It’s not a major change, but the last thing I’ve done is only using distilled water for my sanitizer. I know this is not a big thing, but I was wondering what the last thing big/small, that you guys did that you feel helped your brewing.
Sound off!
Hmm, good question. My actual brewing system has remained pretty static for awhile now. I guess the last thing I did to upgrade was to add a couple of stirplates to my arsenal.
I think the next thing I’m going to work on is getting a pump to help me move the wort around and to whirlpool when chilling.
i recently purchased an aeration stone/wand and I saw a def improvement in fermentation speed
I’ve started using my swamp cooler even when ambient temps are in an OK range. I find that this helps keep the initial spike in temp under control as fermentation takes off.
i got a chest freezer and tcd. loving the results. for my recent birthday i picked up a grain mill and o2 wand but haven’t had time to use either yet. hoping next monday! and i just read about starsan and distilled water here today so i’m totally doing a small batch tomorrow when i brew. excited to hear this helps it stay good longer!
cheers.
ryan
Refractometer; makes it much faster to take readings during the brew session.
Learning about water/mash chemistry and applying what I learned to my process. Now I always hit my desired mash pH and my water flavor profiles really help my beers shine.
Bought a mix-stir. Sure beats a whisk for aerating!
Ha! No pun… ;D
Dave
Making starters. I am impressed with how quickly I get activity in the carboy… Usually less than 1 hour.
Adding a water filter to my brew stand.
Learning more about water chemistry, for me, was also a big step.
I have to say though that the most recent upgrade that has had the biggest effect on my brewing is converting my chest freezer in to a lager fermentation vessel. I can now ferment 4 lagers at a time which is awesome…
Dave
My last change in procedure was to eliminate two pumps from my regular brewing activities. I got rid of a sub-pump used to recirc ice-water through my IC in the warm-weather months and the march pump for general recirculation and transfer of wort.
Now I just use frozen 20oz PET (soda) bottles to chill the wort down to ale or lager temps. Have found it to be more effective and just as fast if not quicker in cooling the wort down to desired pitching temps!
Through these changes I have accomplished savings in time and effort and have removed the need to make ice, and use a cooler/bucket, two pumps and corresponding hose. I no longer have to move, hook-up or clean these particular pieces of equipment. Also there has been a reduction in mess and spilled wort or water.
Euge, that is a great idea. How many bottles does it typically take? I assume just a good spray of StarSan?
I was about to buy a pump to make a recirculating ice bath. Just saved me $100 and a lot of time…
Dave
Big change - chest freezer/controller for fermenting.
little change - quit trying to emulate water profiles, took a minimalist approach to water treatment.
Great idea! I guess I would just be worried about the plastic melting. Do you not have problems? Perhaps the thermal transmission through the plastic helps prevent that sort of thing?
What I found to work well for aeration is to shoot O2 into the headspace of the carboy, close and shake. I can easily get to 8 ppm O2 with this method. Another shot and I can get to 10-12 ppm. I found that more repeatable than the O2 stone. But the problem is that it foams a lot and that foam makes adding yeast suspended in 1-2 l wort difficult.
Kai
Adding a pump to do recirculated chilling.
I’m assuming he’s using the IC to get it down below 80F and then dropping in the ice bottles. Euge?
That is correct sir! In the winter the IC will get the wort down to 65-ish. But the rest of the year I drop in 10 sanitized frozen bottles at about 90* and let it sit until desired temps are reached. I can get 6 gallons down to 45* easily; then drain the wort off the bottles and rinse them afterwards.