What was your first "perfect" beer?

After 1 year of brewing and about 20 batches I finally made my first perfect beer (aka I personally wouldn't change anything about it) it was an IPA I brewed using the DFH continually hopped method like 60min but with different malts and hops. What was your first "perfect" brew?

"Perfect" is always a work in progress. "Repeatable" is my benchmark for perfection, in which that great beer you brewed can be re-brewed consistently and repeatedly.

Ok fine then what was your first repeatable recipe?

My first "wow this is way better than anything I've bought in a store" moment was my Lake Walk Pale ale (recipe by HBT's one and only "Dude"). I can only hope that it's as good the next time or ten that I make it.

I have been brewing for 2 years 3 months and have made some truly great beers. I would not say any were "perfect". Even the best I made could be changed a little and I would have another best.

My favorites so far were a brown ale, a Scottish Wee Heavy and my version of John Palmer's Elevenses.

BeerGrylls said:

My first "wow this is way better than anything I've bought in a store" moment was my Lake Walk Pale ale (recipe by HBT's one and only "Dude"). I can only hope that it's as good the next time or ten that I make it.

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I was just going to say this one as well. This was easily my favorite beer. It helps that my favorite style to drink and brew are pale ales. I have since brewed a couple other great pale ales but this was my first.

also been brewing for a little over a year, 12 batches.

#12 is first pilsner, first lager, first co-brew, first decoction. still lagering, so don't know how it has turned out yet

#11 is my best so far. it started as a Devil's Backbone 8 Point IPA clone, have brewed it twice, having come nowhere close to an actual clone, it is a very tasty brew.

First time it wasn't hoppy at all, but had an awesome malty character, so called it an OK American amber. 2nd time, I kept the grain bill exactly the same, added another hop one of the DB brewers said I was missing, & moved the rest of the hops more towards the end. I also kept better temperature control on the fermentation and it turned out great. again not an IPA, not a clone, so call it a really good American pale.

next time I brew it, end of November, same grain bill, push hops further towards the end, we'll see how it turns out

What was your first perfect beer?

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The next one.

Everyone thinks they make "perfect" or at least "great" beer. Kind of goes with that territory. The eye of the beholder thing.

For me, heaven in a glass was an IPA with garden hops four years ago. The judges agreed and gave me a 48. I probably will never score that high again, "only" 44 two years ago with a barleywine, and 43 last year with an american stout.

I've brewed relentlessly this past year. Got started brewing on new year's day this year, and to say the least, it is my love, my profession, and my obsession. Averaging a batch a week at home, I also work for a micro brewery, making about 100bbls a week on average there.

My first perfect beer I brewed back in april. It was this off the cuff idea of brewing a sangria inspired pale ale. Something with a wealth of wide ranging fruity qualities. I originally thought of adding a bunch of different fruit zest to the beer, but I went with a more traditional recipe. The grist was 2-row, munich, crystal 40, hopped with sorachi ace, motueka, citra, nelson sauvin, and mosaic. I shared it with many people at a big party we had at the brewery, and it was really fun hearing everyone describe the beer. It was a total success, so many people came up with such different fruit descriptors. It was a serious confidence boost for me as a brewer.

In contrast to that which recipe, which was the pilot batch (!), I've been slowly tweaking an esb recipe since february, and I think I just finally nailed it 6 batches later.

My biggest problem is getting a beer to clear, I really need to invest in a fridge/freezer to use for crashing beers before they hit the keg. At least pretty soon I'll have the near freezing temperatures in my garage to provide the free option for crashing beers.

2 gallons of a recipe from Beer Smith named "Brian's Best Bitter"! I regret only doing 2 gallons, as I haven't been able to duplicate it in a 10 gallon batch. MAAAAN was it good. I've done 4 10 gallon batches and although they were drinkable, none have been even close to that test batch. Still trying though. #5 is carbing up and will be ready in a couple of weeks.

the 2nd batch and all the following brews I have ever done.

After more than 15 years of brewing, I can say that I have a few beers that I feel I have come close to "perfecting" ..... in the sense that I have basically established the recipe, the process, the water, etc... and brew each the same way, almost every time now. And, they consistently come out very well in my opinion, and the opinion of others.

Dark Mild
Bo-Pils
American Pale Ale
British Ordinary Bitter.
American Brown Ale

Probably all in the last year or so though..... so it has taken 15+ years to get to that point, and I have brewed and rebrewed each 6-12 times (or more) over the last 2-3 years, with minor tweaks to settle on what I feel is "the finished recipe."

Of course..... I would be surprised if I don't keep tinkering with these "house beers" on and off forever.

Braufessor said:

After more than 15 years of brewing, I can say that I have a few beers that I feel I have come close to "perfecting" ..... in the sense that I have basically established the recipe, the process, the water, etc... and brew each the same way, almost every time now. And, they consistently come out very well in my opinion, and the opinion of others.

Dark Mild
Bo-Pils
American Pale Ale
British Ordinary Bitter.
American Brown Ale

Probably all in the last year or so though..... so it has taken 15+ years to get to that point, and I have brewed and rebrewed each 6-12 times (or more) over the last 2-3 years, with minor tweaks to settle on what I feel is "the finished recipe."

Of course..... I would be surprised if I don't keep tinkering with these "house beers" on and off forever.

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curse of the home brewer: recipe tweaking. :rockin:

Im still hoping to get to that point.

My first "wow" beer was an AG version of this one: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f69/dogfish-head-60-minute-clone-ag-extract-25709/

I had made many very good beers by that point, but this one was a "wow" that blew me away. It was light colored, super clear, with clean fresh hops flavor and aroma. The bottles went so quick that I couldn't believe it.

That was a long time ago, and I still haven't found a "perfect beer"- but I still make this recipe all the time and with some tweaks (lower OG, so it has a lower ABV) it's still my house IPA.

Billy-Klubb said:

Overwhelming advantage of the home brewer: recipe tweaking. :rockin:

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Fix'd it for ya!

Depends on how you define "perfect"

I brewed my summer saison which I dubbed "Beachcomber" for the first time this year and would not change a thing in the recipe. So I guess I could consider that a "perfect" brew.

I also have some other beers that need minor tweaking but for all intensive purposes are heading down the patch to awesomeness.

Consistency and repeatability are important, as already mentioned, but damn does it feel good to finally (going on 4 years) be able to nail a recipe at first shot.

I've yet to sit down and think that I brewed a perfect beer. I think my simple amber is good and probably the one I'll re-brew with some slight alternations. I'm only 3 batches of beer in so I seriously doubt I'm even at the point of perfect or OMG awesome.
What I do wish is that when I give beer away that at least one of the people I give it to would take me seriously when I say I would like their honest feedback. Thus far, no feedback so it is pretty difficult to know whether or not I'm making crap beer that I'm willing to drink or actually improving and doing something worth while. I'm so whiny, I know.

I've yet to sit down and think that I brewed a perfect beer. I think my simple amber is good and probably the one I'll re-brew with some slight alternations. I'm only 3 batches of beer in so I seriously doubt I'm even at the point of perfect or OMG awesome.
What I do wish is that when I give beer away that at least one of the people I give it to would take me seriously when I say I would like their honest feedback. Thus far, no feedback so it is pretty difficult to know whether or not I'm making crap beer that I'm willing to drink or actually improving and doing something worth while. I'm so whiny, I know.

I've never scored a 50 and likely never will. Had a few 44s and a lot of 41s and 42s.

"Best" beer ever was last year's doppelbock. 8 golds, 2 silvers, 2xBOS, won its NHC region. But it's a long way from perfect.