Music While Brewing

[seatazzz]

So it's time for another Seatazzz stupid question of the day (yes I know I haven't done this in a while, I don't care). Everyone has their routine for brewday, if you've been doing it for a while; or even if you're just starting out in this wonderful hobby. Music has been a huge part of my life from birth; both my parents had/have beautiful singing voices, and imbued that in both my sister and me. My sister went for voice, while I went the instrumental route. But I can still remember all the songs we sang around the organ/piano growing up. My dad could not read a note of music but played many songs by ear, and even now with Alzheimers can pick up his guitar and play The Auctioneer (and yodel).

TL;DR. What this post is about, is asking what music do you listen to while brewing? What puts you in the mood?

For me, it can vary. Right now I'm into Big Band styles; Glenn Miller, Tommy Dorsey. Satchmo, Ella, Sinatra. It relaxes me, the harmonies and rhythms inspire me. I can also go for old Irish sea shanties, something I can fiddle along with during long mash times. Occasionally guitar instrumentals a'la Trace Bundy. Then sometimes I go full 80's hair band rock.

Anyone?

 

[Deric]

I usually brew early-ish in the mornings and sometimes (like last brew day) just appreciate the quiet.

But most times l listen to music. Previous brew day Spotify playlists…

Best of Rock 1978
Charlie Parker
Miles Davis
Indigo Girls (sorry, I dig em)
80’s New Wave
Sinatra Live at the Sands…

 

[Conehead]

I play homebrew podcasts. I can get enough to play for a few hours per session.

 

[mjdonnelly68]

I maintain a Spotify playlist for brew day if anyone wants to check it out. Lots of booze themed songs of all genres with some Funk and Americana mixed in.

 

[beersk]

I usually listen to metal; none more black sometimes death metal, sometimes thrash, but usually black metal.

 

[TheCache]

SomaFM.com - Boot Liquor or Groove Salad depending on the day. Good stuff.

 

[Brushwood Brewing]

Usually live folk recordings. Recently either Charlie Parr or an old re-run of Pete Seeger's Rainbow Quest.

 

[DonT]

When I'm in the mood on brew day, I'll turn on my SiriusXM and listen to some blues or classic rock. Sometimes I just appreciate the quiet...

 

[day_trippr]

Pretty much anything from the 70s and 80s. Lately it's been a lot of Dire Straights/Mark Knopfler, Talking Heads, Fleetwood Mac/Stevie Nicks, The Kinks...

Cheers! (Yeah, I'm old )

 

[JoeSpartaNJ]

When I brewed in my garage, it was tunes all day. And It changed every brew day depending on my mood, but Clutch and The Sword got alot of play in those days.

Now that I brew in my basement, I will usually have on a movie in the background as everything in the basement echos through the whole house. I may put Pandora on during clean up. Classic rock is good for that.

 

[Woobleymobley]

So it's time for another Seatazzz stupid question of the day (yes I know I haven't done this in a while, I don't care). Everyone has their routine for brewday, if you've been doing it for a while; or even if you're just starting out in this wonderful hobby. Music has been a huge part of my life from birth; both my parents had/have beautiful singing voices, and imbued that in both my sister and me. My sister went for voice, while I went the instrumental route. But I can still remember all the songs we sang around the organ/piano growing up. My dad could not read a note of music but played many songs by ear, and even now with Alzheimers can pick up his guitar and play The Auctioneer (and yodel).

TL;DR. What this post is about, is asking what music do you listen to while brewing? What puts you in the mood?

For me, it can vary. Right now I'm into Big Band styles; Glenn Miller, Tommy Dorsey. Satchmo, Ella, Sinatra. It relaxes me, the harmonies and rhythms inspire me. I can also go for old Irish sea shanties, something I can fiddle along with during long mash times. Occasionally guitar instrumentals a'la Trace Bundy. Then sometimes I go full 80's hair band rock.

Anyone?

I listen to Highwaymen during my first brew day, can’t sing at all or play any instruments , but I do enjoy music.
I have a wide range of music I like from Pavarotti to Hank!

 

[hopfenstopfen]

I maintain a Spotify playlist for brew day if anyone wants to check it out. Lots of booze themed songs of all genres with some Funk and Americana mixed in.

 

[skunkape]

Most recent brew session I listened to the trinity of Uncle Tupelo/Wilco/Son Volt and then followed up with Radiohead, Lucero, Drivin n Cryin, Chris Stapleton, and Ryan Adams. And of course John Prine.

Next time, I think I’ll go Indy. Pavement, Superchunk, Front Bottoms, Dinosaur Jr, Shins, Real Estate, Afghan Whigs, Pixies

 

[BeerAndTele]

If I brew in the early morning I'll go with old school jazz, classic stuff like Red Garland, Ray Bryant, Vince Guaraldi, Sonny Clark, etc. ... or something light like Leon Redbone, Chet Atkins, the Beatles Channel on Sirius/XM ... the later in the day, the more likely I'll put on blues or classic rock. And occasionally even go with big band stuff. Or sometimes 80's era new wave. It's all good.

 

[bracconiere]

Pretty much anything from the 70s and 80s. Lately it's been a lot of Dire Straights/Mark Knopfler, Talking Heads, Fleetwood Mac/Stevie Nicks, The Kinks...

Cheers! (Yeah, I'm old )

you just made me feel like a 90's teen again!

edit: and i listen to anything uplifting to stave off the gangsters that want me shooting people in street over drugs.....

 

[frithy]

I've been listening to Oliver Tree while brewing.

 

[HM-2]

I usually listen to metal; none more black sometimes death metal, sometimes thrash, but usually black metal.

This, plus dirty crust punk or stoner/doom.

 

[Mutant]

I stream k-zap.org over the internet or use their cell phone app.

 

[pfmeyer]

Tragically Hip, Fully Completely or Road Apples

Phish, Siket Disc

Corb Lund, anything live

And I only listen to these on a brew day.

BTW, thanks for the great question. It’s easy to get caught up in my own little world on a brew day. It’s cool to see others have a similar “extracurricular“ activities going on in the background.

 

[soccerdad]

I generally brew in the kitchen which is where Alexa lives and I ask her play WGDR which she calls "W dot G dot D dot R rock's Grateful Dead radio station. Or I ask her for Amazing Blues Radio and she responds with some great blues mixes.

 

[BongoYodeler]

I have a nearly loaded 1TB SSD drive plugged directly into my router. On brew day I access that music in shuffle mode via my iPhone (EverMusic app), and a bluetooth speaker out on my back patio where I brew. Mostly an eclectic mix of rock, blues, jazz, bluegrass, and folk.

 

[Yesfan]

I too have a huge hard drive full of music. I still have my music collection and still buy CDs. Most of the time, I just stream one artist or a genre for the whole brew day. Sometimes, I try to keep within a theme too. One time, I had this black IPA kit from Northern Brewer called "Ace of Spades". On that brew day, nothing but Motorhead blasting the neighborhood. I can listen to just about any style of music. I mostly like older classic rock, but I do like a lot of jazz, blues, etc. as well.

 

[redrocker652002]

I love music, play guitar but not very well. LOL. I have music going pretty much all day when home and in any vehicle I ride in. My choices are a bit all over. Sometimes is 80's Country (Travis Tritt, Tim McGraw, Sugarland, Randy Travis....), sometimes I am in a 80's hair band rock mood (Poison, Ratt, Motley Crue, Cinderella and some of the more obscure stuff like Britney Fox and the likes), sometimes it is Metal (Slipnot, Breaking Benjamin, Black Veil Brides), but always, as you can tell by the name, The Mighty Van Halen and Sammy Hagar are on the play list. I have always thought Eddie was the best guitarist in rock and roll. I can throw in some punk as well like the Ramones and Green Day. As you can see, I am all over the board, but I love music and it got me thru some tough times when I was a teen. Rock On!!!!!!!!!!

 

[redrocker652002]

I too have a huge hard drive full of music. I still have my music collection and still buy CDs. Most of the time, I just stream one artist or a genre for the whole brew day. Sometimes, I try to keep within a theme too. One time, I had this black IPA kit from Northern Brewer called "Ace of Spades". On that brew day, nothing but Motorhead blasting the neighborhood. I can listen to just about any style of music. I mostly like older classic rock, but I do like a lot of jazz, blues, etc. as well.

I have a box full of my old albums under the bed. I am going to buy a turntable one of these days as I hear they are back and can be used with the newer audio and smart TV's. Nothing better than Kiss Alive 2 on vinly. LOL Rock On!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[pvtpublic]

It depends who I'm brewing with. If I have my dad and/or brother over or with my boy, then classic rock. If it's just me then please refer to @beersk's post.

 

[BongoYodeler]

I have a box full of my old albums under the bed. I am going to buy a turntable one of these days as I hear they are back and can be used with the newer audio and smart TV's. Nothing better than Kiss Alive 2 on vinly. LOL Rock On!!!!!!!!!!!

A little over 10 years ago, just prior to moving from NY to California I dropped off my turntable and around 1000 LPS at our local Salvation Army. The soundtrack to my life, at least to that point, is likely now in someone else's hands.

 

[MugsWorth]

I listen to Old Time Stringband music alot, probably cause I play fiddle & banjo. It's always on when I'm Brewing out in the garage. If I have time during the mash or a Long boil, I'll play a few tunes too.

 

[bracconiere]

I'll play a few tunes too.

edit just had a thought for a youtube channel, if there's beer and BBQ....fiddlin' ales!

 

[InspectorJon]

Soundtrack of my years in Santa Cruz, California in the 1980's. There was this little thing called KFAT radio. I made a Spotify Playlist. Country, Rock, Bluegrass and the Blues - its a long playlist 2700+ songs

 

[bracconiere]

its a long playlist 2700+ songs

i take it you're making 10 gallon batches of 'LME'?

 

[Junker Jörg]

When I first started brewing in 2020, my buddy and I would listen to punk rock/emo (Blink 182, Greenday, All American Rejects, Allister, Brand New, etc). It became tradition. Now that we both moved away, I brew on my own, I’ve upgraded to all grain and better brewing practice, I still keep the tradition. Along with drinking out of a certain glass that I always used then.

 

[Franktalk]

Pandora on my Bose Soundtouch: Beatles, Steely Dan, Todd Rundgren, Chicago, Four Seasons, Motown, Yacht Rock, Dean Martin, Buble and Sinatra, Maroon 5, an eclectic selection for sure.

 

[rallenhall]

Pandora/Prime channels are most often 80's rock, Tom Petty, Bare Naked Ladies, etc. with an occasional Zac Brown Band thrown in for variety.

 

[BrewZer]

Primarily classic rock, but I ALWAYS begin the string of songs with this gem...

 

[soccerdad]

I listen to Old Time Stringband music alot, probably cause I play fiddle & banjo. It's always on when I'm Brewing out in the garage. If I have time during the mash or a Long boil, I'll play a few tunes too.

My kids and I have had a mobile coffee and espresso operation for about 10 years. We are in the process of winding it down. But we have done a number of music festivals over the years. One of the best that we have done for about that decade is called Delfest - named for The Del McCoury Band. We have listened to, seen and heard many many great Old Timey bands there. We've served many of them. I think one of the best live bands around right now in any genre is Railroad Earth. I love me some fiddles and banjos.

 

[InspectorJon]

I think one of the best live bands around right now in any genre is Railroad Earth. I love me some fiddles and banjos.

I would add The Infamous String Dusters and Greensky to a list of similar string bands but a little more on the bluegrass side.

 

[kevin58]

I play my bootleg concert recordings. Bowie, Zeppelin, Lou Reed/The Velvets and others.

 

[agentbud]

Mostly 80's stuff - rock/metal/ballad. It's all good. I'll throw in some newer stuff as well. Really digging some Volbeat.

ps - for those that don't know, if you have amazon prime, they made a change a few months back where their entire music catalog is now included. You only have to pay extra if you want to be able to play songs individually or in a certain order. If you are like me and just create a library of select music, put it on random play and let it rip - all that is free with prime.

 

[JAReeves]

We aren't fans of digital music downloads, but have about 115GB of very diverse CD's loaded into Music/iTunes (It's about 36 cubic feet of CD's). It's a blast to shuffle the entire song list and see what we get.

 

[Dog House Brew]

I have a nearly loaded 1TB SSD drive plugged directly into my router. On brew day I access that music in shuffle mode via my iPhone (EverMusic app), and a bluetooth speaker out on my back patio where I brew. Mostly an eclectic mix of rock, blues, jazz, bluegrass, and folk.

Which speaker? I’m buying one this week