House Rules for Brewing

[TangoHotel]

Just curious about others house rules during a brew day. Got some strange ritual or rule? Share it here!

My only rule is a borrowed one from Charlie Papazian: while brewing you "sample" the previous batch. It provides some inspiration for the current brew.

I also have to have music going in the background. Also for motivation.

 

[kh54s10]

My only rule and it doesn't get followed too often, is to get an early start.
Sampling depends on if I am going anywhere afterward.
Music is desirable.

 

[grathan]

#1 plan ahead
#2 Comfortable chair
#3 Clean as you go.
#4 Don't be afraid to try something new.
#5 multi-task- I hate this rule, but my free time is cruel joke.

 

[TangoHotel]

#1 plan ahead
#2 Comfortable chair
#3 Clean as you go.
#4 Don't be afraid to try something new.
#5 multi-task- I hate this rule, but my free time is cruel joke.

Clean as you go is a good one. I hate cleaning. At least if I do it while brewing maybe it won't sit for a week in a oxy soak...

Free time? What is that?

 

[davekippen]

Theres only one rule. RDWHAHB.

 

[drainbamage]

Just curious about others house rules during a brew day. Got some strange ritual or rule? Share it here!

My only rule is a borrowed one from Charlie Papazian: while brewing you "sample" the previous batch. It provides some inspiration for the current brew.

I also have to have music going in the background. Also for motivation.

That's pretty much it for me as well. My other preference is "dogs get out of the kitchen", but that never works out.

 

[revelation]

I totally agree about having some "samples" of previous brews during the brew process. The wort needs to have a model of the goodness it will eventually be.

 

[TangoHotel]

Theres only one rule. RDWHAHB.

I like it! It fits for so many other things also!

 

[TangoHotel]

That's pretty much it for me as well. My other preference is "dogs get out of the kitchen", but that never works out.

"Hair of the Dog Hefe" or "Dog Dander Dunkel" just don't sound good. :-D

 

[25518]

Peace is my rule. No loud. I deal with loud, slammong, banging, yelling all week. Peace, is my first rule. Second rule, calm.

 

[duboman]

Only rule is Dad's brewing, if you want to help, cool, otherwise find something to do, oh, second rule is no drama please, I'm busy

 

[Retrofit]

I electric brew in the garage. Neighbors come over as I brew. My rule is you can't get trashed. I have a single heavy power cord and of course hot liquids moving. It can get crowded and then dangerous, so no one gets trashed- no one gets sloppy. I'm very concerned about safety, and I'm quick to shut people down if I feel they could cause an accident.

 

[HeavyKettleBrewing]

I electric brew in the garage. Neighbors come over as I brew. My rule is you can't get trashed. I have a single heavy power cord and of course hot liquids moving. It can get crowded and then dangerous, so no one gets trashed- no one gets sloppy. I'm very concerned about safety, and I'm quick to shut people down if I feel they could cause an accident.

I no longer allow more than three total in my space. Last Brew B Que was a distraction and there was too much drinking. I now separate my beer fest from my brew days. I love entertaining and sharing but brewing good beer means having your brew day in order.

 

[helgibelgi]

1. Sample homebrew while brewing
2. Have everthing cleaned beforehand (makes brewing more relaxing)
3. No cats allowed in the kitchen
4. Guests welcome but they tend to distract me

 

[Thunder_Chicken]

1. SWMBO needs to get out of the house. Love her dearly, but she needs to go away on brew day.
2. Sanitize everything before starting, have sanitizer on hand at all times.
3. Lay out all pre-measured boil additions with labels indicating time.
4. Use timer with alarm during boil for additions.
5. No more than 1 beer consumed before flameout.
6. No more than 2 beers consumed before yeast pitch.
7. Do one thing at a time whenever possible.

 

[StompingClover]

My swmbo loves to "help" me brew. She has somehow decided it is "our" hobby. I had to institute the if you are going to help brew, you are going to help clean rule.

 

[DubBrew]

I brew in my garage and the only "rule" that I absolutely always follow is, the dog is not allowed outside once I open hops until after clean up. I love having him around when I brew and he can hang as long as hops aren't out. I would hate for something to happen to him because I got sloppy.

Beyond that ones I like to follow are:
1. Sample previous batches
2. Music
3. Clean as I go
4. RDWHAHB :rockin:
5. Others are more than welcome including SWMBO as long as they are not there to pester me or get drunk

 

[Billy-Klubb]

I have learned patience with home brewing. my only real rule is to roll with the punches & be patient.

 

[TangoHotel]

I no longer allow more than three total in my space. Last Brew B Que was a distraction and there was too much drinking. I now separate my beer fest from my brew days. I love entertaining and sharing but brewing good beer means having your brew day in order.

Good call. Brewing good beer requires a functional mind.

 

[Malty_Dog]

Yeah I think my only rule, which is pretty easy to follow, is keep it fun. I do stream Pandora stations while brewing, always.

 

[TangoHotel]

My swmbo loves to "help" me brew. She has somehow decided it is "our" hobby. I had to institute the if you are going to help brew, you are going to help clean rule.

Seconded! I will ask for help during bottling. Doesn't take as much time and its easier to delegate tasks.

 

[Billy-Klubb]

Good call. Brewing good beer requires a functional mind.

no it doesn't. I've made awesome brews all sorts of hammered. now if I could just remember what was in there...

 

[Pratzie]

During my first ever batch, my two dogs came in and decided to start running around in my small kitchen like nuts. So from then on out they are always allowed extra treats and to have some fun in the kitchen while I brew. Now since ive upgraded to keggles and burners the dogs are in the yard and i play fetch or whatever with them during the mashout/boil/etc.

Oh and having 1-2 homebrews.

 

[25518]

Yeah I think my only rule, which is pretty easy to follow, is keep it fun. I do stream Pandora stations while brewing, always.

Yep.

 

[unionrdr]

I learned on Fat Tuesday once again,no drinking till yeast is pitched. That's my reward for a good brew day. And no serious distractions to take my mind off the mash & boil. And be ready to lend a hand when lifting & that sort of thing. I was better today with the power lift of the full bottling bucket though. Got 46 bottles of Maori IPA. Dang trub loss from super moss working a little too well plugged the spigot. 1st time for that!...

 

[libeerty]

Usually some green, some reggae or jazz, one beer during the mash, one during the boil, one during the cooling.. And maybe one after pitching.

 

[Ramitt]

1. Have fun, this is a hobby no one is paying me
2. Have a hot scotchie from the first runnings.
3. See rule 1

 

[TangoHotel]

1. Have fun, this is a hobby no one is paying me
2. Have a hot scotchie from the first runnings.
3. See rule 1

Rule #1 and #3 are great!

 

[newbies13]

Women must not wear tops while around the brewing as it will offend the beer gods and they will curse the batch. Blood relatives are excluded. I don't make the rules of the gods, I just live by them.

 

[Qhrumphf]

Mine are typically as follows:

1) Multitask where possible (I usually do an all-grain double header once a month, and try to keep to ~10 hours instead of 12 hours)
2) A beer during mash. A beer during boil. A beer during chill. No more until after fermenter is sealed up, or mistakes start getting made and/or notes don't get taken. And I either end up with bad beer or beer I can't reproduce. Brewing with others on their gear is a different story though.
3) This is a recent one for me, but I've started making a Hot Scotchy with every batch (mash runnings plus one of the Scotches I have around, usually one I don't mind parting with)
4) If SWMBO's home, try to keep her happy since I've effectively locked myself in the house for a day and completely revoked her kitchen access. If she's not home, reggae and rocksteady blaring.