Why I Hate Beer Kits

I don't really hate beer kits. 

Well, I try not to hate beer kits. 

Beer kits have some good points. 

I just can't get past the drawbacks inherent of many... most... all kits. 

Oh who am I fooling? I hate beer kits for one reason.

First however let me start with why beer kits are valuable. The brewer doesn't have to source a recipe. They don't have to figure how much of everything they need. It's all included in the kit. Since a majority of kit users are new to brewing these can help them make some very good beer right out of the gate. Even seasoned brewers find them very convenient and worthwhile.

The reason to hate kits however lies in the instructions that come with them. Step Six in the included picture is the perfect example of crappy instructions. Have you ever run into any advice so unsound?

To suggest to a new brewer that they should be monitoring the krausen to determine when it falls means that the brewer will be removing the lid of the brew bucket ("pail") to check. This will lead to oxidized beer.

Next comes the directions to transfer the beer to a secondary vessel. The first error is the time frame given and the "hazardous" warning in the box. How can anyone suggest racking to secondary after just 5 days? And suggest that you should "never" let beer sit in the primary fermenter longer than that? For starters, an average ale is not finished fermenting at just 5 days. You are removing the beer off of the yeast before the yeast has finished its job! No wonder we see so many questions on homebrew forums about FG being too high.

In those same directions comes the perpetuated myth of using a secondary step. This step is not necessary and creates more risk than benefit. Use of a secondary was once considered as a standard practice 30 years ago but even those1990's stalwarts of the process now say that the perceived benefits were not true and that the risks are too high. This can also lead to oxidation.

Why would the makers of a product provide instruction that can result in almost certain failure for their customers? Because these instructions were probably written 30+ years ago and have never been updated. 

Just because they printed it doesn't make it right. 

 

Homebrew Do's and Don'ts

Somewhat related to my last post talking about homebrewing myths here are some do's and don'ts that have been gleaned from social media.  

(1) Refractometers don't give accurate gravity readings once fermentation has started. The presence of alcohol skews the readings. There are conversion calculators online but it is generally considered sound practice to take your fermentation and post fermentation gravity checks with a hydrometer.

(2) If you airlock isn't bubbling it's because the seal on your fermenter isn't sealed well and the CO2 is escaping through this "leak" and bypassing the airlock. 

(3) Despite the recipe you are following saying bottle on day [fill in the blank] yeast doesn't follow a calendar. Yeast are living creatures that work on their own time. Let them do their work and throw out your own timeline.

(4) Original gravity, or Specific gravity and Final gravity are not written in stone. The numbers published in your recipe are only estimates. More than likely they are the numbers the author of the recipe experienced and you don't brew on the same equipment they do... you don't use the same ingredients they do... you don't follow the same processes they do. Ignore the number. We are making beer here, not numbers. 

(5) Most homebrewers do not pitch enough yeast. As with timelines and gravity readings you do not have to be a slave to yeast cell counts but you do have to pitch healthy, vibrant yeast and enough of it to keep them happy when doing their job. 

(6) A complex recipe does not necessarily make good beer. Often too many ingredients added without purpose can produce a so-so beer. Using fresh ingredients and developing consistent brewing practices will lead to better success more reliably than a complex recipe. The rule of thumb is: use as many ingredients as you wish just make sure you know what each ingredient does and have a reason for everything you add.

(7) Keep your first few brewing attempts simple. High gravity imperial stouts, complex hazy IPAs, even lagers with their unique fermentation schedules and need for temperature control for the lagering process should be put off as a goal to attempt sometime in the future. Concentrate on making simple recipes consistently before tackling those goals.

(9) If you have a recipe in hand but you don't have or cannot acquire the exact ingredients don't sweat it. Try it with what you've got or make some reasonable substitutions. Don't be afraid to experiment.

(10) There is no reason to run to the internet with every little problem you encounter. Your are likely to get as many silly, misinformed, wrong answers as good ones... and you won't know which are which. Work it out. Power through it. You will learn more by doing than by sifting through the cacophony of confusing voices on social media. This leads to analysis paralysis. But on the other hand who isn't ready to read one more "does this look infected" post on your favorite forum.

Did I get them right? Did I miss one? Or have I gone completely off the rails?