Jim Crooks
Video Tip: Adding Fresh Fruit to Barrel-Aged BeersBy Jim CrooksFresh fruit is naturally variable, complicating the challenge of brewing consistently great beer. Jim Crooks, master blender at Firestone Walker Barrelworks, talks sourcing, contact times, fruit-to-beer ratio, and more.
Video Tip: Controlling the Environment and Battling Oxidation in Barrel-Aged BeersBy Jim CrooksJim Crooks, master blender at Firestone Walker Barrelworks, explains how one of the few variables that brewers can control when oak-aging beers is the environment, including temperature, humidity, and minimizing oxygen in the porous barrels.
Video Tip: Using Hop Bitterness to Control Acidity in Barrel-Aged BeersBy Jim CrooksJim Crooks, master blender at Firestone Walker Barrelworks, explains how adjusting your recipe’s bitterness level can moderate and control lactic acid produced by bacteria during the aging process.
Video Tip: Developing Simple Recipes for Complex FermentationsBy Jim CrooksJim Crooks, master blender at Firestone Walker Barrelworks, describes the process of tinkering with elegant beer recipes to get the desired complexity and character after months or years of maturing with yeast and bacteria.
Full Video: Constructing Artful Mixed-Culture Beers with Firestone Walker BarrelworksBy Jim CrooksWith detailed advice from Jim Crooks, master blender at Firestone Walker’s Barrelworks, you can brew complex but balanced mixed-culture beers meant for patient wood-aging and blending.
All Access