I typically don’t start brewing until about noon, finish up around 5. Someone else said something about the George Thorogood thing earlier in the thread…brewing alone just makes sense to me. Too many variables around to increase the likelihood of screwing something up. It’s peaceful too just to sit and chill out, think about stuff, whatever, while I brew.
I think today was my first brew without a beer. I got up at 4am and have a double decotion in the lagerator by 11am. Damn that makes me want a beer, but I can’t.
No, I literally heard George Thorogood on the radio when I was reading your post. Like I said, amused.
I used to have one beer when I added the first hop addition.
Now, none at all, because I’m usually brewing on an empty stomach beginning around 10-11:00AM.
Having said that, one or two brews during a session would not cause nearly the problems as people standing around watching me brew. I guess this is why I don’t like teaching others to brew; certainly not rank beginners.
As for hot spent grain melting plastic bags, I use the plastic grocery bags from any supermarket. They don’t melt, and they’re free.
I usually have a lot more grain to dump than grocery store bags will hold.
I hear ya. My average 5gal (1.050-1.065) batch will easily fit into 2-3 bags.
Yesterday was a three-glass batch.
…Hard to drink much when you’re busy brewing/cleaning & it’s about to rain.
I love decoction mashing for malty European styles, but I go crazy stirring the boiling mash for even 15 minutes. Having a beer makes the decoction go faster, at least in my mind. It’s my timing mechanism. Other than that, usually not until the boil.
I was thinking about brewing something today but, I already poured my first beer so, if I do anything, I’ll clean some kegs and set up the brewery for a brew tomorrow.
I typ dough-in before 8:00 AM so…stone sober. Brewing is a relaxing ‘quiet’ time for me so I prefer to brew alone as well…'cept for the dog.
Remember how after a pee wee football/baseball/basketball game you’d all get treated to McDonalds? That’s my post-brew ‘treat’ (I know many think that is sick that I think McDonalds is a treat but whatever). I like to sit there and eat my QP w/ chz and revel in a job ‘presumably’ well done. ;) Wait…why is there still an ounce of Magnum and a half-tab of Whirlfloc sitting on the countertop? D’oh!
If a few is standard for two or three than I’m guilty as charged. Anything after that and the mess is just to much for the wife to handle. Besides there is just to much that can go wrong if your not on your toes lol… ;D
I usually wait until the boil and only have 1 or two during the brew session. I tend to use a smaller glass as well.
I think I drink enough. I never start one until the other is finished. I haven’t ever really drank too many. Now bottling is another story, too much happening to enjoy drinking. I have jacked that up a little from too many. Didn’t wreck the beer, just spilled more than a sober me would have.