This is a running list of what we’re deeming “The Rules of Home Brew.” This list will be updated from time to time as we come up with more rules, or if someone suggests something. The intention of the list is mostly as a place to put all the smaller tips and tricks that we find out as we go along.
The Rules of Home Brew:
- You must always drink home brew while making home brew.
- You must always drink home brew while making home brew.
- Make sure everything is clean and sanitised. When in doubt, clean it again.
- If it’s fermentable, see what it tastes like when added to your brew.
- Bottling isn’t as bad as people make it out to be.
- Making cider counts as home brew, regardless of what Mikey says.
- Dextrose may be cheap, but malt is far superior.
- Always have extra sanitiser. You don’t want to be in the middle of something and realise you’re out!
- Adding to Number 8, always have extra bottle caps. You don’t want to find out you’re out just as you’re halfway through bottling.
- Ditto for priming sugar.
- Hmmm… That OSG seems a bit low, lets add some dextrose just in case.
- Ignore Rule 11, refer to Rule 7 in regards to what sugars to use.
- Save your bottles. Brown bottles are the best.
- Take notes as you go. The process of making beer is fairly lengthy, so a month later when you’re tasting your brew/trying to re-create a great batch, you’ll remember what you did.
- Be patient. Beer takes time to condition. It can be tempting to try your new brew too soon, but it will be much better if you wait.
- You can never make too much home brew. Making more home brew ensures that you always have plenty of beer on hand in case you’re thirsty
We make home brew 
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[…] The Rules of Home Brew […]
[…] The Rules of Home Brew […]
[…] The Rules of Home Brew […]
I think 11 contradicts 7…use light DME instead! Also, for number 10….you can prime with pretty much any sugar, hell anything fermentable. And because you use so little in each bottle, it won’t affect the flavour of your beer. I’ve used white sugar, raw sugar and dextrose, it makes no difference. Just remember you need about 5% less cane sugar (white/raw) than you do corn sugar (dex), as cane sugar is more fermentable. Good calculator here: http://bit.ly/HzSNfL
Yeah, 11 and 7 do kind of mix the message. The point of 11 is, if you’re OSG is low add more fermentables! Dextrose is cheap and in theory shouldn’t change the flavour of the beer where as light DME might. Mind you, I’m a bit lover of malt so even a light DME is better than dextrose.
And, I’ve thrown in all sorts of fermentables to up the OSG on beers.
That calculator is pretty cool. I’ve already played around with it. Now to buy some light DME for priming my bottles.
No! Don’t prime with DME, it’s too variably fermentable. Definitely prime with dextrose, it’s always 100% fermentable, cheap, and as you say won’t change the flavour of your brew. Keep the DME for altering your SG when needed.
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