Basic Brewing Radio is a weekly podcast about homebrewing, focused on making the best beer and mead at home. Host James Spencer chats about brewing techniques, equipment, ingredients, and recipes. The show is aimed at homebrewers who want practical advice and friendly discussion about the craft.
Episodes
11-05-26 - Thiol Dry Hopping Experiment
Homebrewer Scott Housel shares an experiment dry hopping a dark beer brewed with Phantasm Powder.
10-22-26 - Wisconsin Beer Ghosts
Jennifer Jordan, author of Beer Ghosts - In Search of Lost Hops and the Women who grew them, takes us back to the forgotten Wisconsin hop boom in the 1800s.
10-08-26 - Hop Sampler - Hallertau Blend, Solero, Helios
The gang samples hops from Hopsteiner and also tastes James' unfortunately named Rye Stout from the Mash Your Luck challenge.
09-24-26 - NA Beer and Food Safety
Dr. Scott Lafontaine and Andrew Maust from the University of Arkansas share the results of Andrew's study testing the effects of barriers against pathogens in non-alcohol beer.
09-10-26 - Going Dark
Adam Ross of Twin Span and Josh Secaur of Gambit share their Black Alts, and Sean Terrill of Two Mile sends a porter and a Doppelbock.
08-27-26 - FOAM Mash Your Luck II
James and Steve taste delicious beers as the members of the Fellowship of Oklahoma Ale Makers compete with mystery styles.
08-13-26 - Dancing Skeleton Visit
James and Steve head to Sapulpa, Oklahoma, for a tasting at Dancing Skeleton Meadery with Desiree Knott, Alex Long, and Emma Giles.
07-30-26 - Android Abbot
Homebrewer Scott Housel answers the Mash Your Luck challenge with a great big Belgian-y beer and also shares a tart lambic with lots of ginger.
07-16-26 - 38th Annual Beer and Sweat
Bryan Evanson from the Bloatarian Brewing League in Cincinnati, Ohio, talks about a long-running keg-only competition with an unmatched sampling party.
07-02-26 - Is This Okay?
Steve Wilkes and Detlef Koertge join James to sample their own beers that they aren't happy with for one reason or another.
06-18-26 - French Hop Sampler, Aramis, Elixir, Triskel
The gang goes continental and samples three Hop Sampler small batches with hops from France.
06-04-26 - Finger Lime Mexican Lager
Matt Giovanisci of Brew Cabin and Swim University shares the delicious beer behind his latest viral video.
05-21-26 - Randy Mosher, Your Tasting Brain
Homebrew hero Randy Mosher talks about his latest book exploring the mechanics of sensory perception and strategies to improve our sensory skills.
05-07-26 - CBC 2026 Wrapup
Adam Ross of Twin Span Brewing and James Bardeen of Far Field Beer Company talk about their trip to Philly for the Craft Beer Conference.
04-23-26 - Dry Hop Hop Sampler
The usual suspects sample a small batch Hop Sampler with varying levels of dry hopping post-fermentation.
04-09-26 - Deconstructing Partigyles
Author Peter Symons tells us how he used artificial intelligence to untangle a homebrew recipe for a favorite vintage beer.
03-26-26 - Savvy Blanket
Homebrewer Scott Housel shares his latest answer to the Mash Your Luck challenge - a low ABV, balanced bitterness, amber sour with Australasian influences.
03-12-26 - Taari Baked Mash Beer
Author Mika Laitinen talks to James and to Adam Ross of Twin Span Brewing about Taari, a Nordic beer whose mash is fermented after baking in an oven.
02-26-26 - Rocky Mountain Beers
Matt Giovanisci of Brew Cabin and Swim University shares three beers, one with a bunch of homegrown hops and two brewed with basic techniques.
02-12-26 - Cask Beer Care with CAMRA
John O'Donnell and Tim Webb from the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) answer homebrewer Omar Al-Nidawi's cask serving questions.
01-29-26 - Hop Sampler, Azacca, Idaho 7, El Dorado
The gang samples beers made with three delicious and juicy American hops.
01-15-26 - Rhubarb Wine
Homebrewer Ron Miller shares a delicious country wine made with rhubarb. Steve Wilkes helps taste and adds his experience.
01-01-26 - Annual Disaster Show 2025
Most of the usual suspects gather to read brewing disaster stories from listeners and to sample Scott Housel's homebrew.
12-18-25 - Archived Brews and Artificial Intelligence
Author Peter Symons joins us to talk about his fifth book of brewing history and homebrew recipes and his use of AI to help put it together.
12-04-25 - Brewing Wild and High
Matt Giovanisci of Brew Cabin heads to the mountains to go back to his roots of home brewing.
11-27-25 - Hop Sampler, NZ Pacific Sunrise, Strata, Comet
For the 27th Hop Sampler, the usual suspects compare three deliciously fruity hops: NZ Pacific Sunrise, Strata, and Comet.
11-13-25 - German Lager Quest
Homebrewer Detlef Koertge is inspired to brew German lager style beers after a visit with a professional lager brewer in his home country.
10-30-25 - Save the Purrgils
Josh Secaur of Gambit Brewing in St. Paul, Minnesota, answers the Mash Your Luck challenge with a Black IPA nod to the Star Wars universe.
10-16-25 - The Dark Flower
Homebrewer Scott Housel answers the Mash Your Luck challenge with a Graf, a cider/beer hybrid inspired by author Stephen King.
10-02-25 - Broken Rice Japanese Lager
Dr. Scott Lafontaine from the University of Arkansas joins James along with Adam Ross of Twin Span Brewing and author Chris Colby to sample James' rice lager and talk about the role of rice in brewing and its future.
09-18-25 - Big and Complex
Adam Ross of Twin Span Brewing shares the second half of a tasting round featuring beers that are big and flavorful.
09-04-25 - Light and Fast
Adam Ross of Twin Span Brewing shares a flight of three beers that are light in character and quick to produce.
08-21-25 - Hop Sampler 26
Homebrewer Mitchel Jensen shares some of his hop freezer bounty as we compare Zappa, Bergamot, and Experimental 25.
08-07-25 - Remembering Jack McAuliffe
We dig into the archives to find excerpts of shows that featured Jack McAuliffe, the founder of modern craft beer, who passed away this past month.
07-17-25 - FOAM Mash Your Luck Tasting
James heads to Tulsa to taste the results of the Mash Your Luck challenge with members of the Fellowship of Oklahoma Ale Makers.
07-10-25 - Doctor Bishop 12 Percent Lager
Homebrewer Scott Housel answers the Mash Your Luck challenge with three beers that share common ingredients - two share the same yeast, and two share the same mash.
06-26-25 - Hop Sampler - Crystal, US Delta, Zythos
The usual suspects sample single-hop beers brewed with Crystal, US Delta, and Zythos hops.
06-19-25 - Tasting Maple Lager and Triple IPL
The cast of characters from this past week sticks around to sample James' Canada Maple Lager and his Mash Your Luck UK Triple IPL.
06-12-25 - Hop Sampler - Nugget, Harlequin, Cryo Pop
After a long hiatus, James and Steve share a Hop Sampler (Nugget, Harlequin, Cryo Pop) with regulars from the Recipe Development and Mash Your Luck shows.
05-29-25 - Detlef Helles Experiment, Part 2
Steve Wilkes joins Detlef Koertge and James to evaluate the results of their experiment comparing different equipment and mash schedules to brew a Helles.
05-22-25 - CBC 2025 Wrapup
James is joined by Greig McGill of Brewaucracy and Adam Ross of Twin Span Brewing as they share their thoughts about the Craft Brewers Conference.
05-15-25 - FOAM Mash Your Luck
James heads to Tulsa for a meeting of the Fellowship of Oklahoma Ale Makers (FOAM) as they spin the wheel for Mash Your Luck.
05-08-25 - Detlef Helles Experiment, Part 1
Homebrewer Detlef Koertge enlists James' help to design an experiment testing whether his elaborate step mashes are worth the effort.
05-01-25 - Space Church Amber Ale
Scott Housel meets the Mash Your Luck challenge with a big, hoppy American Amber Ale. He also rolls the dice again for another round.
04-24-25 - 2025 American Craft Sake Festival
James heads to his hometown of Hot Springs, Arkansas, to sample sake at a national gathering of sake brewers.
04-10-25 - Maple Sap Beer and Low-Tech Brewing Up North
Homebrewer Allan Debertin talks to us about brewing a beer with maple sap and how he uses low-tech brewing techniques to deal with the chilly Canadian temps.
04-03-25 - Springtime Beer Styles
Chris Colby joins James to suggest some deliciously drinkable beer styles to take us into warmer weather.
03-27-25 - Recipe Development, UK Triple IPA
James seeks help from Matt Giovanisci of Brew Cabin and Swim University and Josh Secaur from Gambit Brewing to formulate two lagers - one small and refreshing, the other giant and hoppy.
03-20-25 - Rice and Koji with NA Beers
Dr. Scott Lafontaine and Dr. Christian Schubert from the University of Arkansas talk about their research using rice to improve the character and efficiency of non-alcohol beers.
03-13-25 - Springtime Bock
James is joined by Adam Ross of Twin Span Brewing and author Chris Colby as they taste a delicious bock and roll the next Mash Your Luck challenge.
03-06-25 - Supermoon Beer Company
Rob Brennan from Supermoon Beer Company in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, joins James and Adam Ross of Twin Span Brewing to talk about mixed fermentation in barrels.
02-27-25 - Gary Glass on Left Hand and the AHA
Gary Glass returns to talk about his job as head brewer at Left Hand Brewing in Longmont, Colorado, and founding board member of the newly-independent American Homebrewers Association.
02-20-25 - Dancing Skeleton Meadery
Our good friend, Desiree Knott, introduces us to her new boss – Alex Long of Dancing Skeleton Meadery in Sapulpa, Oklahoma. We sample two of their delicious traditional meads.
02-13-25 - A Prairie Homebrewer Companion
Scott Housel shares his dark, tart, rhubarb and cherry beer with a bit of something extra. He also takes the Mash Your Luck challenge for another round.
02-06-25 - Brown Forest and Malty Bock
James, Adam Ross from Twin Span, homebrewer Scott Housel, and author Chris Colby taste a tart Brown Forest Light and formulate the recipe for a big, malty Bock.
01-30-25 - Two Mile Brewing Brand New Key
James and Steve finally get to sample delicious beers from Two Mile Brewing in Leadville, Colorado, with brewer Sean Terrill - including his Mash Your Luck challenge.
01-23-25 - Catching Up with Bob
Our good friend, Bob Stempski, has a spirited conversation with James about taking his brewing to the next level.
01-16-25 - Brian Brennfoerder of West Mountain
James and Steve share beers and conversation with brewer Brian Brennfoerder, who comes to professional brewing having only started homebrewing less than a year ago.
01-09-25 - Recipe Development, Brown Forest Light
Chris Colby helps James formulate the recipe for a small, brown beer with German influences.
01-02-25 - Dark Beers for New Years
Matt Giovanisci of Brew Cabin shares two dark and delicious beers on opposite ends of the ABV scale.
12-19-24 - Annual Disaster Show
James and Steve read letters of brewing gone wrong by listeners from around the world.
12-12-24 - Tasting Grape Ales
Homebrewer Scott Housel shares a series of tart and tasty hybrid beers made with wine kit must as an ingredient.
12-05-24 - American Weiss Beer
Adam Ross of Twin Span Brewing shares a tart historical American beer style as his response to the Mash Your Luck challenge.
11-21-24 - Recipe Development, Hoppy Belgian Golden
Author Chris Colby joins James to formulate a recipe for a Strong Belgian Golden Ale with notes of tropical fruity hops.
11-14-24 - La Cerveza Oscura del Mundo
Adam Ross of Twin Span Brewing, homebrewer Scott Housel, and author Chris Colby taste two beers James brewed to meet his Mash Your Luck challenge: a starter Pilsner and a huge, dark beer with south-of-the-border influences.
11-07-24 - Pro-Curious Roundtable
Four professional brewers from across the United States answer listener questions about going pro in today's craft beer world.
10-31-24 - Inland Empire Mash Your Luck Competition
Members of the Inland Empire Homebrew Club pit six delicious beers against each other in the first ever Mash Your Luck competition.
10-24-24 - Beers with Detlef, Part 2
In the second part of a conversation on Steve Wilkes' porch, we talk to native Bavarian Detlef Koertge about his homebrewing and more on German beer culture. Steve's son, Chase, also chats about beers in NYC.
10-17-24 - Beers with Detlef
We sit on Steve Wilkes' porch to have beers and conversation with Detlef Koertge, a homebrewer with roots in Bavaria.
10-10-24 - Recipe Development, Peppermint Mocha Stout
Matt Giovanisci of Brew Cabin and Josh Secaur of Gambit Brewing help James compare his two Honey IPAs, and the group brainstorm on a recipe for Matt's holiday beer.
10-03-24 - Recipe Development, Dark "World" Beer
Chris Colby, author of the Homebrew Recipe Bible and Methods of Modern Homebrewing, helps James formulate a giant lager with advanced brewing techniques.
09-26-24 - Tasting "Malt Liquor"
James shares his Mash Your Luck "Malt Liquor" with Chris Colby, Adam Ross, and Scott Housel. He rolls the dice again for another challenging beer.
09-19-24 - Lichtenhainer
Homebrewer Scott Housel shares his tart and smoky interpretation of a delicious Historical German beer.
09-12-24 - A Taste of Honey IPA and Matt's MYL
Matt Giovanisci of Brew Cabin and Josh Secaur of Gambit Brewing join James to taste his Honey IPA and to plan the next version. Matt also takes the Mash Your Luck challenge.
09-05-24 - Tour of Terpenes
Adam Ross of Twin Span Brewing shares four beers brewed with terpenes – three with hop terpenes, and one with terpenes from hops' wacky cousin. Scott Housel helps James sample.
08-22-24 - Steve's Black Braggot
James is joined by Adam Ross of Twin Span Brewing, Scott Housel, and Steve Wilkes as they taste Steve's Mash Your Luck braggot.
08-15-24 - Two Mile Brewing Company
Sean Terrill of Two Mile Brewing Company in Leadville, Colorado, talks about serving tourists at the highest altitude brewery in the country and takes his chances at Mash Your Luck.
08-08-24 - Smoke and Wine Beers
Scott Housel asks James, along with Adam Ross and Austin Wadkins of Twin Span Brewing, for advice on brewing two fun and obscure beers.
08-01-24 - What Is Lager?
Peter Symons, author of True Blue Brews - The Origins of Australian Beer, seeks a looser definition of "lager."
07-25-24 - Inland Empire Brewers Mash Your Luck
Jason Dunn and Doug Walker from the Inland Empire Brewers homebrew club in California let fate choose the parameters for an upcoming competition.
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