Keeping Track Of Your Brews - Labelling & Notes

[PistolPatch]

I'm a shocker for keeping notes on my brews. I've always assumed that I'll just remember what I did with a brew.

My memory has recently failed me in an important area and I'm kicking myself now that I didn't keep better records.

I only have one suggestion to add to this thread but I know other brewers who can add much more. Stephen has a top card system (think he has it in Word format) which I took a sample of whilst passing his place on my way from QLD to WA. Now where did I lose that?

Here's my only suggestion but it works a treat....

Masking Tape - The Blue Masking Tape

This '30 Day' tape transfers easily from one vessel to another. For example, when you rack your fermenter into a keg, you can easily whack the tape onto the keg.

If you use your yeast cake, you could also record the date and generation on your starter bottle and then transfer that to your fermenter and possibly keg.

The tape saves you re-writing stuff and also acts as a handy labelling device for awkwardly shaped objects.

That's all I have to offer here but am hoping others can do far better,
Pat

 

[newguy]

Blue masking tape (known as painter's tape here) - what a great suggestion! I presently use yellow post-it notes for my kegs. I secure them to the keg using clear packing tape because their glue isn't very good. I don't label fermenters. I only have 4 of them, and because I do 10 gallon batches at worst I only have 2 different brews to keep track of at any one time. I have no problems remembering which is which (so far).

.......Just don't ask me how long I've been married in front of the wife. I've been slapped for the awkward-pause-while-I-calculate-it before.

 

[Franko]

Ive been using silver type gaffa tape here for a few years works a treat

Franko

 

[chovain]

I'm really anal about the labelling and tracking - I've completely lost track of brews too many times in the past. When I went to AG, I started keeping track of everything in an attempt to help me learn faster. Warning: the following description may make people puke, and lose any respect for me they may have had:

All my fermenters and kegs have big (A7) address labels, and I mark a unique code on each (It's 3 characters long, with the type, size, and unique id coded into each, so I know what to look for when I'm trying to find them).

I have a brewing log: A 128-page A4 book in which I log each brew session. Each brew gets an identifier, which is the brew date: yyyymmdd, and sometimes a letter on the end if I'm having a big brew day. I write down the ingredients for each, log the steps that I've taken, and make any comments that I think to make. I have been getting more lax with this as my process improves, but in the early days, it was really handy to be able to work out how long it took to hit strike temp, and find ways to shorten the brew day. The log includes the vessel id whenever it moves.

It gets worse: In the back of the brew log, I have a vessel log - a page for each fermenter and keg. I keep track of when brews went into the vessel, and when they came out. I keep track of keg servicing, etc.

From the brew log, I can tell where my Bock is at the moment, how it was made, vital statistics, etc. From the vessel log, I can tell what's in fermenter P5C, which has been sitting in the laundry for a month :huh:. I can also tell when I last replaced the seals, etc.

SWMBO makes bottle labels with those same A7 labels. One on each bottle for the bottled batches, or a double for the kegs (one for the keg, one for the tap). They look pretty good. They've got our little logo, the batch number, name/style, abv, expected "best after" date, and a polite request for friends to return the bottle to us, rather than throwing them in the recycling.

Don't say I didn't warn you!

 

[antains]

Ive been using silver type gaffa tape here for a few years works a treat

Franko

For my original kit fermenter I didn't clean it with anything much more than hot water and a dash of bleach. It always keeps that lovely malty fragrance inside. Working on a cumulative theory of infusion, I've just written with a marker what malts have been through it - mostly lagers and a couple of dark ales. The list became redundant after I used meta-bisulphate, though. The aromatic history was gone.

Edit: Mark, you're my idol. After the troublesome return to brewing these last few weeks, that's something I want to do.

Ant.

 

[tim...]

I bought one of those boxes of 900 white dot stickers, about 2cm in diameter. They fit perfectly on a crown seal cap. After bottling, I chuck one of these on every bottles cap, write the number of the brew on it, then chuck em in my beer storage chest. To find out what the numbers correlate to, I have a blog set up. In the blog is every recipe I have made, with the number next to it.

Soon, I'll probably make a list with the beer name + number for all the beers and stick it on the side of my beer chest. Atm, I have only a few brews in there, so its easy to keep track of in my head. But the holidays are going to change that!

 

[sathid]

I only have two fermenters (and I use both for each brew...or will be)

I have been using the software program Brewsta, which allows me to put in observations. So I make notes after the brewing process, and during, to record anything that might be of interest for the next brew. I make a note of gravities when taken, and also tasting notes. I've mentioned when it was transferred to the secondary, and when it was bottled. I have a label made up for the beer, which has a name, a brew date, and a bottling date listed on it. Eventually I'll put something extra on the label that will list the ingredients and other details, so that if I change a recipe I can keep track of them without having to check the computer.

Now, having only done this for one brew, I can't be 100% sure how long it will last

 

[Fatgodzilla]

I'm really anal about the labelling and tracking - I've completely lost track of brews too many times in the past. When I went to AG, I started keeping track of everything in an attempt to help me learn faster. Warning: the following description may make people puke, and lose any respect for me they may have had:

All my fermenters and kegs have big (A7) address labels, and I mark a unique code on each (It's 3 characters long, with the type, size, and unique id coded into each, so I know what to look for when I'm trying to find them).

I have a brewing log: A 128-page A4 book in which I log each brew session. Each brew gets an identifier, which is the brew date: yyyymmdd, and sometimes a letter on the end if I'm having a big brew day. I write down the ingredients for each, log the steps that I've taken, and make any comments that I think to make. I have been getting more lax with this as my process improves, but in the early days, it was really handy to be able to work out how long it took to hit strike temp, and find ways to shorten the brew day. The log includes the vessel id whenever it moves.

It gets worse: In the back of the brew log, I have a vessel log - a page for each fermenter and keg. I keep track of when brews went into the vessel, and when they came out. I keep track of keg servicing, etc.

From the brew log, I can tell where my Bock is at the moment, how it was made, vital statistics, etc. From the vessel log, I can tell what's in fermenter P5C, which has been sitting in the laundry for a month :huh:. I can also tell when I last replaced the seals, etc.

SWMBO makes bottle labels with those same A7 labels. One on each bottle for the bottled batches, or a double for the kegs (one for the keg, one for the tap). They look pretty good. They've got our little logo, the batch number, name/style, abv, expected "best after" date, and a polite request for friends to return the bottle to us, rather than throwing them in the recycling.

Don't say I didn't warn you!

Mark - you and SWMBO need to get out a bit and get a life !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

PS Want to come to my place everytime I brew and label my beers ???????????????

 

[Wrenny]

I use Beersmith. There are 3 recipe folders -
Recipes are all the ones I have collected off the internet / books etc.
Next Recipes are what I need to buy ingredients for.
Made Recipes all have a number and a name. I write everything I can in the comments section and tasting notes and often look back at these.

I can just write the number or an abbreviated name straight on the bottle caps with a permanant marker.

Only got two fermenters (Barrel and Bucket), so that doesn't get too confusing.

 

[Stuster]

I keep records with Beersmith and an Excel spreadsheet with all the details including date fermented, bottled etc. Bottle caps get a letter code which I have in the spreadsheet. I mostly just remember what's in fermenters, with some dots on them occasionally. Very simple, but I always know what's where.

 

[kabooby]

I use beersmith as well

Have a recipes folder that has all my recipes in it
The brew log has all the beers I have brewed with the date brewed and any changes from the original recipe. I also use this section to record fermentation times and temps and what the beers are labeled as.

I have five kegs and most of the time they have different styles in them so keeping track is pretty easy

I use white electrical tape and permanent marker to mark the kegs, cubes and fermenters. Always seem to have plenty of the white electrical tape

Kabooby

 

[paterson2929]

I use an Excel spreadsheet for all recipes, dates, gravities etc in a numbered serial.
As I only have three fermenters I just write whats in the fermenter on a sheet of paper with the number and leave it on top of the fermenter.
I definetley recommend a spreadsheet though.

Pato

 

[Muggus]

To keep track of everything firstly I have a couple of text files on my computer (and backups on CD) that outline the ingredients, dates and specific methods for each brew. I also make mention of what kind of bottles/vessels the brew is contained in, what colour cap a bottle may have and what letter(s) I have drawn in marker on the cap. I keep them sealed away in carboard boxes in the cellar with some of the details on the box itself.

Not entirely fool proof, as i'm finding some of the marker on the caps has been smudged, scrapped or is unreadable, and i've rearranged the contents of many a box over time.
Needless to say, i'm probably the only person who'd be able to go into my cellar and grab out a specific beer without having to spend an eternity trying to look for it.

 

[Batz]

Beersmith

But I keep a hard copy of every brew with any notes,as happens while brewing.

Batz

 

[TidalPete]

Not one mention of GMK's AHB fridge magnets

Kegs tagged with brew No & kegging date. Bottles with brew No marker-penned on top.
Easy to refer of all current brews as the major details are on the fridge magnets on fridge door. Thanks Kenny. :super:
For minor details I check out the recipe in ProMash.

TP :beer:

 

[matti]

I have All recipes K@k, partials to AG in separate word files and I have slowly been adding the worthy ones to Promash.
I have made labels to stick on the yeast I will collect.
Unfortunately I was slack doing this with my previous yeast and mixed the jars up.

Now I'm stuck with 1 Ringwood , I think...:huh: and 2 WLP830 with no dates on it. <_<

I am too afraid to use any now so I have to start from scratch.

Need a yeast fridge first.

 

[shawnheiderich]

My method.. 1st AG wrote some notes on a cardboard box with a marker pen as I went along. Had a brew log with all KK recipes in it but it got lost. Use a texta to write on the caps of my bottles. Probably need to do more... but I struggle with that admin stuff.

Shawn

 

[Pumpy]

Ive been using silver type gaffa tape here for a few years works a treat

Franko

Yep I often drop stuff off at Franko's and get tied up having a few beers and a chat

Pumpy

 

[wambesi]

I have an Access database using the built in forms to store and view all brew recipe data, inventory and notes.
I can print off the recipes and whatever I need. I also have it set so the 1st page that loads has a summary of it of all beers in the fermenter and in bottles then how long they have been in there for.

As for labeling I print off on the Tudor software labels and cut them into 3 so they are about 2inc wide n tall with the beer name,type and bottle date. The fermenters have a piece of laminated paper stuck to them where I write in texta the brew details inside.

Starting to play with Beersmith to see what else I can add to my own program as it is only really good for K&K and extracts but I'm moving to AG shortly and need to expand its functionality!

 

[aforsyth]

A simple Excel spreadsheet is invaluable when you want to see what you did to a prior brew to improve the next one. Who can remember what yeast was used on the pilsner brewed in winter?

I find that a marker pen on the cap is an easy way to find to beer your want in the garage. :icon_cheers: