked pumpkin treats.

    Flavor: The first sip is an indulgent journey. The stout’s rich, roasted malt backbone provides a smooth canvas for layers of dark chocolate and cocoa, followed by the subtle sweetness of real pumpkin. The spices are perfectly balanced, adding warmth without overwhelming the palate. As the flavors develop, a hint of vanilla emerges, rounding out the taste and leaving a lingering, pleasant sweetness.

    Mouthfeel: Pumpkin Patch Noir boasts a full, creamy body that coats the palate, making each sip feel like a luxurious treat. The carbonation is moderate, giving the beer a soft effervescence that enhances its drinkability while preserving its rich character.

    Finish: The finish is smooth, with the roasted malts and chocolate gently fading, leaving behind a delicate spiciness and a whisper of vanilla. It’s the kind of beer that invites you to take another sip, savoring the complex interplay of flavors.

    Pairing: Pumpkin Patch Noir pairs beautifully with autumnal desserts like pumpkin pie, pecan pie, or a slice of rich chocolate cake. For a savory match, try it with roasted meats or a hearty beef stew. It’s also a fantastic companion to a cheese board featuring aged cheddars and blue cheeses.

    Seasonal Appeal: This is the perfect beer for fall festivities—Halloween gatherings, Thanksgiving feasts, or simply enjoying a crisp evening with friends. Pumpkin Patch Noir is more than just a beer; it’s a celebration of the season, capturing the essence of autumn in every glass. So, grab a pint, take a sip, and let the flavors of Pumpkin Patch Noir transport you to a pumpkin patch at dusk, where the mysteries of the night are just beginning to unfold.

    The Recipe

    Pumpkin Patch Noir: A Chocolate Pumpkin Stout Recipe

    Ingredients (for 5 gallons)

    Grains:

    • 8 lbs Pale Malt (2-row)
    • 1 lb Chocolate Malt
    • 1 lb Caramel/Crystal Malt (60L)
    • 0.5 lb Black Patent Malt
    • 0.5 lb Roasted Barley
    • 0.5 lb Flaked Oats

    Pumpkin & Spices:

    • 3 lbs Pumpkin Puree (canned or roasted fresh pumpkin)
    • 1 tsp Cinnamon
    • 1 tsp Nutmeg
    • 1 tsp Allspice
    • 0.5 tsp Cloves
    • 1 tsp Vanilla Extract (add during bottling)

    Hops:

    • 1 oz Magnum (60 min) – for bitterness
    • 0.5 oz Fuggle (15 min) – for aroma

    Chocolate:

    • 8 oz Unsweetened Cocoa Powder (10 min)
    • 4 oz Chocolate Nibs (Secondary fermentation, optional)

    Yeast:

    • Wyeast 1084 Irish Ale Yeast or Safale S-04 (English Ale Yeast)

    Instructions

    1. Mash:
      • Heat 3.5 gallons of water to 165°F.
      • Add the grains (Pale Malt, Chocolate Malt, Caramel Malt, Black Patent Malt, Roasted Barley, Flaked Oats) and hold the mash at 152°F for 60 minutes.
    2. Sparge:
      • Raise the mash temperature to 170°F and sparge with 170°F water to collect about 6.5 gallons of wort.
    3. Boil:
      • Bring the wort to a boil. Add 1 oz of Magnum hops at the start of the 60-minute boil.
      • At 45 minutes, add the pumpkin puree directly to the boil.
      • At 10 minutes, add unsweetened cocoa powder and the Fuggle hops.
      • At the end of the boil, add the spice mixture (cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, cloves).
    4. Cool & Ferment:
      • Cool the wort to 65-70°F.
      • Transfer to a sanitized fermenter and pitch the yeast.
      • Ferment at 65-70°F for 2 weeks.
    5. Secondary Fermentation (optional):
      • After primary fermentation, transfer to a secondary fermenter.
      • Add chocolate nibs and vanilla extract.
      • Let it sit for an additional 1-2 weeks.
    6. Bottle/Keg:
      • Bottle or keg your beer as usual, aiming for 2.2-2.5 volumes of CO2.
      • Condition for at least 2 weeks before tasting.

    Tasting Notes:

    Expect a rich, dark stout with a strong chocolate backbone, balanced by the subtle sweetness and spiciness of the pumpkin and fall spices. The roasted malts and chocolate flavors should complement each other beautifully, making this a perfect brew for cooler weather. Enjoy!

    More Homebrewing Articles

    Homebrewing Recipes

    We are circling back to include more homebrew articles. We have gotten some requests for recipes, so we have decided to write them up and post them here. Be sure to check for other Homebrew articles and recipes as well!

    Thank You For Reading

    If you like this article, please check out our other many articles, including news, beer reviews, travelogues, maps, and much much more. We greatly appreciate everyone visiting the site!

    Cheers.

    Thanks again for reading everyone. Take some time to check out the site, we greatly appreciate it. We have affiliates and sponsors with Pretzels.com and Beer Drop.com, which can save you money on their products if you are interested. Check out our articles on them. Make sure to check out our beer reviews, brewery reviews, Amy’s weekly column, book reviews, hike reviews, and so much more.

    As always, thank you everyone for reading! Leave your likes, comments, suggestions, questions, etc, in the comments section. Or use the Feedback – Contact Us – page, and we’ll get right back to you! You can also reach out to us at our direct e-mail address: thebeerthrillers@gmail.com

    Thank you for visiting our blog. Please make sure to follow, bookmark, subscribe, and make sure to comment and leave feedback and like the blog posts you read. It will help us to better tailor the blog to you, the readers, likes and make this a better blog for everyone.

    We are working on a massive project here at The Beer Thrillers. We are creating a map of all of the breweries across the United States. State by state we are adding maps of all of the different states with every brewery in each state. (We will eventually get to the US Territories, as well as the Canadian Provinces, and possibly more countries; as well as doing some fun maps like a map of all the breweries we’ve been to, and other fun maps.) You can find the brewery maps here:

    We are also working on a project of creating printable and downloadable PDFs and resources to be able to check and keep track of all of the breweries you’ve been to. So stay tuned for that project once we are finished with the Brewery Maps of the US States.

    You can check out our different directories here: Beer Reviews, Hike Reviews, Book Reviews, Brewery News, Brewery Openings, Brewer Interviews, and Travelogues.

    Please be sure to follow us on our social media accounts – Facebook, Facebook Group, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and Influence. As well as our brand new Tumblr page. Please be sure to also follow, like, subscribe to the blog here itself to keep updated. We love to hear from you guys, so be sure to leave a comment and let us know what you think!

    You can now find us on our Discord Server here: The Beer Thrillers (Discord Server). We’ve also joined LinkTree to keep track of all of our social media pages, as well as hot new articles we’ve written.

    The Beer Thrillers on LinkTree can be found here: The Beer Thrillers LinkTree.

    We have partnered with an affiliateship with Beer Drop.com. You can check out that partnership and receive great discounts, coupons, and more here: Beer Drop. Going here and logging in and ordering will help you receive your discounts and coupons as well as help support our page. Thank you for helping to support The Beer Thrillers and to help us maintain the site and blog and to keep it running.

    The Beer Thrillers are a blog that prides itself on writing beer reviews, brewery reviews, travelogues, news (especially local to the Central PA brewery scene), as well as covering other topics of our interests – such as hiking, literature and books, board games, and video games which we sometimes stream with our friends over at Knights of Nostalgia. We are currently listed as #5 on FeedSpot’s “Top 100 Beer Blogs” and #9 on FeedSpot’s “Top 40 Pennsylvania Blogs”. (As of August 2024.) Thank you for reading our site today, please subscribe, follow, and bookmark. Please reach out to us if you are interested in working together. If you would like to donate to the blog you can here: Donate to The Beer Thrillers. Thank you!

    You can also check out our partnership and affiliation with Pretzels.com, where ordering pretzels and using our affiliate code – AFFILIATE CODE IS THEBEERTHRILLERS20 – will help you get wonderful pretzels and help us maintain and keep this blog running. Thank you!

    If you would like to reach out to us for product reviews, beer reviews, press release writing, and other media – please contact us at thebeerthrillers@gmail.com. Thank you.

    (Thank you for reading. The opinions, thoughts, and expressions of each article posted on The Beer Thrillers represents the author of the content and only themselves. It does not express the opinions, beliefs, or ideas held by The Beer Thrillers or any company in which the author themselves work for. Each piece of written content is written by the creator(s) listed in the authorial section on each article unless otherwise noted. Their opinions, comments, and words on screen do not represent any company in which they work for and / or are affiliated with or any non – profits that they contribute to. Thank you.)

  • AleCraft Brewery in Bel Air to Close

    AleCraft Brewery in Bel Air to Close.

    AleCraft Brewery in Bel Air to Close

    On Thursday, February 29th, it will be the AleCraft Brewery’s last day in their Bel Air, MD location. They made their announcement just a bit ago that they will be closing their Bel Air location. Their new location in Railroad, Pennsylvania will continue to be open however.

    No word yet on what the plans hold for anything with regards to movement, product, etc.

    The Announcement

    We are sad to announce our closing, scheduled for Thursday February 29. We’ve had a great 6 years meeting new friends, hosting home brew lessons and fundraisers, sampling beers from local brewers, getting and giving beer advice, partnering with local businesses like Birds Nest BBQ for great food and Oodles Cheesecakes for beer pairings, teaching brew lessons on hops, water and off flavors with the local homebrew club and a million other memories. But our time here in Harford County is at an end. We hope you don’t become strangers and come to visit us in Railroad PA. Please stop in to say goodbye (for now) over the next 10 days. Mug Clubbers can pick up their mugs anytime before we close. Thanks again.

    AleCraft Brewery – Bel Air – Facebook Post

    AleCraft Brewery

    We got to visit them a while back and absolutely loved the cozy Bel Air spot. They also performed very well in the 2023 Battle of the Breweries, making it to the Final Four match-up and losing to Allusion Brewing Company. They won the Saaz Conference.

    We haven’t gotten to the Railroad, PA location yet (on the docket for 2024), but we know they will certainly be missed in Bel Air. Its a shame to be seeing these wonderful breweries and locations closing. Hopefully 2024 turns around for most breweries, but the year is looking rough already.

    Past Articles on AleCraft Brewery

    More Information on AleCraft Brewery

    The following is from Untappd: AleCraft Brewing Company is a micro brewery from Bel Air, Maryland. They have 262 unique beers with over 22,000 ratings. With a global average rating of 3.73 (as of 2.18.24).

    Their Untappd description reads: July 2019 UPDATE: Alecraft was voted Best Maryland Brewery by Zymurgy Magazine! Thank you to all of our homebrewers! In the fall of 2017 we made the leap to add a brewery and taproom to our homebrew supply shop. Our small system and fully stocked home brew shop give us an enormous library of ingredients at our fingertips. Our beer is crafted to be exactly what we intended: no compromises on ingredients. The access to the shop ensures we have the full creative expression we dreamed of as home brewers. In our taproom we prioritize customer service second only to the quality of beer we produce. Our staff is engaging, approachable and trained on the various styles of beer we produce. AleCraft is what happens when the right people with complementary skills come together to strive towards their dream. Our story is the ideal fusion of passion, experience, fate and hard work while searching for beer perfection across all styles.

    For more information on AleCraft Brewing Company, check out their social media pages:

    Brewery News

    Interested in finding out about many other brewery openings, new locations, closings, movings, and in general brewery news? You can check out our links below:

    Thank You for Reading

    If you like this article, please check out our other many articles, including news, beer reviews, travelogues, maps, and much much more. We greatly appreciate everyone visiting the site!

    Cheers.

    Thanks again for reading everyone. Take some time to check out the site, we greatly appreciate it. We have affiliates and sponsors with Pretzels.com and Beer Drop.com, which can save you money on their products if you are interested. Check out our articles on them. Make sure to check out our beer reviews, brewery reviews, Amy’s weekly column, book reviews, hike reviews, and so much more.

    As always, thank you everyone for reading! Leave your likes, comments, suggestions, questions, etc, in the comments section. Or use the Feedback – Contact Us – page, and we’ll get right back to you! You can also reach out to us at our direct e-mail address: thebeerthrillers@gmail.com

    Thank you for visiting our blog. Please make sure to follow, bookmark, subscribe, and make sure to comment and leave feedback and like the blog posts you read. It will help us to better tailor the blog to you, the readers, likes and make this a better blog for everyone.

    We are working on a massive project here at The Beer Thrillers. We are creating a map of all of the breweries across the United States. State by state we are adding maps of all of the different states with every brewery in each state. (We will eventually get to the US Territories, as well as the Canadian Provinces, and possibly more countries; as well as doing some fun maps like a map of all the breweries we’ve been to, and other fun maps.) You can find the brewery maps here:

    We are also working on a project of creating printable and downloadable PDFs and resources to be able to check and keep track of all of the breweries you’ve been to. So stay tuned for that project once we are finished with the Brewery Maps of the US States.

    You can check out our different directories here: Beer Reviews, Hike Reviews, Book Reviews, Brewery News, Brewery Openings, Brewer Interviews, and Travelogues.

    Please be sure to follow us on our social media accounts – Facebook, Facebook Group, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and Influence. As well as our brand new Tumblr page. Please be sure to also follow, like, subscribe to the blog here itself to keep updated. We love to hear from you guys, so be sure to leave a comment and let us know what you think!

    You can now find us on our Discord Server here: The Beer Thrillers (Discord Server). We’ve also joined LinkTree to keep track of all of our social media pages, as well as hot new articles we’ve written.

    The Beer Thrillers on LinkTree can be found here: The Beer Thrillers LinkTree.

    We have partnered with an affiliateship with Beer Drop.com. You can check out that partnership and receive great discounts, coupons, and more here: Beer Drop. Going here and logging in and ordering will help you receive your discounts and coupons as well as help support our page. Thank you for helping to support The Beer Thrillers and to help us maintain the site and blog and to keep it running.

    The Beer Thrillers are a blog that prides itself on writing beer reviews, brewery reviews, travelogues, news (especially local to the Central PA brewery scene), as well as covering other topics of our interests – such as hiking, literature and books, board games, and video games which we sometimes stream with our friends over at Knights of Nostalgia. We are currently listed as #7 on FeedSpot’s “Top 100 Beer Blogs” and #8 on FeedSpot’s “Top 40 Pennsylvania Blogs”. (As of January 2023.) Thank you for reading our site today, please subscribe, follow, and bookmark. Please reach out to us if you are interested in working together. If you would like to donate to the blog you can here: Donate to The Beer Thrillers. Thank you!

    You can also check out our partnership and affiliation with Pretzels.com, where ordering pretzels and using our affiliate code – AFFILIATE CODE IS THEBEERTHRILLERS20 – will help you get wonderful pretzels and help us maintain and keep this blog running. Thank you!

    If you would like to reach out to us for product reviews, beer reviews, press release writing, and other media – please contact us at thebeerthrillers@gmail.com. Thank you.

    (Thank you for reading. The opinions, thoughts, and expressions of each article posted on The Beer Thrillers represents the author of the content and only themselves. It does not express the opinions, beliefs, or ideas held by The Beer Thrillers or any company in which the author themselves work for. Each piece of written content is written by the creator(s) listed in the authorial section on each article unless otherwise noted. Their opinions, comments, and words on screen do not represent any company in which they work for and / or are affiliated with or any non – profits that they contribute to. Thank you.)

     

     

     

  • Quadruple Hopocalypse – Quadruple IPA (Homebrew Recipe)

    Quadruple Hopocalypse – Quadruple IPA (Homebrew Recipe)

    Quadruple Hopocalypse – Quadruple IPA – Homebrew Recipe

    Creating an IPA with 12 different hops presents an exciting challenge. The goal is to blend the hops in a way that showcases a broad spectrum of flavors and aromas—from citrusy and fruity to piney and earthy—while maintaining a harmonious balance. This recipe is for a 5-gallon batch and aims to create a complex, aromatic, and flavorful IPA that celebrates the diversity of hop characteristics.

    Multi-Hop IPA Recipe

    Malt Bill:

    • 12 lbs (5.44 kg) Pale Malt (2-row)
    • 1 lb (0.45 kg) Munich Malt
    • 1 lb (0.45 kg) Crystal Malt 40L

    Hop Schedule:

    1. Bittering (60 minutes from end of boil):
      • 0.25 oz (7 g) Magnum – Chosen for its clean, neutral bittering qualities, laying a solid foundation without overpowering the other hop flavors.
    2. Flavor/Aroma Additions:
      • At 15 minutes from end:
        • 0.25 oz (7 g) Simcoe – For its piney and earthy tones.
        • 0.25 oz (7 g) Amarillo – For its orange-citrus character.
        • 0.25 oz (7 g) Cascade – For its classic grapefruit note.
      • At 5 minutes from end:
        • 0.25 oz (7 g) Mosaic – For blueberry and tropical fruit notes.
        • 0.25 oz (7 g) Citra – For its strong citrus and tropical tones.
        • 0.25 oz (7 g) Galaxy – For its intense passionfruit and peach.
      • At flameout/whirlpool:
        • 0.25 oz (7 g) Nelson Sauvin – For its white wine-like fruitiness.
        • 0.25 oz (7 g) El Dorado – For its candy-like sweetness and tropical fruit.
        • 0.25 oz (7 g) Azacca – For its mango and papaya aromas.
        • 0.25 oz (7 g) Sorachi Ace – For its unique lemon and dill characteristics.
        • 0.25 oz (7 g) Hallertau Blanc – For its floral and fruity, especially grape, tones.
        • 0.25 oz (7 g) Motueka – For its lime and lemon zest notes.
    3. Dry Hopping:
      • 1 oz (28 g) of a blend containing equal parts of each hop used in flavor/aroma additions, added to the fermenter 5-7 days before bottling/kegging.

    Yeast:

    • American Ale Yeast (e.g., Wyeast 1056, White Labs WLP001, or Safale US-05)

    Other Ingredients:

    • Water adjustments as needed for your water profile aiming for a balanced sulfate to chloride ratio to support both hop bitterness and malt sweetness.

    Instructions:

    1. Mash: Heat water to 152°F (67°C) and mash the grains for 60 minutes.
    2. Sparge: Sparge to collect 6.5 gallons (24.6 liters) of wort.
    3. Boil: Bring the wort to a boil, adding hops according to the schedule above.
    4. Ferment: Cool the wort to fermentation temperature (around 68°F or 20°C), pitch the yeast, and ferment.
    5. Dry Hop: Add the dry hop blend 5-7 days before the end of fermentation.
    6. Bottle/Keg: Package the beer with appropriate carbonation.

    Discussion:

    The rationale behind using 12 different hops is to craft an IPA that showcases a wide array of hop flavors and aromas. This recipe carefully selects hops for their unique contributions—ranging from bittering qualities to complex aromatic and flavor profiles. The timing of hop additions is designed to maximize the extraction of desired characteristics: early additions for bitterness, late additions for flavor and aroma, and dry hopping for an aromatic punch. This approach aims to create a well-rounded, multi-dimensional IPA that is a true celebration of hops.

    Homebrewing Recipes

    We are circling back to include more homebrew articles. We have gotten some requests for recipes, so we have decided to write them up and post them here. Be sure to check for other Homebrew articles and recipes as well!

    Thank You For Reading

    If you like this article, please check out our other many articles, including news, beer reviews, travelogues, maps, and much much more. We greatly appreciate everyone visiting the site!

    Cheers.

    Thanks again for reading everyone. Take some time to check out the site, we greatly appreciate it. We have affiliates and sponsors with Pretzels.com and Beer Drop.com, which can save you money on their products if you are interested. Check out our articles on them. Make sure to check out our beer reviews, brewery reviews, Amy’s weekly column, book reviews, hike reviews, and so much more.

    As always, thank you everyone for reading! Leave your likes, comments, suggestions, questions, etc, in the comments section. Or use the Feedback – Contact Us – page, and we’ll get right back to you! You can also reach out to us at our direct e-mail address: thebeerthrillers@gmail.com

    Thank you for visiting our blog. Please make sure to follow, bookmark, subscribe, and make sure to comment and leave feedback and like the blog posts you read. It will help us to better tailor the blog to you, the readers, likes and make this a better blog for everyone.

    We are working on a massive project here at The Beer Thrillers. We are creating a map of all of the breweries across the United States. State by state we are adding maps of all of the different states with every brewery in each state. (We will eventually get to the US Territories, as well as the Canadian Provinces, and possibly more countries; as well as doing some fun maps like a map of all the breweries we’ve been to, and other fun maps.) You can find the brewery maps here:

    We are also working on a project of creating printable and downloadable PDFs and resources to be able to check and keep track of all of the breweries you’ve been to. So stay tuned for that project once we are finished with the Brewery Maps of the US States.

    You can check out our different directories here: Beer Reviews, Hike Reviews, Book Reviews, Brewery News, Brewery Openings, Brewer Interviews, and Travelogues.

    Please be sure to follow us on our social media accounts – Facebook, Facebook Group, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and Influence. As well as our brand new Tumblr page. Please be sure to also follow, like, subscribe to the blog here itself to keep updated. We love to hear from you guys, so be sure to leave a comment and let us know what you think!

    You can now find us on our Discord Server here: The Beer Thrillers (Discord Server). We’ve also joined LinkTree to keep track of all of our social media pages, as well as hot new articles we’ve written.

    The Beer Thrillers on LinkTree can be found here: The Beer Thrillers LinkTree.

    We have partnered with an affiliateship with Beer Drop.com. You can check out that partnership and receive great discounts, coupons, and more here: Beer Drop. Going here and logging in and ordering will help you receive your discounts and coupons as well as help support our page. Thank you for helping to support The Beer Thrillers and to help us maintain the site and blog and to keep it running.

    The Beer Thrillers are a blog that prides itself on writing beer reviews, brewery reviews, travelogues, news (especially local to the Central PA brewery scene), as well as covering other topics of our interests – such as hiking, literature and books, board games, and video games which we sometimes stream with our friends over at Knights of Nostalgia. We are currently listed as #7 on FeedSpot’s “Top 100 Beer Blogs” and #8 on FeedSpot’s “Top 40 Pennsylvania Blogs”. (As of January 2023.) Thank you for reading our site today, please subscribe, follow, and bookmark. Please reach out to us if you are interested in working together. If you would like to donate to the blog you can here: Donate to The Beer Thrillers. Thank you!

    You can also check out our partnership and affiliation with Pretzels.com, where ordering pretzels and using our affiliate code – AFFILIATE CODE IS THEBEERTHRILLERS20 – will help you get wonderful pretzels and help us maintain and keep this blog running. Thank you!

    If you would like to reach out to us for product reviews, beer reviews, press release writing, and other media – please contact us at thebeerthrillers@gmail.com. Thank you.

    (Thank you for reading. The opinions, thoughts, and expressions of each article posted on The Beer Thrillers represents the author of the content and only themselves. It does not express the opinions, beliefs, or ideas held by The Beer Thrillers or any company in which the author themselves work for. Each piece of written content is written by the creator(s) listed in the authorial section on each article unless otherwise noted. Their opinions, comments, and words on screen do not represent any company in which they work for and / or are affiliated with or any non – profits that they contribute to. Thank you.)

  • Dark Souls Schwarzbier (Homebrew Recipe)

    Dark Souls Schwarzbier (Homebrew Recipe)

    Dark Souls – a Schwarzbier Homebrew.

    Schwarzbier, or “black beer,” is a German-style lager that combines the clean, smooth lager characteristics with subtle roasted malt flavors. It’s dark in color, yet surprisingly light in body and not overly bitter. This recipe will guide you through creating a 5-gallon (approximately 19 liters) batch of Schwarzbier.

    Ingredients:

    Malt Bill:

    • 7 lbs (3.18 kg) Pilsner Malt
    • 1.5 lbs (0.68 kg) Munich Malt
    • 0.75 lb (340 g) Carafa II or III (for color and mild roastiness, use de-husked for smoother flavor)
    • 0.5 lb (227 g) Crystal Malt (60L)
    • 0.25 lb (113 g) Chocolate Malt (for added complexity and color)

    Hops:

    • 1 oz (28 g) Hallertau Mittelfrüh Hops (4.5% AA) at 60 minutes (for bittering)
    • 0.5 oz (14 g) Hallertau Mittelfrüh Hops (4.5% AA) at 15 minutes (for flavor)

    Yeast:

    • German Lager Yeast (such as Wyeast 2124 Bohemian Lager or Saflager W-34/70)

    Other:

    • Lagering capabilities (ability to ferment and store at cold temperatures)
    • Water adjustments to match a soft water profile, similar to that of Munich

    Instructions:

    1. Mash: Heat your water to around 152°F (67°C) and mash the grains for 60 minutes. This temperature facilitates a medium body which is perfect for Schwarzbier.
    2. Sparge: Sparge the grains with hot water (around 168°F or 76°C) to collect around 6.5 gallons (24.6 liters) of wort, compensating for boil off.
    3. Boil: Bring the wort to a boil and follow the hop schedule:
      • Add 1 oz of Hallertau Mittelfrüh at the start of a 60-minute boil for bittering.
      • Add 0.5 oz of Hallertau Mittelfrüh with 15 minutes left in the boil for flavor.
    4. Cool: After the boil, cool the wort as quickly as possible to around 50°F (10°C), which is in the ideal fermentation temperature range for lagers.
    5. Fermentation: Transfer the cooled wort to a fermenter, pitch the yeast, and ferment at 50-55°F (10-13°C) for about two weeks, or until fermentation is complete.
    6. Lagering: Once primary fermentation is complete, gradually lower the temperature to 32-35°F (0-2°C) for the lagering phase. Lager the beer for 4-6 weeks to allow it to clarify, mature, and develop a smooth lager character.
    7. Bottling/Kegging: After lagering, package the beer into bottles or a keg. If bottling, add priming sugar to carbonate. Allow the beer to carbonate for 2 weeks at room temperature before chilling and serving.
    8. Serving: Serve your Schwarzbier cold, between 35-40°F (1.7-4.4°C), to best enjoy its clean, malty, and slightly roasted flavors.

    Brewing Notes:

    • Water chemistry is important for Schwarzbier. Soft water is ideal, so consider adjusting your brewing water to achieve a profile similar to Munich’s water.
    • Pay close attention to fermentation temperatures. Lager yeasts require cooler temperatures to produce the clean, crisp characteristics typical of the style.
    • The lagering phase is crucial for developing the smooth character of Schwarzbier. Don’t rush this step.

    Enjoy brewing this classic, dark, yet refreshing German beer style!

    Homebrewing Recipes

    We are circling back to include more homebrew articles. We have gotten some requests for recipes, so we have decided to write them up and post them here. Be sure to check for other Homebrew articles and recipes as well!

    Thank You For Reading

    If you like this article, please check out our other many articles, including news, beer reviews, travelogues, maps, and much much more. We greatly appreciate everyone visiting the site!

    Cheers.

    Thanks again for reading everyone. Take some time to check out the site, we greatly appreciate it. We have affiliates and sponsors with Pretzels.com and Beer Drop.com, which can save you money on their products if you are interested. Check out our articles on them. Make sure to check out our beer reviews, brewery reviews, Amy’s weekly column, book reviews, hike reviews, and so much more.

    As always, thank you everyone for reading! Leave your likes, comments, suggestions, questions, etc, in the comments section. Or use the Feedback – Contact Us – page, and we’ll get right back to you! You can also reach out to us at our direct e-mail address: thebeerthrillers@gmail.com

    Thank you for visiting our blog. Please make sure to follow, bookmark, subscribe, and make sure to comment and leave feedback and like the blog posts you read. It will help us to better tailor the blog to you, the readers, likes and make this a better blog for everyone.

    We are working on a massive project here at The Beer Thrillers. We are creating a map of all of the breweries across the United States. State by state we are adding maps of all of the different states with every brewery in each state. (We will eventually get to the US Territories, as well as the Canadian Provinces, and possibly more countries; as well as doing some fun maps like a map of all the breweries we’ve been to, and other fun maps.) You can find the brewery maps here:

    We are also working on a project of creating printable and downloadable PDFs and resources to be able to check and keep track of all of the breweries you’ve been to. So stay tuned for that project once we are finished with the Brewery Maps of the US States.

    You can check out our different directories here: Beer Reviews, Hike Reviews, Book Reviews, Brewery News, Brewery Openings, Brewer Interviews, and Travelogues.

    Please be sure to follow us on our social media accounts – Facebook, Facebook Group, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and Influence. As well as our brand new Tumblr page. Please be sure to also follow, like, subscribe to the blog here itself to keep updated. We love to hear from you guys, so be sure to leave a comment and let us know what you think!

    You can now find us on our Discord Server here: The Beer Thrillers (Discord Server). We’ve also joined LinkTree to keep track of all of our social media pages, as well as hot new articles we’ve written.

    The Beer Thrillers on LinkTree can be found here: The Beer Thrillers LinkTree.

    We have partnered with an affiliateship with Beer Drop.com. You can check out that partnership and receive great discounts, coupons, and more here: Beer Drop. Going here and logging in and ordering will help you receive your discounts and coupons as well as help support our page. Thank you for helping to support The Beer Thrillers and to help us maintain the site and blog and to keep it running.

    The Beer Thrillers are a blog that prides itself on writing beer reviews, brewery reviews, travelogues, news (especially local to the Central PA brewery scene), as well as covering other topics of our interests – such as hiking, literature and books, board games, and video games which we sometimes stream with our friends over at Knights of Nostalgia. We are currently listed as #7 on FeedSpot’s “Top 100 Beer Blogs” and #8 on FeedSpot’s “Top 40 Pennsylvania Blogs”. (As of January 2023.) Thank you for reading our site today, please subscribe, follow, and bookmark. Please reach out to us if you are interested in working together. If you would like to donate to the blog you can here: Donate to The Beer Thrillers. Thank you!

    You can also check out our partnership and affiliation with Pretzels.com, where ordering pretzels and using our affiliate code – AFFILIATE CODE IS THEBEERTHRILLERS20 – will help you get wonderful pretzels and help us maintain and keep this blog running. Thank you!

    If you would like to reach out to us for product reviews, beer reviews, press release writing, and other media – please contact us at thebeerthrillers@gmail.com. Thank you.

    (Thank you for reading. The opinions, thoughts, and expressions of each article posted on The Beer Thrillers represents the author of the content and only themselves. It does not express the opinions, beliefs, or ideas held by The Beer Thrillers or any company in which the author themselves work for. Each piece of written content is written by the creator(s) listed in the authorial section on each article unless otherwise noted. Their opinions, comments, and words on screen do not represent any company in which they work for and / or are affiliated with or any non – profits that they contribute to. Thank you.)

  • Mad Elf Clone (Homebrew Recipe)

    Mad Elf Clone (Homebrew Recipe)

    A Mad Elf inspired homebrew. A Mad Elf clone homebrew recipe.

    Troegs Mad Elf is a beloved holiday beer known for its rich malt profile, complex blend of cherries and honey, and the warmth from its high alcohol content, typically around 11% ABV. While the exact recipe for Troegs Mad Elf is proprietary, I can provide you with a homebrew recipe inspired by its characteristic profile. This recipe will aim to replicate the key flavors of Mad Elf, focusing on a 5-gallon batch size.

    Inspired Mad Elf Clone Recipe

    Ingredients:

    Malt Bill:
    • 10 lbs (4.5 kg) Pilsner Malt
    • 2 lbs (0.9 kg) Munich Malt
    • 1 lb (0.45 kg) Caramel/Crystal Malt 60L
    • 1 lb (0.45 kg) Chocolate Malt (lightly use for color adjustment, consider around 0.25 lbs or 113g)
    • 1 lb (0.45 kg) Special B Malt
    Sugars (for Fermentation and Flavor):
    • 2 lbs (0.9 kg) Honey (add at flameout or during primary fermentation to retain aroma)
    • 2 lbs (0.9 kg) Cherries (sweet or tart, depending on preference; can use puree, added during the last 5-7 days of fermentation)
    Hops:
    • 1 oz (28 g) Hallertau Hops (60 min from end of boil)
    • 0.5 oz (14 g) Saaz Hops (15 min from end of boil)
    Yeast:
    • Belgian Strong Ale Yeast (e.g., Wyeast 1388 Belgian Strong Ale or White Labs WLP500 Monastery Ale Yeast)
    Spices (Optional):
    • 1 tsp Allspice (added during the last 10 minutes of boil)
    • 0.5 tsp Cinnamon (added during the last 10 minutes of boil)

    Instructions:

    1. Mash: Heat your water to around 152°F (67°C) and mash the grains for 60 minutes.
    2. Sparge: Sparge the grains with hot water (around 168°F or 76°C) to collect approximately 6.5 gallons (24.6 liters) of wort.
    3. Boil: Bring the wort to a boil, and follow the hop schedule as follows:
      • Add 1 oz Hallertau at the beginning of a 60-minute boil.
      • Add 0.5 oz Saaz with 15 minutes left in the boil.
      • If using, add spices during the last 10 minutes of the boil.
    4. Honey and Cooling: Add the honey at flameout, ensuring it dissolves thoroughly. Then cool the wort as quickly as possible to around 68-70°F (20-21°C).
    5. Fermentation: Transfer the cooled wort to a fermenter, pitch the yeast, and ferment at 68-72°F (20-22°C) for about 2 weeks, or until fermentation activity has slowed.
    6. Cherries: Add the cherries (or cherry puree) into the fermenter during the last 5-7 days of fermentation, allowing for additional fermentation and flavor extraction.
    7. Bottling: After fermentation is complete, including the additional time for the cherries, bottle the beer with priming sugar and let it carbonate for 2-3 weeks.
    8. Aging: This beer will benefit from some aging, so consider letting it mature for a few months to allow the flavors to meld and the alcohol warmth to mellow.

    Notes:

    • The cherries and honey are crucial to achieving the characteristic flavor profile of Mad Elf. Adjust the amounts according to your taste and the intensity of the ingredients you have.
    • The optional spices can add additional depth and a holiday character but use them sparingly to avoid overpowering the cherries and honey.
    • Monitor the fermentation temperature closely, as higher temperatures can lead to more pronounced esters and phenols from the Belgian yeast, which can complement the fruit and honey but also risk dominating the flavor profile if too strong.

    Enjoy the process, and hopefully, this recipe brings a bit of holiday cheer reminiscent of Troegs Mad Elf!

    Homebrewing Recipes

    We are circling back to include more homebrew articles. We have gotten some requests for recipes, so we have decided to write them up and post them here. Be sure to check for other Homebrew articles and recipes as well!

    Thank You For Reading

    If you like this article, please check out our other many articles, including news, beer reviews, travelogues, maps, and much much more. We greatly appreciate everyone visiting the site!

    Cheers.

    Thanks again for reading everyone. Take some time to check out the site, we greatly appreciate it. We have affiliates and sponsors with Pretzels.com and Beer Drop.com, which can save you money on their products if you are interested. Check out our articles on them. Make sure to check out our beer reviews, brewery reviews, Amy’s weekly column, book reviews, hike reviews, and so much more.

    As always, thank you everyone for reading! Leave your likes, comments, suggestions, questions, etc, in the comments section. Or use the Feedback – Contact Us – page, and we’ll get right back to you! You can also reach out to us at our direct e-mail address: thebeerthrillers@gmail.com

    Thank you for visiting our blog. Please make sure to follow, bookmark, subscribe, and make sure to comment and leave feedback and like the blog posts you read. It will help us to better tailor the blog to you, the readers, likes and make this a better blog for everyone.

    We are working on a massive project here at The Beer Thrillers. We are creating a map of all of the breweries across the United States. State by state we are adding maps of all of the different states with every brewery in each state. (We will eventually get to the US Territories, as well as the Canadian Provinces, and possibly more countries; as well as doing some fun maps like a map of all the breweries we’ve been to, and other fun maps.) You can find the brewery maps here:

    We are also working on a project of creating printable and downloadable PDFs and resources to be able to check and keep track of all of the breweries you’ve been to. So stay tuned for that project once we are finished with the Brewery Maps of the US States.

    You can check out our different directories here: Beer Reviews, Hike Reviews, Book Reviews, Brewery News, Brewery Openings, Brewer Interviews, and Travelogues.

    Please be sure to follow us on our social media accounts – Facebook, Facebook Group, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and Influence. As well as our brand new Tumblr page. Please be sure to also follow, like, subscribe to the blog here itself to keep updated. We love to hear from you guys, so be sure to leave a comment and let us know what you think!

    You can now find us on our Discord Server here: The Beer Thrillers (Discord Server). We’ve also joined LinkTree to keep track of all of our social media pages, as well as hot new articles we’ve written.

    The Beer Thrillers on LinkTree can be found here: The Beer Thrillers LinkTree.

    We have partnered with an affiliateship with Beer Drop.com. You can check out that partnership and receive great discounts, coupons, and more here: Beer Drop. Going here and logging in and ordering will help you receive your discounts and coupons as well as help support our page. Thank you for helping to support The Beer Thrillers and to help us maintain the site and blog and to keep it running.

    The Beer Thrillers are a blog that prides itself on writing beer reviews, brewery reviews, travelogues, news (especially local to the Central PA brewery scene), as well as covering other topics of our interests – such as hiking, literature and books, board games, and video games which we sometimes stream with our friends over at Knights of Nostalgia. We are currently listed as #7 on FeedSpot’s “Top 100 Beer Blogs” and #8 on FeedSpot’s “Top 40 Pennsylvania Blogs”. (As of January 2023.) Thank you for reading our site today, please subscribe, follow, and bookmark. Please reach out to us if you are interested in working together. If you would like to donate to the blog you can here: Donate to The Beer Thrillers. Thank you!

    You can also check out our partnership and affiliation with Pretzels.com, where ordering pretzels and using our affiliate code – AFFILIATE CODE IS THEBEERTHRILLERS20 – will help you get wonderful pretzels and help us maintain and keep this blog running. Thank you!

    If you would like to reach out to us for product reviews, beer reviews, press release writing, and other media – please contact us at thebeerthrillers@gmail.com. Thank you.

    (Thank you for reading. The opinions, thoughts, and expressions of each article posted on The Beer Thrillers represents the author of the content and only themselves. It does not express the opinions, beliefs, or ideas held by The Beer Thrillers or any company in which the author themselves work for. Each piece of written content is written by the creator(s) listed in the authorial section on each article unless otherwise noted. Their opinions, comments, and words on screen do not represent any company in which they work for and / or are affiliated with or any non – profits that they contribute to. Thank you.)

  • Titan’s Tribute Barleywine (Homebrew Recipe)

    Titan’s Tribute Barleywine (Homebrew Recipe)

    A homebrewed Barleywine. Titan’s Tribute.

    Crafting a high-ABV barleywine is an exciting challenge that rewards patience and careful attention to detail. Barleywines are known for their rich malt profiles, significant hop character (especially in American versions), and, of course, high alcohol content. This recipe will focus on creating an American Barleywine with an ABV around 10-12%. It’s designed for a 5-gallon (approximately 19 liters) batch.

    Ingredients:

    Malt Bill:

    • 15 lbs (6.8 kg) Pale Malt (2-row)
    • 2 lbs (0.9 kg) Munich Malt
    • 1 lb (0.45 kg) Crystal Malt (80L)
    • 0.5 lb (0.23 kg) Caramel/Crystal Malt (120L)
    • 0.5 lb (0.23 kg) Victory Malt

    Hops:

    • 2 oz (56 g) Magnum Hops (60 min from end of boil)
    • 1 oz (28 g) Centennial Hops (15 min from end of boil)
    • 1 oz (28 g) Cascade Hops (10 min from end of boil)
    • 1 oz (28 g) Centennial Hops (5 min from end of boil)
    • 2 oz (56 g) Cascade Hops (Dry hop for 7 days before bottling)

    Yeast:

    • American Ale Yeast (Wyeast 1056, White Labs WLP001, or Safale US-05)

    Other:

    • Water adjustments to match your local water profile for a balanced profile suitable for a barleywine
    • 1 tsp Yeast nutrient (added 10 minutes before the end of the boil)
    • 1 Whirlfloc tablet or equivalent Irish Moss (15 min from end of boil) to help with clarity

    Instructions:

    1. Mash: Heat your water to around 154-156°F (68-69°C) and mash the grains for 60 minutes. This slightly higher mash temperature encourages more unfermentable sugars, which will contribute to the beer’s body and sweetness, balancing the high alcohol content.
    2. Sparge: Sparge the grains with hot water (around 168°F or 76°C) to collect around 6.5 gallons (24.6 liters) of wort, which accounts for evaporation during the boil.
    3. Boil: Bring the wort to a boil and add hops according to the schedule:
      • 2 oz (56 g) Magnum at 60 minutes.
      • 1 oz (28 g) Centennial at 15 minutes.
      • 1 oz (28 g) Cascade at 10 minutes.
      • 1 oz (28 g) Centennial at 5 minutes.
    4. Cool and Ferment: After the boil, cool the wort to around 68°F (20°C), transfer it to a fermenter, and pitch the yeast. Ferment at 68-70°F (20-21°C) for about 2 weeks, or until fermentation activity has significantly slowed.
    5. Dry Hop: If desired for added hop aroma, add 2 oz (56 g) of Cascade hops to the fermenter and dry hop for 7 days before bottling.
    6. Bottle and Age: After fermentation is complete, transfer the beer to bottles or a keg, adding priming sugar if bottling. Barleywines benefit greatly from aging, so consider letting it mature for several months to a year (or more) to allow the flavors to meld and mellow. High alcohol beers can continue to develop complexity over time.

    Notes:

    • Monitor the fermentation temperature closely. High-ABV fermentations can generate a lot of heat, which might push the yeast beyond its comfortable range.
    • Patience is key with barleywines. They improve with age, and flavors that might seem harsh or imbalanced initially can become harmonious and complex over time.
    • Consider taking an original gravity (OG) reading before fermentation and a final gravity (FG) reading before bottling to calculate the exact ABV of your batch.

    Enjoy the process of brewing and the eventual pleasure of savoring your high-ABV barleywine.

    Homebrewing Recipes

    We are circling back to include more homebrew articles. We have gotten some requests for recipes, so we have decided to write them up and post them here. Be sure to check for other Homebrew articles and recipes as well!

    Thank You For Reading

    If you like this article, please check out our other many articles, including news, beer reviews, travelogues, maps, and much much more. We greatly appreciate everyone visiting the site!

    Cheers.

    Thanks again for reading everyone. Take some time to check out the site, we greatly appreciate it. We have affiliates and sponsors with Pretzels.com and Beer Drop.com, which can save you money on their products if you are interested. Check out our articles on them. Make sure to check out our beer reviews, brewery reviews, Amy’s weekly column, book reviews, hike reviews, and so much more.

    As always, thank you everyone for reading! Leave your likes, comments, suggestions, questions, etc, in the comments section. Or use the Feedback – Contact Us – page, and we’ll get right back to you! You can also reach out to us at our direct e-mail address: thebeerthrillers@gmail.com

    Thank you for visiting our blog. Please make sure to follow, bookmark, subscribe, and make sure to comment and leave feedback and like the blog posts you read. It will help us to better tailor the blog to you, the readers, likes and make this a better blog for everyone.

    We are working on a massive project here at The Beer Thrillers. We are creating a map of all of the breweries across the United States. State by state we are adding maps of all of the different states with every brewery in each state. (We will eventually get to the US Territories, as well as the Canadian Provinces, and possibly more countries; as well as doing some fun maps like a map of all the breweries we’ve been to, and other fun maps.) You can find the brewery maps here:

    We are also working on a project of creating printable and downloadable PDFs and resources to be able to check and keep track of all of the breweries you’ve been to. So stay tuned for that project once we are finished with the Brewery Maps of the US States.

    You can check out our different directories here: Beer Reviews, Hike Reviews, Book Reviews, Brewery News, Brewery Openings, Brewer Interviews, and Travelogues.

    Please be sure to follow us on our social media accounts – Facebook, Facebook Group, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and Influence. As well as our brand new Tumblr page. Please be sure to also follow, like, subscribe to the blog here itself to keep updated. We love to hear from you guys, so be sure to leave a comment and let us know what you think!

    You can now find us on our Discord Server here: The Beer Thrillers (Discord Server). We’ve also joined LinkTree to keep track of all of our social media pages, as well as hot new articles we’ve written.

    The Beer Thrillers on LinkTree can be found here: The Beer Thrillers LinkTree.

    We have partnered with an affiliateship with Beer Drop.com. You can check out that partnership and receive great discounts, coupons, and more here: Beer Drop. Going here and logging in and ordering will help you receive your discounts and coupons as well as help support our page. Thank you for helping to support The Beer Thrillers and to help us maintain the site and blog and to keep it running.

    The Beer Thrillers are a blog that prides itself on writing beer reviews, brewery reviews, travelogues, news (especially local to the Central PA brewery scene), as well as covering other topics of our interests – such as hiking, literature and books, board games, and video games which we sometimes stream with our friends over at Knights of Nostalgia. We are currently listed as #7 on FeedSpot’s “Top 100 Beer Blogs” and #8 on FeedSpot’s “Top 40 Pennsylvania Blogs”. (As of January 2023.) Thank you for reading our site today, please subscribe, follow, and bookmark. Please reach out to us if you are interested in working together. If you would like to donate to the blog you can here: Donate to The Beer Thrillers. Thank you!

    You can also check out our partnership and affiliation with Pretzels.com, where ordering pretzels and using our affiliate code – AFFILIATE CODE IS THEBEERTHRILLERS20 – will help you get wonderful pretzels and help us maintain and keep this blog running. Thank you!

    If you would like to reach out to us for product reviews, beer reviews, press release writing, and other media – please contact us at thebeerthrillers@gmail.com. Thank you.

    (Thank you for reading. The opinions, thoughts, and expressions of each article posted on The Beer Thrillers represents the author of the content and only themselves. It does not express the opinions, beliefs, or ideas held by The Beer Thrillers or any company in which the author themselves work for. Each piece of written content is written by the creator(s) listed in the authorial section on each article unless otherwise noted. Their opinions, comments, and words on screen do not represent any company in which they work for and / or are affiliated with or any non – profits that they contribute to. Thank you.)

     

  • Nebula Nectar Hazy IPA (Homebrew Recipe)

    Nebula Nectar Hazy IPA (Homebrew Recipe)

    A homebrewed Hazy IPA. The “Nebula Nectar Hazy IPA”.

    Nebula Nectar Hazy IPA (Homebrew Recipe)

    Creating a Hazy IPA, also known as a New England IPA (NEIPA), focuses on achieving a juicy, fruit-forward character with a soft, smooth mouthfeel and a hazy appearance. The haze comes from a combination of high protein grains, yeast selection, and dry hopping techniques. Below is a basic 5-gallon (approximately 19 liters) recipe to get you started on brewing your own Hazy IPA. Note that brewing involves some flexibility and experimentation, so feel free to adjust this recipe to suit your taste preferences.

    Ingredients:

    Malt Bill:

    • 8 lbs (3.6 kg) Pale Malt (2-row)
    • 2 lbs (0.9 kg) Flaked Oats
    • 1 lb (0.45 kg) Flaked Wheat
    • 1 lb (0.45 kg) Carapils/Dextrine Malt
    • 1 lb (0.45 kg) Wheat Malt

    Hops:

    • 1 oz (28 g) Citra Hops (60 min from end of boil)
    • 1 oz (28 g) Mosaic Hops (15 min from end of boil)
    • 2 oz (56 g) Citra Hops (5 min from end of boil)
    • 2 oz (56 g) Mosaic Hops (0 min, at flameout)
    • 3 oz (85 g) Citra Hops (Dry hop on day 4 of fermentation)
    • 3 oz (85 g) Mosaic Hops (Dry hop on day 4 of fermentation)

    Yeast:

    • London Ale III Yeast (Wyeast 1318) or any other high ester-producing, low flocculating yeast

    Other:

    • Water adjustments as per your local water report to match a profile suitable for NEIPA (higher chloride to sulfate ratio is generally preferred)
    • 1 tsp Yeast nutrient (added 10 minutes before the end of the boil)
    • Whirlfloc tablet or Irish Moss (15 min from end of boil) (optional, but helps with protein coagulation)

    Instructions:

    1. Mash: Heat your water to around 152°F (67°C) and mash the grains for 60 minutes. This temperature allows for a medium-bodied beer, which is typical for Hazy IPAs.
    2. Sparge: After mashing, sparge the grains with hot water (around 168°F or 76°C) to collect 6.5 gallons (24.6 liters) of wort. This accounts for boil off and ensures you end up with 5 gallons (19 liters) of beer.
    3. Boil: Bring the wort to a boil, and follow the hop schedule as follows:
      • Add 1 oz (28 g) of Citra at the beginning of a 60-minute boil.
      • Add 1 oz (28 g) of Mosaic with 15 minutes left in the boil.
      • Add 2 oz (56 g) of Citra with 5 minutes left in the boil.
      • Add 2 oz (56 g) of Mosaic at flameout/0 minutes.
    4. Cool and Ferment: After the boil, cool the wort as quickly as possible to around 68°F (20°C), transfer it to a fermenter, and pitch the yeast. Ferment at 68-72°F (20-22°C) for about 7-10 days or until fermentation activity appears to have stopped.
    5. Dry Hop: On day 4 of fermentation, add the remaining 3 oz (85 g) of Citra and 3 oz (85 g) of Mosaic hops directly to the fermenter for dry hopping.
    6. Final Steps: After the fermentation is complete, allow the beer to settle for a few days. Then, cold crash (if possible) to help more particulates settle. Package the beer into bottles or kegs, carbonate, and enjoy your homemade Hazy IPA after a few weeks of conditioning.

    Remember, brewing is as much an art as it is a science. Feel free to tweak this recipe to match your taste preferences, such as adjusting the hop varieties or the grain bill. Happy brewing!

    Homebrewing Recipes

    We are circling back to include more homebrew articles. We have gotten some requests for recipes, so we have decided to write them up and post them here. Be sure to check for other Homebrew articles and recipes as well!

    Thank You For Reading

    If you like this article, please check out our other many articles, including news, beer reviews, travelogues, maps, and much much more. We greatly appreciate everyone visiting the site!

    Cheers.

    Thanks again for reading everyone. Take some time to check out the site, we greatly appreciate it. We have affiliates and sponsors with Pretzels.com and Beer Drop.com, which can save you money on their products if you are interested. Check out our articles on them. Make sure to check out our beer reviews, brewery reviews, Amy’s weekly column, book reviews, hike reviews, and so much more.

    As always, thank you everyone for reading! Leave your likes, comments, suggestions, questions, etc, in the comments section. Or use the Feedback – Contact Us – page, and we’ll get right back to you! You can also reach out to us at our direct e-mail address: thebeerthrillers@gmail.com

    Thank you for visiting our blog. Please make sure to follow, bookmark, subscribe, and make sure to comment and leave feedback and like the blog posts you read. It will help us to better tailor the blog to you, the readers, likes and make this a better blog for everyone.

    We are working on a massive project here at The Beer Thrillers. We are creating a map of all of the breweries across the United States. State by state we are adding maps of all of the different states with every brewery in each state. (We will eventually get to the US Territories, as well as the Canadian Provinces, and possibly more countries; as well as doing some fun maps like a map of all the breweries we’ve been to, and other fun maps.) You can find the brewery maps here:

    We are also working on a project of creating printable and downloadable PDFs and resources to be able to check and keep track of all of the breweries you’ve been to. So stay tuned for that project once we are finished with the Brewery Maps of the US States.

    You can check out our different directories here: Beer Reviews, Hike Reviews, Book Reviews, Brewery News, Brewery Openings, Brewer Interviews, and Travelogues.

    Please be sure to follow us on our social media accounts – Facebook, Facebook Group, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and Influence. As well as our brand new Tumblr page. Please be sure to also follow, like, subscribe to the blog here itself to keep updated. We love to hear from you guys, so be sure to leave a comment and let us know what you think!

    You can now find us on our Discord Server here: The Beer Thrillers (Discord Server). We’ve also joined LinkTree to keep track of all of our social media pages, as well as hot new articles we’ve written.

    The Beer Thrillers on LinkTree can be found here: The Beer Thrillers LinkTree.

    We have partnered with an affiliateship with Beer Drop.com. You can check out that partnership and receive great discounts, coupons, and more here: Beer Drop. Going here and logging in and ordering will help you receive your discounts and coupons as well as help support our page. Thank you for helping to support The Beer Thrillers and to help us maintain the site and blog and to keep it running.

    The Beer Thrillers are a blog that prides itself on writing beer reviews, brewery reviews, travelogues, news (especially local to the Central PA brewery scene), as well as covering other topics of our interests – such as hiking, literature and books, board games, and video games which we sometimes stream with our friends over at Knights of Nostalgia. We are currently listed as #7 on FeedSpot’s “Top 100 Beer Blogs” and #8 on FeedSpot’s “Top 40 Pennsylvania Blogs”. (As of January 2023.) Thank you for reading our site today, please subscribe, follow, and bookmark. Please reach out to us if you are interested in working together. If you would like to donate to the blog you can here: Donate to The Beer Thrillers. Thank you!

    You can also check out our partnership and affiliation with Pretzels.com, where ordering pretzels and using our affiliate code – AFFILIATE CODE IS THEBEERTHRILLERS20 – will help you get wonderful pretzels and help us maintain and keep this blog running. Thank you!

    If you would like to reach out to us for product reviews, beer reviews, press release writing, and other media – please contact us at thebeerthrillers@gmail.com. Thank you.

    (Thank you for reading. The opinions, thoughts, and expressions of each article posted on The Beer Thrillers represents the author of the content and only themselves. It does not express the opinions, beliefs, or ideas held by The Beer Thrillers or any company in which the author themselves work for. Each piece of written content is written by the creator(s) listed in the authorial section on each article unless otherwise noted. Their opinions, comments, and words on screen do not represent any company in which they work for and / or are affiliated with or any non – profits that they contribute to. Thank you.)

  • The Ultimate Guide to Homebrewing: Tips, Tricks, and Best Practices for 2024

    The Ultimate Guide to Homebrewing: Tips, Tricks, and Best Practices for 2024

    The Ultimate Guide to Homebrewing: Tips, Tricks, and Best Practices for 2024

    Essentials for home brewing.

    Homebrewing is an exciting and rewarding hobby that allows you to create your own unique beers right at home. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced brewer looking to refine your skills, this guide covers everything you need to know about homebrewing in 2024. From essential equipment to advanced techniques, let’s dive into the world of homebrewing.

    Getting Started with Homebrewing

    1. Essential Homebrewing Equipment

    • Brew Kettle: A large pot where you will boil your wort. Stainless steel kettles are preferred for their durability.
    • Fermenter: A container where the wort will ferment and turn into beer. Glass or plastic carboys are common choices.
    • Airlock: A device that allows CO2 to escape during fermentation while keeping contaminants out.
    • Sanitizer: Keeping your equipment clean is crucial. Use a no-rinse sanitizer to ensure everything is sanitized before use.
    • Hydrometer: A tool for measuring the specific gravity of your wort to track fermentation progress.

    2. Basic Homebrewing Process

    • Mashing: Steeping grains in hot water to extract fermentable sugars.
    • Boiling: Boiling the wort with hops to add bitterness and flavor.
    • Cooling: Rapidly cooling the wort to a temperature suitable for yeast pitching.
    • Fermenting: Adding yeast to the wort and allowing it to ferment.
    • Bottling/Kegging: Transferring the beer to bottles or a keg for carbonation and aging.

    Homebrewing Tips for Beginners

    1. Start Simple: Begin with extract brewing before moving to all-grain brewing. This allows you to focus on the brewing process without the complexity of mashing grains.

    2. Maintain Cleanliness: Always sanitize your equipment to prevent contamination and spoilage of your beer.

    3. Control Temperature: Keep your fermentation temperature within the recommended range for your yeast strain to ensure optimal fermentation.

    4. Take Detailed Notes: Record your brewing process, ingredients, and observations. This helps in troubleshooting and improving future batches.

    5. Be Patient: Good beer takes time. Allow your beer to ferment completely and condition properly before tasting.

    Advanced Homebrewing Techniques

    1. All-Grain Brewing:

    • Grain Selection: Choose a variety of malts to create complex flavors.
    • Mash Efficiency: Optimize your mashing process to extract the maximum amount of fermentable sugars.

    2. Yeast Management:

    • Yeast Starter: Create a yeast starter to ensure a healthy fermentation.
    • Yeast Harvesting: Save and reuse yeast from previous batches to reduce costs and maintain consistency.

    3. Water Chemistry:

    • Water Profile: Adjust your brewing water to match the desired beer style. Use brewing salts to modify pH and mineral content.
    • Filtration: Filter your water to remove chlorine and chloramine, which can affect beer flavor.

    4. Advanced Fermentation Techniques:

    • Temperature Control: Use a fermentation chamber or temperature controller to maintain precise fermentation temperatures.
    • Secondary Fermentation: Transfer your beer to a secondary fermenter to reduce sediment and improve clarity.

    5. Barrel Aging and Souring:

    • Barrel Aging: Age your beer in wooden barrels to impart unique flavors from the wood and previous contents.
    • Sour Beers: Experiment with wild yeast and bacteria to create complex sour beers.

    Popular Homebrew Recipes for 2024

    1. Hazy IPA:

    • Ingredients: Pale malt, oats, wheat, Citra hops, Mosaic hops, Vermont ale yeast.
    • Profile: Juicy, hazy, and bursting with tropical fruit flavors.

    2. Belgian Tripel:

    • Ingredients: Pilsner malt, sugar, Saaz hops, Belgian yeast.
    • Profile: Light-bodied, high ABV, with spicy and fruity yeast character.

    3. Coffee Stout:

    • Ingredients: Pale malt, roasted barley, chocolate malt, coffee beans, English ale yeast.
    • Profile: Rich, roasty, with intense coffee aroma and flavor.

    Troubleshooting Common Homebrewing Issues

    1. Off-Flavors:

    • Problem: Your beer has an undesirable taste (e.g., buttery, fruity, or sour).
    • Solution: Identify the source (e.g., contamination, fermentation temperature) and adjust your process accordingly.

    2. Poor Fermentation:

    • Problem: Slow or stuck fermentation.
    • Solution: Ensure proper yeast pitching rate and oxygenate your wort before fermentation.

    3. Clarity Issues:

    • Problem: Hazy or cloudy beer when it should be clear.
    • Solution: Use fining agents, cold crash your beer, and ensure proper mashing techniques.

    Conclusion

    Homebrewing is a journey of creativity and discovery. By starting with the basics and gradually incorporating advanced techniques, you can brew amazing beers right in your own home. Whether you’re crafting a crisp pale ale or a complex barrel-aged stout, the possibilities are endless. So, gather your ingredients, fire up the kettle, and start brewing!

    Stay tuned for more homebrewing tips, recipes, and updates. Happy brewing!

    By providing comprehensive information and addressing common interests in the homebrewing community, this article is designed to attract readers and achieve a top spot on Google. Enjoy your homebrewing adventures in 2024!

    Homebrewing Recipes

    We are circling back to include more homebrew articles. We have gotten some requests for recipes, so we have decided to write them up and post them here. Be sure to check for other Homebrew articles and recipes as well!

    Thank You For Reading

    If you like this article, please check out our other many articles, including news, beer reviews, travelogues, maps, and much much more. We greatly appreciate everyone visiting the site!

    Cheers.

    Thanks again for reading everyone. Take some time to check out the site, we greatly appreciate it. We have affiliates and sponsors with Pretzels.com and Beer Drop.com, which can save you money on their products if you are interested. Check out our articles on them. Make sure to check out our beer reviews, brewery reviews, Amy’s weekly column, book reviews, hike reviews, and so much more.

    As always, thank you everyone for reading! Leave your likes, comments, suggestions, questions, etc, in the comments section. Or use the Feedback – Contact Us – page, and we’ll get right back to you! You can also reach out to us at our direct e-mail address: thebeerthrillers@gmail.com

    Thank you for visiting our blog. Please make sure to follow, bookmark, subscribe, and make sure to comment and leave feedback and like the blog posts you read. It will help us to better tailor the blog to you, the readers, likes and make this a better blog for everyone.

    We are working on a massive project here at The Beer Thrillers. We are creating a map of all of the breweries across the United States. State by state we are adding maps of all of the different states with every brewery in each state. (We will eventually get to the US Territories, as well as the Canadian Provinces, and possibly more countries; as well as doing some fun maps like a map of all the breweries we’ve been to, and other fun maps.) You can find the brewery maps here:

    We are also working on a project of creating printable and downloadable PDFs and resources to be able to check and keep track of all of the breweries you’ve been to. So stay tuned for that project once we are finished with the Brewery Maps of the US States.

    You can check out our different directories here: Beer Reviews, Hike Reviews, Book Reviews, Brewery News, Brewery Openings, Brewer Interviews, and Travelogues.

    Please be sure to follow us on our social media accounts – Facebook, Facebook Group, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and Influence. As well as our brand new Tumblr page. Please be sure to also follow, like, subscribe to the blog here itself to keep updated. We love to hear from you guys, so be sure to leave a comment and let us know what you think!

    You can now find us on our Discord Server here: The Beer Thrillers (Discord Server). We’ve also joined LinkTree to keep track of all of our social media pages, as well as hot new articles we’ve written.

    The Beer Thrillers on LinkTree can be found here: The Beer Thrillers LinkTree.

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    The Beer Thrillers are a blog that prides itself on writing beer reviews, brewery reviews, travelogues, news (especially local to the Central PA brewery scene), as well as covering other topics of our interests – such as hiking, literature and books, board games, and video games which we sometimes stream with our friends over at Knights of Nostalgia. We are currently listed as #7 on FeedSpot’s “Top 100 Beer Blogs” and #8 on FeedSpot’s “Top 40 Pennsylvania Blogs”. (As of January 2023.) Thank you for reading our site today, please subscribe, follow, and bookmark. Please reach out to us if you are interested in working together. If you would like to donate to the blog you can here: Donate to The Beer Thrillers. Thank you!

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    If you would like to reach out to us for product reviews, beer reviews, press release writing, and other media – please contact us at thebeerthrillers@gmail.com. Thank you.

    (Thank you for reading. The opinions, thoughts, and expressions of each article posted on The Beer Thrillers represents the author of the content and only themselves. It does not express the opinions, beliefs, or ideas held by The Beer Thrillers or any company in which the author themselves work for. Each piece of written content is written by the creator(s) listed in the authorial section on each article unless otherwise noted. Their opinions, comments, and words on screen do not represent any company in which they work for and / or are affiliated with or any non – profits that they contribute to. Thank you.)

  • Truth Beer Company Grand Opening – September 3rd

    Truth Beer Company Is Having Their Grand Opening on September 3rd, 2022

    Grand Opening

    Its time for another grand opening! (Seems like we’re announcing one every day right now…. which is completely and utterly fantastic news!) This time it’s Truth Beer Company’s turn to have a grand opening. They will be having their grand opening on September 3rd, 2022 – in Akron, Pennsylvania (Lancaster County).

    Just yesterday we discussed Voodoo opening their brewpub on the North Shore in Pittsburgh, and now today we are announcing Truth Beer Company’s grand opening in Akron Pennsylvania.

    September 3rd, 2022

    Straight from the Truth Beer Company’s Facebook page:

    “Join us Saturday 9/3/22 for our grand opening. We’ll be at the brewery 1-8pm serving samplers of four 5oz pours for $10 (1 per customer), and filling growlers and crowlers to go. We will not have sit down service at this location, instead focusing on selling beer to-go. The wait is almost over, and we can’t wait. 🍻

    401 south 7th street, lower lever, in Akron, Pa”

    Truth Beer Company – Facebook Post Announcing Their Grand Opening

    They have a Facebook event listed – Truth Beer Company: Grand Opening. You can use this to keep yourself reminded of their opening as well as to list if Going, Interested, etc.

    Their brewery will be located 401 South 7th Street, Lower Level, Akron, 17501, Pennsylvania. Truth Beer Company (Suite Number 5 – Lower Level).

    Truth Beer Company

    Many will recognize Truth Beer Company from various home brew events, competitions, and brewfests in the Central PA area. I know I had some beer from them at the FUNK – MOO DUCK Home Brew Event back in 2019. (I had the ORNG Drink (I gave it a 3.75 out of 5 on Untappd).

    (Speaking of Untappd) – Untappd gives the following details about Truth Beer Company: it lists them as a nano brewery from Pennsylvania, United States (no city / location further given – yet); they are listed as having 7 unique beers with a global average rating of 3.98 (as of 8.27.22). They have had 197 ratings.

    For More Information

    For more information on Truth Beer Company you can check out their social media pages:

    And their Facebook Event Page: Truth Beer Company – Grand Opening Event.

    Other News and Closings

    We have covered many brewery openings, expansions, closings, and other news here on the blog. Be sure to check out all the various articles we’ve written below.

    Thanks for reading, and be sure to check out other brewery openings and other brewery news recently:

    Thanks For Reading

    Thanks for reading everyone. Had an article posted yesterday (the Voodoo Brewing Opening article), having this one, and then tomorrow and the next, or maybe later tonight and tomorrow, I will have a few more (Boneshire Brew Works’s Octoberfest announcement, Human Robot’s Oktoberfest and Milko Pour Competition announcement, as well as a few others). So be on the lookout for all these great articles by checking us out daily! Greatly appreciate it and hope you enjoy reading the articles! (Also, if you haven’t seen it – take notice of the Amy’s Birthday post and article, she’ll soon be writing some more for us, so be on the lookout for those as well!)

    Cheers!

    -B. Kline

    As always, thank you everyone for reading! Leave your likes, comments, suggestions, questions, etc, in the comments section. Or use the Feedback – Contact Us – page, and we’ll get right back to you! You can also reach out to us at our direct e-mail address: thebeerthrillers@gmail.com

    Thank you for visiting our blog. Please make sure to follow, bookmark, subscribe, and make sure to comment and leave feedback and like the blog posts you read. It will help us to better tailor the blog to you, the readers, likes and make this a better blog for everyone.

    You can check out our different directories here: Beer Reviews, Hike Reviews, Book Reviews, Brewery News, Brewery Openings, Brewer Interviews, and Travelogues.

    Please be sure to follow us on our social media accounts – Facebook, Facebook Group, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and Influence. Please be sure to also follow, like, subscribe to the blog here itself to keep updated. We love to hear from you guys, so be sure to leave a comment and let us know what you think!

    You can now find us on our Discord Server here: The Beer Thrillers (Discord Server). We’ve also joined LinkTree to keep track of all of our social media pages, as well as hot new articles we’ve written.

    The Beer Thrillers are a blog that prides itself on writing beer reviews, brewery reviews, travelogues, news (especially local to the Central PA brewery scene), as well as covering other topics of our interests – such as hiking, literature and books, board games, and video games which we sometimes stream with our friends over at Knights of Nostalgia. We are currently listed as #7 on FeedSpot’s “Top 100 Beer Blogs” and #9 on FeedSpot’s “Top 40 Pennsylvania Blogs”. Thank you for reading our site today, please subscribe, follow, and bookmark. Please reach out to us if you are interested in working together. If you would like to donate to the blog you can here: Donate to The Beer Thrillers. Thank you!

  • Ffej of July 18… And I Like It (2021) – Friday, Night One

    Ffej of July 18… And I Like It (2021) – Friday, Night One

     

    If your in the know, your in the know. One of the greatest parties – by invite only – is running two days this year. Ffej of July is back after a year break due to COVID-19 and is back better than ever. First night is in the bag and I personally had a blast, and I know everyone that went with me did too.

    For the first time, Ffej of July is a two day event this year. With the first event happening on a Friday and then the main event all day Saturday. I just got home from night one, and here’s a quick recap of the day.

    Due to having be the DD this year, I picked up Drew and Rome at his place, and we then made it to Annville for the party. We brought our contributions and put them in the sunroom and made our introductions to Brandi and Ffej. Running into Deuane and his wife, and several others.

    It wasn’t looking good for a bit. From about 4:30PM to about 5:40PM it was a straight up massive thunderstorm in Hummelstown, and pretty much everywhere else in the vicinity (including Annville). But luckily the rains and the clouds dispersed, and we were able to have one kick ass party.

    As we pulled into the parking lot area around 7:10PM, two guys were hanging out asking about the party. First rule of Fight Club…. err… I mean Ffej of July… well… wait, thats not really true either. Ok, here’s the thing, you can talk about Ffej of July, but you can’t just show up with “rando’s” from the Sheetz parking lot. You can bring guests, but its cool to do so with announcing them, and they must all be introduced to Ffej and Brandi. And obviously they must be cool people you can vouch for, because if anything happens, its on you.

    Ffej of July 18 (2021) – Night One

    After picking out our spot by the tree like we did last – two years ago – Ffej of July, Drew and Rome hit the beer cave and grabbed some suds, and we got down to listening to the bands. I milled around talking to people and we later made our way down to the Wheel of Zonks and other fun activities and then hung out at our spot. Rome had an eggplant sandwich and we all had Giant Center popcorn. Jason Miller and his wife Sherri showed up near the end, as well as Kelsey (from Drew’s stream) and her fiance Ben. So we had a jamming little section and loved the night’s music with UZO ending it – melting off our faces as they always do. (Thank god faces grow back!)

     

    For those coming tomorrow, see ya out there, and happy Ffej of July everyone!

    Ffej of July 18
    Ffej of July 2021

     

    -B. Kline