The tips and tricks of experience

[^Tony^]

Hey folks! I recently helped a friend out with thier very first brew!! While we were talking brewing I realized that I have developed more than a few of my own little brewing quirks that work for me but are not necessarily in a book. Such as elevating one side of the kettle after the boil to let things settle before you transfer to the fermenter (I use a 2x4). Or placing my fermenter over my A/C vent to give it an "I don't have a fridge to cold crash in but my A/C will bring the temp down to at least 16 c."

I am really interested in some of the tips and tricks others use which might fit into my brew process. What little tips do you want to share?

 

[jmcnamara]

To keep my brew bag from falling in the kettle, I wrap 2 of the 4 handles around one of the kettle handles then put a thin piece of wood through the bag handles.

The last few brews I did had an almost zen like pace to them. Idk if it was just a simple hop schedule, or that I weighed out all the hops before the boil, cleaned as I went, or that I'm just comfortable with my setup.
I always try to keep in mind that humans have been doing this for far longer without all the fancy stuff like thermometers and sanitizer.

 

[Over The Cliff Brewing]

I agree with jmcnamara. I use good ole fashion binder clips to hold my bag in place. I sometimes will use my hop spider to filter the beer into the fermenter. Since I don't have a hoist system, I use a slotted pizza pan over the kettle to drain the grain bag....just a couple of things

 

[^Tony^]

I agree with jmcnamara. I use good ole fashion binder clips to hold my bag in place. I sometimes will use my hop spider to filter the beer into the fermenter. Since I don't have a hoist system, I use a slotted pizza pan over the kettle to drain the grain bag....just a couple of things

Nice. I even have a pan big enough.

That reminds me, I bought a 40 inch long stainless steel paint mixer that fits on the end of my drill (works awesome to get a good whirlpool going and does a really good job of cold side air-ration before I pitch my yeast.). I use it exclusively for brewing. I just rest the mixer across the kettle and prop the turkey fryer basket I put my bag in right on the mixer axle and let it drain.

 

[^Tony^]

The last few brews I did had an almost zen like pace to them. Idk if it was just a simple hop schedule, or that I weighed out all the hops before the boil, cleaned as I went, or that I'm just comfortable with my setup.
I always try to keep in mind that humans have been doing this for far longer without all the fancy stuff like thermometers and sanitizer.[/QUOTE]

Well said. I like the simple easy thinking process. Brew, clean, listen to music while sitting in the sun. I usually do a simple brew in between the big ones just for that reason.

 

[Daniel Parshley]

I add one marble per ounce of hops to my nylon dry hop bag so it does not float so high in the fermenter. I do wash and soak the marbles in Starsan before adding.

 

[thunderwagn]

I add one marble per ounce of hops to my nylon dry hop bag so it does not float so high in the fermenter. I do wash and soak the marbles in Starsan before adding.

I do the same in my kegs from time to time!

 

[GFHomebrew]

Alfoil over the mash is my weird tip I put a little cap on it while it does it's thing prob not a tip but I think it helps keep the heat in and maybe provides a half arsed barrier from the air.

I use the buldog clips on the mash bag too handu dandy

 

[Hawkbox]

I have a ceiling hoist for my mash bag. I don't really know if my method has any tips or tricks. I suppose I should record a session someday and let people tell me how I am doing it wrong.

 

[^Tony^]

I have a ceiling hoist for my mash bag. I don't really know if my method has any tips or tricks. I suppose I should record a session someday and let people tell me how I am doing it wrong.

I'd love to be able to use a ceiling hoist. I'm building a covered deck onto my house this summer and I want to put a nice fat beam from wall to wall to attach a hoist.

 

[HighVoltageMan!]

I have a ceiling hoist for my mash bag. I don't really know if my method has any tips or tricks. I suppose I should record a session someday and let people tell me how I am doing it wrong.

Better yet, I could watch and see all the things I’m doing wrong.

 

[paulbern]

I use a mesh-type colander in the bottom of my kettle (better known as a lobster pot) to keep the brew bag off the bottom of the pot. I use another one that has expandable handles to drain and sparge.

I drilled a small hole in the lid to the pot and put my thermometer (Thermoworks Smoke with a 12in probe) to monitor mash temp. I do the same during fermentation/conditioning.

 

[Hawkbox]

That's a neat idea for the mash temp monitor. I'm in a bit of a bind figuring out how to measure temp with my home made electric rig and an inkbird seems to be the best idea but getting it in the wort without wrecking it is tricky too.

 

[Semper Sitientem]

If you’re using an immersion wort chiller, gently rock it back and forth rather than stirring the wort. It actually cools quicker. I don’t know the science behind it, but I remember the Brülosophy guys did a podcast on it.

 

[jmcnamara]

If you’re using an immersion wort chiller, gently rock it back and forth rather than stirring the wort. It actually cools quicker. I don’t know the science behind it, but I remember the Brülosophy guys did a podcast on it.

And stretch out the coils a bit. It let's more wort flow between them

 

[^Tony^]

If you’re using an immersion wort chiller, gently rock it back and forth rather than stirring the wort. It actually cools quicker. I don’t know the science behind it, but I remember the Brülosophy guys did a podcast on it.

I did not know this. I'm going to try next brew!

 

[^Tony^]

I drilled a small hole in the lid to the pot and put my thermometer (Thermoworks Smoke with a 12in probe) to monitor mash temp. I do the same during fermentation/conditioning.[/QUOTE]

Such a simple thing I never thought of Great idea!

 

[Hawkbox]

I start my pump while it's still boiling and then I just run the wort over the chiller while it kind of whirlpools and I walk away to do something else while it chills.
Pretty handy.

 

[^Tony^]

I start my pump while it's still boiling and then I just run the wort over the chiller while it kind of whirlpools and I walk away to do something else while it chills.
Pretty handy.

I still have not purchased a pump for anything. I use gravity transfers. setting up a whirlpool/re-circulation system for the kettle is one of my next targets.

 

[Hawkbox]

I bought it sometime last year and only recently got the drive to actually get it working. Moving the chiller works well too, but requires you to be standing there.