From the press release:

BrewAdvice.com, a community-driven site focused on answering all questions related to beer, officially launched today [January 16, 2010]. Unlike forums, message boards, Facebook, or Twitter, BrewAdvice.com is specifically set up as a simple question and answer knowledge base. Ask a question, get a number of answers, select the best one, and get on with brewing. The site was quietly opened to the public a little over a week ago, and the response was overwhelmingly successful.

Questions range from basic homebrewing process questions, like “How do you choose a yeast”, to more theoretical brewing questions, such as “What does ‘Imperial’ mean with regards to style?” to the more advanced side of the craft, for example the effects of aging on Alpha and Beta acids in hops. There are also questions that aren’t strictly for the homebrewer, such as a question about pairing beer with mussels, and general beer storage advice.

Users on the site gain reputation through activity. The more active a user, the more power he or she has on the site. One gains reputation by asking good questions and leaving good answers. As users participate more, they gain access to commenting, voting, and moderation tools. “It’s a site run by the community,” says co-founder PJ Hoberman.

The site is built on the StackExchange network, which is itself based on StackOverflow, a web site for programmers that I frequent daily. It’s an interesting and different way of collecting and sharing information. Many newcomers mistake it for yet another forum, but that’s not what it is and after a little while you just “get” it. Since it’s community-driven, the more you put in the more you get out. I know there’s a lot of homebrewing knowledge out there; this will be a good way to tap it.