Chemistry, Art, Ingredients & Inspiration

For people who are in love with whiskey or any kind of alcohol for that matter, the ultimate dream is to have your own distillery. However, making brews might take a lot of effort, time, the right tools and the precise ingredients to perfect that superb taste.

If you are making any kind of home-made brew, we offer a few ingredient recommendations. You shouldn't be scared to experiment but know a little about them before concocting that recipe you've been thinking about. If you already know your basic ingredients - water, sugar and yeast, the sky is the limit. You can combine them with your own recipe for a perfect home-made brew.

Whether you’re an experienced or newbie brewer, here are some basic ingredients that you should learn more about:

Flaked Rye

• The first is a pound of flaked rye. Brewers have a choice on whether to put rye on their home brews. But most of them often do because of the distinct flavor provided by rye in your brew. You know that there is rye in the brew because of that wonderful spicy aroma that tickles your sense of smell. It adds a smooth texture to the brew and forms some creamy head. Also, it adds a characteristic dryness which explains why most brewers use it to make Specialty Beers. Flaked rye is usually steamed and rolled in order to gelatinize its starches which make it easier for sugar conversion. The grain is unmalted, so it's used primarily to add flavor .

Dark Toast American Oak Chips

• The next one on the list is dark toast American oak chips. As all brewers and enthusiasts already know, oaks provide that rich color and lovely flavor to the brew. Oak chips naturally lend its taste to the brew being that brews are aged in oak barrels. But since the dawn of stainless steel fermenters and storage tanks, brewers keep that inimitable flavor by adding oak chips. But you must be careful in treading with oak since not all brews work well with the flavor. The dark toasted oak tends to add a carbonized or caramelized flavor to the drink.

Light Toast American Oak Chips

• Finally, on the list of ingredients is the mild, light toast American oak chips. Light toast oak chips are much more subtle compared with dark toast. It often lends a fresh wood and coconut character to the brew. Use these when you're looking for a more subtle flavor. The kind of oak used matters. There are plenty of oaks out there; the most popular though are American, French and Hungarian. French oak has a mild vanilla flavor, the American oak has the strongest oak flavor while Hungarian is a little bit of both.