What is a coolship? The term coolship, from the Flemish koelschip, is a large shallow vessel made of stainless steel or copper, used to cool wort. Coolships are often housed in large rooms, where they lie open to the elements allowing for airborne yeast to flow in and inoculate the beer. This type of fermentation...

Barleywine  A descendant of ancient English strong ales, barleywine (or barley wine) is a full-bodied, high strength ale usually between 8% and 12% ABV. Barleywine owes most of its heritage to its old ale predecessors, which by the nineteenth century was hardly a distinct beer style, but was variously known as old, stock, strong, or...

Beer & Food Pairing With a growing number of craft beer delivery options and, for many of us, a bit of free time on our hands, we have the perfect opportunity to experiment with pairing beer and food. While we often consider wine and food together, beer actually offers incredible diversity in flavour, aroma, colour...

What are Phenols?  Phenols are a broad class of organic compounds that add both desirable and undesirable flavours to beer.  While phenolics are generally known for producing off-flavours, they can contribute positive flavouring compounds too.  Approximately 75% of beer phenolics come from malt, while the other 25% from hops. In barley, the husk and tissue...

What is a White Stout? A contentious beer style for many, the white stout has reputation for inspiring arguments among beer drinkers. Some call it gimmicky – remember Crystal Pepsi? – while others have embraced it as a fun and unique beer style.  Although it is not officially recognized as a beer style, the White...