What has homebrewing taught you

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Dr_Deathweed

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I thought it would be fun to kinda see what everyone has learned from home brewing, besides the process of brewing itself. I know there are a lot of skills out there that people have put towards brewing whether it be a DIY project, a little geeky learning, or finding the best way to get SWMBO to to let you keep spending money on beer...
 
Well, I learned that I am not skilled at woodworking :D

I built my first attempt at a grain hopper today and it did not turn out so well...

(I will post pics later, for some reason I am not able to attach things right now)
 
Well, not actually something I learned from homebrewing, but relearned. Patience. When I taught special education patience was a necessity. When I switched over to the mortgage industry, patience went out the door rather quickly since it's a much more fast paced environment. Since I started brewing I have again learned the importance of patience.
 
Planning ahead of time! I take lots of time to research and plan my next recipe so everything is all ready before brew-day. (Of course, I still completely f*ck up and forget things...like hops..).

So I'm still learning. :drunk:
 
Ive learned that homebrewers.....especially here on this site are Elitus ******* ****s!





:p

Oh and real brewers use bleach
 
As a direct result of brewing, I've learned:

How to weld stainless steel
Improved machining processes; specifically, lathe work on aluminum
Physical computing and microprocessor control
A ton of biology and chemistry topics I previously found dry and boring
Beer is equal parts art and science
Beer kegs have dozens of uses besides storing and serving beer
How to distinguish flavor components in food and drink and determine their origin
Mass marketed beer is usually full of half-truths in advertising and almost always lacks real flavor

...and surely a lot more!
 
I've relearned how to formulate a recipe and have it turn out like expected. I've been a baker for 20+ years and the last 16+ have been for major retailers where creativity( at store level) is frowned upon. Just like BMC if you purchase something from (Safeway, Kroger, Publix, Giant etc) in one location it will be the same 500-1000 miles away.
I can now predict what the beer will be like(75-80% correct)
It has also inspired me to bake at home again for the same reason( like a 1.5lb loaf of bread with 6 crumbled strips of bacon and 6oz of cheddar cheese:D).
 
Waiting for a keg to blow so I can brew another batch is a drag.
Not waiting for a keg to blow so I can brew another batch means the backlogged beers go weird on me.
 
I've learned that my beer really IS better than store-bought! I still am surprised with every batch...not sure if it is the freshness, the originality, or what...but it's damn good! I've learned that you don't have to know a whole lot about the process to make great beer. Just keep everything sanitized, hit your mash and fermentation temps within a couple degrees, and be patient. And I've also learned (at least for me) home brewing is cheaper!
 
I've learned to keep a number extra kegs, so you never have to wait for one to blow before brewing another batch.

I've also learned that "number" keeps going up.
 
Alright, a magic restart will fix any computer problem :D (learned that before brewing...)

My woodworking skills:

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I think I will brew tomorrow to check out the virgin crush :D
 
My woodworking skills:

Did Biermuncher help you cut the plywood? :D Perhaps a bit of sanding would be a good idea to avoid splinters, and maybe redo a couple of those nails. Or just get a tetanus booster shot.

Seriously though, it looks like it will get the job done! It's a fairly ambitious hopper design, compared to some I've seen.
 
Alright, a magic restart will fix any computer problem :D (learned that before brewing...)

My woodworking skills:

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I think I will brew tomorrow to check out the virgin crush :D


Looks good to me! Just need some bigger nails sticking out and you're good to go.

I'm such a disaster with woodworking/other related stuff I don't even try. I just pay up for manufactured toys that I can't usually figure out how to work:rockin:

I'll be building a keezer later this summer. Could be some fun pictures.
 
I found out that my overall beer knowledge was quite limited. Not liking BMC is one thing, knowing beer and beer styles is a whole 'nother level.
 
I've learned patience and planning are important. I've learned how to make good beer.

The coolest thing I have learned is what beer really is. Prior to brewing I had limited experience with microbrews and would have never tried half of the things I've poured down my throat since I started brewing. Beer is amazing and the amount of variety, flavor, etc... is almost worthy of worship.
 
I've learned that my beer really IS better than store-bought! I still am surprised with every batch...not sure if it is the freshness, the originality, or what...but it's damn good! I've learned that you don't have to know a whole lot about the process to make great beer. Just keep everything sanitized, hit your mash and fermentation temps within a couple degrees, and be patient. And I've also learned (at least for me) home brewing is cheaper!

Yeah, most store bought beer tastes skunked to me, so Ive learned the same thing.
 
I've learned that brewing can be as simple or as complicated as you want it to be.
 
I learned the most important thing of all, to like beer. before I started homebrewing the only beer I had ever tried was bud light and heineken and as a result though I hated beer. I started brewing mead and decided to try beer, after reading about some of the chemistry behind it I was curious. If it wasnt for homebrewing I might have lived the rest of my life hating beer.
 
Beer making has revived my sense of wonder and awe at the planet we live on. I'm amazed by the wonderous set of circumstances that brought together barley, yeast, hops, and water to make beer and that this beer has such as profound effect on the human mind. It's miraculous, really, and I am not a religeous man by any stretch of the imagination.

Beer making has made my house merrier, my friends come over more often, and I have a new thing to talk about with lots of new people. Its A Good Thing.
 
Even three years ago, I never thought I'd be brewing decent all-grain beers. I've learned that I'm pretty self reliant and can figure things out, even things that are traditionally thought of as "guys stuff". I thought kegging would be harder than it is, since I'm not handy. I love being able to do whatever it is that I want to do with my brewing.

I get frustrated by my physical limitations, like lifting 7 gallons of hot wort is almost impossible for me. I do manage to lift and haul around all my carboys and rack them, but I hate feeling "weak". I'd love a brewing sculpture, but I don't have the mechanical ability. So, I accept that but get a little frustrated by it. I'm going to do a 10 gallon batch this summer, just to prove that I can.

I also learned that I can gain alot of weight in a short period of time just by increasing my beer consumption.
 
I thought it would be fun to kinda see what everyone has learned from home brewing, besides the process of brewing itself. I know there are a lot of skills out there that people have put towards brewing whether it be a DIY project, a little geeky learning, or finding the best way to get SWMBO to to let you keep spending money on beer...

I've mainly have a better appreciation for beer and the process. With my appreciation I now enjoy better beer!
 
I've learned you better seal that effer up otherwise you're going to be leaking grain like a sieve!

woodz lol.JPG


I've learned patience, and how to appreciate the food and drink I consume better.

And I love redheads. Hell, my SWMBO dyed her hair red this weekend. Much appreciation was had by all :D
 
I have learned a great deal.

Mainly .. how to taste a beer (homebrew or other) and be able to understand what I am tasting... the malt profile or the hops... and understanding how "styles" of beer are related.
and mainly what I LIKE and what I do not like.
 
Patience.

And that my dream of being a professional brewer might not be as personaly satisfying as I had thought. As much as I love to brew, I equally loath the cleaning/sanitation process.
 
I also learned that I can gain alot of weight in a short period of time just by increasing my beer consumption.

+1 on that!

I started my trusty diet 4 weeks ago, that has never failed me in the past. It essentially involves an increased excercise regimen, and good nutrional choices.

The only difference this time around is that I have 10 gallons of tasty homebrew in the kegerator.

Instead of losing the expected 4 lbs, I have gained 3 lbs.
 
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