Ratio: Good brews vs Bad brews

daveooph131 · 10-31-2009, 04:21 AM

What would you say you're ratio or perecent of good beers you brew are? I have often wondered if everyone is producing beer that they really like every batch or if there are some that have gotten away. I've brewed about 8 batches now and 2 turned out terrible, the others were good.

RCCOLA · 10-31-2009, 04:34 AM

The only ones I've screwed up have been when I added something "xtra". One was cocoa powder,one artificial blueberry flavoring.
I don't add anything xtra anymore.

**StunnedMonkey** · 10-31-2009, 02:03 PM

I've brewed 35 batches of beer in 14 months. Glancing over the list I'd say my ratio is 33%/33%/33%. About a third were what I'd consider really terrific beers that I'd be proud to serve to any of you without apology. Another third were decent drinkable beers, but maybe something just didn't turn out exactly like I'd anticipated. I'd serve them to you, but I'd also probably be offering some sort of qualification. Another third were...meh. Just not all that great and I'd steer you away from those tap handles. Often I'd drink those until I had another (presumably better) keg ready to go and the last 1/3 keg would end up dumped. Sorry Revvy. Life's too short.

I've had 4 batches dumped outright. Four in a row last winter when I switched water supplies. They all ended up with the same harsh Final Net Hairspray flavor. I went back to my other water and all was well again.

thisjrp4 · 10-31-2009, 02:36 PM

I brew about 15 batches / yr and most of mine turn out great and I get plenty of compliments on my beers. Occasionally I make a beer that I think is just OK but I still get compliments on it so I don't know if that falls into the good beer or ok beer catagory. I do have a keg at the moment that is about to get the sailors funeral though and it was somewhat of an experimental batch. I find keeping the recipe simple without alot of specialty malts, and shooting for a nice middle of the road bitterness, hop flavor and aroma makes for a good drinkable beer almost every time. I also find great success with S-04 yeast, much more so than with any other strain - liquid or dry.

**Yooper** · 10-31-2009, 02:54 PM

I had a couple batches that were ok, not great. I had one bad batch, about 3 1/2 years ago. I made the "vanilla caramel cream ale" that was on this site, and I didn't like that at all. Otherwise, all of the batches have been drinkable. Some were wonderful, some were ok. So, I'd say that my ratio is pretty good. About 299 batches that all got consumed. The vanilla cream ale got consumed, too- I have it to a friend who eventually drank it all. But that would be the one total failure, in my book.

**osagedr** · 10-31-2009, 03:08 PM

Made a couple of things I don't really care for; most has been good or at least on-style.

Likely 75-25ish. I expect this to improve dramatically as I get more experience. For example, I really didn't know the importance of fermentation temperature until fairly recently. A couple of my beers with off flavours are likely directly attributable to fermenting too warm.

**TXCurtis** · 10-31-2009, 03:10 PM

Most of my batches have been good. Good enough that I would order a second pint if it wasn't mine. Some have been great - the kind I'd be dragging freinds to the bar to try.

I "lost" a couple batches over the summer due to inadequate temperature control at the time. I still have the beer and while it's still subpar (read: doesn't come out till you're 4-5 beers in) it's drinkable. The one probable dumper is a wit that got way to hot. Not sure how to describe the taste and aroma other than soy sauce wit...

BillTheSlink · 10-31-2009, 03:17 PM

Well, out of the fifteen or so I've brewed one got horribly infected and I had to dump it, and I had a Northern brewer cream Ale that I thought was just a bad recipe, but my Mom liked it and I found out if you put them in the freezer just before drinking and get them blistering cold they were drinkable. My best beer that is finished and drank was my first, a Bavarian Hefeweizen from Northern Brewer, but I am almost sure it is going to be eclipsed by the Little Kings all grain kit I got from Austin Homebrew Supply that was my last batch and first all grain. I tasted it at bottling time and it tasted so clean and crisp you would swear it was a lager. Little Kings is a very light beer like Bud Light, but isn't a lager. How I did it without any off flavors is beyond me, what with all that flaked corn and all. When I see how it carbs I should enter it in a contest. I think it will be that good and you get the added benefit Little Kings has the reputation of knocking you on your hinder parts, and I even chose the 1% alcohol boost

**Hammy71** · 11-01-2009, 01:13 AM

I'd say I'm running at about 90% to the good. Had a few that I drank just to kill the keg for something else.... But most....I'm sad when the keg blows....

JKoravos · 11-01-2009, 01:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by daveooph131

What would you say you're ratio or perecent of good beers you brew are? I have often wondered if everyone is producing beer that they really like every batch or if there are some that have gotten away. I've brewed about 8 batches now and 2 turned out terrible, the others were good.

I don't think that's anything to worry about. Over time that ratio gets better. My early days had plenty of failures and dumped beer. Now I can brew quality beer pretty much every time out. It's been a while since I had a real 'bad' batch.