Beer Brewing

Sterling is the American noble-style hop I use when a recipe calls for Saaz and I want an American-grown alternative.

McKenzie is a hop variety I’ve used mainly in session ales and blonde ales where I wanted citrus-forward character without the intensity of Citra or the grapefruit sharpness of Centennial.

HBC 1019, released commercially as Dolcita, is one of the newer experimental varieties I’ve been paying attention to since its public release.

Krush hops landed on my radar through a New Zealand hop supplier recommendation — it’s a NZ-bred variety that produces an unmistakable liquid mango character that’s more intense and true-to-fruit than most hops marketed as “tropical.

Barbe Rouge is a French hop variety I discovered when researching alternatives to American varieties for a Bière de Garde I was developing.

Hersbrucker is the German noble hop I use when I want delicate floral and herbal character in lagers without the more assertive spice of Saaz or the malt-forward character of Hallertau.

Northern Brewer is the hop I specify when I want woody, minty bitterness — particularly in California Common and English-style ales where that specific earthy character defines the beer.

Portable beer dispensers fill the gap between carrying bottles to an event and hauling a full kegerator.

Schwarzbier — German for “black beer” — is one of the most elegant styles a homebrewer can attempt. It looks like a stout but drinks like a lager: deep black color, genuine roast character from debittered black malt, and a …

Scottish-style ales are among the most misunderstood beer styles in homebrewing — commonly described as “smoky” (they’re not, traditionally) or assumed to be sweet (only if fermented too warm or underpitched).