John M. Verive
Gearhead: Monster Mashes & Tuns of FunAs brewers pursue ever higher gravities for richer, stronger, thicker stouts, something immediately becomes clear: Most breweries weren’t made for this. Here’s a closer look at how breweries are adjusting for huge grists, long boils, and viscous beers.
Down to the Very Last DropA mash filter can increase brewhouse efficiency greatly, giving brewers much more room to get more creative with their recipes. Here, we sat down with Brouwerij West to learn more.
Hop It Like It's Hot: Whirlpools, “Dip Hopping,” and More Ways to Squeeze Out AromaPull levers, turn knobs, spin wort—from whirlpools to “dip hopping,” here is a detailed look at some specific hot-side techniques and gear for dialing in substantial hop flavor and aroma.
Gearhead: Side Pulls & Slow PoursNewly adopted tricks borrowed from Old World beer culture are helping to elevate service and presentation, reimagining what draft beer looks like.
Gearhead: Keeping an Eye on a Brewery’s Microscopic WorkforceFor a price, automated cell counters can save valuable lab time otherwise spent peering into microscopes and counting manually.
Gearhead: Pasteurization’s Place in Craft Beer’s BattleBrewers looking to perfect their beer are proving that pasteurization has a place even at small breweries.
Gearhead: Shortening the Wait for Finished BeerMany brewers are using in-line carbonation systems to inject CO2 into the beer as it moves from one vessel to another, thereby reducing the wait from crashed to canned (or kegged).
Gearhead: The Force Behind the FizzHow spunding valves can help your yeast pull double duty.
Get Sideways: Brewers Turn to Horizontal TanksLager brewing is technical and unforgiving, but today’s independent brewers are taking up the challenge and employing horizontal lagering tanks, vessels more common in the breweries of the world’s biggest brands, to keep their yeast happy.
Ready, Aim, Hop. Examining the Hop Gun in BreweriesThe aim of the HopGun is to get more hop character into a beer in less time and with adding fewer hops. It provides better efficiency and quality, reduced dissolved oxygen (DO) levels in the finished beer, and a safer working environment for the brewers.
A Wine Wand for Wild-Ale WizardryWhen it comes to making barrel-aged beers, a growing number of breweries are looking to wine producers and their tools to help with the process.
From Draft into Bottles: A Brewery Goes Glass in the Age of CansSmog City Brewing Co. has seen steady growth during its seven years in business. It has largely focused on draft, but as the cofounders look to move the brewery to the next level, they have turned to glass bottles to reach new accounts and customers.