07/14/2018
Good list.
đ» 32 Random Homebrewing tips, gadgets, and whacky ideas Iâve had over the years
1. Keep a spray bottle of Star San around for easier sanitizing (tip: mix it with distilled water to increase shelf life)
2. When brewing, outside always keep a garden hose or bucket of water around in case something goes up in flames (ask me how I know).
3. Get you gear ready the night before you brew. See how close to actually brewing you can get. Itâs like having your car cleaned, waxed, ready & waiting with the key in the ignition. You just need to turn it on.
4. Use a checklist while you brew. Otherwise you WILL forget something super important.
5. Use a wallpaper tray to sanitize long items like racking canes, autosiphon, spoons, etc.
6. Want a little help with the dirty work on brew day? âTeachâ someone to homebrew lol. Or even better⊠teach them how to bottle ;- )
7. Tell your spouse itâs been a while since youâve hosted a BBQ for friends. Then, conveniently turn that BBQ into a homebrew demonstration (done it).
8. Get a backup for all consumables. The obvious ones are cleaner and sanitizer. But donât forget propane tanks, CO2 tanks, and oxygen cylinders. I once brewed a 1.095 OG imperial stout and discovered I only had a single âpoofâ of oxygen left in the tank. Never again.
9. Also get a backup of important fittings. E.g. I use a garden hose adapter for my plate chiller. No adapter, no chilling the wort. A backup is crucial.
10. Ever find yourself constantly squinting to read the hydrometer? Consider a precision hydrometer.
11. Make it as easy as possible record beer ideas. Ideas can disappear like a fart in the wind. I use the Do Note app on my phone which syncs with Evernote. Two taps is all it takes to send my idea into an Evernote folder, which I later go back and organize.
12. Get a Pandora plus subscription. I canât believe I put up with those obnoxious ads for so long. Pandora Plus & Brew Day go together like stout and chocolate cake.
13. Make yourself into a brewing reality star. I havenât done this yet, but it would be cool to use the new Facebook Live feature to livestream you brew day to your friends. Encourage questions. You might just create a pack of eager new brewers.
14. Brew a beer specifically to pair with a killer dish you want to cook. Start with the dinner (try something new to add a little excitement). Then decide on the perfect beer pairing. Then brew that beer!
15. Make labels for your beer. Start your own personal brand. Iâve used GrogTag and theyâre great.
16. Need a logo? Spend $5 on Fiverr (Iâve had good success with this Fiverr designer. No promises though. Fiverr is hit or miss)
17. While youâre on Fiverr, use it for something whacky. Thereâs a guy that will sing you happy birthday in front of the Taj Mahal (My buddy used him for his wifeâs birthday. She loved it). Maybe someone will sing a song about yourIPA?
18. I donât use glass carboys anymore, but plenty of people do. Try etching it for easy volume readings. I did this and it made life much easier.
19. Get a thermometer that accepts different types of probes. For example, Thermoworks. I have a 6 ft. thermocouple for my fermenter and mash tun readings, and a probe for starter wort readings and loads of things.
20. If you use reverse osmosis water for your brewing liquor & donât have an RO system at home, get some 5 gallon jugs & fill them at the supermarket. Youâll save money versus buying those gallon or 2.5 gallon jugs.
21. Hang a peg board in your garage or basement to store gear & drain wet tubing. Youâll thank me later.
22. Donât neglect the last mile! Meaning, you can brew the worldâs best beer, but if your tap handle is full of gunk, youâre screwed. Start with the last item to touch your beer and work backwards, cleaning every nook and cranny.
23. Invest in a vacuum sealer for storing fresh hop, herbs, and spices. Plenty of uses around the kitchen, too. Like buying meat in bulk.
24. Calibrate your gear to better hit your numbers. Make sure the 5 gallon mark in your kettle is really 5 gallons. Tip: Use a level when you do this. You might be shocked at the tilt below your propane burner.
25. Plant some hops. They can take a couple years to really produce, so get them in the ground asap.
26. Next time you go to the homebrew store, bring along a mason jar full of ice. Then stick your yeast in there when you leave. Especially if youâre running errands afterwards and itâs hot out.
27. Football season is here. Brew a beer in honor of your favorite player. They a left guard? Brew a big, bulky imperial stout. A wide receiver? How âbout a batch of easy-drinking pilsner that disappears from your glass lightning fast. Name the beer after that person, of course.
28. Smoking meat for tailgates? Why not smoke some malt?
29. Go to an ethnic market and find one interesting ingredient you can design a beer around.
30. ALWAYS keep some dried malt extract around for those times when your pre-boil gravity comes up short.
31. For your next batch, print off the table of contents from the BJCP style guidelines. Then pin it to a dartboard & throw a dart. Brew that style. Variety is the spice of life!
32. When something goes wrong in your brewing (it will), repeat Charlie Papazianâs sage advice: âRelax, Donât Worry, Have a Homebrew!â
Hope you enjoyed...
đ»P.S. If you want a printable PDF đ of this (with some surprise links) lemme know below âŹïž and I will send it over
(I'll include a link to our private Facebook Group for Homebrewers too if you're not already in there).
