What IBUs Really Mean (and Don’t Mean)
If you’ve spent much time looking at beer menus, tap lists or can labels, you’ve probably seen three letters pop up alongside ABV: IBU. Maybe you’ve even used that number to decide whether you’ll like a beer. Twenty IBUs? Sounds easy. Seventy?
How Beer Gets Its Color
Beer can be pale gold, deep amber, ruby red, nearly black, and just about everything in between. But where does all that color actually come from? The short answer: mostly malt. The longer answer is a little more interesting. It Starts With the
What does yeast actually do?
Hops get plenty of attention. Malt brings the grain, the color, and much of beer’s backbone. But yeast? Yeast is the tiny living ingredient that turns a brewer’s hard work into beer. Its main job sounds simple: consume sugar and produce
Understanding Malt: The Backbone of Every Beer
When people talk about what gives beer its flavor, hops tend to get most of the attention. They’re citrusy. They’re piney. They’re tropical. They get their own varieties listed on cans and taproom menus. But underneath all of that is an ingredient
Why the American Pale Ale Almost Disappeared
There was a time when ordering a Pale Ale was practically shorthand for ordering a craft beer. Before tap lists became crowded with Hazy IPAs, Double IPAs, pastry stouts, fruited sours, and a dozen other increasingly specific styles, the American Pale
How Hops Change the Flavor of Beer
If you've ever described a beer as citrusy, piney, tropical, floral, herbal, or even a little dank, there's a good chance you were tasting the hops. But here's where things get interesting: Hops don't have just one flavor. Depending on the variety, when
West Coast vs. Hazy IPAs: What’s the Difference?
Walk into just about any craft beer cooler and you’ll probably see plenty of cans with three letters on the label: IPA. But those three letters can mean very different things. Two of the most recognizable versions, the West Coast IPA and
How to Taste Beer like a Brewer
You don't need a fancy vocabulary or years of brewing experience to taste beer like a brewer. In fact, most brewers aren't trying to sound sophisticated when they taste a beer—they're simply paying attention. They're asking one question: "What am I noticing?" The
Kansas Lake Beer Guide
The Best Beers to Pack for Your Next Kansas Lake Day There are two kinds of people at the lake. The ones who spend hours planning every detail… and the ones who just throw a cooler in the truck and hit the
The Ultimate El Dorado, Kansas Day Trip
Your One-Day Itinerary for Food, Outdoor Adventure & Craft Beer Looking for an easy getaway without spending hours on the road? Just 30 minutes east of Wichita, El Dorado offers the perfect mix of history, outdoor recreation, local dining, and Kansas