I finally bought the book

[redrocker652002]

I finally bought the Palmer book how to brew and started reading it. Right off the bat, I realized that I am doing some things wrong. He says putting bottles in the dishwasher is not recommended but I do it. I wash them out right after use and then the night before I put them in the dishwasher on the Sanitize mode. Another thing I learned is that my bucket washer is not right either. He says that they should be washed by hand and scrubbed instead. I am looking forward to what else he says. Also, his way of making Extract beer is way different than the way Morebeer and the others recommend.

 

[pvtpublic]

Yeah, there's a hundred ways to skin a cat. If you're consistently making good beer, then you're doing it right. You're going to see everyone has their own way of doing certain things. But he is right about the bottles in the dishwasher. Sure, it's hot enough, but not enough of the water will make its way into the bottles to give a proper sanitizing. There's many out there that will still swear by it, though. And that's ok if it's working for them.

 

[grampamark]

The First Rule Of Homebrewing is-There Are No Rules.

If something is working for you, and your beer is what you expected it to be, you’re not doing anything “wrong”. You might be doing something differently from what many consider the best practices but, if it works, it works.

Palmer‘s book is widely regarded as one of the more “approachable” descriptions of basic brewing science and is well worth reading for that alone. But don’t get too upset about kinds of differences you’re describing. If it works, it works.

If you want to read a more laid back approach to homebrewing, get a copy of “The Joy of Homebrewing” by Charlie Papazian, who is widely regarded as the ”father of homebrewing”. It’s a fun read.

 

[hout17]

Palmers book is great especially if you like the technical part of things. If you can push through it you will gain a lot of the ins and outs of brewing.

What I really enjoyed about it was learning how to calculate hop IBU's using Tinseth (lots of controversy here) and learning the calcs to build a recipe without beer software hitting OG/Calculating efficiencies etc. Then you understand what's behind those calcs in your software.

He gives a great intro in to water chemistry as well and goes in to grain and its diastatic power and those calcs as well.

Technique wise most people settle in to what works for them Palmer just gives you good guidance to make a good brew and then you can figure out how you want to do it moving forward.

Edit: This book (earlier version I have the 4th as well now too) is what I used to start homebrewing; I read it cover to cover then used the forums as a supplement.

Hope you enjoy the read and brew on!

 

[BrewnWKopperKat]

Also, [How to Brew's] way of making Extract beer is way different than the way Morebeer and the others recommend.

For purposes of discussion, what did you see that is different?

In a recent random scan of kit instructions (including MoreBeer's), I see that concentrated boils (all the extract up front but with half the water) is still an option. The book avoids concentrated boils due to unexpected/off flavors (although some of those flavors are similar to the off flavors from stale LME).

 

[redrocker652002]

For purposes of discussion, what did you see that is different?

In a recent random scan of kit instructions (including MoreBeer's), I see that concentrated boils (all the extract up front but with half the water) is still an option. The book avoids concentrated boils due to unexpected/off flavors (although some of those flavors are similar to the off flavors from stale LME).

In his extract version, he only adds half the DME in the boil, then adds the other half afterwards. The few kits I have done said to put all the DME or LME in after the grain steep. I kinda thought it would be better to only do half for, as you said, less of a chance of boilover. It has been a great read so far, and I am only on the first chapter. LOL.

 

[Komodo]

The proper way to wash bottles is to keg.

 

[MagicRat]

I experimented with using the dishwasher (without soap) to wash and sanitize my bottles on bottling day and it has made bottling day so much less stressful. I used to take a bottling brush and PBW solution to every individual bottle and soak in StarSan. I've never had any problems with infections developing in bottles during carbonation using the dishwasher.

 

[hout17]

I experimented with using the dishwasher (without soap) to wash and sanitize my bottles on bottling day and it has made bottling day so much less stressful. I used to take a bottling brush and PBW solution to every individual bottle and soak in StarSan. I've never had any problems with infections developing in bottles during carbonation using the dishwasher.

I don't think the dishwasher is a bad idea but if you are having head retention problems it could be related to the drying agent in the dishwasher (example jet dry) per the How To Brew Book we are talking about.

 

[hout17]

The proper way to wash bottles is to keg.

He's talking about Palmers first chapter which is brewing your first batch of beer.

Edit: Actually the talk about the dishwasher is addressed in chapter 2 brewing your first batch is chapter 1. He does get in to kegging in the later chapters (actually he talks about different methods including kegging in Chapter 10).

 

[redrocker652002]

The proper way to wash bottles is to keg.

While I would agree, as of now my kegerator only holds one 5 gallon keg, and I like to have a few on hand for friends that may like a pale ale instead of an IPA. My goal at some point in the future is to have a fridge or freezer converted and run two to three kegs of different styles. But for now, I don't mind bottling as well as having a keg too.

And for what it is worth, I have not seen any issues with the dishwasher either, so I am going to stay with it. I might ditch my homemade bucket washer and do it all by hand, but that is a game day decision. LOL.

 

[hout17]

While I would agree, as of now my kegerator only holds one 5 gallon keg, and I like to have a few on hand for friends that may like a pale ale instead of an IPA. My goal at some point in the future is to have a fridge or freezer converted and run two to three kegs of different styles. But for now, I don't mind bottling as well as having a keg too.

And for what it is worth, I have not seen any issues with the dishwasher either, so I am going to stay with it. I might ditch my homemade bucket washer and do it all by hand, but that is a game day decision. LOL.

If your bucket washer is working stick with it. I have a carboy washer I picked up a few years ago that I use for my carboys and kegs. The PBW takes care of the scrubbing part. I've never had any problems either. As long as it looks nice and clean when you are done it should be fine.

 

[bike2brew]

I likewise run my bottles through the dishwasher prior to bottling. No soap just water and on hot dry mode. All of my bottles get a good rinse w/ hot water following the pour so minimal beer residues left behind to infect new brews. New bottles (1st use ever) get a overnight soak in PBW following their lable removal. I worry about soap residues on everything so basically try to avoid its use whenever possible. So far, so good, and as others have said if its working for you....

 

[Komodo]

While I would agree, as of now my kegerator only holds one 5 gallon keg, and I like to have a few on hand for friends that may like a pale ale instead of an IPA.

I've got a mini fridge and can only hold one 3 gallon keg. I've retooled my whole process around the 3g kegs, so much that my LHBS named my brewery, BrewBase Three. It's typically just me drinking it, so it works out OK and I've sworn off bottles forever!

 

[faithie999]

I wash my bottles with a bit of Dawn and a bottle brush. after I good rinse I invert them on a baking rack in the sink to let them completely drain. then I put them in a 250F oven for several hours to sterilize them. after they cool a bit so I can handle them with a pot holder, I put a small piece of Saran Wrap over the mouth and store till the next use.

when I bottle, I open the door of my dishwasher all the way and line up the bottles. the bottling bucket goes on the shelf above the dishwasher. any spilled beer during bottling goes right down the dishwasher drain when I close the door.

edit: I checked the google machine for hot air sterilization and I learned that the right time/temp is 320F for 2 hours.

 

[pvtpublic]

If you can, try getting a TapCooler to make bottling day that much easier. It's a counter pressure filler that you insert into your faucet. I've cut bottling time down to more than half with one.

 

[MagicRat]

when I bottle, I open the door of my dishwasher all the way and line up the bottles. the bottling bucket goes on the shelf above the dishwasher. any spilled beer during bottling goes right down the dishwasher drain when I close the door.

I do this exactly. My wife has greatly appreciated the reduced stickiness on the kitchen floor after bottling.