Managing fermentation schedules

[idzy]

Hi guys,

I have just started out in brewing and have quickly discovered there are multiple steps to be considering during fermentation which include:
-Temp step(s)
-Racking to secondary
-First dry hopping
-Secondary dry hopping
-Polyclar additions
-Cold conditioning
-Bottling
-Bottle conditioning
-Drink at date

I was thinking it would be nice to streamline this in some way.

Current process
I currently log everything into a brew log (a word document, with a different page for each brew) and remember to check the brew log for the red text (the unconfirmed values). I own beer smith, but haven't worked it out as yet.

For example:

Dry Hop Additions Due: 26/12/2013
Date of Cold Conditioning: 9/01/2013

So I know that cold conditioning is due to commence on the 9th of Jan. Once it has commenced, I will make the text black and potentially modify the date to the date it actually occurred, which may be +/- 1 day.

Current state of affairs
I was thinking in addition to this, I will start labeling carboys and keep a hard copy of the brew log near my fermentation fridges, which are not at my house (maybe on a clipboard, but I will need a lab coat to match :lol.

I know I need to do something quickly before things get out of hand. I am currently managing 10 batches and don't want to lose track of where they are at, or forget a step that is due to occur. Keen to manage them in the most trouble free and low risk way and I know the word document is going to become redundant very quickly.

Possible solutions

1. There is an app for mobiles called IBrewMaster, not sure if anyone is using this, but have seen it recommended elsewhere.
2. Apparently beersmith has a module for brew logs, no idea how to find it / use it. Not sure how it would manage/list steps, the calendar seems a bit hard to understand. It seems to assume that I have brewed a recipe as soon as I enter it into the recipes section. Not sure how to manage multiple batches of the same recipe, etc. If anyone knows a link or video, that would be helpful

Just thought I would open the floor to ask people who are managing multiple simultaneous fermentations, how they manage their to do list, or checklist.

Cheers,
Idzy

 

[mje1980]

You must be some kind of engineer yeah?.

Don't stress too much mate. If they sit a little longer they'll be fine.

 

[Ducatiboy stu]

I always found a note book and pen very effective.

 

[idzy]

You must be some kind of engineer yeah?.

Don't stress too much mate. If they sit a little longer they'll be fine.

Haha, nah, just want to have repeatable process and consistency in my brews. Maybe a little OCD.

I always found a note book and pen very effective.

Yeah I agree, only problem is I am quite forgetful. Out of sight, out of mind and all that. My brewing set up is not where I live.

Maybe the solution is simply just pen/paper and having the brews front of mind. Thanks for the replies guys.

 

[Donske]

Must be an engineer, my ferment schedule is;

Ferment
Keg (with keg hop if called for)
Drink

 

[warra48]

My brewer's brew day date goes on blackboard in garage.
2 or 3 weeks later, notices date on blackboard and thinks "Must be time to crash chill?"
1 to 7 days later thinks "Can I be bothered bottling yet? Well, OK, let's do it."
Bottling date is then added to blackboard.
3 to 4 weeks later thinks "Must be time to sample this one."
Puts one in fridge, and drinks later that day.
Yummy, beer, and I made it!

 

[Yob]

I am currently managing 10 batches and don't want to lose track of where they are at, or forget a step that is due to occur.

Fermenting 10 at a time? How many fridges did you end up with?

 

[MartinOC]

A simple wall calendar is probably all you need to keep track of stuff if you put it somewhere you'll see it frequently. K.I.S.S.!!

Alternatively, any kind of Office task/scheduling program that pops-up messages at you to check this or do that would work.

10 at once is a hell of a lot to keep track of!!

 

[TimT]

My impression was secondary fermentation schedules and times are not all that important for beer quality. Certainly not when compared to mash, boil, bittering and aroma hopping during the boil, etc.

I keep logs - they probably should be more detailed - but when the fermentation begins an element of unpredictability enters that I like - the beer becomes living and can change character instantly or gradually depending on how the yeast feels.

I admire your organisation but don't necessarily aspire to it!

 

[recharge]

I write on the glad wrap.

I don't think too much about it tho really.

Rich

 

[Camo6]

I always found a Notebook and stylus very effective.

FTFY. Surely you're not that old Stu.


FWIW as a relative noob to the AG scene I've now found a single stage ferment ( D rest if needed) with late dry hopping then crash chilling and kegging/bottling works perfectly well for my standards. I did secondary ferment for a while and never had an infection and certainly got clearer beer quicker, but have less spare time nowadays and look for shortcuts where ever possible.

I've a whiteboard on my fridge and brew dates, OG's and dry hops are noted... most of the time.

 

[manticle]

I write the yeast or beer type on the lid of the cube and remember everything else. Test with a hydrometer when I think it's close, cold condition when it's sat at FG for a few days. Most I ever have on the go is around 6 but more often only 2-3. I could change that if I upped my brewing rate and slowed down my drinking rate but I love beer too much and don't have any more time to brew than I currently devote to it.

Actually haven't brewed for around 2 months which is rare for me (used to be between once a week to once a fortnight) as I've been devoting time to making art and my ferment fridge is dead (picking a new one up early Jan from a forum member).

I do have all the ingredients for a saison which is about the only beer style I would ferment at ambient with my current setup in this climate so I might get something going again soon.

 

[Bribie G]

I use cling wrap, if it's clearing out from the top I CC at -1 for a few days then I keg. If it's a UK ale made on a UK style Wyeast (the majority of my brews) you can bet it's going to work very slowly in the keg at 8-9 degrees anyway so kegging time isn't all that critical. I print out the BrewMate recipes and keep them in a clip folder and write on them, sometimes

I don't bottle, except for comps. The idea of UK yeasts anyway is that they work slowly in the cask at cellar temperatures to lightly carbonate the beer so it's more art than science.
It also gives you heaps of "free" gas, so far the current 10k cylinder is about to celebrate its first birthday which is remarkable as the most I would expect to get out of a cylinder is six to eight months.

If I were brewing lagers I'd be much more anal about records and timeframes.

 

[barls]

Haha, nah, just want to have repeatable process and consistency in my brews. Maybe a little OCD.

dont you mean cdo. so its alphabetical like it should be??

 

[idzy]

Fermenting 10 at a time? How many fridges did you end up with?

You know what I am like, trying to catch up on lost time and learn/experiment as much as possible. I just put another 4 ciders in the fridges too, so it is 14 now...lol. I ended up with 2 deep freezes, but I would like to get another one. One for Ales, one for lagers and one for cc. Wife is spitting it already though.

I write the yeast or beer type on the lid of the cube and remember everything else. Test with a hydrometer when I think it's close, cold condition when it's sat at FG for a few days. Most I ever have on the go is around 6 but more often only 2-3. I could change that if I upped my brewing rate and slowed down my drinking rate but I love beer too much and don't have any more time to brew than I currently devote to it.

Actually haven't brewed for around 2 months which is rare for me (used to be between once a week to once a fortnight) as I've been devoting time to making art and my ferment fridge is dead (picking a new one up early Jan from a forum member).

I do have all the ingredients for a saison which is about the only beer style I would ferment at ambient with my current setup in this climate so I might get something going again soon.

Yeah, I just started a yeast bank and put white elec tape on the lids of each yeast type, so I decided to put the batch on the fermenters as well with the same tape. I am hoping this will help my memory. I am thinking that my current system will have to do.

Thanks for all the comments guys. I wonder how the breweries do it...?

 

[MartinOC]

Idzy (Adam),

SLOW DOWN!!!!

Seriously, mate! Just SLOW.....DOWN......!!!

You're trying to do too much too quickly & it's going to end in a horrible failure.

I'll PM you.

 

[idzy]

:icon_offtopic: Replied Martin

 

[r055c0]

I've found the google calendar app on my smart phone useful for keeping track. Can edit on the phone or online via pc and set reminders so you get alarms and emails when you need to do stuff.

 

[BeerNess]

Kmart has rolls of chalkboard contact stuff, have that stuck to the front of my fermentation fridge and I record all my dates temps SG's yeast and dry hops on that as I go, then transfer all off that to my brew log book when it's out and bottled/kegged.

 

[idzy]

I've found the google calendar app on my smart phone useful for keeping track. Can edit on the phone or online via pc and set reminders so you get alarms and emails when you need to do stuff.

Yeah, I don't know what I didn't think of this, as I used Google Calendar all the time. Might give it a shot and add the events under a different label so they are easy to spot. Cheers ro55c0, awesome suggestion.

Kmart has rolls of chalkboard contact stuff, have that stuck to the front of my fermentation fridge and I record all my dates temps SG's yeast and dry hops on that as I go, then transfer all off that to my brew log book when it's out and bottled/kegged.

Another awesome suggestion, thanks heaps BeerNess! I am going to go and get some I think, or maybe something similar like a whiteboard type surface type adhesive.