16 Tips to Brew Better Beer

What I wish I knew when I started brewing.

20/20 hindsight is a wonderful thing. You can always look back and say “I wish I knew that before…”, but wouldn’t it be great if you actually knew it up front. This post outlines my top tips for brewing better, easier, more consistently and more often.

All too often people start brewing, thinking it would be a great way to save money and drink more beer, but they aren’t prepared for the process. There are things, that if you know them, will make your brewing life a lot simpler, more fun, and more engaging.

“Let no man thirst for good beer.”

— Samuel Adams

1. Perfect your processes on simple beers, then move on to more complex beers.
   All too often people start out trying to brew a tropical hazy IPA because that is the latest fad in beer, but they haven’t mastered the basics of brewing yet. Learn how to brew simple beers first, get those processes right, get your brew day sorted out and then move on to more complex styles - but gradually. Follow the KISS principle - Keep It Simple Star.

2. You don’t have to start on extract beers.
   While extract brewing is ideal for some people - people who are time poor or don’t have the space for all-grain brewing - you don’t have to start here. You can start on all grain brewing, providing you follow the advice in tip 1 and start simple. Start with a S.M.A.S.H. beer (Simgle Malt and Single Hop), which is one of the easier styles. It’s not that hard. It takes a little longer and you have a bit more clean up, but you also have complete artistic license over what you are producing. The first time you can brew it, you can start with a pilsner malt and citrus hops, then try it with a pale malt and cluster hops. See what the differences are.

3. Persevere - every brewer has had a flop / bad batch.
   Don’t give up too early. All too often, someone has a disastrous first batch and is completely discouraged. Don’t let this be you. Unless the beer is completely undrinkable, batch it up and enjoy it. Enjoy the fact that you made it, you aren’t feeding the bottom line of a faceless brewery or paying an exorbitant amount of tax to the Government. Vow to do better next time. Make a second batch and a third batch. You’ll soon get better.

4. Brew the styles you like to drink.
   This will keep you coming back to make more, especially once you get your processes and recipe dialled in. Follow the first tip, but brew something you are going to enjoy, because your pallet will tell you if it isn’t quite right. It’s a beer you know, so you can judge your version of it.

5. Make the same beer more than once.
   You don’t understand a beer until you have made it 4 or 5 times and tried to perfect it and tweak it until it is better. Then it is your own - something that you have made great. I’ve made my Mexican Lager at least a dozen times, and each time I try to make it a little better. I’ve made my ANZAC Ale 4 times, and each time it improves, but it isn’t quite there yet.

6. Follow your brew day plan and don’t have too many silver bullets while you’re brewing.
   The more you drink, the sloppier you get, the less accurate you get, and the more you miss. Enjoy a few beers during the brew day - but limit it to a few.

7. Get into kegs as soon as you can.
   They are easier to clean, easier to fill, easier to control (quality and serving). Save time, space and ultimately money. Quicker to carbonate and enjoy. Bottles have to be individually cleaned, filled and capped. Then stored while they carbonate (can take 2 weeks). And they don’t go boom. Anything that makes beer more drinkable quicker is a good thing and worth the money.

8. Get an accurate thermometer.
   Preferably one that can be calibrated. If your thermometer is off then your beer is off. Investing in a good thermometer is always the money. the cheap metal ones that come in the kit are OK to start with, but you will get better efficiencies (and more alcohol) when your mash temperatures are spot on.

9. Learn your brewing system.
   Make the same recipe 2 or 3 times to dial in your processes and get to know your equipment. It doesn’t matter if you are using a stock pot on a stove, a single vessel system or a more complex 3 vessel system, it will take you a few brew days to figure out the equipment and learn it’s quirks.

10. Invest in a plate or counterflow chiller.
    This will cut down the time it takes to chill your wort. the quicker you can chill your wort, the sooner it starts fermenting, and the quicker your brew day is over. It adds process, but reduces time.

11. Buy the biggest system you can.
    You will outgrow a 35L brewhouse quickly, so stretch to the 65L - which will give you about 3 corny kegs of beer. Once your reputation for producing great beer spreads people will come from far and wide to drink it with you, so you’re going to need a bigger system.

12. To save money, look for used equipment.
    This goes with tip #11. A lot of people drop out or upgrade, and sell their old gear. You can pick up a bargain, buying a system larger than you think you need for less money than you think it will cost. Win-win.

13. Clean as you are going along.
    Don’t leave cleaning up until the next day because that stuff gets nasty and hard to clean. If you have separate vessels for mashing and boiling, then clean them up as you are finished with it. Clean your toys up as you are finished with them. This way they will be ready to go on your next brew day.

14. Spigots are good on fermenters.
    They make it easy to take a gravity reading and decant into bottles or a keg. They are better than auto syphons, but be careful of what type of spigot you get. Some are easier to use and less finicky than others.

15. Storage is important.
    Get a beer fridge, set it to 2-4C and your beer will keep longer and stay fresher. Cold keeps beer for longer, especially home brew which is preservative free.

16. Lagers are the best beer in the world. That’s more of an opinion than a tip. But it’s true.