Tips

[chiller]

This may have been covered but I thought with all the inventive homebrewers on this forum we could compile a list of brewday hints and tips.

For your Hydrometer flask get a stick on thermometer so you can see at a glance what the liquid temp is for hydrometer adjustment.


Steve.

 

[Vlad the Pale Aler]

I always have a handheld spray pump filled with sod met for the bits you forget to sterilise.

 

[Jovial_Monk]

Sod. met sux

Terminator works, as does boiling water.

Best brew day tip: watch temps

JM
(feeling weird)

 

[barfridge]

here's a nice bleeding obvious one:

make sure all your bloody taps are off before you pour stuff into containers

 

[Kai]

I can't afford to slap temp strips about willy-nilly so I sit an ordinary glass thermometer in the tube for the length of time it takes to clean and sanitise the tap outlet after drawing the sample. The thermometer also helps degas the beer a bit if you give it a little jiggle before removing and plonking in the hydro.
Or, you can sit the SG sample beside your fermenter over the course of the fermentand get a live action update of SG, but I think I nicked that tip from chiller.

Taste your beer regularly so you get a feel for the sensory aspects of the fermentation process.

 

[sosman]

Taste your beer regularly so you get a feel for the sensory aspects of the fermentation process.

Captain Obvious!

 

[pint of lager]

In the beermaking area (which seems to be taking over the house) I have three buckets on the table labeled bleach, sodium percarbonate and iodine. Ready to drop clean or dirty items into.

The iodine bucket has a 4 litre mark on it, so it gets filled with the same volume of water, and then I use a syringe to dispense the correct amount of iodine. Makes that step quick and easy to prepare sanitiser to the right concentration.

 

[Andrew]

Another obvoius tip to make the day after drew day a nice one - don't let your dog go anywhere near your spent grain. A 25 KG dog WILL attempt to consume 10KG of malt if you are looking the other way.... and their farts are reeeaaaal baaaad. :blink: :unsure: :huh:

Cheers

 

[jayse]

Taste your beer regularly so you get a feel for the sensory aspects of the fermentation process.

Captain Obvious!

Iam with captian bleeding obvious! B)

Taste it every single day during the fermention, esspecially the first few days.

Don't have too many original tips of my own exept think inside the square!

another none original tip is napisan is not just a baby poo killer!


Jayse

 

[Doc]

Always have spare parts on hand:
airlock
fermenter tap
airlock grommets
keg poppet values
keg o-rings

be always propagating yeast to:
keep it fresh
have a starter ready for the spontaneous brewday

Beers,
Doc

 

[pint of lager]

When you are buying airlocks go for the two part style rather than the more common "s" shape. Two part airlocks can be pulled apart and cleaned and sanitised. Use a test tube brush to clean the bores. They are also quieter when gloomping. Amazing how loud that gloomping noise is in the middle if the night.

Kegs, make sure they are sealed properly, use a spray bottle to detect small leaks. One small leak will empty a CO2 cylinder very quickly.

To lubricate keg post seals and fermenter seals, don't use petroleum jelly (inorganic base) which will cause the rubber to deteriorate, use KY jelly (organic base).

Always have on hand a spare sachet or two of backup yeast, safale and saflager.