Batch numbering systems....

[Dude]

Please explain how or what you guys do....

HB99 I noticed you have a sequential system of some type....please elaborate....

I want a good system, and I have one in mind, but I'd like to hear your ideas...

 

[homebrewer_99]

Mine is quite simple. It's modeled after the Julian Calendar (JC). Everyone in the military knows it.

The JC is a 10 year calendar. For 6000 - the 6 equals the last digit for the year - 1966, 1976, 1986, 1996, 2006, etc. The 000 refers to the day of the year. For example, 1 Jan 06 was 6001. Today is 14 Jan 2006. In the JC the date is 6014.

Right now I have batches 6001 and 6002 in primaries and 6003 is scheduled for tomorrow. I could use the JC dates for my brews but that would not tell me how many batches I made that year. I just use the number for the batch.

I know I will NEVER brew 1000 batches in a year and could actually delete a zero or two, but since I use the JC at work it is just simpler for me to continue using the 4 digits at home.

I have seperate folders (in Word.doc) for the year, 1999, 2000, 2001, etc. to keep the numbers apart. It's not really a problem because I name the files like this:

6001-Chili-Pepper
6002-Traditional-Mead
6003-Czech Budvar-Billvar

 

[God Emporer BillyBrew]

and you're a kegger. I guess if you used bottles you could just write in on the cap with a sharpie.?

 

[Denny's Evil Concoctions]

and you're a kegger. I guess if you used bottles you could just write in on the cap with a sharpie.?

Then you'd have to add "-001" etc for the beer's serial number.

 

[BlightyBrewer]

I wish I could brew as much as you do HB99! You must have a very active social life to get through that much beer....or a very large beer belly.

 

[homebrewer_99]

What's a social life? That's one of the reasons why I try to hook up with you guys whenever I'm in a certain area.

I was off for 2 weeks over the holidays. I went into work on Monday (9 Jan) and wasn't there 15 minutes and was asked to go on travel the following day! I just got back from a 4 day trip to Killeen, TX. I was there for 2 weeks prior to Christmas! I have to go to El Paso for 3 weeks at the end of the Jan.

Actually, I travel a lot and don't get around to consuming all my beers at their peak, but I somehow always get around to finishing them off. Notice (in my sig) that I still have beer from 2004?

I do have a belly though...I stayed away from the thread on belly sizes.

For my bottles I use a "file folder" label and write the batch # perpendicular to the length (gives me about 10 smaller labels per label). I cut them off and place them on the caps.

For my flippy bottles I place them on the neck just under the cap. There's no need to push them all the way down to stay put. Most of the time the corners are not stuck down and I can just pull them off with no problem.

For my kegs I use a whole label and write down all of the particulars (style, date, alc %, etc).

 

[Kaiser]

I simply started with 1 and will be numbering my batches sequentially.

In my notes I can then find what number is what beer in case I actually can't remember which number is what beer. The number is writen onto the bottle cap.

Kai

 

[Brewsmith]

My batches are numbered sequentially and I tell them apart from different colored caps. I ordered a bunch of different colors by the pound. I currently have red, blue, green, teal, black, silver, gold, grey, and red and white stripe/blue with white stars caps. I am running into a bit of a problem though. I'm planning on my next brew to mash the grain then split it into two worts and use different hop schedules. Are they two seperate batches or do I number #A and #B?

 

[homebrewer_99]

In my notes I can then find what number is what beer in case I actually can't remember which number is what beer. The number is writen onto the bottle cap.Kai

What's your recipe for the HB Berchtesgarten Hell clone?

I usually place my hand written notes in the cases with the beer to identify it/them.

 

[coldknife]

Here is what I do to label my bottles. I use Avery 3/4" round labels and and print the style (exp. pils., stout, etc.) and the date that I bottle and affix them to the cap. These labels are available in different colors so it make identification easy. Also when you pack a cooler to take to partys or other gatherings it is fast and easy to find a particular style. You can find these labels at any office supply store, Staples, Office Max etc. The Avery template # is 5472, it should already be in your MS Works program if you have that. Hope that might help,
Coldknife

 

[homebrewer_99]

I used them for a while (before I ran out and never re-supplied myself). DOH!!

KAI: I was looking through Beer Captured and found the HB Berchtesgadener Hell rezept. Ich hab es, danke!

 

[andre the giant]

I started with batch number 1 quite a few years ago. I've been numbering them sequentially ever since. I switched to AG in August '04. My first AG batch was #23, a Chocolate Porter.

Batch #36 (Spiced Strong English Ale) was a problem for me. I brewed it, and pitched some bad yeast. It ended up becoming dumperbrau. I decided to brew the batch again, and use the same number, #36, so I wouldn't be remembering the failure. After all that work and torment, it turns out, I didn't like the batch very much. My wife loves it though... She was the one who requested it for her birthday brew. It's pretty much what I expected it to be, around 8.5% alcohol, definite spice flavors, I just never cared for the style.

My most recent batch, the Vanilla Porter, is batch #42. I'm planning on brewing #43 (Vienna style Lager) this weekend, and #44 (Dopplebock) in three weeks.

 

[Kaiser]

What's your recipe for the HB Berchtesgarten Hell clone?

I took it from Beer Captured. Since I just wanted to go for a simple and fast brew I followed the extract with steeped grain directions:

OG: 1.053; FG: 1.013; 5 SRM; 17 IBU; 5.0%ABV

12oz German 8L Munich
8oz German 2.5L Light Crystal (I substituted German Vienna for this)
4oz Belgian Aromatic

steep in 1Gal @150 for 30min. Sparge with 1Gal 150F water

Boil:
6lb Extra Light DME
2oz Malto Dextrin
0.5oz Spalt 6%AA (60 min)
0.5oz Hallertauer 4% (60 min)
1tsp Irish Moss (15 min)

WYeast 2124 Bohemian Lager or
WYeast 2206 Bavarian Lager (this is the one I used. I'm getting quite some milage out of this one)

Prime with 1.25 cup DME. (I keept some of the wort from this batch in the freezer and will be using this for priming)

I whish this receipe had some hop flavor and/or aroma. I will see how it comes out with just bittering hops and may modify the receipe later. I may even try FWH (first wort hopping) with the Hallertauer used in this receipe.

Hope this helps,
Kai

I also have a recipator file that I can send you.

 

[Kaiser]

KAI: I was looking through Beer Captured and found the HB Berchtesgadener Hell rezept. Ich hab es, danke!

Well I should have read the rest of the posts first.

Kai

 

[homebrewer_99]

Right. Your reply was not necessary, but it's nice to know you didn't forget me.

Maybe someone else could use it. Thanks.

 

[Kaiser]

Right. Your reply was not necessary, but it's nice to know you didn't forget me.

No, I'm still here, but oftentimes forget which threads I actually posted in since I'm not reading all the threads.

Kai

 

[homebrewer_99]

I know what you mean....

 

[Denny's Evil Concoctions]

I know what you mean....

I changed my settings so that I'm automatically subscribed to any thread I've posted in. Set it to No Email notifiction and then go to User CP and it will list all recent replies in those threads. You can easily unsub from a thread at any time of course.