In brewing, dissolved oxygen (DO) is measured for two reasons. The first is to determine that sufficient oxygen is dissolved in wort to initiate a clean, vigorous fermentation. The second is to determine that a low enough level remains in packaged beer to prevent staling. For homebrewers and nanobrewers, the aeration of wort is the primary consideration, which is just as well since measuring the very low level in packaged beer is a much more advanced and expensive technique. BYO’s Technical Editor Ashton Lewis breaks down DO so you can better understand this topic often overheard in breweries.

Refractometers are widely used in the wine and beer industry to measure sugar, but they are less commonly used by homebrewers. However, if used properly a refractometer can be a great tool to measure specific gravity in place of, or to supplement, your hydrometer. It is used primarily in brewing beer to determine the specific gravity readings of wort. BYO’s Technical Editor Ashton Lewis walks through how to use one.

You can make great-tasting beer that has low alcohol content, fewer calories, and lower cost, too. Although brewing non-alcoholic beer (by law, less than 0.5 percent alcohol by volume) is very difficult for the homebrewer, making a “three-two” that tastes like actual beer is easy.

BYO’s Technical Editor Ashton Lewis discusses some of the options and challenges of lightweight brewing.

In order to brew high alcohol beers, three challenges must be addressed. The first is the production of wort with the potential for a high degree of fermentation. The second challenge is producing high gravity wort. The combination of high original gravity with high degree of fermentation gives you the chance of producing the big beers you seek. The third challenge is carrying out the fermentation without problems from unhappy yeast. Brew Your Own’s Technical Editor Ashton Lewis offers tips on brewing and fermenting beers with a high alcohol percentage.

There are many kinds of brewers, from extract brewers making their beer in five-gallon (19 L) buckets to commercial brewers making their beer in multi-story fermenters. The skills these brewers need and the procedures they use vary substantially. However, there are two skills that every brewer needs, no matter what size brewery they brew in: cleaning and sanitizing.

Cleaning and sanitizing your brewing equipment is the first step listed in the procedure on brew day. Your brewing equipment needs to be as clean and as free from biological growth as possible. The only organism you want growing in your fermenter is yeast. Growth of other organisms in unfermented beer (called wort) can spoil the resulting beer. Contaminated beer may turn out sour or develop other off flavors and aromas. In addition, the beer may overcarbonate and gush when opened. In extreme cases, your bottles may explode.

Learn the keys to running a good homebrew fermentation from adding enough yeast to keeping the right temperatures to help your beer be the best it can be. Learn the basics with the help of Brew Your Own’s Technical Editor Ashton Lewis.

Hydrometers are simple devices that rely on a precise weight to measure the density of the solution it’s floating it. In a solution of pure (distilled) water, weight in a brewer’s hydrometer allows the tool to float to a determined marking labeled as 1.000 specific gravity (SG) or 0 °Plato at either 60 °F (16 °C) or 68 °F (20 °C). (Homebrewers prefers specific gravity while professional brewers prefer the Plato scale.) Hydrometers are great for either original gravity (OG) or finishing gravity (FG). Learn how to use a hydrometer and also how to calibrate it so you can trust the results in this video.

Brewing beer from all-grain takes significantly more time than brewing an extract beer. Some of the extra time comes from added steps in the procedure. More time is also needed to heat the larger volumes of water needed to brew an all-grain beer. You also have to clean the additional equipment used in brewing an all-grain beer. Although it takes more time, there are many advantages to brewing “from scratch.” You are free to brew any style you want and fully customize your recipe. And it is easier to brew an all-grain beer than most people think. Learn the basics in this video.

One of the essential skills you will come across when homebrewing is racking or siphoning. This is when beer is moved from one container to another to separate it from the particles that settle at the bottom of the carboy, fermenter or bucket. Learn this skill in this video.