Brew Notes
Brew Notes
Hey all,
Just got my third brew down and I'm starting to get organised with notes. No point experimenting or trying to replicate what you did if you don't have the data.
Sooo, wondering what information you all note down for next time.
BTW: I am so far doing a few "Recipe Kits" and will advance to more complex mixes as I go.
So far I have (as an example):
_______________________________
Brew Number: 001
Style: Little Creatures Pale Ale Clone
Recipe: Brewcraft Recipe Kit
- Black Rock Pilsner Blonde
- BC#15 Brew Booster
- Finishing hops: Cascade Pellets 10g
- Safale Yeast
Volume: 20l
OG: 1048 FG: 1012 Alc: 5.5%
Brew Temp: Approx. 22C
Brew Date: 1/1/07
Bottle Date: 17/1/07
Notes: (to reflect anything different, special or out of the ordinary that I may have done, deliberate or not).
_______________________________
Anything else I should be taking note of do you think?
Ta.
Just got my third brew down and I'm starting to get organised with notes. No point experimenting or trying to replicate what you did if you don't have the data.
Sooo, wondering what information you all note down for next time.
BTW: I am so far doing a few "Recipe Kits" and will advance to more complex mixes as I go.
So far I have (as an example):
_______________________________
Brew Number: 001
Style: Little Creatures Pale Ale Clone
Recipe: Brewcraft Recipe Kit
- Black Rock Pilsner Blonde
- BC#15 Brew Booster
- Finishing hops: Cascade Pellets 10g
- Safale Yeast
Volume: 20l
OG: 1048 FG: 1012 Alc: 5.5%
Brew Temp: Approx. 22C
Brew Date: 1/1/07
Bottle Date: 17/1/07
Notes: (to reflect anything different, special or out of the ordinary that I may have done, deliberate or not).
_______________________________
Anything else I should be taking note of do you think?
Ta.
Beers are friends, not food.
I normally jot down the method used, e.g.
boil LDME in 2L water for 10 mins
add hops
flame out
etc etc.
Helps you to replicate it (close to) exactly next time. I also note any difficulties I've had (boilovers, wort taking too long to cool, pitch temp too high)
Not that I've ever tried to replicate one of my brews yet as I'm still on brew #8.
HTH,
Tim
boil LDME in 2L water for 10 mins
add hops
flame out
etc etc.
Helps you to replicate it (close to) exactly next time. I also note any difficulties I've had (boilovers, wort taking too long to cool, pitch temp too high)
Not that I've ever tried to replicate one of my brews yet as I'm still on brew #8.
HTH,
Tim
- Cortez The Killer
- Posts: 261
- Joined: Friday Aug 25, 2006 9:24 am
- Location: Wollongong
- Contact:
I include some of the following:
Priming method, eg bulk or carbonation drops etc. With bulk the amount of sugar or malt added, and the type of sugar used, and the volume of green beer that is primed (varies depending on how much I tip the primary).
The starting temperature as well as finishing temperature, in the case were you don't have temperature control. (currently have a iButton temperature device hooked up to pc, so that I can graph the temperature of the brew).
Total number of bottles, number of bottles remaining.
Cost of each of the consumables, then do a basic calc to get the cost per 375ml bottle. I divide my total number of brews against cost for reusable things like the fermenter, gives me a estimation to compare against commercials brews.
Each brew I add a new column for something else to record
Priming method, eg bulk or carbonation drops etc. With bulk the amount of sugar or malt added, and the type of sugar used, and the volume of green beer that is primed (varies depending on how much I tip the primary).
The starting temperature as well as finishing temperature, in the case were you don't have temperature control. (currently have a iButton temperature device hooked up to pc, so that I can graph the temperature of the brew).
Total number of bottles, number of bottles remaining.
Cost of each of the consumables, then do a basic calc to get the cost per 375ml bottle. I divide my total number of brews against cost for reusable things like the fermenter, gives me a estimation to compare against commercials brews.
Each brew I add a new column for something else to record

- Cortez The Killer
- Posts: 261
- Joined: Friday Aug 25, 2006 9:24 am
- Location: Wollongong
- Contact:
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- Posts: 195
- Joined: Thursday Jun 01, 2006 11:42 am
- Location: Melbourne
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- Posts: 195
- Joined: Thursday Jun 01, 2006 11:42 am
- Location: Melbourne
i keep very detailed notes on all aspects of mine... from ingredients to method to taste etc. i'll revisit old entries and update if a beer's taste has changed with age as well. i've got an Excel spreadsheet going, it calculates alcohol content, how big a standard drink is, how many standard drinks per bottle etc 


-
- Posts: 789
- Joined: Friday Nov 24, 2006 5:07 pm
- Location: Collingwood, Australia
There's a family-run winery at Taminick (near Milawa) which produces very respectable wines in a really no-fuss manner. For many years, they were always sub-ten dollars a bottle because the patriarch insisted that "It's just wine, for ferk's sake".
As I write this, I am towards the end of the last bottle of the best beer I've made to date. For a while, I was a bit sad, but I guess I will make even better beers in the future. I figure that I can obsess over making the beer and noting how I did it, but if it is any good, I will remember it without any further ado.
I want to be a beer-maker, not a beer-judge.
As I write this, I am towards the end of the last bottle of the best beer I've made to date. For a while, I was a bit sad, but I guess I will make even better beers in the future. I figure that I can obsess over making the beer and noting how I did it, but if it is any good, I will remember it without any further ado.
I want to be a beer-maker, not a beer-judge.

No Mash Tun. No Chill.
No confirmed fatalities.
No confirmed fatalities.
Had these tasting notes for an Australia Day Party.
Was for a bunch of VB swillers and a couple of K+K brewers.
They wouldn't leave !!!!!
Australia Day Beer Menu
#20 Wheat Beer
Brewed 24/06/06
Bottled 09/07/06
Ingredients : Tin Wal's Wheat extract
1.5kg Liquid wheat malt
200g Dex
150g wheat grain-steeped 20 mins
12g hersbruker hops- steeped 10 mins
12g wheat yeast
Brewed at 16C
#23 Mexican Cerveza
Brewed 11/07/06
Bottled 12/08/06
Ingredients : Coopers Mexican Cerveza
1kg BE2
12g Cascade hops-steeped 20mins
11.5g Saflager yeast-rehydrated
Brewed at 20c
Notes: very strong citrus taste - balances out with a slice of lime
#25 Coopers Bavarian Lager
Brewed 29/07/06
Racked 04/08/06
Bottled 22/08/06
Ingredients : Coopers Bavarian lager
1kg BE1
500g Light Dry Malt Extract
200g Dex
Saflager 189 yeast
Brewed at 12C
#26 Wals Pilsener
Brewed 06/08/06
Racked 12/08/06
Bottled 27/08/06
Ingredients : Wals Pilsener
1kg BE2
200g Dex
150g Vienna Grain- steeped 20 mins
12g Saaz hops-dry hopped
saflager 497 yeast
Brewed at 12C
#27 Coopers Lager
Brewed 13/08/06
Bottled 26/08/06
Ingredients : Coopers Lager
1kg BE1
350g LDM
Kit yeast
Brewed at 20c
#28 Canadian Blond
Brewed 23/08/06
Bottled 09/09/06
Ingredients : Coopers CB
1kg BE1
1.5l Californian Ale Liquid yeast starter
Brewed at 20C
notes : first brew with liquid yeast. Has a nice caramel/butterscotch after-taste
#30 Crown Lager Clone (so-called)
Brewed 08/09/06
Bottled 23/09/06
Ingredients : Blue Mountain Lager
1kg BE1
500g LDM
12g Hallertau hops- steeped 15 mins
105l Cal Ale Liquid yeast
#33 Wals Pilsener
Brewed 01/10/06
Racked 07/10/06
Bottled 22/10/06
Ingredients : Wals Pil.
1kg BE1
12g lager yeast
Brewed at 17c
#35 Pale Ale
Brewed 04/11/06
Bottled 18/11/06
Ingredients : Rapid Creek Pale Ale
1kg BE2
12g Williamette hops - dry hopped
2x7g kit yeast
Brewed at 20C
#38 Summer Wheat
Brewed 18/11/06
Racked 25/11/06
Bottled 03/12/06
Ingredients : TCB Summer Wheat Wetpak
Brewed at 21C
Notes:Takes a 60 minute boil; includes coriander seed and orange zest
#40 Wals Wheat Beer
Brewed 09/12/06
Racked 16/12/06
Bottled 29/12/06
Ingredients : Wals Wheat Beer
1kg liquid wheat malt (boiled 30 minutes)
15g crushed coriander seeds- added to boil
zest of 4 oranges-added to boil
12g Hersbrucker hops- added at flame out
150g wheat grain-steeped 50 minutes-added to wort
12g s229 wheat yeats-dry
12g 3-33 wheat yeast-dry
Brewed at 22C
Notes: tasted on 20/01/07 at 3 weeks old. Developing very nicely. Lots of flavour, and a great head.
Was for a bunch of VB swillers and a couple of K+K brewers.
They wouldn't leave !!!!!
Australia Day Beer Menu
#20 Wheat Beer
Brewed 24/06/06
Bottled 09/07/06
Ingredients : Tin Wal's Wheat extract
1.5kg Liquid wheat malt
200g Dex
150g wheat grain-steeped 20 mins
12g hersbruker hops- steeped 10 mins
12g wheat yeast
Brewed at 16C
#23 Mexican Cerveza
Brewed 11/07/06
Bottled 12/08/06
Ingredients : Coopers Mexican Cerveza
1kg BE2
12g Cascade hops-steeped 20mins
11.5g Saflager yeast-rehydrated
Brewed at 20c
Notes: very strong citrus taste - balances out with a slice of lime
#25 Coopers Bavarian Lager
Brewed 29/07/06
Racked 04/08/06
Bottled 22/08/06
Ingredients : Coopers Bavarian lager
1kg BE1
500g Light Dry Malt Extract
200g Dex
Saflager 189 yeast
Brewed at 12C
#26 Wals Pilsener
Brewed 06/08/06
Racked 12/08/06
Bottled 27/08/06
Ingredients : Wals Pilsener
1kg BE2
200g Dex
150g Vienna Grain- steeped 20 mins
12g Saaz hops-dry hopped
saflager 497 yeast
Brewed at 12C
#27 Coopers Lager
Brewed 13/08/06
Bottled 26/08/06
Ingredients : Coopers Lager
1kg BE1
350g LDM
Kit yeast
Brewed at 20c
#28 Canadian Blond
Brewed 23/08/06
Bottled 09/09/06
Ingredients : Coopers CB
1kg BE1
1.5l Californian Ale Liquid yeast starter
Brewed at 20C
notes : first brew with liquid yeast. Has a nice caramel/butterscotch after-taste
#30 Crown Lager Clone (so-called)
Brewed 08/09/06
Bottled 23/09/06
Ingredients : Blue Mountain Lager
1kg BE1
500g LDM
12g Hallertau hops- steeped 15 mins
105l Cal Ale Liquid yeast
#33 Wals Pilsener
Brewed 01/10/06
Racked 07/10/06
Bottled 22/10/06
Ingredients : Wals Pil.
1kg BE1
12g lager yeast
Brewed at 17c
#35 Pale Ale
Brewed 04/11/06
Bottled 18/11/06
Ingredients : Rapid Creek Pale Ale
1kg BE2
12g Williamette hops - dry hopped
2x7g kit yeast
Brewed at 20C
#38 Summer Wheat
Brewed 18/11/06
Racked 25/11/06
Bottled 03/12/06
Ingredients : TCB Summer Wheat Wetpak
Brewed at 21C
Notes:Takes a 60 minute boil; includes coriander seed and orange zest
#40 Wals Wheat Beer
Brewed 09/12/06
Racked 16/12/06
Bottled 29/12/06
Ingredients : Wals Wheat Beer
1kg liquid wheat malt (boiled 30 minutes)
15g crushed coriander seeds- added to boil
zest of 4 oranges-added to boil
12g Hersbrucker hops- added at flame out
150g wheat grain-steeped 50 minutes-added to wort
12g s229 wheat yeats-dry
12g 3-33 wheat yeast-dry
Brewed at 22C
Notes: tasted on 20/01/07 at 3 weeks old. Developing very nicely. Lots of flavour, and a great head.
I always get upset when i reach the last few bottles of a good brew. It must be that i know if i want to replicate then i have to waitSpillsMostOfIt wrote:There's a family-run winery at Taminick (near Milawa) which produces very respectable wines in a really no-fuss manner. For many years, they were always sub-ten dollars a bottle because the patriarch insisted that "It's just wine, for ferk's sake".
As I write this, I am towards the end of the last bottle of the best beer I've made to date. For a while, I was a bit sad, but I guess I will make even better beers in the future. I figure that I can obsess over making the beer and noting how I did it, but if it is any good, I will remember it without any further ado.
I want to be a beer-maker, not a beer-judge.

Purple monkey dishwasher!