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Chemical Safety in the Brewery and Hazard Communication Plans

As we all know being a brewer is really just being a glorified janitor. When you’re making the perfect bug food, you better be sure that the only bugs are the ones you want. Because cleanliness is so important, we turn to science to help us out. Chemicals are used to make sure we have […]

Nitro Beers

Introduction to nitro: Nitro is a method of serving beer that utilizes nitrogen gas to offer a unique beer drinking experience It was designed to simulate the pour of traditional cask beer with all the advantages of a modern draught system. A nitro beer is typically characterized by a big thick head, a smooth and […]

So You Want to Add a Brewing Lab?

A Primer on Adding a Brewing Lab on a Budget Quality control, in brewing and other industries, is one of those things that produces dollars indirectly. This is done by increasing process visibility, reducing risk and minimizing destroyed product. When used effectively, it should help to protect a brewery’s reputation. In today’s Colorado craft beer […]

Techniques for Cask Conditioned Beer Production (Firkins)

firkin

It’s that time of year for Firkin Fest, so it seems like a good time to discuss cask conditioned beers (also known as firkins).  This post is meant to give some examples of procedures to ensure that the beer in the cask is in great shape at the time it’s ready to be tapped and […]

Draft Line Cleaning – Key to Quality Beer

Micromatic draft line cleaning diagram

Introduction Proper cleaning and maintenance of your draft system is just as important as the various CIP methods employed in production. If you neglect your draft system, your beers will suffer! Carbonation, off-flavors, and the appearance of the beer can all be affected by dirty draft lines. The following is a step by step process […]

Permit-Required Confined Space Determination

OSHA is on their way! Well…potentially, so put down your beer because this is a serious topic. As you hopefully have been informed, OSHA is implementing a local emphasis program which includes inspections for breweries. (See OSHA Local Emphasis Program for Breweries blog, October 3, 2017 on Colorado Brewer’s Guild webpage.) Small breweries have the […]

OSHA Local Emphasis Program for Breweries

On August 1, the Colorado Brewers Guild hosted a presentation at Phantom Canyon Brewing in Colorado Springs regarding the upcoming OSHA Local Emphasis Program (LEP) for the beverage manufacturing industry. If your brewery is in the Englewood Area Office (Southern Colorado) you have probably already received a letter outlining the program. While it appears that […]

Enzymes in Brewing

Enzyme and mashing temperature chart for brewing

Intro: It’s no big secret in the brewing industry that yeast likes to gobble up sugar to create one of the most magical libations out there. Beer. But where do the sugars come from? How are they created? Sugar Formation The majority of sugars used in the brewing process come from starches that are derived […]

Water is Beer, Or at Least Most Of It

Over the last few years in California where I worked brewing in the San Gabriel Valley there was a cruel and pernicious drought that dried several reservoirs and dropped the water table on several aquifers across the state. You can blame climate change or overexploitation but the fact is that this kind of situation will […]

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