Every brewer develops his/her own shortcuts and tricks based on the roadblocks and problems he/she encounters along the way. We recently published a solid set of beginner tips, but there’s always room for more. The great thing about homebrewing is that you keep learning as you go, and even experienced brewers can pick up new ideas.
Here are some tips I share with every budding brewer. They’ll help you make better beer and reduce stress at the same time.
1. Dressing Up Extract Brews
Most brewers start with malt extract rather than diving directly into all-grain brewing, and the quality of the kits and range of extracts have gotten much better over the years. Even though it’s pretty easy to make a good beer this way, you can really improve your beer with specialty grains like crystal malt or chocolate malt. Steeping the grains before the boil will add color and fresh malt flavor that will take your extract beers to the next level, without making the all-grain commitment.
2. Yeast Starter Shortcut
Yeast starters are the best way to kick your fermentation into high gear, and they’re simple enough to do: make a small amount of wort with malt extract, pitch your yeast, and give it a little time. It’s not that much work, but it can still be a bit of a hassle, especially cooling your mini-batch of wort before pitching. Wouldn’t it be easier if you kept some pre-made starter wort on hand? Instead of making a quart size batch, go ahead and make a half batch (2.5 gallons) of unhopped beer, aiming for a starting gravity of around 1.040. Then can the wort in 10 qt (1 l) Mason jars. Once they’ve cooled down and sealed, you can stash them away until you’re ready to make a starter.
3. Simplify Bottling with Swing-tops
Bottling is my least favorite part of brewing, in part because it requires a significant block of time. The process of cleaning and sanitizing bottles, priming the beer, the actual bottling, and then capping is like a carnival ride: once you start, you’re committed to finishing the whole thing. It wasn’t too bad when I had friends over to help, but bottling alone is hard work without a break. That’s where swing-top bottles come in handy. Because they can be sealed, it’s possible to split up the bottling steps. You can clean and sanitize the bottles in advance, saving the rest of the process for another day. It’s also nice to know your bottles will stay sanitary right up until you’re ready to fill them, and you can reseal them one-handed. Short of kegging, swing-tops are the way to go.
4. Boil Overs? No Problem
One recommendation for stovetop cleanup is to put down a foil shield to protect the stovetop. Another effective approach is to squeeze out a wet soapy sponge over the stovetop before you start. The layer of soap will dry, leaving a buffer that keeps the boilover from bonding with the cooking surface. But it’s even better to prevent the boilover in the first place. That’s why I always have a cup filled with cool water on hand (or you can use a spray bottle filled with water). If my boil gets too rambunctious, I can tamp it down quickly with a small splash, which gives me time to lower the heat or stir through the hot break layer at the top of the pot.
5. Attitude is Everything
Homebrewing is fun and rewarding beyond the tasty beer you make. Charlie Papazian recommends that homebrewers relax and not worry, which is great advice, but I’m a firm believer in shoshin, or “beginner’s mind.” Approach each batch with the idea of learning and improvement, and that openness will be rewarded. I’ve been brewing for twenty-eight years, but I’m still picking up techniques and tips to improve my brewing. An open, engaged mindset gives you the tools to avoid complacency and, more importantly, when you do have a problem batch that attitude helps you focused on moving forward rather than brooding over flaws.
Those are my top tips…what are yours?