Brewer's Friend Home Brewing Software

Boot Shaped Beer Glass

Saturday, February 14th, 2009

Ever since I saw the movie Beerfest, I wanted a boot shaped glass to drink out of. That day has finally arrived. This was a Valentine's day gift to me from my wife. She is great! It has a Bavarian crest on the front, suitable for ...

Posted in Equipment | 2 Comments »

Building a Mash Lauter Tun Copper Manifold

Thursday, January 29th, 2009

There are three main categories for mash tun manifolds: Wire mesh tubing, Copper or CPVC manifold, and a false bottom. This article will explain how to build a copper manifold and hopefully save you a few trips to the hardware store. A copper manifold installed in the bottom of the cooler ...

Posted in Equipment | 18 Comments »

Bulkhead for Cooler style Mash / Lauter Tun

Monday, January 12th, 2009

If you are converting a cooler into a mash / lauter tun this guide will show you how to install a bulkhead and ball valve. On the outside of the cooler, a ball valve attaches to a bulkhead. The bulkhead passes through the wall of the cooler. On the inside ...

Posted in Equipment | 14 Comments »

Choosing a Kettle for All Grain Brewing

Saturday, January 10th, 2009

If you are going all-grain, you are likely a pretty serious brewer. Eventually you will want to do 10 gallon batches. Even if you are not ready for 10 gallon batches, when going all-grain, it is recommended to jump straight to the 15 gallon size kettle. ...

Posted in Equipment | 3 Comments »

Glass vs. Plastic for Fermentation

Sunday, December 28th, 2008

There is a lot of debate out there regarding glass versus plastic for the fermentation vessel. It is really a toss up and comes down to personal preference. Which is better, a glass carboy or a plastic bucket as a fermenter? In terms of cleaning, buckets are way easier. ...

Posted in Equipment | 2 Comments »

Pick the Correct Size Secondary Fermenter

Saturday, November 15th, 2008

Oxygen is the enemy of beer after fermentation. The main cause of oxidation in beer is exposure to oxygen when racking or bottling. Another culprit is the head space in the secondary fermenter. Make sure to use the smallest size secondary fermenter possible as not to expose the beer ...

Posted in Brewing, Equipment | 1 Comment »

When to use a blowoff tube

Sunday, September 21st, 2008

For dark beers or beers with a specific gravity greater than 1.060, in my experience, a blow off tube is need to keep from having an overflowing mess. Here is a picture of a porter that is only 24 hours into fermentation. You can see the amount of gunk ...

Posted in Brewing, Equipment | 2 Comments »

Brewing Outside on Propane

Sunday, September 21st, 2008

Brewing outside can be a really fun experience. It saves time for a number of reasons. First, there is is less cleanup to do before hand and afterward. Second, the water boils a lot faster than on a stove. I have waited 45 minutes to boil 3 ...

Posted in Brewing, Equipment | 1 Comment »

Do It Yourself Immersion Wort Chiller Instructions

Saturday, September 13th, 2008

After reading about the benefits of wort chillers and seeing the prices I took it upon myself to build an immersion wort chiller. It takes about 30 minutes and a trip to the hardware store. No special tools are needed beyond a crescent wrench. An immersion chiller works ...

Posted in Equipment | 5 Comments »

Per Batch Miscellaneous Item Costs

Sunday, July 27th, 2008

When calculating the cost of a batch of beer, it is easy to overlook the little items like sanitizer, bottle caps, clarifier, priming sugar, and specialty items like burton/gypsum salts or Irish moss. For those of us who keg our beer, don't forget we have to pay for CO2 recharges ...

Posted in Economics of Brewing, Equipment | 3 Comments »