DIY yeast banking in your freezer offers significant cost savings and unparalleled control over your brewing by preserving specific yeast strains. By carefully harvesting active yeast, suspending it in a sterile glycerol solution, and freezing it at -18°C, you can …
Olivia Barrelton
Olivia Barrelton
Olivia Barrelton comes from three generations of coopers (barrel makers) and brings unmatched expertise in wood aging techniques to the brewing world. After apprenticing at distilleries in Scotland and wineries in France, she applied her knowledge of wood influences to beer aging. Olivia specializes in matching beer styles with complementary wood varieties, from traditional oak to exotic alternatives like amburana and cypress. She has developed innovative methods for home barrel aging and alternatives for those without space for full barrels. Her experimental wood-aged series has won multiple awards at homebrew competitions.
Building a DIY malt miller station is a game-changer for homebrewers, ensuring consistent crush, maximizing extract efficiency, and ultimately improving beer quality. My experience has shown that precise roller gap control, adequate motorization, and a robust build deliver superior results …
Crafting a custom taplist board isn’t just about utility; it’s an extension of your brewing identity. My experience shows that a well-designed DIY board, whether digital or analog, elevates the presentation of your homebrew. It’s a project that combines woodworking, …
Pairing beer with blue cheese demands careful consideration of intensity, sweetness, and palate cleansing. Optimal selections typically include high-ABV, malty beers like Barleywine or Belgian Dark Strong Ale, or rich, roasty Imperial Stouts. These styles provide the necessary residual sweetness, …
- Beer Brewing
Beer Pairing: Best Beers for Pizza (Pepperoni vs Veg)
by Olivia Barrelton 13 minutes readPairing beer with pizza isn’t just about grabbing a cold one; it’s a scientific endeavor in flavor synergy. For classic Pepperoni, I consistently recommend a robust American Pale Ale or a dry Irish Stout to cut through its rich fat …
Pairing beer with fish curry requires a delicate balance, aiming to complement the dish’s spice, acidity, and richness without overwhelming the delicate fish. The best choices typically feature crispness, moderate bitterness, good carbonation, and sometimes a hint of citrus or …
Pairing beer with Tandoori Chicken is about synergy: balancing robust spices, smoky char, and rich marinade. My experience shows that crisp lagers with a clean finish, hop-forward but not aggressively bitter IPAs, or bright, fruity saisons excel. These styles offer …
To best complement spicy Vindaloo, I consistently recommend beers that balance high carbonation, moderate residual sweetness, and either a clean, crisp profile or complex, higher-alcohol notes. My data shows that a well-crafted Pilsner, a nuanced Belgian Tripel, or a refreshing …
A stuck sparge is a brewer’s nemesis, threatening efficiency and creating endless frustration. My twenty years of hands-on experience have taught me that preventing this issue hinges on two critical interventions: strategically incorporating rice hulls to enhance grain bed porosity …
- Beer Brewing
Identifying Pellicle: Brettanomyces vs. Lactobacillus
by Olivia Barrelton 14 minutes readIdentifying a pellicle as either Brettanomyces or Lactobacillus is critical for any brewer. Brettanomyces typically forms a thicker, more wrinkled, segmented film with distinctive funky aromas (horse blanket, barnyard) and results in very low final gravity. In contrast, Lactobacillus pellicles …