The Beer Craft, Homebrewing Podcast

Benjamin Holm
  • 5.0 (5)
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  • Updated Weekly

Your weekly pint of beer and brewing wisdom from Ben Holm and Andrew Ziegler. Each week, a new episode shares the history, brewing tips, and a look at the Pacific Northwest beer scene. Brought to you by Northwest Brewers Supply.

  1. 6d ago

    Spruce Tips and Survival Tips

    Before refrigeration. Before vitamin supplements. Before anyone knew what vitamin C even was. People brewed with trees. This week, Ben and Andrew trace the surprising history of spruce beer, a drink that helped sailors survive long ocean voyages, supplied British troops in colonial North America, and became one of the earliest regional brewing traditions on the continent. From the decks of exploration ships to frontier settlements, spruce beer was more than a curiosity. It was a practical solution to a deadly problem: scurvy. Along the way, the guys discuss their recent NORWA brew day, where a 42-gallon batch was split among brewers and Ben decided to throw fresh spruce tips into the kettle. Was this a brilliant historical recreation, or did he accidentally brew a Christmas tree? You'll hear stories of explorers, soldiers, homebrewers, and the science behind why spruce may have worked in the first place. You'll also learn what spruce contributes to a beer, how modern brewers use it, and why local ingredients still matter. Beer has always been more than a beverage. Sometimes it was survival. For People Who Thought Tree Beer Was a Joke: https://byo.com/articles/tips-from-pros-brewing-with-spruce-tips/?ref=84 If you buy through this link, it helps the show at no extra cost to you.   Music Attribution  "Twisted" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/  "RetroFuture Dirty" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

    52 min

  2. May 21

    Did home distilling become legal?

    If you take corn, rye, and barley, add some yeast, and what do you get? You could be brewing a Kentucky common beer, and no one will bat an eye, but the moment you run that through a still... Recently, the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals upheld a ruling that the prohibition on homedistilling was unconstitutional. Does that mean we can fire up ol' Smokey on the front lawn?  This week on the Beer Craft, Homebrewing Podcast, we are going to take  a good look at what it all means. Sit back and pour yourself a couple of fingers of Kentucky's finest.     "Twisted" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/   RetroFuture Dirty   "RetroFuture Dirty" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

    55 min

  3. Apr 30

    This is Modern Alchemy

    The ancient alchemists never figured out how to turn lead into gold, but they did help crack open the door to modern chemistry, laboratory science, and the very human habit of asking, "What happens if I put this with that?" Which, honestly, sounds a lot like brewing. In this episode of The Beer Craft, Ben and Andrew look at beer through the lens of old alchemy: taking base materials, applying heat, time, transformation, and a little misplaced confidence, then hoping something amazing comes out the other side. We still haven't figured out how to turn lead into gold, but malt, hops, water, and yeast can get us pretty close. Want to go deeper into the actual ingredients behind the magic? BYO's Beer Ingredient Bundle includes workshop replays on yeast, water, malt, and hops from brewing experts. https://byo.com/product/byo-beer-ingredient-boot-camp-bundle-2023-includes-4-online-boot-camps/?ref=84 Affiliate link. Helps the show, costs you nothing.    "Twisted" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/  "RetroFuture Dirty" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

    53 min

  4. Apr 16

    Teramar Brewstillery

    Way back at the beginning of this podcast I sat down with Greg Pore co-owner and brewer at Terramar brewing and we had a fantastic talk about Berlinerweisse.  Unfortunately we weren't ready to have him in the studio at the time, but I promised him one day we would do so. Well, after over a year I'm finally making good on my promise. We had Greg into the studio and three beer geeks put their heads together, yak about beer, and share a few laughs. Enjoy the show.

    1 hr

  5. Apr 2

    Beer Myths that Refuse to Die.

    *]:pointer-events-auto R6Vx5W_threadScrollVars scroll-mb-[calc(var(--scroll-root-safe-area-inset-bottom,0px)+var(--thread-response-height))] scroll-mt-[calc(var(--header-height)+min(200px,max(70px,20svh)))]" dir="auto" data-turn-id= "request-WEB:64996e79-e935-4307-9457-39a9a0a7e0df-23" data-turn-id-container= "request-WEB:64996e79-e935-4307-9457-39a9a0a7e0df-23" data-testid= "conversation-turn-20" data-scroll-anchor="false" data-turn= "assistant"> We're taking a swing at the beer myths that won't die: lagers are "too hard," extract beer is "inferior," you "need" a secondary, more hops always make a better IPA, and airlock bubbling somehow tells you everything you need to know. Some of this advice is outdated. Some of it was never right to begin with. And some of it came from a guy who brewed once in 2003 and never updated his notes. In this episode of The Beer Craft, Ben and Andrew break down what's actually worth paying attention to, what you can ignore, and where most brewers really go wrong. If you've been overthinking your setup, your process, or your last batch, this episode should clear the air. Want to go deeper on better brewing technique? BYO U Advanced includes sessions on homebrew QC testing, all-grain tricks, dry hopping, IPA techniques, lager brewing, yeast banking, and more. https://byo.com/product/byo-u-advanced/?ref=84 Affiliate link. Helps the show, costs you nothing. Music: "Twisted" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com). Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Music: "RetroFuture Dirty" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com). Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

    1 hr

  6. Mar 19

    Fake News & Cold Beer: The Fall of Pulque

    Before Corona. Before Tecate. Before Mexican lager. Mexico had pulque, pronounced POOL-keh, a thick, funky, fermented agave drink that was once one of the most popular alcoholic drinks in the country, and sacred to the Aztecs. So what happened? In this episode of The Beer Craft, Ben and Andrew dig into one of the earliest "fake news" campaigns in alcohol history, a smear job that helped take down pulque and clear the way for industrial lager. Along the way, we trace the rise of Mexican beer through Austrian brewers, railroad expansion, and the clean, crisp style we know today. Two drinks. One country. A complete rewrite of drinking culture. Want to brew the style that won the culture war? BYO's Mexican Lager style profile is a downloadable guide with style background, ingredients, techniques, and a homebrew recipe. https://byo.com/product/mexican-lager/?ref=84 Affiliate link. Helps the show, costs you nothing. Music: "Twisted" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com). Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Music: "RetroFuture Dirty" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com). Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

    1h 2m

  7. Mar 5

    Make Beer Cheap Again

    We aren't getting political, but the price of a 4 pack of beer in the grocery store is getting a little ridiculous. $16 four packs!  This week on The Beer Craft, we break down the numbers and look at the economy of homebrewing. You can actually save money on beer by making it yourself. Plus, you get to buy gear! What a juicy dopamine hit that is... So shine up your kettle and crack open a fresh one for the Beer Craft!   Music Attribution  "Twisted" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/  "RetroFuture Dirty" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

    1h 16m

  8. Feb 28

    Northwest Beer Report

    I know I had posted this as a Make Beer Cheap Again, but I mixed up my audio files.  This week on the Podcast we take a look at the Northwest Beer Scene and answer some burning questions from the field.  Music Attribution  "Twisted" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/  "RetroFuture Dirty" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

    59 min
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Ratings & Reviews

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About

Your weekly pint of beer and brewing wisdom from Ben Holm and Andrew Ziegler. Each week, a new episode shares the history, brewing tips, and a look at the Pacific Northwest beer scene. Brought to you by Northwest Brewers Supply.

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