Latest posts
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Best Hop Varieties for Homebrewers (With Flavor Notes)
Major hop varieties available to most homebrewers fall into several classic groups (plus modern cultivars), each with distinctive flavor and aroma profiles. These are widely stocked as pellets by suppliers and work across styles. Profiles are strongest with late additions (flavor), whirlpool, or dry-hopping (aroma); early boil additions mainly contribute bitterness via alpha acids. Exact…
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Different Forms of Hops for Homebrewing (Pros & Cons)
I know a few homebrewers who swear by whole hop cones. I know two who buy root cuttings, called hop rhizomes, and grow their own hops. I am not quite that sophisticated, I am a humble extract brewer who mostly utilizes hop pellets. Go to most of our top-rated online beer stores, and you can…
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What is the Beer Bitterness Scale (IBU)?
IBU stands for International Bitterness Units. It’s a number that measures how much bitterness is in a beer, mostly from the hops. But, just to keep it from being too simple, IBU is a chemical number, not a tasting score. Two beers with the same IBU can taste very different. That’s why, as a homebrewer,…