Beer/Questions Answered by Expert Matt Dick

SubjectDate Asked
Types of beer12/15/2011
  Q: My boyfriend is turning 21 soon and as part of his gift I would like to get him a few different ...
  A: gahhhh! Whitney, I wrote a long-ish response and then the browser crashed and nothing was saved. ...
home brewing11/10/2011
  Q: I've had a beer kit from Mr. Beer for a few years now, and I've quite enjoyed it. However, I want ...
  A: Great news that you're ready to branch out and try moving forward in your brewing. I think the best ...
brewing time3/10/2011
  Q: how can we decrease the brewing time?
  A: I'd like a few more specifics about what stage of the brewing/fermenting you'd like to decrease. ...
Ageing beer10/22/2010
  Q: Is it ok to age a beer after it has been in the refrigerator? Unfortunately the store i buy my beer ...
  A: No, I was only kidding. In the fridge or at room temperature will be fine. Imperial stouts were ...
Ageing beer10/21/2010
  Q: Is it ok to age a beer after it has been in the refrigerator? Unfortunately the store i buy my beer ...
  A: The answer is that it is just fine a age a beer at room temperature after it's been in the ...
Beer8/27/2010
  Q: Samuel Adams, Guinness, or both? Which is best on a cool summer night?
  A: Totally personal preference and is not even the same answer for me one night to another. I'd go for ...
beer8/14/2010
  Q: I made some beer (I thought it was anyway )a long time ago with just water , yeast and sugar. Is ...
  A: My apologies, I've been on vacation and only just got back yesterday. The answer is that you can ...
Mr Beer12/5/2009
  Q: I brewed and bottled a batch of Mr. beer whispering wheat in Jan 2009. I found two 22 ounce bottles ...
  A: Yes, absolutely safe. Maybe not any good, but perfectly safe. It might still be good, occasionally ...
sugar11/9/2009
  Q: how much sugar is in a can of beer. is there less sugar in lite beer
  A: The short answer is that no, beer does not contain sugar. In fact, that's what yeast does... it ...
bottle aging beer10/31/2009
  Q: I have a few bottles of Roots Organic Brewing Epic Ale that are aging, as recommended, in the ...
  A: The beer might not be any good any more, but you can try it and find out. There are not generally ...
Home brew not right9/1/2009
  Q: I have only ever made 2 batches of homebrew using a kit from Coopers (Australian-based). I used new ...
  A: Sure... head retention is a really desirable trait in a beer, and I can understand your wanting to ...
budweiser8/30/2009
  Q: Matt My doctor says I might have sub clinical gluten intolerance. This may explain why I get so ...
  A: Okay, I am posting this followup at the top so you'll see it. Thanks to some friends of mine who ...
Sedimet ring in secondary carboy5/14/2009
  Q: I had a bit of an issue (clearly). About a week ago one of my bottles exploded. They had only been ...
  A: If you truly re-sanitized well, and the yeast got going again in the "tertiary" fermentation then I ...
Beer allergy?5/6/2009
  Q: I'm 55 years old and seem to be allergic to beer now (wasn't in the past)as if I drink one I will ...
  A: I have heard of it before, but I don't think there is a consensus on the cause. There also may be ...
White-label beers4/6/2009
  Q: Matt, Hello, I'm a reporter with Kiplinger's Personal Finance Magazine in Washington, D.C. working ...
  A: I'm sorry it's taken me some time to get back to you. It is not uncommon in the brewing industry to ...
old beer3/17/2009
  Q: I found a case of 3.2% Natural Light in the garage. Date on it was 2003. It taste like it has ...
  A: I wouldn't drink it. The alcohol content shouldn't have changed, but I think it may be low enough ...
Force Carbonation vs. Bottle Conditioning3/12/2009
  Q: Hey, I'm a somewhat new homebrewer, but I'm getting pretty involved. We bought a kegerator and ...
  A: You should have no difference in taste, for the most part. Assuming your ingredients, recipe, ...
low sugar yield3/7/2009
  Q: I have been brewing for over 20 years. I recently bought a new 50 lb bag of 2 row pale malt. I ...
  A: The short answer is that I don't know why you would see this, other than you just having made a ...
Non alcoholic beer12/19/2008
  Q: I am interested in non-alcoholic beers, but can't find any definitive info on how to make it at ...
  A: Hmm... good question, and I'm not at all sure I can answer it. Yeast will definitely impart some ...
Cleaner spilled in Carboy!12/8/2008
  Q: I have just started brewing and with my first batch came my first screw-up. When i was securing the ...
  A: What is the sterilizer? I mean what is the chemical involved? And how long has the wort been ...
bottle storage temperature12/1/2008
  Q: I share a house and have limited storage space and the space is on the warmer side (72-75°), so 2 ...
  A: Bob, How long was the beer bottled before it went into the garage? My guess is that it's about as ...
different kinds of sugars used in beer10/17/2008
  Q: hey Matt, me and my friend are doing a chemistry experiment at school for our assignment, and we ...
  A: A good way to categorize different alcohols is by the sugars. When yeast eats sugar, it produces ...
beer has wang and cloudy9/30/2008
  Q: beer has a wang.its tastes like yeast.no more bubbles coming out of air lock. but cloudy.what do I ...
  A: You can clarify your beer in a variety of ways, but I don't think you have to, there's nothing wrong ...
brewmaster9/11/2008
  Q: I was wondering if you could point me and a direction on to were to start brewing at home if there ...
  A: Brandon, I think the best thing to do is find a home brewing supply store, go there and tell them ...
finding ingredients9/4/2008
  Q: Where can i buy these ingrediants in BC or Canada, corn sugar, saaz hops, hallertauer hersbrucker ...
  A: Stacy, Where are you in BC? Here is a handy list I found of places you can call: Spagnol's ...
beer8/11/2008
  Q: when making beer do you make it in a open crock or like wine with a air lock?
  A: You'll need an enclosed container with an air lock. You can have success in any air-tight ...
Bitterness7/12/2008
  Q: I'm a kit brewer and an interesting thing is happening to my beer as it conditions and matures in ...
  A: I'm sorry it's been some time since I was able to get to your question. I don't know why your beer ...
root beer6/23/2008
  Q: hy, i make my own wine, beer, and root beer (from concentrate) at home. when making beer or ...
  A: You've definitely run up against my ignorance--I just don't know enough about root beer to answer ...
root beer6/23/2008
  Q: hy, i make my own wine, beer, and root beer (from concentrate) at home. when making beer or ...
  A: I have only ever kegged root beer when I've made it at home, so I'm not the best person to ask. The ...
Accidentally added some iodine to beer5/7/2008
  Q: When transferring from my primary to secondary fermenter, I accidentally didn't clear out my siphon ...
  A: Mike, I would be very careful. While Iodine is critical for biological function, it is also toxic ...
beer5/3/2008
  Q: what is pot still method of beer distilling?
  A: Well I think your question requires some clarification. A beer is not distilled, it's brewed. ...
Infected batch?4/8/2008
  Q: How early can you tell if a batch is infected? I'm a new homebrewer and on my 3rd batch... so ...
  A: That's a good question. I'm unsure how early you could tell, but you're probably fine. How early ...
Not enough water3/20/2008
  Q: I brewed a batch of beer several days ago. I now realize that I actually did not top off the wort ...
  A: Scott, Good question. I think you should let it go. You'll end up with a more concentrated ...
One more Q3/10/2008
  Q: I'm new to this great craft and a huge aficionado for years. I'm brewing a brown ale and on my 7th ...
  A: Hmm... adding sugar at this stage will reinvigorate the heartier souls of what's left of your yeast. ...
1st homebrew, 7th day, have a Q.3/10/2008
  Q: I'm new to this great craft and a huge aficionado for years. I'm brewing a brown ale and on my 7th ...
  A: So no sweetness in a brown ale? That's a little surprising to me, but sometimes it's hard to tell ...
allergy?2/9/2008
  Q: Matt Like most guys I love beer. I find,however,that when I have a few beers,the next day I often ...
  A: I have no knowledge beyond the public brewery tour they'll give anyone, but I would have a hard time ...
acetaldehyde2/9/2008
  Q: Matt Which of the easily available beers (Coors,Bud,etc) contain the least or lesser amounts of ...
  A: I have no idea. I would think you could find this as easily as I could, assuming the information is ...
allergy?2/9/2008
  Q: Matt Like most guys I love beer. I find,however,that when I have a few beers,the next day I often ...
  A: I have not heard of anything like this, but it's interesting to consider. So... maltier beers tend ...
moonshine1/16/2008
  Q: ok why is moonshine illegal? does it have more to do with the process or is it just because it is ...
  A: There is a misconception buried in your question. Alcoholic drinks are broadly able to be broken up ...

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Matt Dick

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I have been a home brewing for about 20 years, been a member of the Chicago Beer Society, and designed a beer-tasting course and curriculum. I would love to encourage you along the road of beer appreciation as well as beer brewing.

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