From a beer first brewed to ease a professional brewer’s trepidation over how his seconhand brew system would perform, Double India pale ales have burst onto the scene in the past 10 years–including their own category in the Great American Beer Festival and even their own festival. We chart the history of this style that bursts with more malt and even more hops, but takes plenty of subtlety, balance and nuance to master.

Although the concept of double or imperial beers is nothing new, modern brewers are doubling their pleasure when brewing everything from wit beers to American brown ales. We take a look at some of the big beers that are winning the hearts and livers of American brewers.

In an excerpt from his new book A Handbook of Basic Brewing Calculations published by the Master Brewers Association of the Americas, Steve Holle guides you through the steps necessary for formulating recipes for super-strong beers.

Whether brewing a really big batch or a really big beer, sometimes you need a really big mash tun. One often-overlooked source for these monster mash tuns is discarded commercial soup kettles. These highly functional, easily converted behemoths can often be found at a bargain price.

Ambient air? Pure oxygen? How about hydrogen peroxide? What’s the best way to aerate your wort before fermentation? The Strand Brewers tackled this age-old question and their results may surprise you.

“Life isn’t all skittles and beer.” So goes the old English saying about the popular pub pastime of the 18th century. But what about the modern-day candy, Skittles? For one crazy engineer and fan of “The Simpsons,” Skittlebrau became the ultimate beer and food pairing project.

The rich history of brewing in Scotland comes to life in the centuries of tradition that have led to the modern Belhaven brewery. We trace the origins of this venerable brewery and sneak a peek at its largely unknown past to help you make great tasting Scottish ales.

Irish Red Ale, that is! Stout’s not the only beer the Irish have given us and indeed the traditions of the drinking of the red may pre-date stout itself. In this issue we not only tell you about where it came from and what it’s like, we give you the whole scoop for making your own tasty red ale.

Our roving reporter asks the Great American Beer Festival® what it has done for him lately and comes up with some pretty good answers. With new events and activities as well as a lot more space–but still the same great beers–GABF continues to rock. Also included: a complete listing of this year’s winners for easy reference.

While barley is the preferred grain for most brews, plenty of other starches can be used to supply–or supplement–the sugars needed for fermentation. You probably know about rice, corn, wheat and rye, but since we were doing our bit on Irish beers we figured why not take a good look at potatoes. Now you can amaze your friends with a little spud brew.