75 replies to this topic

[Big Nake]

I know that brewers will always be adjusting this or tweaking that but I wonder how many of you can say that you brew exactly what you envision time and time again and how many of you feel like you're always looking for another angle. What say you?

[BarelyBrews]

When i focus on ALL the aspects, boil,water,yeast,hops i am getting much better beer.Yes , im always looking to improve.Usually constrained by the budget, not my dreams.And you need to vote mr.Ken.

[Big Nake]

I know, I forgot to vote after all of that. I voted with you, right in the middle. I don't think that anyone out there should be sheepish about voting "dynamite beer all the time" because if you brew it and you taste it and you think that you hit it out of the park, that's what I'm trying to find out. This is not something that can really be based on what others say unless you consistently get super-positive feedback from everyone who tries your beer. Only the brewer really knows for sure what is ON and what may be OFF about a certain beer. I am almost always happy with my results. If I'm not, it's usually an experiment with water, salt additions, etc.

[MtnBrewer]

I don't guess I'll ever be satisfied but I feel like I make beer that's as good as you can find anywhere for certain styles. There are plenty of styles though where I'm still learning, tweaking the recipe, trying to nail it. Then there are some (like the BdG series) where I'm in uncharted waters and just trying to understand what the style is all about. Sometimes my personality gets in the way. Once I've "solved" the problem of a certain style, I tend to have less enthusiasm about brewing it after that. It's all about the chase for me.

[BlKtRe]

Cant be that humble. Im very satisfied with my beers. But there is always room for improvement and creativity.I prefer to call my brewing "style like".A lot styles if brewed by BJCP guidelines bore me.

[MtnBrewer]

A lot styles if brewed by BJCP guidelines bore me.

Troof. When you hear me say style, I usually mean a type of beer, not a formal BJCP style.

[Big Nake]

I don't guess I'll ever be satisfied but I feel like I make beer that's as good as you can find anywhere for certain styles. There are plenty of styles though where I'm still learning, tweaking the recipe, trying to nail it. Then there are some (like the BdG series) where I'm in uncharted waters and just trying to understand what the style is all about. Sometimes my personality gets in the way. Once I've "solved" the problem of a certain style, I tend to have less enthusiasm about brewing it after that. It's all about the chase for me.

Well put. I could see someone going down that road and eventually having success with a certain style and saying, "So that's how they do that!" and then being done with it. For me, brewing is about always having a good selection of good (or possibly great) beer on hand that I know that my target audience of family, friends and neighbors will enjoy. When I make a beer that's a little "off the map", it's usually because it's not available in my area and I like it but can't get it. It's very rare that I buy commercial beer so I begin to fall behind with what's out there.I made the choices too easy. No one wants to admit that they make dynamite beer all the time!

[djinkc]

I think with the help and advice of a lot of people I've gotten pretty/very good at it. Although when I look at what's been brewed in the last few years there are a lot of styles I haven't brewed and some I really don't have a lot of interest in brewing. If I brew something that I can't take to a club mtg and get lots of good feedback I'm disappointed and surprised. Doesn't happen often though.Never satisfied and keep realizing I have a lot to learn.And in the grand scheme of all things brewing, I really don't know squat.....

[MtnBrewer]

Well put. I could see someone going down that road and eventually having success with a certain style and saying, "So that's how they do that!" and then being done with it.

You've heard the expression, "If you're a hammer, everything looks like a nail"? Well, I'm an engineer so to me everything looks like a problem to be solved. When a problem is solved, you move on to the next one. But that's not to say I don't go back and brew beers that I've "perfected". I like to have good beer on hand too and I like to give a lot of it to my friends. And sometimes I like to perfect it even more.

[positiveContact]

I voted along with the crowd. Usually I very happy. Sometimes it's dynamite. Sometimes it's a little meh.

[Humperdink]

I voted along with the crowd. Usually I very happy. Sometimes it's dynamite. Sometimes it's a little meh.

Pretty much. One thing I can say is I don't think I remember the last time I made a beer that wasn't good enough to be drinkable. I've definitely had beers that weren't the end product I was looking for, but still a decent beer on its own. I can literally always pick out something that I'd like to do different or can taste a blip in the brew day. I think it irritates people when I point it out.

[Breakpoint]

Pretty much. One thing I can say is I don't think I remember the last time I made a beer that wasn't good enough to be drinkable. I've definitely had beers that weren't the end product I was looking for, but still a decent beer on its own. I can literally always pick out something that I'd like to do different or can taste a blip in the brew day. I think it irritates people when I point it out.

Agreed.Also, I definitely go along with Mtn and Blktre and don't brew to style, but more to taste. I'd like to have more time and taps and do a series of controlled batches that I get to the point of "hey, I'd like drinking that all the time" and basically have a couple house beers (while keeping the other taps as novel beers). Right now, though, I've got 2 taps and limited time, so I brew whatever I'm in the mood for at that time. I am preparing to make the move someday on developing a couple house beers as I expanded my mash tun and kettle so that I can make 10G batches and experiment in a couple fermenters with yeasts, dry hop additions, fermentation temps, etc.

[Kremer]

We've always made great beer, in ~50 batches maybe one came out not good, a wheat, we added honey and fruit and re-yeasted it, awesome result

[Dave McG]

I've had quite a few outstanding batches, but too many subpar ones for me to be thrilled with my work. I've never brewed the same beer twice, so I don't have a good baseline to go back to. I brewed today, and for a change I bought all fresh ingredients instead of what I have in stock. If it comes out good, I'm cleaning house, some of my stuff is pretty old and I thing that may at least be a contributing factor. GIGO, right? I still have POUNDS of hops from before the hop shortage several years ago!

[MakeMeHoppy]

I'm happy with what I make, but I can't saw I have a 'knock your socks off' recipe yet. I'm as happy with my beer as most of the commercial beer I brew. There are some guys in my club that made awesome beers and I think that is because they are better tasters and know better what to adjust when tweaking recipes.

[jammer]

Ive been brewing for almost 5 years now. I like what I make. My friends like what I make. Its cheaper than buying it in the store and its fun to make. I try not to overthink it, or it wouldnt be fun, IMO.

[3rd party JKor]

I think I make pretty good beer, but I'm far from where I want to be.

[positiveContact]

I think I make pretty good beer, but I'm far from where I want to be.

what's going to get you there?

[armagh]

I like what I make but there's always room for improvement. These days tend to focus more on some of the more rustic styles from Belgium/Netherlands which are idiosyncratic in nature, and therin lies the challenge. I keep brewing/mead making in the "hobby" category of life and find I enjoy it more that way.

[brewman]

Being a newbie again I answered just starting out but brewing good beer. I know I have a long way to go but I haven't thrown away any beer I've made since I started brewing again. There have been a few things I dont like about my beer but nothing that bad. I do enjoy the troubleshooting and tweaking.I think the beer I have in the secondary right now will be my best beer so far.Dan