From your first extract batch to award-winning all-grain recipes — CBM members share knowledge, techniques, and resources to help every brewer improve.
The educational goals of the Carolina BrewMasters include helping all members improve their knowledge of brewing — from the beginner doing their first extract batches to the very experienced brewer dialing in competition-winning recipes. Members share information informally at club meetings and brew sessions, so attending those regularly is one of the best ways to learn. Over the years, members have also delivered formal presentations on a wide range of topics — all archived below for the benefit of every member.
The Beer Judge Certification Program (BJCP) provides the gold-standard style guidelines used in homebrew competitions worldwide. CBM members are encouraged to study these guidelines to improve both their brewing and judging skills.
Member Presentations
A comprehensive review of the most common beer flaws — causes, detection, and how to correct them in your process. Essential reading for every brewer.
Wild yeast and bacteria for souring beer — Shawn McBride covered the techniques, organisms, and flavor profiles that define sour and wild fermentation.
Care and use guidance for whiskey barrels used to age homebrewed beers — covering sanitation, filling, maintenance, and avoiding common pitfalls.
A live demonstration of a sour mash technique drawn from Zymurgy magazine, shown at a member brew session. Great entry point into kettle souring.
Summary slides from an ASU workshop on yeast metabolism — covering fermentation science, nutrient requirements, and how yeast health affects beer flavor.
How to grow hops in your Charlotte backyard — from rhizome selection and trellis setup to harvesting and using fresh hops in a wet-hop ale.
The major brewing minerals that shape local water profiles and beer styles — calcium, magnesium, sulfate, chloride, and bicarbonate demystified for homebrewers.
A deep dive into the various types of base malts — 2-row, Pilsner, Maris Otter, Vienna, Munich — and how to select the best option for different styles.
Summary slides from an ASU workshop on yeast metabolism — covering fermentation science, nutrient requirements, and how yeast health affects beer flavor.
Techniques and tools for culturing yeast at home — covering starters, slants, washing, and keeping healthy yeast banks to reuse across multiple batches.
Everything about hops — alpha and beta acids, aroma compounds, pellet vs. whole cone, dry hopping, and how different varieties define beer character.
Summary slides from an Appalachian State University workshop on growing hops, held at Highland Brewing. Covers varieties, cultivation, and harvest timing.
Wild yeast and bacteria for souring beer — Shawn McBride covered the techniques, organisms, and flavor profiles that define sour and wild fermentation.
A live demonstration of a sour mash technique drawn from Zymurgy magazine, shown at a member brew session. Great entry point into kettle souring.
Care and use guidance for whiskey barrels used to age homebrewed beers — covering sanitation, filling, maintenance, and avoiding common pitfalls.
When & Where
Tony has written about the DIY homebrewing gadgets and equipment he has designed and built — published in Zymurgy, the AHA's flagship magazine. A great resource for the tinkerer-brewer.
Tony's DIY wort stir rod design, featured in Brew Your Own (BYO) magazine's Homebrew Nation column — a simple, effective tool any homebrewer can build at home.
The best education at CBM happens in person — at monthly meetings, brew sessions, and competitions. Come see how our members brew, ask questions, and grow as a brewer.
