About Neil

I started out like every other brewer trying to get into the hobby, reading, attempting, drinking, sometimes failing but mainly enjoying myself.

Over time I developed my skills and became more knowledgeable up until the point where knocking up a batch of beer at home is second nature.

I developed my skills enough, in fact, to become a professional brewer. I now get to brew for a wider audience than I ever imagined and it all started from making up batches on the kitchen stove.

Entries by Neil

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Oatmeal Pale Ale Recipe

  Oatmeal stouts appear to be becoming increasingly popular. There are plenty of options available commercially and there are hundreds of home brew recipes to sift through. When you think about oatmeal, you think porridge. The association with warming breakfast and the thick, creamy consistency (something I talked about here) it’s easy to see how […]

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Simple Home Brewing Water Treatment

  I was recently sent this pH meter by Meterics.com (thanks guys) so what better time to talk about water chemistry. Any article about water chemistry usually starts with the line, “Water chemistry is a complex subject”. So how does the home brewer deal with such a complex subject? What affect does it have on […]

How To Make Limoncello

Today we are going to try something a little different to brewing. Occasionally I make a few liqueurs and cordials so I wanted to share this one. Everybody seems to like Limoncello, so it’s a good liqueur to make and give away as gifts to people who don’t like beer. Limoncello has got to be […]

Adding Spices To Your Home Brew

So the weather is getting colder and now, is the time of year when you start seeing a lot of seasonal winter warmer style beers available in the shops. A lot these beers have in common the addition of spices to add a further layer that really changes a beers flavour. I have to say […]

The Sonic Foamer Review

I wrote a little about beer foam not too long ago. How the home brewer can ensure a good level of froth seemed to strike a chord and not long after I was sent the Sonic Foamer.   Whereas before I was talking about adjusting the recipe and process of making the beer. It seems […]

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Is Your Home Brew Beer Worth $60?

How much is too much to pay for a beer? £5, £8, £12, £20, £40? I would guess everyone would answer differently but there has to be an upper limit, right? A friend told me about the latest release of Goose Islands Rare Bourbon County Stout. It costs $60 or around £38. Is that too […]

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Session Stout Tasting

It was only a few weeks ago that I brewed the Session Stout but it’s ready to taste so let’s take a look at how it’s turned out. The brew day itself went by without any hitches and fermentation was unremarkable. The temperature here in Cornwall is starting to cool now the seasons are changing. […]

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15 Tips For The New Home Brewer

There is a lot of information here on Home Brew Answers that should hopefully enable you to brew better beers or understand some of the processes behind home brewing high quality beer. Making the very best beer, every time is so simple it can be boiled down to a few things; use the best ingredients […]