Next Level Koji: Non-Traditional Koji Fermentation for Brewers

Koji is the magical mold at the core of many fermented products like sake, miso, and soy sauce. With a better understanding of how koji works, you can use it to create a wide variety of unique fermentations using everyday brewing ingredients. Learn how to make your own koji at home and how to use it to create your own beer-inspired fermented foods and beverages.

Learning Objectives

• Get to know the basic science behind koji, including how it works and why it’s used in traditional fermented products
• Learn how to make koji at home and how to use it to make your own custom ferments
• Discover how common brewing ingredients like spent grain and wort can be used to make new beer-inspired ferments
• Discover new ways to use koji throughout the brewing process to make new experimental beers

About the Speaker

Matt Firetto is a homebrewer living in Pittsburgh, Pa, who has been brewing since 2008 with a focus on mixed fermentation beer and alternative fermentation. His beers have won more than a dozen awards over the years in both Beer Judge Certification Program (BJCP) and professionally judged competitions. For the past three years he has worked to blend his mixed fermentation beers with various fermented foods in the search of new and exciting flavors. Follow him @mixed_ferments to keep track of what he’s fermenting next.