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Brewing Notes

Field Notes from the Brewhouse

Practical write-ups on malt, hops, and fermentation drawn from our academy batches and the questions students bring to class. Each entry stands on its own, so jump in wherever a topic catches your eye.

Grain & Recipe

Mastering the Malt Bill: Building a Balanced Amber Ale

A step-by-step guide to selecting and toasting malts for depth and color

This guide breaks down the role of base malts, crystal malts, and specialty roasts in creating a well-rounded amber ale. You'll see how toasting times and temperatures affect caramelization and how to balance sweetness with hop bitterness. Practical tips on grain ratios and water chemistry help you replicate the style at home with confidence.

Read the full guide

Hop Profiles

Hop Profiles: From Noble to New World

Choosing the right hops for aroma, bitterness, and your personal taste

Hops are the spice of beer, and understanding their unique profiles is key to crafting your signature brew. This article compares traditional noble hops with bold New World varieties, discussing their typical alpha acids, essential oils, and best uses. You'll find pairing suggestions for different beer styles and tips on when to add hops during the boil for maximum effect.

Explore hop varieties

Fermentation

Fermentation Control: Keeping Your Yeast Happy

Temperature, oxygen, and nutrients for clean and consistent results

Fermentation is where the magic happens, but it's also where many homebrewers run into trouble. This post covers the essentials of yeast management: proper pitching rates, oxygen levels, and temperature control. You'll learn how to avoid common off-flavors like diacetyl and esters, and how to adjust your process for different beer styles. Real-world examples from our community show how small tweaks lead to big improvements.

Master your fermenter

Author

Marta van der Merwe

Head Brewer & Lead Instructor

Marta has spent over a decade working in small-batch breweries across the Western Cape. She joined Ballarat Brewing Academy to teach the practical side of the craft — from grain selection to the final pour.

Direct contact

Email: info@ballaratbrewingacademy.com

Phone: +27(14)9298467

What Marta brings to the blog

Her articles focus on the decisions that shape a batch: how malt choice changes body and colour, when to add hops for aroma versus bitterness, and why steady fermentation temperature matters more than most beginners expect. She also answers reader questions about off-flavours and equipment upgrades.

Before teaching, Marta managed production at a small brewery in Paarl, where she developed recipes for amber ales and traditional lagers. She now leads the academy's practical workshops and writes the brewing guides published on this site.

Specialty

Malt bills & recipe design

Experience

10+ years in craft brewing

Focus

Homebrew fermentation control

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