The 'Top Tips' Thread!

[Spud395]

On the same note micmac I do the bottle one in a clear bottle but also one in a plactic coke 500ml bottle.
This allows to check for carbonation
Edit: Oh and one I learned the other night, remain sober for at least the best part of your brew day

[Gricey]

If its not been mentioned yet - if you have an immersion chiller, full blast on the water = not necessarily the best way to do it. Save water by dialing back the flow a bit, youll notice the water gets hot, thats a good thing. Not on a meter here, but side benefit for me is the hose fittings don't leak if the taps not at full tilt

[bigdave]

Dont try and measure out or prepare ingredients during the brewing process! get everything measured, labeled, etc.. before you start. That way you can run through everything in a methodical, calm and collected fashion and are less likely to forget something at a crucial moment.

[Naich]

Use Irish Moss ( in the copper! Chris ) and your yeast will settle better in the FV while whirlyfloc and protofloc will turn it into a clumpy flumpy nuisance.

I only used 1/2 a whiryfloc tab in the last brew (23L) and it cleared it nicely without producing those huge clumps of cotton wool. It seems that not overdosing on whirl/proto is quite important when it comes to clarity. Prior to using Whirlfloc, I found irish moss to be pretty ineffectual.

[mat69]

if you mash and sparge one day then leave in boiler overnight to boil next day,it's a good idea to give it a stir before turning on the boiler.
anything that has settled on your element will burn causing your element to cut out..

[chivelegs]

Save a couple of 125ml mixer bottles to put the last knockings of beer when bottling. You can see when it's clear and you can test to see if it's conditioned without wasting a whole 500ml

[EccentricDyslexic]

ALWAYS rehydrate your dry yeast before pitching.

For the first time in many brews, i pitch nottingham dry and got the slowest ferment ive had for a long time. I am putting this down to pitching dry...but could have been a dogey packet(?)

Steve

[WishboneBrewery]

ALWAYS rehydrate your dry yeast before pitching.

For the first time in many brews, i pitch nottingham dry and got the slowest ferment ive had for a long time. I am putting this down to pitching dry...but could have been a dogey packet(?)

Steve

Thats what Nottingham / Windsor likes but I think most Safale yeasts like s-04 & us-05 you are instructed to pitch dry as it has built in energy reserves to get going.

[pantsmachine]

Drink a glass of water after every couple of pints when out. You will thank yourself the next day.

Don't just read brewing books once. I find it amazing how much i pick up on 2nd and 3rd read throughs after implementing the knowledge from the first.

Realise that you're not mad and that we ALL look at every single vessel we see and think 'i could make beer in that'.

If you smoke, bin those bloody things. They are playing havoc with your taste buds and stopping you fully appreciating the beer you brew. My first pint of guiness 4 months after i stopped smoking was my first pint of guiness EVER(25 years of drinking Guiness) as a non smoker. What a revalation!

Go to beer festivals, they rock.

Bombay Sapphire & tonic is a brilliant fallback if the beers rubbish on a night out!

Go to Belguim, drink their beer.

[Normski]

Just thought I’d bump this to the top, it’s a few years old now but there’s so many great tips.
My top tip is. Everyone should read the top tips thread. Especially Blackjacks K.I.S.S.
I remember reading this a few years ago. Made a big impression on the way I brew.
Norm

[Jim]

Just thought I’d bump this to the top, it’s a few years old now but there’s so many great tips.
My top tip is. Everyone should read the top tips thread. Especially Blackjacks K.I.S.S.
I remember reading this a few years ago. Made a big impression on the way I brew.
Norm

In fact, it could do with being a sticky really. And now it is.

[bigdave]

Latest top tips from bigdave:

When doing the get fit cycling thing:

• Wear padded shorts!.. Anything over 10 miles without them and you WILL feel like you've just done 10 rounds with a well hung elephant!

• Piss BEFORE you set off!! It doesn't matter how secluded you 'think' your route is, you can guarantee there will be a hiker/farmer/school trip on the other side of that carefully selected hedge!!

• Don't buy into the Lycra race suit rubbish! If you weigh 18 stone you're a [censored] good wind break regardless of your outfit so be comfy rather than feeling like a grape on a cocktail stick.

When trying to make SWMBO happy:

• Pinch her tesco clubcard! They swap the points for 'days out' vouchers (I took the whole family to The Deep in Hull today for £8 (should have been nearer £40)).

When brewing beer:

• get a threaded 10mm JG fitting (i dont know the real name) on your mash tun & boiler! Perfect reduction to create a syphon and a piece of piss to keep clean!!

• Don't bother trying to replicate commercial brews hop for hop! You'll never get it perfect! Just find out what it is in the various ales that you love and try to bring those attributes together in your own way.

• If its crap 1st time that's ok! Some recipes take time!! (Look at Vauxhall, they've been shite for years but some [censored]'s still buying em).

[smbenn]

Labelling: another great time saver I found. Print off your designed labels (there is cheap web-based software out there) on an inkjet using standard A4 paper, cut out labels then use skimmed milk pasted onto back of label to attach to bottle. Sticks well but the best news is soaks off really quickly when you come to reuse the bottle.

[hophit]

Labelling: another great time saver I found. Print off your designed labels (there is cheap web-based software out there) on an inkjet using standard A4 paper, cut out labels then use skimmed milk pasted onto back of label to attach to bottle. Sticks well but the best news is soaks off really quickly when you come to reuse the bottle.

Even easier is to use pritt stick, but ONLY a very light line of glueing down opposite edges (just two edges, not all edges). The thinest amount possible. It is very quick to do and the label comes straight off after a 10-15 second soak in hot water.

But that's ust for the bottles going to friends. For the others a permanent marker with a two letter code on the top of the cap so I know what it is in a few months time. Super quick.

[Rick_UK]

If you have a combi boiler turn it up full and fill your HLT from the hot tap. Saves a lot of time and gas / leccy.

Use hop tea instead of dry hopping - much less hassle and equally effective.

Get some sort of fermentation temp control. Aquarium heater is cheap, effective and likely all you need for ales in all but the most severe UK heatwaves. Brew fridge is ultimate solution.

The wort in the FV can be 4 or 5'C warmer than ambient or the outside wall of the vessle.

Invest in Starsan! One bottle will last years too.

If in doubt some one on Jim's will always help you out!