The Beer Craft, Homebrewing Podcast

This week on The Beer Craft, Beer, and Brewing Podcast, we're talking cider with Jenn Knutzen — graduate of the Cider Institute of North America, Cardinal Craft Brewing alum, and judge at the 2023 Northwest Cider Cup in Portland. Jenn brings a deep well of knowledge about orchards, fermentation, and the way cider culture is carving out its own identity alongside beer and wine.   We dig into the cr...

Get ready for an unpredictable ride as Ben and Andrew tackle twenty homebrew queries they haven't seen ahead of time. From fermentation basics to bizarre ingredient tales, each question sparks off‑the‑cuff reactions and lively banter. Hear the hosts puzzle through mash temps, yeast health and ancient brewing lore while sharing plenty of laughs along the way. Expect genuine surprises, practical tip...

So much content! Picking up where we left off, we continue our conversation about equipment calibration. Tune in and hear the rest of the story.  If you missed the first half you can listen right here: https://sites.libsyn.com/549992/give-your-brew-stand-a-tune-up-calibrating-your-gear   Music attribution "Twisted" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0...

Think about how many times you take a measurment on brewday? Strike water temp, Mash Temp, Mash out, Sparge, pitching temp...the list is long. What happens when your equipment is lying to you? Your measurements are off, your hop utilization is through the roof, and the outcome of your beer is uncertain. This week on The Beer Craft, we are tuning up the brew stand and calibrating equipment to keep...

Before Citra and Mosaic stole the spotlight, there was CTZ. In this episode of The Beer Craft , Ben and Andrew trace the origin story of Columbus, Tomahawk, and Zeus—the hop so controversial it sparked lawsuits, clone conspiracies, and a federal turf war. We cover its rise to bittering dominance, its unfortunate scent reputation (Ben's not shy about that), and how it helped shape the modern IPA. Y...

We were live this week on The Beer Craft, Beer, and Brewing Podcast. This was the second attempt, and it went way better. I apologize for the delay but last weeks episode had no sound and that makes a podcast difficult.  We're discussing homebrew clubs on the podcast. We just got back from a homebrew club rally last week. Imagine your average beer festival, but replace the professionals with homeb...

Scotch Ale has nothing to do with whisky barrels, and everything to do with malt, patience, and a little historical confusion. In this episode, we dig into the real story behind the name, what separates a Scotch Ale from a British Brown, and why American brewers turned up the volume—and sometimes added smoke where it never belonged. We'll walk through classic flavor profiles, brewing techniques th...

In this solo episode of The Beer Craft , host Ben Holm walks through his brewing journey using the full spectrum of beer color—from the pale gold of his first banana-bomb extract kit to the pitch-black stout that accidentally won him an award. Along the way, Ben shares what each stage taught him: from the gateway ambers and red IPAs that shaped his palate, to recipe design, roast control, and lear...

Do you actually know what's in your malt? In this episode of The Beer Craft Podcast, Ben and Andrew crack open the mysterious (and often ignored) Certificate of Analysis—the COA—and show you how to use it to level up your brew day. Whether you're designing a recipe, troubleshooting a stuck mash, or just trying to brew the same great beer twice in a row, understanding your malt's COA can save you t...

Small Batch, Big Flavor: The 1-Gallon Brewing Revolution" Ever dreamt of brewing beer without sacrificing your entire weekend—or your kitchen counter, your whole garage, your partner's patience level? In this episode of The Beer Craft, Ben and Andrew discuss shrinking the batch size, the gear, and the timeline without sacrificing flavor. Whether you're tight on space, short on time, or just want t...

Scared your first homebrew might flop? Good. That means you're doing it right. In this episode of The Beer Craft , Ben and Andrew crack open the myths around brewing failure and reveal why mistakes are not only normal but essential. From off-flavors and "oops ales" to scrambled egg yeast and miscalculated mash temps, the guys share personal stories, practical advice, and a whole lot of laughs. You...

Summer doesn't have to shut down your brewhouse. In this episode of The Beer Craft Podcast , Ben and Andrew break down everything you need to know to ferment clean, flavorful beer—even when the thermometer hits the 90s. From swamp coolers and sweaty fermenters to heat-loving yeasts like Kveik and Saison, we've got your back. You'll learn: Why the first 48 hours of fermentation matter more than you...

We are once again throwing a certain piece of German legislation out the window. This week, we're joined in the studio by Alex Neff, brewer at  Farmstrong Brewing Co. in Mt. Vernon. Alex reached out to us to talk about brewing for flavor rather than style — and let's just say, we were already pouring a pint before he finished the sentence. In this episode, we dive into creative ingredient selectio...

  What if David Attenborough had hung up his binoculars and picked up a mash paddle? In this episode of The Beer Craft , we track the evolutionary journey of the IPA like a wild species adapting to new environments—from the sharp, bitter clarity of the West Coast to the soft, juicy haze of the East. We dig into the brewing science behind this transformation: biotransformation, haze formation, dry...

Some beer infections are incredibly heinous. The dedicated brewers who investigate these crimes against beer are members of the Special Brewers Unit. These are their stories.    This week on the Beer Craft, we cover cleaning and sanitization as we solve The Mystery Infection  "Twisted" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommon...

Saisons: they're dry, they're spicy, they're unpredictable — and honestly, we're not even sure they follow the rules. In this episode of T he Beer Craft Podcast,  Ben and Andrew explore farmhouse ales, from their rustic roots in the Belgian countryside to their modern-day reincarnation as the homebrewer's blank canvas. We'll meet the yeasts that make it all possible, decode what makes a Saison a S...

This week on The Beer Craft , Ben and Andrew get silky smooth with Nitro Beer. From its foamy roots in traditional cask ale to the creamy revolution of nitrogenated stouts, we explore how texture, gas blends, and good old-fashioned pub arguments shaped this unique beer style. You'll learn about CAMRA's crusade to save real ale, what makes nitro pours so mesmerizing, and how to build your own nitro...

What does it take to design a great beer recipe from scratch? This week, Ben and Andrew ditch the kits and break down the art (and chaos) of crafting your own beer. From trusted sources like Brewing Classic Styles and Designing Great Beers to cloning your favorite commercial brews, we cover how to think like a brewer—not just follow a recipe. Plus, a little Beer30, a few mistakes we're not proud o...

What do you get when you cross ancient Norwegian brewing traditions with modern yeast science? You get Kveik —a fast, flavorful, and nearly indestructible yeast strain that's turning the brewing world on its head. In this episode, Ben and Andrew sit down with the team behind Kveik Yeastery , including Leif Hanstad and Øystein Bakken Vold of Enzyferm , brewer Lars Huse from Ølsmia in Oslo, and trad...

IS DARK BEER REALLY STRONGER? DO IBUs ACTUALLY MEAN ANYTHING? WILL A WARM-THEN-COLD BEER DESTROY YOUR SOUL? In this explosive episode of The Beer Craft , Ben and Andrew channel their inner MythBusters to take on 21 of the most persistent beer myths swirling around taprooms, tailgates, and uncle Rick's garage fridge. Armed with a thirst for truth and a healthy dose of skepticism, our hosts pour, ta...

this is the rough edit. You can expect some shenanigans. In this episode of The Beer Craft , we step into the shadows of the brewing world—where flaked corn is passed in alleyways and lactose gets whispered at bottle shares. We're tackling the myths, misconceptions, and misunderstood magic of adjunct brewing. Forget the Reinheitsgebot and its barley-only baggage—this episode is about unlocking you...

In this high-energy, flavor-packed episode of The Beer Craft Podcast , Ben and Andrew dive headfirst into the rich, roasty world of coffee beer . From classic stouts and porters to experimental coffee IPAs and cream ales, they break down which beer styles pair best with coffee and why. You'll get a crash course in bean selection, roast levels, and processing methods—plus brewing techniques like co...

Before light beer became king and hops took center stage, America had a thriving lager tradition—crisp, flavorful, and rooted in old-world brewing techniques. In this episode of The Beer Craft, Beer, and Brewing Podcast , Ben and Andrew are drinking through history as we dive into the golden age of pre-Prohibition brewing. From six-row barley and Cluster hops to secret speakeasies and DIY homebrew...

​ In this episode of The Beer Craft, Beer, and Brewing Podcast, hosts Ben and Andrew dive into  sour beers. They explore the unique microbes— Lactobacillus , Pediococcus , and Brettanomyces , —that give sour beers their distinctive flavors. The duo also discusses classic sour beer styles like Berliner Weisse, Gose, Flanders Red Ale, Oud Bruin, and Lambic, highlighting their origins and flavor prof...

Spring is here, and it's time to shake off the winter blues with some fresh, crisp, and flavorful brews. In this episode of  The Beer Craft Podcast , hosts Ben Holm and Andrew Ziegler dive into the best beers to drink and brew for the season. From classic Maibocks and Saisons to Hefeweizens, Kölsch, and fruited IPAs, we break down what makes these styles shine and how to nail them at home. We'll c...