Have you ever looked at a keg, fermentation bucket, or carboy and wondered, "Wait, what's in this one?" Wouldn't it be nicer to take a quick glance at your keg and know, this is my German Pils, which is 5.2% ABV, and was brewed on 2018/12/18? Or look at a fermentation bucket, and know it's your Irish Red, which was brewed on 2019/02/16, and the target FG is 1.009? A simple label will make your life SO...MUCH...EASIER. Here are three simple ways to label your kegs and fermenters.
Category: Experience Level
Keeping a Homebrew Log – Notes You Should Take for Each Beer
Are you keeping a homebrew log? If not, why not? Are you overwhelmed by the hundreds of data fields in your homebrewing software/app? Ever considered creating your own homebrewing log as an alternative? In this Homebrew Note, I shed some light on things you should consider tracking and a method for doing so. I even provide a template log that you can modify to fit your specific needs.
Simple Steps for Correcting Your Homebrew’s Gravity and/or Volume After Mash
Despite our best efforts, all grain brewers will often need to adjust our post-mash/pre-boil gravity and/or volume to hit our targets. Mashing is not a totally smooth and predictable process so even with focus, experience, and care, we can be off more than we'd like. With that in mind, I thought I'd share my notes for the ways you can make corrections to realign your pre-boil gravity and volume with your targets. When you do, you can feel confident that you are far more likely to hit your final gravity and volume targets and produce the beer you intended. Want to learn the easy steps to put your homebrew back on track?
Tip: The Many Homebrewing Uses for Mason Jars
Most homebrewers have a ton of gear. Some of these things get frequent use and are worth every penny while others sit aside and gather dust. Some things get replaced with the new and improved versions of gear we already have. Then there are some things that are just staples of the brewhouse that everyone should own. I propose that the humble Mason jar is one of those staples. It's versatile, simple, and best of all, cheap for what it provides your home brewery. Let's have a look at the many homebrewing uses for Mason jars!
Making Multiple Yeast Starters in a Pressure Canner
Liquid yeast is awesome for one primary reason - variety. This variety enables you to choose a yeast that helps you achieve the precise flavor profile you're targeting. It gives you flexibility in esters, attenuation, alcohol tolerance, fermenting temp ranges, and more. However, if you're using liquid yeast, you're almost certainly going to need a starter and starters can be a pain in the ass to make on a one-at-a-time basis. That's why I, and many other people, create multiple starters at once by pressure canning them. If you aren't familiar with pressure canning, it may sound daunting but it really isn't. You just need to understand the key components of the process. So let's get to it!
Tip: Calculating ABV after Adding Liquor
Thinking about adding some bourbon to your stout, tequila to your gose, or a tincture of pepper-flavored vodka to your pilsner? Learn how to recalculate your ABV including the booze addition.
Making a Frozen Stock Yeast Bank
Keeping your own yeast bank is surprisingly easy and quick to do if you have the right equipment. By having one, you'll save money, keep your favorite yeasts in stock, have a supply of rare yeasts, and you'll be able to help out your brewing friends in a pinch. Read this Homebrew Note to learn the details of how to Make a Frozen Stock Yeast Bank.
Tip: Stock Up on Gel Ice Packs
During various homebrewing tasks, you'll need to drop the temperature of liquids you're working with, that liquid often being wort. Of course, you'll also have occasions where you'll want to chill your delicious bottles or growlers of homebrew for drinking. Do yourself and your significant other a favor and stop raiding the ice maker. In this Homebrew Tip, we'll discuss creating your own stash of reusable gel-based ice packs.
Making a Yeast Starter
This Homebrew Note assumes you know why pitching adequate yeast is important and how to calculate the appropriate amount of yeast to pitch. If not, read the Note on Calculating How Much Yeast to Pitch first. In this Homewbrew Note, you'll learn how to make a yeast starter for your liquid yeast.
Tip: Make a Sanitizer Spray Bottle
As you probably know, anything that touches your wort or beer after the wort has been boiled must be sanitized. So naturally, one of the things you'll find yourself doing all the time as a homebrewer is sanitizing something to keep your wort/beer from getting infected. The easiest and most economical way I've found to do that is to keep a spray bottle of sanitizer around for just such an occasion. This Homebrew Tip provides you the simple process for creating your own sanitizer spray bottle.