Tag Archives: Alpha Acids

Beer Bitterness: Is Hoppiness a Choice? If you are new to craft beer, or know someone who is, you have undoubtedly witnessed “bitter beer face”. In 1995, Keystone Light made sure you knew what bitter beer face looked like in a popular television advertisement. “Never a bad taste, never a …

Alpha acids are an essential chemical component to any good beer (note: beta acids is another discussion).  In fact, yours truly has mentioned alpha acids in previous posts including The Chemistry of the Skunk.  This science installment sought to answer the following two questions about alpha acids: (1) Where do …

This science installment deals with that all-too-familiar smell and taste some beers unfortunately acquire: the dreaded “skunk” beer.  I’ll admit that until recently, I wasn’t really sure why a beer became skunky.  This report will help clear up some of the mysteries and chemistry behind the “skunky” beer. What Causes …