Brewing traditions and/or superstitions

I am wondering, do any of you have any traditions that you always uphold on your brew day or during your brewing process that others may think are silly or useless?

I took Astrology courses for a couple of years a while back and am just now starting to dabble in the knowledge once again. I am starting to note certain planetary aspects on my brew days and will be charting how these affect my beers. This should help me to plan my brew days better.

Being a student of the Nordic Runes for a good decade as well, I also have every intention to create runic charms to put on my fermenters to help things along.

Do you have a specific fermenter for certain beers, a family mash paddle, a prayer or meditation that you use during your brewing? I'd be interested to hear

Myself and anyone involved in the brew day is required to wear a Star Wars shirt. It's not superstitious, just makes good sense.

bwomp313 said:

It's not superstitious, just makes good sense.

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Oh, indeed it does!

I'm required to listen to Octane on Sirius and have a hot scotchy from the current batch. Heathen that I am, the only time God gets brought into it is when I screw up! Blasphemer!!!

I wear the same Metallica "Ride the Lightening" t-shirt every time I brew.

Anyone coming within 10-feet of my brew kettle must be wearing lederhosen.

I take a shot of vodka after I add it to the air lock.

Seven said:

Anyone coming within 10-feet of my brew kettle must be wearing lederhosen.

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That's just good safety policy right there!

Ha, I like this thread. Nothing weird here, but this should be good reading.

I'm ten sessions into my brewing life but every since the first one I have turned on I tunes and cranked up my Reverend Maynard Playlist, Taken a shower and preceded to start my journey. Thank heavens it's Friday!

I always wear sandals or go bare foot when I brew, which is incredibly stupid being that there is hot water transferred all the time. I believe it keeps me on my toes. :cross:

I also always where a t shirt that has a tie painted on it. I bought into the whole dress the part saying. I want to be a professional brewer one day.

I always wear a tinfoil hat when I brew. That keeps the alien mind control beams from making me screw up my brew and the planets aligned.
That, and I keep everything clean.

I brew in the nude. Winter is rough and the neighbours have asked that I move to the back yard.

Wychwood Brewery only pitches yeast during the full moon. It is a fact that the yeast are more active during this cycle of the moon. With that thought in mind I can sort of understand why one may want to track planets.

There is also a brew day superstions thread that got started awhile ago, that may have more of what you are looking for.

I always have a commercial style of what im brewing (I do mostly clones) I spill a little in the boil

I also stole this from someone on this forum: When I see a vigorous the next day i sing "Who let the yeast out.. who.. who... who let the yeast out!"

I am so superstitious I always make sure I sanitize everything and add the yeast at just the right temperature.

Before I mash-in, I ring a G-flat handbell 21 times while standing inside a flaming circle of aerosol brake cleaner to drive away demons.
Works like a charm. :rockin: :rockin:

I always drink during brewing, no matter what time of day or night. I don't, however, get drunk though...safety reasons more than superstition. It's a tradition though!

I also wear some shirt with beer or a beer related slogan on it, but that's more because I can't wear them to work. So, sort of a tradition...not really....hmm...derailing thread.....

davefleck said:

I brew in the nude. Winter is rough and the neighbours have asked that I move to the back yard.

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Something about "nude" and "back yard" in the same post seems a bit off...

My tradition is to drink one of my favorite home brews for good luck while brewing.

"All your home brew are belong to us!"

Zamial said:

Wychwood Brewery only pitches yeast during the full moon. It is a fact that the yeast are more active during this cycle of the moon. With that thought in mind I can sort of understand why one may want to track planets.

There is also a brew day superstions thread that got started awhile ago, that may have more of what you are looking for.

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I just heard an interview with a brewer at Wychwood, and he said they brew 3-4 times a week. Do they let the wort sit around until the full moon?

I am not saying they don't, just seems awfully risky.

I take a mean **** and try to get my finger to poke through the TP. Then I don't wash my hands and immediately pitch my yeast and stir the wort with my hand. It's awesome.

OK, I lied, I only do this during full moons.

I believe its crucial to drink a beer while you brew beer. If you dont the brew will probably suck

Whippy said:

I took Astrology courses for a couple of years a while back and am just now starting to dabble in the knowledge once again.

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By using the words astrology and knowledge in the same sentence, all of your beer for the next seven years will be soured.

BigEd said:

all of your beer for the next seven years will be soured

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If only that were true! I'd get my chart done in a second if it meant seven years of lovely sours.

The temps here are way to high for a hot beverage on most of my brew days, so I have my hot scotchies on the rocks. Mighty tasty!

My personal habit is to add a pinch of salt (about 1/16 of a tsp) to every boil. I came to home brewing through cooking, and you ALWAYS add salt to cuisine, especially if you are French.

I'm a believer that in order to make good wort, you have to be a good cook. To make good beer, you have to have impulse control to not F#*& up what your yeast are doing for you. Discipline plus patience.

A pinch of salt reminds me that I'm making barley stock, and barley stock takes precision, time, and care.

I tend to drink while both brewing and cooking. That might be why I'm attracted to them.

cyberwollf said:

I also stole this from someone on this forum: When I see a vigorous the next day i sing "Who let the yeast out.. who.. who... who let the yeast out!"

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Oh great, now I'm going to have to incorporate this into my brewing ritual!

Franc103 said:

I just heard an interview with a brewer at Wychwood, and he said they brew 3-4 times a week. Do they let the wort sit around until the full moon?

I am not saying they don't, just seems awfully risky.

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The full moon yeast thing is actually advertised on their bottles. Since I am not an employee I can only guess that they do let the wort sit...

What ever style I'm brewing, I drink a commercial version of that while brewing. It's easy enough when you're making clones, but I've found it hard to find Oktoberfests in April. I've brewed a few beers I've never had commercial examples of too, which made it difficult to stick with tradition, ie: my Banana Wheat Beer last fall. About 60 brews in now, it's been fun