One of the beautiful things about brewing as a hobby is that we can decide where and when we want to wing it (even if that’s pretty much all the time) and in which specific areas we’re willing to throw money at better quality or greater precision. When it comes to products that can help us do that, the range is often limited compared to what’s available to the pros. With that in mind, here are four ways to raise the consistency and quality of our beers without buying in bulk or taking out a business loan.
Exogenous Enzymes
Industrial breweries have been adding enzymes to beer to achieve various goals for decades, but smaller craft brewers didn’t openly embrace them until relatively recently (thanks, brut IPA). While most of the products on the market are aimed at commercial brewers, there are a few available at a size and price that can still make sense in our kitchen or garage. These include the following products from CellarScience:
Brutzyme glucoamylase—for breaking down starches into simpler sugars, to ferment to dryness—comes in a 1 oz (30 ml) bottle ($7, various retailers), with ¼ tsp (1.5 ml) good for five gallons (19 liters) of beer.