BlendieOfIndie

Recipes 

Since you started brewing, which techniques/equipment/knowledge have yielded the biggest improvement in your beer? Since this is the beginners forum, can we keep it to improvements you made in the 1st 20 batches? Thanks, everyone!

bradsul

Recipes 

Aside from going to all grain I think the best piece of equipment for me was my fermentation chiller. It made my ferment temps very consistent and removed the off-flavours from too high a temp (fusel alcohols, excessive fruity esters, etc.).

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Brad
Canadian Brewers Unite!

Projects: Sylvania Kegerator Conversion, Tower Cooling, Grain Milling Station

Orfy

Recipes 

Leaving in primary for longer, two to four weeks.

and

Repeating the same core recipes.

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Have a beer on me.

TheJadedDog

Recipes 

Leaving it in primary and secondary longer made large differences for me, but the single biggest improvement for me came when I switched to using only extra light DME and specialty grains. I use the grains to get all my flavor and color characteristics.

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And now we go AG!

On Tap: Nadda
Primary: Nadda
Planning: Extra Special Bitter

Drunkensatyr

Recipes 

Going All Grain, Ferment temp control, patience. The last was prolly the single largest improvement.

Beerthoven

Recipes 

1) Fermentation temperature control
2) Going all grain

For learning about both of these things, I give credit to HBT. I'm definately a better brewer because of HBT.

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Primary/Secondary:

Kegged: #77 Newcastle Brown, #79 California Common, #80 Old Bushy Tail Special Bitter

Planned: American IPA, Dusseldorf Alt, American Amber

I use secondaries!

olllllo

Recipes 

1) This site.
2) Tie- Control over Wort cooling
2) Tie- Control over Fermentation temperatures.
4) Letting stuff age

#2 was difficult here in the desert.

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Rob - Phoenix Ambassador to Milwaukee
Where did your avatar go?
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McCall St. Brewer

Recipes 

I found that the most dramatic improvement I have seen came when I started doing full boils with an immersion chiller. Even extract brews with steeping grains turn out better that way.

clayof2day

Recipes 

Edit: McCSB beat me

1.) Full Boils. I guess with full boils come wort chiller, but you CAN do an ice bath with a full boil. Made a world of difference.

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DeathBrewer

Recipes 

1) Fermentation Temperature Control
2) Partial Mashes
3) Definitely Patience

Special thanks goes to HBT for all the help

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Easy Partial Mash Brewing - Stovetop All-Grain Brewing

"Death is always with us." - Brewpastor

We will remember...