Homebrewing myths that need to die

[homebrewdad]

I'm thinking of writing an article about homebrewing myths and boogeymen that need to go away. Please feel free to add to this list!

Subjects I have in mind:

Yeast autolysis (get your beer off the yeast cake ASAP)

Hot side aeration

Avoid table sugar or drink cidery beer

Filter every spec of hop material from your kettle or you'll have grassbeer


Give me more!

 

[bwomp313]

Tannins from disturbing the grain bed or squeezing

 

[DrunkleJon]

How about "AG means better beer." You can make award winning beers with extract if you have your process down and fresh extract.

And maybe "Homebrewing will save you money." Ha!

 

[Yooper]

Leaving your beer in the fermenter for more than a week after it's finished is required.

 

[72Chevelle]

+1 on the brewing your own beer is cheaper, The LHBS has a sign up that says brew your own and save money, I chuckle every time I walk in.

 

[homebrewdad]

Tannins from disturbing the grain bed or squeezing

Ah, yes. Thanks.

How about "AG means better beer." You can make award winning beers with extract if you have your process down and fresh extract.

And maybe "Homebrewing will save you money." Ha!

First one is very true, second one is funny.

Leaving your beer in the fermenter for more than a week after it's finished is required.

I knew this one was coming from you, Yoop.

 

[BandT]

Rinsing off the suds from Star-San

 

[Totes]

The airlock isn't a good gauge of fermentation.

If my airlock isn't bloop bloop'n the morning after yeast pitch, C02 is escaping somewhere else, or fermentation is not happening (enough). Seems like a good tool to gauge activity to me.

 

[ksut1547]

+1 on the brewing your own beer is cheaper, The LHBS has a sign up that says brew your own and save money, I chuckle every time I walk in.

Funny, one LHBS here has a sign that says "Your wife called and said you can spend as much as you want".

 

[homebrewdad]

The airlock isn't a good gauge of fermentation.

If my airlock isn't bloop bloop'n the morning after yeast pitch, C02 is escaping somewhere else, or fermentation is not happening (enough). Seems like a good tool to gauge activity to me.

This one isn't a myth. It's not a good guage, due to the leaking issues you mention. Newbies also tend to pitch old yeast that can take a while to start, so the next morning doesn't always work for them.

 

[bob1852]

Mead takes years to age before it is good.

 

[TahoeRy]

Secondary is a waste of time. Ohhhhhh the boogyman has been let out. Oh no!

 

[homebrewdad]

Secondary is a waste of time. Ohhhhhh the boogyman has been let out. Oh no!

So are you stating that the waste of time is the myth? Or that the need for secondaries is a myth?

 

[Totes]

This one isn't a myth. It's not a good guage, due to the leaking issues you mention. Newbies also tend to pitch old yeast that can take a while to start, so the next morning doesn't always work for them.

My bad, I didn't know there was a contingency on what newbies might do.

 

[masonsjax]

AG is hard.

 

[homebrewdad]

My bad, I didn't know there was a contingency on what newbies might do.

Well, the thing is, a vigorous airlock absolutely does let you know that yes, fermentation has kicked off.

Lack of bubbles just means that you have a bad seal.

 

[Totes]

Well, the thing is, a vigorous airlock absolutely does let you know that yes, fermentation has kicked off.

Lack of bubbles just means that you have a bad seal.

I see your point brewdad, I was being a bit snarky.
But once my airlock has one semi-medium sized bubble every 60-65 seconds, it's definitely ready to bottle, without exception.cross:

 

[mhenry41h]

Use stainless kettles instead of aluminum to prevent metallic flavors. (I much prefer my aluminum over my stainless)

 

[jethro55]

Supporting several boogeyman myths that have been mentioned here already.
1. Leaving a well brewed beer in fermenter for an extra week is necessary.
- key on "well brewed beer"
2. Secondary is bad.
- if you have messy primary and can perform sanitary transfer without aeration, then go for it.
3. Airlocks are bad indicators.
- it has been a very useful visual for me
And here are a couple that have not been mentioned
4. Don't worry about a blow-off!
5. Trust your FG to time and not measurement.

 

[MalFet]

* Sparge water needs to be hot.
* Sparge water must not be too hot.

 

[Billy-Klubb]

brewers on the interwebs always know what they're talking about. especially if they have a high post count.

 

[JeepDiver]

Well, the thing is, a vigorous airlock absolutely does let you know that yes, fermentation has kicked off.

Lack of bubbles just means that you have a bad seal.

No it doesn't, if I come in and look at my fermenter 2 weeks after closing it up and it is bubbleing like crazy doesn't mean it's fermenting. Temp could have rising or someone could have bumped it causing off gasing

 

[TahoeRy]

I use secondary on just about every beer. I get lots of people on here who preach that it's useless. I feel it's worthwhile.

 

[patthebrewer]

Leaving your beer in the fermenter for more than a week after it's finished is required.

For me thats not a requirement, it's just usually when I happen to remember it

 

[BigJack]

You can't make good beer with a Mr. Beer kit.

Come on, folks. It's a small fermenter. If you sanitize well, use good ingredients, follow good practices, and control your temps, you can make the exact same beer you can make in an Ale Pale. You'll just be making a lot less of it.

 

[Piratwolf]

I use secondary on just about every beer. I get lots of people on here who preach that it's useless. I feel it's worthwhile.

I agree that it's not useless. It's just not necessary in many cases. But with care either way works fine, and the beauty of home brewing is that we can do what works for us.

Here's another myth: grain bill & hop schedule are more important to great beer than healthy fermentation.

 

[Brewsader1]

Tannins from disturbing the grain bed or squeezing

Is this one not true about the squeezing? Pretty sure I had two extract batches where I squeezed the grains in a bag and got off-flavors I later identified as tannins.

 

[BradleyBrew]

That liquid yeast is superior to dry yeast. All things equal dry yeast and liquid yeast can both be used to make great beer.

 

[Jaybird]

Myth#1, there are "Myths" in brewing.....

Book is complete....

Cheers
Jay

 

[BradleyBrew]

Is this one not true about the squeezing? Pretty sure I had two extract batches where I squeezed the grains in a bag and got off-flavors I later identified as tannins.

I use to do BIAB all grain batches and I would squeeze the bag like it owed me money and never had a tannin problem.