Cleaning up... Enjoyable?

[Mirage]

After a day of brewing, I kinda like cleaning up the kitchen and equipment. It feels good to have everything all neat and clean. I don't know if I am crazy or if this is a sentiment shared by many. What does everyone think?

 

[steinsato]

I gotta say cleaning and sanitizing are my least favorite parts of brewing.

 

[david_42]

Nope, no satisfaction, no fun at all.

 

[Rowdy]

Nope, no satisfaction, no fun at all.

this

tenchars

 

[shortyjacobs]

I think there's a name for people like you...



I don't usually mind the cleanup, actually, but that's usually cuz I'm way too tanked to give a crap by that point, (kegerator is 3 feet away from where I brew......baaaad combo).

Edit: one thing though, if you ARE too drunk to clean, don't leave your cooler full of grain, lid closed, until the next day. That moist grain, kept at those temps, will kick off spontaneous decomposition like none other. I went out the next morning and my whole garage reeked like a compost pile! I opened the cooler, and after I finished choking, stuck a thermometer in it. Sucker was at around 155°F, in a 35°F garage!!

 

[samc]

OP needs to seek counseling or even better move next door to me and become a brewing buddy! I am hoping that someday my 13 year old son will see the need to make beer and clean.

 

[frazier]

I'm not sure "enjoy" is the right word, but...

The pre-brew cleanup helps put me in the right frame of mind - to follow procedures, to maintain sanitation, to mind the checklist, mind the recipe, watch the timer. I find that "winging it" works great for bar-b-q, not so great for brewing.

 

[Mirage]

I don't mean the pre-brew cleanup. Cleanup before brewing and sanitation are not enjoyable to me. It more scrubbing off the caked on crap and making the pot and equipment shiny again. Out of storage the stuff still looks great from last cleaning and just requires a rinse and sanitizing. Ah well, I guess I am the only one who finds it rewarding. It is more for the BK as it gets dirtiest.

 

[Mirage]

I think there's a name for people like you...



I don't usually mind the cleanup, actually, but that's usually cuz I'm way too tanked to give a crap by that point, (kegerator is 3 feet away from where I brew......baaaad combo).

Edit: one thing though, if you ARE too drunk to clean, don't leave your cooler full of grain, lid closed, until the next day. That moist grain, kept at those temps, will kick off spontaneous decomposition like none other. I went out the next morning and my whole garage reeked like a compost pile! I opened the cooler, and after I finished choking, stuck a thermometer in it. Sucker was at around 155°F, in a 35°F garage!!

That is funny and good to know. My dad composts (he enjoys this activity too, this I don't understand but maybe everyone else likes it haha) and will be extremely happy that I can supply him with spent grain.

 

[chefchris]

I think there's a name for people like you...



I don't usually mind the cleanup, actually, but that's usually cuz I'm way too tanked to give a crap by that point, (kegerator is 3 feet away from where I brew......baaaad combo).

Edit: one thing though, if you ARE too drunk to clean, don't leave your cooler full of grain, lid closed, until the next day. That moist grain, kept at those temps, will kick off spontaneous decomposition like none other. I went out the next morning and my whole garage reeked like a compost pile! I opened the cooler, and after I finished choking, stuck a thermometer in it. Sucker was at around 155°F, in a 35°F garage!!

try 3 weeks outside.

for every piece of grain in there ... there was a maggot.

thought I got it all cleaned out. then on my next batch I vorlaufed ... guess what I found.

 

[buzzkill]

I dont mind the cleanup at all, unless its in the dead of winter and its friggn cold..

 

[shecky]

I like cleanup, too. It puts a cap on the feeling of accomplishment. Maybe it's just a CT thing.

 

[frazier]

then on my next batch I vorlaufed ... guess what I found.

I think I would have vorlaufed also.

 

[whiskey_pickle]

try 3 weeks outside.

for every piece of grain in there ... there was a maggot.

thought I got it all cleaned out. then on my next batch I vorlaufed ... guess what I found.

Now that what is refered to as a protein rest!

 

[boogyman]

yea.. i can't say i'm a big fan of the cleanup afterwards.

 

[SpamDog]

I don't mind the clean up, but I wouldn't say I enjoy it. But then again I brew a few batches on my brew day so by the time I get to cleanup it has been a long day

 

[shortyjacobs]

try 3 weeks outside.

for every piece of grain in there ... there was a maggot.

thought I got it all cleaned out. then on my next batch I vorlaufed ... guess what I found.

EEEEEWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW

 

[rcrabb22]

Cleanup is a chore but I do it as I can during the brew. I clean the MLT and all other mashing utensils right after the boil starts. I clean up boiling utensils and whatever else I can while waiting 30 mins post chill whirlpool to settle. Also use this time to sanitize fermenter and air lock/blow off equip.

What I have noticed is more effort to clean as I have added new toys to the process. Switching to all grain added to cleanup effort as did adding a pump for whirlpool chilling.

 

[Bernie Brewer]

a necessary evil........

 

[Bashiba]

I used to hate any sort of cleaning or yard work, I found that the MP3 revolution changed that for me. With all the great podcast and radio shows out there I want to listen to, and I might as well be productive while I listen that I don't really mind any more. It just seems to keep my brain entertained and active enough that I barely notice that I'm doing some mundane chore.