Ben Keene

There’s an exploratory movement among craft brewers to go beyond brewing with barley. The flavors coming out of this movement are delighting palates, helping to reduce environmental degradation, and promoting social justice.

Could koji malt open new doors to flavor for creative brewers? Some researchers and a few breweries already are tinkering with the versatile molds responsible for sake, shōchū, and more.

While not without its costs, a mash filter press can dramatically increase efficiencies and lower costs. It can also open the door to some unusual beers that would be challenging or impossible with a typical lauter tun.

In pursuit of character and in support of farms, brewers are looking to unmalted grains, including unusual varieties and those grown close to home.

A poor harvest in North America last year is combining with hot weather and war in Europe to constrain supply and raise prices. However, there are reasons to be optimistic. Here’s what you need to know to stay on top of your malt supply.

Some brewers are turning to heritage barley varieties for malts that can add new character to their beers—and attract new fans.

The enemies of fresh malt are many, and some have legs and multiply. The damage can be costly. Here are practical tips on keeping your grain high, dry, and free of critters.

A historically poor barley harvest is piling on to supply-chain and cost issues that independent brewers have been facing with raw materials. Here’s what you need to know before placing your next order.

Money doesn’t grow on trees, but fruit does—and yet, it can be a finite resource. For all the talk of how climate could affect malt and hops, fruit is another raw material of modern beer that’s vulnerable to weather, as well as to supply-chain issues.

It’s an immensely complex task, but sensory science and chemical analysis are bringing us closer to understanding the relationship between barley genetics and beer flavor.