6 Simple things to make your home brewing easier

6 Simple items that will make your homebrewing process a better experience and save you some money.

Rags

Pitcher

High temp gloves

Long gloves

Binder clips

Clamps

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Stuff I use all the time

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My gear

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Williams Brewing:

[neilmonson]

I've been brewing for about 10 years and I can't believe I never even thought about wiping down the top of the kettle as I went. Thanks!

[alanmulryan]

Hope all is well. You're missed bud, from waaay over in the west of Ireland.

[TheBruSho]

Great tips! Dollar tree is my best friend I feel like I got there all the time and come away with something I can use in the brewery haha

[seriomarkj]

You are the second person I have seen mention spraying down the boil to prevent the boil over...as someone who boils 6.5 gal in an 8 gal kettle, it's a life saver!!!

[nicholasgolden]

I like the towel tip. I go through a ton of paper towels. Gonna switch to cloth towels.

[scottlouie]

Towels! I wash mine separately from regular clothes and I don't use dryer sheets. That way they're more absorbent and don't leave waxy streaks on my equipment. I also love bus tubs like the 15 x 20 Cambro. They catch drips, hold ice and spent grain, and make great sanitizing stations for spoons and other long items.

[fleetside]

I like the suggestion to go to Dollar Tree for bits and bobs.

[carcontroller]

I got a graduated pitcher early on. It might have been one of the most significant additions to my brewing gear.

[TwoandaHalfPintsHomebrew]

Dang, those were some useful tips that we'll have to start incorporating (especially that Star San syringe trick). I like to keep a spray bottle of star san PLUS a spray bottle of isopropyl alcohol. The alcohol is probably the most effective and instantaneous sanitizer. Another general tip is get everything done the night before! Crush grain, collect water, put everything together. Then brewday is a breeze!

[frankcarey]

I use a wall paper soaking tray and a quart of star San for long items such as racking canes and bottle fillers.

[GabrielYeager]

That syringe trick is super smart. Thanks for that!

[BrewDudes]

In the winter time, my hands dry out anyway. Having some long gloves for whenever I am using cleaning products (PWB, TSP etc etc) I find it saves my hands from drying out even further. Good gloves are key. Great video Brian with useful tips. Cheers! -Mike

[Will-jdbr]

I use butyl rubber gloves to remove the brew bag and “poke” the bottom corners in where the seam is. I found when I lift the bag out of the kettle, the mash will pour out the corners and all over the kitchen stove. Use a round brew bag without corners or buy cheap amazon bags at 1/10th of the price and poke your bag corners in. Just a suggestion if you buy square brew bags.

[paulnovorolsky]

You mentioned grain storage. A great source for air tight, food safe buckets is the local bakery. Mine gets fillings and frostings in 3.5 gallon buckets that they sell for $2 each. Another nice thing about the size is each is perfect for a single brew day. I can order ingredients for 2 or 3 brews at a time to qualify for free shipping and then on brew day, I’ve got everything ready to go

And I’m keeping stuff out of the landfill…

[tsropes]

Pitcher is great idea. I used 2quart pitcher and just recently bought an 1gal pitcher. My pitchers are graduated “ Scientific” found the graduating is accurate. Like your idea of wiping down the pots of hot break will need to use that.

[codebowl]

I miss your regular content, hope everything is ok as you've not posted in 3+ months now :/ Hopefully you will be back soon!

[smitty]

All good tips. I practice most of them. I'll throw out one which may seem obvious, and might could have been combo'd with the pitcher, but you never seem to have enough of: BUCKETS. I have a couple large 6 gallon buckets, several 4 & 2 gallon buckets, and a few 1 gallons as well. Used for mixing sanitizer, catching wort during the brew day, containing parts and fittings on fermenters when disassembling, throwing used brewday items in for later cleaning, blowoff buckets, etc. The list goes on and on. You can never have enough of them. They're all food grade purchased from big box home center.

[adamsignora]

I use gloves and spray bottles for everything brewing, cooking, cleaning, etc.

[dogstockings]

Turkey baster. Multiple uses in and outside of brewing. Ummm... I've got a separate one for the "other stuff". Although they are incredibly easy to clean and sterilise.

[WhyNotAParadox]

Pitchers seem to last forever! I've still got the metal pitcher I bought from Northern Brewer ~10 years ago. It was in great condition until I accidentally got some starsan in the bottom. I'll likely keep it until the handle falls off, but still find a new use for it... I love good storage! I've got clear tacklebox trays for all my little parts. One for brew day and one for everything else. My housemates appreciated it when I got a dish tray and a matching dish dry rack. That way I can dry my equipment somewhere other than in the kitchen rack and free up space for everyone else.