Lesson 1Adjuncts and simple sugar additions: uses and effects on fermentability/ABVSee how adjunct grains and sugars alter body, flavour, and alcohol. We discuss corn, rice, oats, wheat, sucrose uses, their fermentability impact, mouthfeel, head retention, and avoiding thinness or harshness.
Common adjunct grains and their purposesUsing sugar to boost ABV without heavinessAdjunct effects on body and mouthfeelHead retention and protein‑rich adjunctsManaging fermentability and dryness targetsLesson 2Using water treatment menus: gypsum, calcium chloride, lactic/phosphoric acid, and when to keep it simpleMaster common water treatments without complexity. Cover gypsum, calcium chloride, food-grade acids, adjusting mash vs sparge water, and knowing when a simple profile works best.
When to adjust water and when to leave itUsing gypsum to emphasize hop bitternessUsing calcium chloride to enhance maltinessLactic vs phosphoric acid for mash pHBuilding simple profiles for key stylesLesson 3Yeast selection: ale vs lager strains, attenuation, flocculation, temperature ranges and impact on flavourSee how yeast strains shape flavour, attenuation, clarity. Compare ale-lager strains, flocculation, temps, esters, phenols for clean lagers to fruity or spicy ales.
Ale vs lager yeast characteristicsAttenuation, dryness, and residual sweetnessFlocculation and beer clarity outcomesTemperature ranges and flavor expressionMatching yeast strains to beer stylesLesson 4Hop additions and timing: bittering, flavour, aroma, whirlpool/late additions, and dry hopping strategiesGrasp hop timing for bitterness, flavour, aroma. Compare bittering, flavour, late boil, whirlpool, dry hops, utilisation, strategies for IPAs, lagers, malt-forward beers.
Bittering additions and IBU calculation basicsFlavor additions in the mid boilLate boil and flameout aroma techniquesWhirlpool hopping and hop stand methodsDry hopping timing, rates, and contact timeLesson 5Hops basics: alpha acids, aroma vs bittering hops, typical hop varieties for common stylesBuild hop basics: alpha acids, oils, cohumulone. Compare bittering-aroma hops, popular varieties, usage for IPAs, lagers, stouts, classic ales.
Alpha acids, oils, and perceived bitternessBittering vs aroma and dual‑purpose hopsClassic American hop varieties and usesNoble and modern European hop profilesChoosing hops to match beer styles and goalsLesson 6Water fundamentals: key ions (carbonate, sulphate, chloride), simple adjustments for style, and safe tap water practicesLearn water chemistry's mash and flavour effects. Cover ions, water reports, simple adjustments for styles, safe tap or filtered water use at home.
Key brewing ions and their flavor impactsReading and interpreting water reportsSimple mineral additions for classic stylesManaging alkalinity and mash pH basicsSafe use of tap, filtered, and bottled waterLesson 7Base malts: types, diastatic power, extract potential and role in final beerExplore base malts, enzymes, extract. Differentiate Pilsner, pale, Vienna, Munich; diastatic power for adjuncts; grists for body, colour, style.
Pilsner vs pale ale base malt comparisonVienna and Munich malts in recipe designDiastatic power and starch conversionExtract potential and brewhouse efficiencySelecting base malts for beer color and bodyLesson 8Specialty malts: crystal, roasted, chocolate, caramel — flavour, colour contribution, and recommended inclusion ratesDive into specialty malts for flavour, colour, body. Cover crystal, roasted, chocolate, caramel; flavours, contributions, safe rates avoiding astringency or cloying.
Crystal and caramel malt flavor spectrumRoasted and chocolate malts in dark beersColor contribution and SRM planningRecommended inclusion rates by styleBalancing sweetness, roast, and bitternessLesson 9Pitching rate and starter basics for small batches (when to build yeast vs pitching dry yeast)Size yeast pitches for small batches, decide starters. Compare dry-liquid yeast, cell counts, oxygen; simple starters boosting attenuation, cutting off-flavours.
Consequences of underpitching and overpitchingDry yeast rehydration and direct pitchingWhen liquid yeast needs a starterSimple stir plate and shaken starter methodsOxygenation and yeast health basics
