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: Beginner
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.
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!
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.
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.
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.
Rehydrating Dry Yeast
After dehydration, dry yeast cells are dormant which helps their shelf life but it isn't so great for fermentation. Rehydration helps revitalize those yeast cells. Think of the rehydration process as your yeast's morning coffee. This Homebrew Note will teach you how to get those yeast active and healthy for an optimal fermentation.