Settling - Or Not - For a Great Brew, Understanding Flocculation
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.
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MASHED ISSUE 25
Inspired by Oktoberfest, in this issue we’re looking at European and international lagers. One of the amazing lagers we’ve had on tap at MASHED Brewhouse recently was from Only With Love Brewery. They’re doing really cool things over in East Sussex. You can read all about them on here. They also specialise in fantastic alcohol free and low ABV brews. If you’re looking for something refreshing with less booze, you’ll also like our feature on radlers and shandies, which includes a recipe for citrus radler. I wonder if homebrewer, and friend of MASHED, Andy N. would make some? Normally, the only non-beer drink that Andy makes is Yorkshire tea. But these drinks are technically beer based… Anyway, you can read all about him on here.
To quench your thirst for more beer and brewing knowledge, we’ve included some technical articles on final gravity (FG), flocculation and - useful for lagers - brewing with rice. And we’ve got some banging all grain recipes for you too. As well as these recipes, Gareth has been making cider and wine (including his famous rhubarb sparkling wine) to serve at MASHED Brewhouse. Plus an odd looking sour that proved to be really popular at Aber Beer Fest. Click here to see what was on tap for the festival and which beer was voted favourite. You’ll also notice a load more beer recommendations in this issue. So if you’re not a homebrewer, or have drunk your kegs/bottles/cans dry, you know which brews to explore over the next couple of months!
Cheers, Yohanna and Gareth.
A guide to Shandies and Radlers
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.
By Gareth Davies
Limited Edition All Grain Brew Kits Autumn 25
Each all grain brew kit comes with the grains, dried hops (pellets) and dehydrated yeast you need to brew an amazing batch of beer. All weighed out and ready to go. Plus detailed brewing instructions and a link to our beginners guide to homebrewing, if you fancy a few technical pointers.
By Gareth Davies
Mastering Final Gravity
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.
By Gareth Davies
Brewing Notes: Legends
It’s been a busy couple of months since our last issue. Opening MASHED Brewhouse and taking part in the Aberystwyth Beer Festival has been both challenging and incredibly rewarding.
By Gareth Davies
The Global History of Rice Beer
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.
By Gareth Davies
YEASTS TO EXPLORE WITH WHC
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!
By Yohanna Best
The Benefits of Brewing with Rice
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.
By Gareth Davies
A Pint with… Andy N., Homebrewer
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.
By Yohanna Best
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HOPS TO EXPLORE
This issue’s hops have been chosen because they are perfect for lagers and other light beers. We love them and have used these varieties in some of the epic all grain recipes you can find from in this issue
By Gareth Davies
ONLY with LOVE
There’s not much to hide behind when you’re brewing a lager. So when you find a really epic one, it’s a thing of beauty.
By Yohanna Best
