Last week, we took a look at a few indispensable tools for your home draft system. As I reviewed the piece before sending it off to our amazing editor, I realized that plenty of widgets are more generally useful for homebrewers, regardless whether we bottle or keg our beer. Here, then, is my completely subjective list of the top five specialty items that I couldn’t live without in my home brewery.
1. Lid removal tool
I probably waited three or four years before I bought one of these. Don’t be like me. Instead, do your fingers a favor and invest in one of these gadgets as soon as you purchase a plastic pail. These humble-looking tools give you enough leverage to remove the lid from any brew bucket with ease and without flaying your phalanges. They’re especially helpful for lager brewers who need no reminding that cold plastic is woefully unwieldy.
2. Instant read thermometer
In my early days of brewing, a plain old meat thermometer worked just fine, but once I got a few batches under my belt—and especially after going all-grain—I came to appreciate the convenience and reliability of a quick, accurate thermometer. I’m partial to the Thermapen because I also love to cook, but any timely temperature taker will do just fine.