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Fermenting
I live in Cardiff but I’m originally from Lancashire. I am retired and started brewing when my children bought me a BrewDog 1 gallon brew-in-a-bag kit just after lockdown in 2020. The results were successful so I started looking at other kits and equipment, and came across the Dark Farm (MASHED) kits and eventually tried them all.
Brewers often obsess over the beginning - grain bills, mash schedules, yeast selection - but it’s the end of fermentation, the final (or ‘finishing’) gravity (FG), that speaks loudest in the glass. Final gravity represents the residual sugar left after yeast has done its work, and it’s the metric most responsible for a beer’s mouthfeel, sweetness, and balance. From plush imperial stouts to bone-dry saisons, it’s the number that tells the story of fermentation.
October 5th of this year marked the first International Italian Grape Ale (IGA) Day. Ever tried one? If not, then you might be asking: Italian grape ale? Is that a wine or a beer? Well, IGA is most definitely a beer. But it’s like a beer and wine got very friendly and had a baby. Made with up to 40% grapes or grape must, IGAs are based on pils malt, or pale malt.
Whether you’re crafting a crystal clear pilsner or a juicy IPA, understanding flocculation helps you shape the final pour - not just how it looks, but how it feels and tastes.
Embrace the convenience, versatility and excellence of WHC Lab’s Blitz lager yeast, and embark on a journey to craft exceptional lagers that delight the senses while optimising brewing processes!
In the haze of a lazy afternoon, or at the tail end of a long beery evening, few drinks offer the same effortless refreshment as a shandy or a radler. These beer-based blends have long been the go-to for drinkers seeking something light, bright and sessionable. But while they may seem interchangeable, their histories and cultural footprints tell two distinct stories.
Long before barley became the dominant grain in brewing, rice was quietly shaping its own legacy in the world of fermented beverages. From the misty valleys of ancient China to the ceremonial fires of India and the sleek breweries of modern Japan, rice beer has evolved from a sacred ritual drink to global refreshment. Its story is as varied and nuanced as the cultures that brew it.
Rice may be one of the world’s most ancient grains, but in brewing it’s still revealing new dimensions. Once dismissed as a bland adjunct for mass-market lagers, rice is now enjoying a renaissance among craft brewers who see it not as a filler, but as a tool for precision, texture and subtlety. From jasmine to black rice, puffed to flaked, the diversity of rice offers brewers a palette of possibilities.
The story of India Pale Ale (IPA) has long been wrapped in legend, often simplified into a neat narrative: faced with the challenge of shipping beer to India, British brewers supposedly crafted a stronger, hoppier ale specifically designed to withstand the long, hot voyage across the sea. Alongside this narrative runs the often-told story that Burton-on-Trent played the most influential role in the development of this beer. While this all makes for a great tale, the truth is far more nuanced.
It was my long-term friend Steve who casually announced to me he had started brewing all these wonderful IPAs from beer kits. That was back in 2017 and, though I had dabbled in homebrewing many years ago with basic kits, it just triggered something inside of me that took me on this self-navigated adventure.
Picture this: you’re in your favourite craft beer bar and you really fancy an IPA. You look at the tap list. Do you go for a straight up British IPA, a NEIPA or a West Coast? Decided? Great. OK, so you’ve placed your order (we’re drooling already…) and the person next to you at the bar asks what the difference is between these three brews - or indeed all of the numerous styles of IPA. Would you know what to say? If you’re a bit hazy on what characteristics distinguish them, we’ve got a handy comparison sheet for you, exploring 3 popular IPAs.
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Think you can brew the best Ale, German Beer, Dark Beer or ‘Weird ’n Wonderful’ brew? Compete in the 2025 MASHED Homebrew Micro Tournaments to win the glory, the homebrewer’s cup(s) and a £50 homebrewing voucher from MASHED!
Introducing Mango Madness yeast, an innovative and cutting-edge strain selected to revolutionise the brewing process with its unique aromatic profile, thermotolerant properties and ability to accelerate fermentation.
I’m based in Essex, and I’ve been homebrewing on and off for about 10 years. However, I’ve only taken it up as a more serious hobby over the last 5 years. I currently store all my brews on Instagram using the handle @bluebell_brewing. I started the account to keep photos without using up my own storage space.
The mash pH for sour beers, like other styles, is generally kept within the range of 5.2 to 5.6, a crucial parameter for ensuring optimal enzymatic activity during sugar conversion.
Sour beers stand out for their tangy, acidic flavour profiles, which are heavily influenced by their pH levels. Whether it’s a Berliner Weisse, a Gose, or a Lambic, sour beers thrive on acidity.
Beer brewing is as much an art as it is a science. From the perfect malt to the exact fermentation time, brewers carefully balance numerous factors to craft a great-tasting beer.
If you take a look at Vault City’s website they boldly claim “Our modern sour beers have converted even the most stubborn non-beer and traditional beer drinkersâ€.
Fancy brewing one of the homebrew recipes from the latest issue of MASHED Magazine? Grab a convenient all grain brew kit and knock out that epic beer! The perfect way to experiment with new beer recipes without having to bulk buy ingredients.
If you like beer and you like food, and you’re pretty fond of drinking beer with food, then here’s some good news for you: Dark Lagers are the food lover’s dream! This style of beer brings tasty background flavours of roasted nuts, toast, caramel, cocoa and coffee with umami/savoury characteristics from the roasted or caramelised malts. All of which work like a dream with many dishes.
Keen to brew a Dark (Black) Lager? Grab a brew kit from www.mashed.beer and give it a go! To help, here are the BJCP (Beer Judge Certification Program) style guidelines for Dark Lager.
We first connected with Worcestershire Homebrew Club when one of their members, Ben Lester, entered the 2024 MASHED Homebrew Tournament. They are a really active club doing very cool things, so if you’re in the county you should definitely check them out. And for the rest of us - who are members of other homebrew clubs, or who are thinking of joining one - they have lots to help inspire and refine our homebrewing. We’ll let Ben and fellow member Dan Walters tell you more…
Cody Palin, head brewer at Ludlow Brewing Company, dreams of a brewery on Mars. But there’s a lot that can be done to help things on Earth first. Ludlow Brewing Co., powered partly by solar and fuelled by sustainability and creativity, manage to look to the future while crafting award-winning traditional ales in the present. Yohanna Best discovers more.
Q: I’m having difficulty in hitting my OGs. Can you help?
Head Brewer at Brass Castle Brewery, Sam Teale, chats to Yohanna Best about brewing and fermenting.
Winner of the 2024 MASHED Homebrew Tournament, David Clough, shares the secrets behind his champion beer, Duke Midnight Black IPA.
What are your current homebrew challenges? We put the question to our awesome homebrew community on Facebook and Instagram (@darkfarmhops ). Here are the remedies prescribed by our very own Dr Brew.
Phil Halls, co-founder of Grain Brewery, talks to Yohanna Best about what makes a champion beer and the secret to successfully running a brewery for nearly 20 years
Yohanna Best talks to Drop Bear Beer Co co-founder Joelle Drummond about their multi award-winning alcohol-free beers and new brewery in South West Wales.
