Brewing Tips
I’ve been brewing for several years now, and while my interest and frequency have ramped up significantly in the past 6 months, there are always new things to learn, regardless of how long you’ve been brewing. I try to post anything of significance that I learn, but this is an attempt at a quick index.
Be clean
Whether you use bleach, C-Brite, or Iodine, make sure you’re clean. There’s nothing worse than having to dump a batch. I can proudly say that is something I’ve never had to do, but it does keep me scared enough to be anal about my sanitation.
Sparge with precision
If you have ever felt lost when sparging, felt like you might be undersparging, or oversparging, get out that hydrometer. You know, the one you use to figure out how strong your beer is? You should sparge your grains until your gravity drops to between 1012 and 1008. Any lower than that and you risk harsh tannins and polyphenols in your runoff. Make sure you adjust your readings for temperature.
Protect your brew from direct sunlight
There’s a misconception that green bottles = skunky beer. It’s not true. What is true however, is that direct sunlight can harm your beer, clear or green glass allow it to happen a little easier, but any beer can be damaged. Think about where you’re going to allow your fermentation to occur, and where you’re going to store your bottled homebrew.
Think about your sugars
Everything you put in your beer effects the flavor. What do you want your beer to taste like? I started using DME (dried malt extract) instead of corn sugar for bottling a long time ago, when I realized I didn’t have to use corn sugar. I do plan to experiment with some different priming sugar sources to see what kind of flavors I can get by using bolder sugar choices, like turbanado sugar, maple syrup, or molasses. The point is, make a choice.
Get good fermentation
There are many ways to encourage a fast fermentation. The sooner you get your yeast rocking, the lower your chance of an uninvited guest taking control of your brew. A yeast starter is a good way to get going, but you have to plan ahead, and have a pretty good schedule. Reusing your yeast cake is another, which I have done twice, with amazing results. Help your yeast out — think about it. They’re doing all the work. The more you help them, the better they’ll help you.
Good stuff, I’m just about to give homebrewing a try and was wondering where you keep your fermenting ales during the summer? I had to buy a mini fridge and now I’m looking for that temp control unit to keep it between 60 and 70 degrees here in FL. Thanks!
A cheap way to chill your wort without a whole refrigerator dedicated to the task:
Get a large cooler, one at least large enough to hold your carboy with a hole cut in the top for an airlock, or put a sheet of foam over the top with the lid open, with a hole cut in it (this does not permanently damage your cooler, and you can double it as a mash tun down the road). Either way, you need something that will mostly insulate your carboy.
Put your carboy in the cooler, along with several plastic water bottles, filled with water, frozen solid, and fill the rest of the cooler with water up to the level of the wort.
You’ll need at least double the number of bottles you plan to use, so you can have the thawed bottles re-freezing while your fresh ones are keeping your wort cool. Some experimentation will be necessary to keep your wort cool enough. I’d leave a thermometer in the cooler to keep track of the temp. From what I’ve read, most people change their bottles twice a day (morning and night).
I cannot vouch for this process personally, as I live in Maine and my pantry always stays under 70, even in the summer.
For more information, go to http://www.homebrewtalk.com and do a search for “swamp cooler”
Good luck, and happy brewing!