Gabel Road Home Brewery

 

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?