House Rules for Brewing

[isleofman]

1) Follow the critical path for each step of the day. By this I mean, only get ready the equipment or ingrediants you need for the NEXT step. Try and do this while the CURRENT step is being done. Examples: don't measure out hops until mashed in, don't clean and sanitize the fermenter until chilling, measure out the batch sparge water after mashing in, etc. I have reduced my brewday about at least an hour by doing this method.

2) Clean as you go and leave everything ready for the next brew day.

3) 1 beer at most, after the boil starts.

4) Don't sit down and relax until there is nothing currently left to clean or there is nothing to prepare for the next step.

 

[hoppyhoppyhippo]

1. Preparation. Don't start brewing until you're sure you have all of your ingredients. Premeasure or sort your ingredients. I have all my hop additions in little drug baggies ready to be added from left to right.

2. Set aside time. Even if you're doing other things, realize that you have to have X time to brew and it has to be the priority during that time. Cannot be brewing and then stop your boil cause you need to boil potatoes.

3. Don't be afraid to enjoy a beer or 2, just don't get hammered, makes you more inclined to make a mistake.

4. Clean as you go, my general cooking rule as well.

 

[Bookworm]

I am just getting into brewing so I do not have brewing rules.

I used to live in a state that allowed for small amounts of distilled spirits for personal use. During mashing I did not have time to drink. It was not a rule but there was no drinking tell after the air locks were on.

When running the still I did have rules. No drinking before the head shots were disposed of and the still was stabilized and running smoothly. Then drinking was ok, as long as no one was trying to get sloppy. Just too dangerous around a still.

 

[DrunkleJon]

Oh, how about "Make sure your backup propane tank is full."
And my other favorite is "Do not break the thermometer. Again."

 

[plumber_bob]

Oh, how about "Make sure your backup propane tank is full."
And my other favorite is "Do not break the thermometer. Again."

I've adapted those 2 rules too!

pb

 

[Billy-Klubb]

if you can't carry 10 gallons boiling wort while completely f'ed up, you need to put down the mash paddle.


amateurs.:rockin:

 

[hoppyhoppyhippo]

Oh, how about "Make sure your backup propane tank is full."
And my other favorite is "Do not break the thermometer. Again."

Man I've broken many a thermometer.

 

[ObsidianJester]

Lets see here, my rules either spoken or unspoken for brewing

1. Forget something or forget about doing something. Its always something or other.
2. Try to have fun.
3. Have a beer or two though the process but stay lucid.
4. Clean up as I go.
5. (Thanks to you guys) Remember to have some tunes next time.
6. Try not to be frustrated if the SO asks the same question over and over again each session or get frustrated if the spawn of mine don't want to participate. (Working on both accounts, perhaps a brew day of soda is in order)
7 Use the first hot runnings from my wort chiller to fill a couple brew pots or five gallon buckets to help clean everything up.
8. Write things down that I do since I tend to hop a bit on the fly at this point.
9. Clean up everything before I'm done. This could be in mid after noon (I'm not a morning person, even for beer unless for some reason I'm still awake and in that case I'm not brewing) or late evening if I brew after work. Still clean everything up, which leads to the tenth commandment.
10. Prep everything before hand, either that day or the day before. This is pitching a yeast starter, milling grain. Making sure that I have all the tools and equipment needed to INCLUDE THAT DAMNED PROPANE THAT ALWAYS RUNS OUT!. *Ahem* (Even with two cylinders, having a smoker and a burner can run things out in a hurry)

The over all thing is to remember this. After I've gotten some experience and have avoided poorly explained kits I've not brewed a undrinkable beer. Stick to the basics and I'll be fine. And have fun!

 

[Bgunn]

I always drink a bottle of the previous batch while brewing the next one. Then, during the boil, I add a small splash of that beer meaning that the beer I have most recently brewed has a very small amount of every beer I have ever brewed.

 

[Evan_L]

I always drink a bottle of the previous batch while brewing the next one. Then, during the boil, I add a small splash of that beer meaning that the beer I have most recently brewed has a very small amount of every beer I have ever brewed.

That is freakin awesome!

I only have one steadfast rule for brewday....make sure there is plenty of beer handy...gotta drink beer to make beer.

 

[DrunkleJon]

Man I've broken many a thermometer.

I think I go through at least 1, usually 2-3 a year. I need to find one made out of gorilla glass or some such.

 

[T-Dan]

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

My dog seems to love wort and dropped grains. I don't feed it to him, but drops on the floor sure get wiped up quick.....

 

[TangoHotel]

Rule #4 - Plan the next 17 brew days and recipes. I think I have recipes picked for my next 5 or 6 years of brewing at this point.

This is the truth. I usually have the next 5 or 6 ideas ready and in the book. My to brew list is very long. :-D

 

[TangoHotel]

Oh, how about "Make sure your backup propane tank is full."
And my other favorite is "Do not break the thermometer. Again."

I will add both of these as they are super important. They have both happened too. Stupid thermometers...

 

[dpatrickv]

Good music
Good friends(Not a must have, but makes it better)
Good beer.

Im amazed at how many people don't drink while brewing. I usually start heating mash water ~9-10am and pop a beer shortly after that unless it was a long previous night.

 

[djt17]

Good beer.

Im amazed at how many people don't drink while brewing. I usually start heating mash water ~9-10am and pop a beer shortly after that unless it was a long previous night.

I have been wondering the same thing myself. Half the fun of brewing is having 3 - 4 beers from a previous batch while brewing. It's relaxing, I am not driving any place, & in 64 batches I have not made a mistake (attributable to drinking that is!). I don't get all bent outa shape trying to multi task either. Watching the mash tun or boil kettle while having a few is very relaxing, the world is on hold while I brew.

 

[drainbamage]

I have been wondering the same thing myself. Half the fun of brewing is having 3 - 4 beers from a previous batch while brewing. It's relaxing, I am not driving any place, & in 64 batches I have not made a mistake (attributable to drinking that is!). I don't get all bent outa shape trying to multi task either. Watching the mash tun or boil kettle while having a few is very relaxing, the world is on hold while I brew.

I don't get brewing totally sober either. I've never let myself have enough to get sloppy, but half the fun is chilling out with some tunes and a brew and watching the pot boil. Cooking is more fun while drinking too! :fro:

 

[Paul_Aris]

1st Rule. There are no Rules.

But I usually have a few beers during the process. I do start early because I usually do 2 10 gallon batches in one day.

 

[catdaddy66]

1st Rule. There are no Rules.

But I usually have a few beers during the process. I do start early because I usually do 2 10 gallon batches in one day.

You like them wrasslin' cage matches, right? Lol
I had a friend that said your first rule all the time! Huge fan of NWA!

 

[mattmeiske12]

1) I brew with my friends
2) We use this time to all bring beers from our cellars to try/share
3) We don't try to get drunk, but it kinda happens anyway
4) ^Above statement makes us not take brewing too seriously... it's suppose to be fun

 

[BrewinBromanite]

I don't get brewing totally sober either. I've never let myself have enough to get sloppy, but half the fun is chilling out with some tunes and a brew and watching the pot boil. Cooking is more fun while drinking too! :fro:

I'm with ya both 100%. It is complete therapy! The smell of the mash, and then when you throw hops in the kettle, not to mention the sound of the jet burners... And how can one brew good beer without enjoying good beer? Me and my brew-bro's ritual on brew day is of course to make sure we have everything we need ready to go so we're not stressed out throughout the day. Its also become tradition to go out and find a bunch of random beers we've never had before to enjoy while brewing, along with some prior brews to enjoy.

After we get all the ingredients laid out and all is good to go, one of usually says, "dude, why don't we have the tunes blaring yet??" And the other says "...and why don't we have a beer in hand yet???." There's usually plenty going on to keep us busy enough to self-regulate our brew-day drinking - but I don't think I could have one without the other! But I also agree you don't want to drink so much you: a) forget any important step; or b) drop a hot kettle of wort on the floor or yourself!

There has to be a balance between brewing your best beer and having fun trying!

 

[libeerty]

You like them wrasslin' cage matches, right? Lol
I had a friend that said your first rule all the time! Huge fan of NWA!

Haha. Is there a wrestling thread on here?

 

[daksin]

Beer in hand at all stages, and Ska music on the noise box. God bless my wife, she puts up with it.