Using your Refractometer Correctly for Maximum Accuracy in Home Brewing

Wednesday, April 24th, 2013

A refractometer is a nifty brewing instrument that allows a gravity reading to be taken with just a single drop of wort. It beats wasting 6-8 ounces for a hydrometer sample. The drop of wort is spread across a flat lens with a clear plate that snaps down over it ...

Posted in Equipment | 2 Comments »

Beer on the Go in PET Bottles

Thursday, April 4th, 2013

Check out this nifty method of packaging beer from the keg into light weight plastic bottles. I started kegging after almost 2 years of bottling. I fell in love with the fact that I now had one big "bottle" to clean and sanitize rather than about 50. One of the challenges that ...

Posted in Equipment, Kegging and CO2 | 3 Comments »

Precision Hydrometer, Cool a New Toy!

Friday, March 8th, 2013

A precision hydrometer is a fun upgrade and only runs about $15. Yeah, taking measurements, entering brew logs, and doing brewing science - this is fun! I've broken a few hydrometers on accident over the years and normally bought the cheap ones that read from 1.00 to 1.16. These are all ...

Posted in Equipment, Fun | 5 Comments »

Broken Carboy Alert

Thursday, February 7th, 2013

To everyone who is using glass carboys, you may find this of interest.  This is a re-post from a wine maker we know in the area who had some serious trouble with glass carboys breaking lately! ------------------------------------------------- This morning I discovered a small pool of wine underneath a 5 gallon glass carboy ...

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Jockey Box Setup For Parties

Friday, January 11th, 2013

When I first started kegging, I soon realized how much simpler taking beers to parties would be. I’d take ONE big container of beer, and dispense it. No more super heavy coolers of glass beer bottles to lug over and bring the empties back for cleaning and reuse. Until this fall ...

Posted in Equipment, Fun | 4 Comments »

Detailed Guide for Cleaning a Better Bottle

Tuesday, November 20th, 2012

A while back I posted about my Better Bottle blowoff setup. During my search for a good blowoff arrangement, I ended up calling the manufacturer of Better Bottles (BBs). The man I spoke with was super helpful and knowledgeable. During that conversation, I decided to ask him about cleaning. The main ...

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Draft Beer At Home – Keezer Build With Collar

Tuesday, October 16th, 2012

Close your eyes and imagine your personal in home bar, complete with a draft system, stocked full of home brew!.... Congratulations! You are thinking of a Keezer! Here's how to build one: What the heck is a keezer?  Very simply, a keezer is a chest freezer that has been converted ...

Posted in Equipment, Kegging and CO2 | 4 Comments »

Removable and Reusable Labels for Home Brew Bottles

Friday, October 5th, 2012

The other day I realized, my home brew bottles are naked! They don't have fancy labels like all those commercial beers do... I hope they don't feel embarrassed when I take them to a friend's house. I'm lazy and just write one or two identifying letters on the cap with a sharpie. H = Hefe, PA ...

Posted in Equipment, Fun | 2 Comments »

Chain Mail For Cleaning Stainless Steel

Saturday, September 15th, 2012

Yes, that's right! Chain mail has a practical use in the brewery! In addition to brewing, I enjoy cooking. In fact, I see brewing as an extension (a BIG one!) of my cooking. Early this year, one of my favorite cooking magazines - Cook’s Illustrated - reviewed a cleaner for cast ...

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Better Bottle Blowoff Tube

Saturday, July 28th, 2012

When I had been brewing about six months, I transitioned from glass to Better Bottles. These are PET plastic fermenters. I was hauling carboys up and down stairs from basement to kitchen frequently. Even with a Brew Hauler strap system, the breakage potential and resulting safety issue was hard for ...

Posted in Equipment | 4 Comments »