Embedded Files
Monthly Meeting
Date: September 19th
Start Time: 11 am – 12 pm
Location: Old 121 Brewhouse
Address: 2010 S Oak St, Lakewood, CO 80227
Join us at our September meeting as we sample the entries for our DME/LME Quarterly Challenge! Participants will share insights into their fermentations, followed by the announcement of the challenge winners!
September Quarterly Challenge
This quarterly challenge is DME/LME. This challenge, the only requirement is for your fermentable sugars to be made up of 51% or more DME, LME, or a mixture of both. Looking forward to what everyone comes up with! Sign up and drop off details can be found here.
Up Coming Competitions
Rocky Mountain Homebrew Challenge
Registration opens 09/01/2026, register here
Entries are due 10/09/2026
Up Coming Events
Love Lakewood Day - September 19th 2026
Love Lakewood Day is an annual citywide volunteer event that engages community volunteers and residents from across the city in meaningful service projects. This is the same day as our September meeting this year. If you’re interested in volunteering for a couple hours, you can see the events going on here.
Oktoberfest Events - 2026
There are many Oktoberfest events in Colorado
September 5th
September 12th
Lionshead Village September 11th - 13th
Vail Village September 18th - 20th
Weekend One September 18th - 20th
Weekend Two September 25th - 27th
September 25th - 27th
September 26th - 27th
Southwest Fresh Fest - October 3rd 2026
The Southwest Fresh Fest is back for its 5th year. If you like Fresh Hop beers, live music, local food, then head over to Billy Goat Hop Farm in Montrose CO. Full details can be found here.
Friends of the West Invitational Beer Fest - October 3rd 2026
The Friends of the West Invitational Beer Fest celebrates the camaraderie, passion and talents of the best breweries in the state of Colorado. Developed by Western Slope brewers dedicated to connecting regional beer enthusiasts with the brewers who work tirelessly at their craft in beautiful downtown Grand Junction. Details can be found here.
Great American Beer Festival - October 10th & 11th 2026
The 2026 Great American Beer Festival is heading to Levitt Pavilion for a weekend packed with great brews, live music, and Colorado sunshine. Get your tickets here, if you haven’t already!
Education Corner
Going Old School: Is Decoction Mashing Worth the Extra Sweat?
In an era of automated, single-infusion brewing systems, the traditional continental method of decoction mashing can look a bit primitive. The process even sounds counterintuitive. You deliberately pull roughly one-third of your thick grain mash, boil it for 10 to 30 minutes, and mix it back in. Doesn't boiling destroy the vital starch-converting enzymes? Yes it does, but only in the boiled portion. In decoction mashing, only roughly a third of the mash is boiled at each decoction and enzymes from the unboiled mash compensate for those denatured in the decoction boil.
So, what are the actual scientific benefits of doing this today?
Unmatched Malt Complexity: Boiling the grains triggers massive maillard reactions. The same chemical reaction responsible for the crust on baked bread. While you could use specialty malts like caramel and melanoidin malts to add similar flavors. Some believe the rich caramel, toffee, and toasted notes that decoction adds simply cannot be replicated with specialty malts alone.
Enhanced Crispy Drinkability: Decoction physically alters the wort matrix. It increases free amino nitrogen (FAN) for healthier yeast fermentation, vaporizes volatile off-flavor precursors to DMS, and delivers a fuller body without leaving residual sugars behind.
Higher Brewhouse Efficiency: The intense boiling action mechanically bursts open stubborn starch granules in the grain, giving brewers a bump in sugar extraction efficiency.
While a double or triple decoction adds hours to a brew day, it is the undisputed gold standard for authentic Bohemian Pilsners, Munich Dunkels, and Festbiers.
Page updated
Google Sites
Report abuse