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Denny · 07-14-2012, 07:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jonmohno

Time for a blind taste test Homebrew vs. Commercial. Which has the homebrew taste?

Interestingly, I just did this. I brewed a batch of my Rye IPA with John Maier at Rogue. I also have a batch that I brewed at home. Same recipe. Same taste. The Rogue batch has a bit thinner mouthfeel since we used Pacman on it and my yeast in the homebrew, but the flavor is the same.

**Brulosopher** · 07-14-2012, 07:09 PM

Fresno water is not the issue, it's great. I doubt your process is to blame. In fact, the 2 beers of yours I tried awhile back were delicious. I've a plan: bring more over for me to taste, then we can compare them to my homemade beer for good measure

pohldogg · 07-14-2012, 07:47 PM

I get in this argument a lot. I believe that most homebrews taste like homebrew, even the very good ones. There's a polished (not filtered polished) aspect to even bad commercial beer. I think it comes from them brewing all the time and keeping recipes fairly simple. I know that when I started brewing almost every weekend, and getting rid of a lot of specialty grain and random hops my beer tasted more like it came out of a legit brewery. It's like anything else, when it's second nature you're not making those little mistakes everyone else is.

malt20 · 07-14-2012, 08:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brulosopher

Fresno water is not the issue, it's great. I doubt your process is to blame. In fact, the 2 beers of yours I tried awhile back were delicious. I've a plan: bring more over for me to taste, then we can compare them to my homemade beer for good measure

ill bring you a pliney clone, a dba clone, amber ale, and a rye ipa. when you wanna do this?

**Brulosopher** · 07-14-2012, 08:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by malt20

ill bring you a pliney clone, a dba clone, amber ale, and a rye ipa. when you wanna do this?

Uhhh... now?! Haha. Seriously, there's some napping going on right now, but once the kids are up we might have some free time. Let me chat with the wife (when she wakes up) and I'll get back to you- maybe you can bring your fam? I've got a couple on tap too. Text?

**AZ_IPA** · 07-14-2012, 08:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jonmohno

Time for a blind taste test Homebrew vs. Commercial. Which has the homebrew taste?

My friends like my homebrew because they say it doesn't taste like homebrew.

**Revvy** · 07-14-2012, 09:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Denny

Interestingly, I just did this. I brewed a batch of my Rye IPA with John Maier at Rogue. I also have a batch that I brewed at home. Same recipe. Same taste. The Rogue batch has a bit thinner mouthfeel since we used Pacman on it and my yeast in the homebrew, but the flavor is the same.

I do this quite regularly with 2 of the recipes I brew. My Leffe clone, and Eshatz's Two Hearted Alone. Sometimes I even do tastings with other brewers comparing them, but often I'll just buy a sixer of the commercial versions while I'm going through a batch of mine.

Thank god mine's comparable to the originals.

The funny thing is, that sometimes in a taste test (usually with non brewers) they often pick my version out as being the commercial version. The only reason I think that happens is that mine has a fresher taste, not that it's better.

Denny · 07-14-2012, 09:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Revvy

I do this quite regularly with 2 of the recipes I brew. My Leffe clone, and Eshatz's Two Hearted Alone. Sometimes I even do tastings with other brewers comparing them, but often I'll just buy a sixer of the commercial versions while I'm going through a batch of mine.

Thank god mine's comparable to the originals.

The funny thing is, that sometimes in a taste test (usually with non brewers) they often pick my version out as being the commercial version. The only reason I think that happens is that mine has a fresher taste, not that it's better.

I've had too many great tasting homebrews from a lot of brewers to believe that homebrew can't be as good or better than commercial beer. Comparable in every way. I'd have to say that if someone believes homebrew can't be as good or better than commercial beers they just haven't tasted good homebrew.

pohldogg · 07-14-2012, 10:16 PM

I definitely agree that homebrew can be on par with commercial, but it still takes practice. Even with oxygenation, temp control, rapid chillers, etc you still have to brew regularly to get a pro level product. The majority of brewers, or at least those in my club, only brew a few times a year and except for the odd occasion these are the same people that give me beer that tastes like homebrew. You have to brew regularly to keep your skills up and gain the experience of what works well otherwise the notion of competing on quality with someone that brews daily is a bit ridiculous.

Now the members that brew all the time generally give out beer that's commercial grade. It's doable, it's not even that hard, you just have to put in the effort. I'm on track for my second year of 30+ brews and am finally getting to where brewing is instinctual enough that I can focus on some of the small things that make big differences.

Denny · 07-14-2012, 10:32 PM

So, basically it comes down to the fact that homebrew that isn't made well isn't good, and and homebrew that is made well is good. I think I can agree with that! I'd have to say that in our club we have a lot more of the latter than the former.