Annie Johnson

Annie Johnson is an experienced R&D brewer, IT specialist, and national beer judge. Her awards include 2013 American Homebrewer of the Year honors.


Recipe: Annie’s Olde Patterson 0600 Malt Liquor

This extract-based ode to American malt liquor—and to an old friend—gets appropriately large portions of adjuncts and enzyme to boost attenuation. Serve it cold!

Malt Liquor: American Nostalgia, Extracted

Since adjunct lagers are cool again, it may be time to give American malt liquor a fresh look. Lean and strong, this adjunct-laden product of the post-Prohibition era has the power to evoke simpler times.

Recipe: Annie’s Gourdgeous Pumpkin Ale

Be generous with the gourd and toast your own allpsice for this smashing pumpkin ale that’s easy as, well, pie.

No Rests for the Wicked: Pumpkin Ale, Easy as Pie

Pumpkin ale is a seasonal American tradition strong enough to smash even the most cynical pumpkin-spice fatigue. It’s also fun to make—and drink, and share—at home.

Recipe: Annie’s Sandy Beaches Cold IPA

Despite it’s lean malt frame and body-lightening adjuncts, cold IPA is well within the reach of homebrewers who like to employ partial-mashes and extracts.

Cold IPA, Extracted: It’s a Cold Snap!

Crack some grains and cook some rice if you want, but attacking cold IPA with the partial-mash method is simple. Let the pedants argue about whether it’s a style—we’re too busy brewing and drinking it.

Recipe: Annie’s Three Paths Pale Ale

Pale ale makes an ideal base for trying out the split-batch method and experimenting with the different flavors you can get from one kettle of wort and a single brew day. Following this recipe, you’ll get an American-style pale ale, a Belgian-style pale ale, and a British-style strong bitter—but it’s easy to imagine more variations.

Modular Pale Ale: Explore the Split-Batch Multiverse

There is not one pale ale—they are infinite. For example: There are a few classic types that can be assembled from essentially the same wort based on some key choices. Let’s explore the versatility.

No Rests For The Wicked: Wheatwine, Be Mine

Extract brewers can embrace this indulgent wheat show smacking of fresh bread and jammy fruit, while letting the all-grain brewers enjoy their gummy stuck mashes.

Recipe: Annie’s All Winter Wheatwine Long

While their all-grain friends cope with gummy stuck mashes, here’s a recipe that extract brewers can employ for a strong, elegant, aromatically fruit-forward wheatwine.