Upgrade Your Brew Day with These Underrated Tools
When you're just getting started, homebrewing can feel like it only takes a few basic tools. But once you’ve brewed a few batches, you start noticing where things could go smoother — less mess, more precision, better results. That’s where the right accessories come in.
We’ve rounded up 10 underrated homebrewing accessories that can seriously upgrade your brew day. From faster bottling to better fermentation control, these are the tools most brewers don’t know they need — until they use them.
1. Spigot and Bottling Wand Assembly
This assembly makes bottling your beer faster, cleaner, and way more precise. The spring-loaded wand connects to your fermenter’s spigot and allows you to fill each bottle with minimal foam or mess.
2. Long-Handled Mixing Spoon
Stirring in booster, malt extract, or priming sugar with a regular kitchen spoon is a mess waiting to happen. A long-handled spoon is simple, but it saves your knuckles — and your countertops.
3. Coopers Hydrometer
A hydrometer helps you measure gravity before and after fermentation, so you can calculate alcohol content (ABV) and check if fermentation is complete.
4. Muslin Hop Sack
Contain your hops or specialty ingredients to keep your brew clear and cleanup easy. A must-have for dry hopping or custom flavors.
5. Stick-On Thermometer
Track fermentation temp right from the side of your fermenter. Cheap, effective, and beginner-friendly.
6. Sanitizer Spray Bottle
(Recommend use with Star San)
Perfect for on-the-go sanitizing. Spray your hands, tools, lids — whatever — without wasting full batches of sanitizer solution.
7. Fermentation Cooler Bag
If your brewing temps fluctuate, this bag helps maintain steady fermentation. Great for garages, basements, or anywhere inconsistent.
8. Large Fine-Mesh Strainer
Shop the Adcraft 10" Commercial Strainer →
This isn’t your average kitchen strainer — it’s a commercial-grade, double-mesh workhorse with endless uses on brew day. Drop your hop sack, fruit sack, or spice bundle into it after steeping or boiling and let gravity do the work. No wringing, no squeezing, just pure flavor dripping back into your brew pot or fermenter.
9. Bottle Drying Tree or Rack
Skip the towel chaos. Let your bottles dry upright, clean, and ready for bottling — no accidental contamination.
Bonus: What’s the Difference Between Brewing Tools and Brewing Accessories?
It’s a good question — and one that comes up often.
Brewing Tools = Essential
These are your fermenter, bottles, sanitizer, and other basics. They’re required to make beer from start to finish and usually come in starter kits.
Brewing Accessories = Enhancements
Accessories aren’t required — but they make brewing smoother, easier, and more precise. Hydrometers, bottling wands, hop sacks, and thermometers all fall into this category.
Think of accessories as the quality-of-life upgrades that help you brew better beer, faster — and with fewer headaches.
Ready to Upgrade Your Brew Day?
None of these tools are essential to start brewing — but once you try them, you’ll wonder how you brewed without them. The best part? Many of these brewing upgrades are on sale right now in our accessories section.
