Lessons Learned

[Nosybear]

Thought I'd start a thread where we can post the "little" lessons each brew day and batch teaches us. I'll start: When measuring the final gravity of a beer, always check to see that the hydrometer doesn't have CO2 bubbles attached. Bob it up and down a couple of times to dislodge any bubbles that have formed on the hydrometer. The beer always has dissolved CO2 in it, the gas precipitates out and sticks to the hydrometer, causing it to reads much higher than the beer actually should measure. I did it tonight with a blonde ale and the "gassy" hydrometer was a good seven points above the actual gravity of the beer!

 

[LarryBrewer]

When cold crashing, disconnect the blow off tube, and fit with an airlock. Otherwise the reverse pressure will suck some of the fluid in the bucket back into the beer.