Basic Keys To Brewing?

Okay, I've been doing a lot of reading, and I'm trying to get my process down. I've been brewing a short amount of time, and here are the things that seem to be keys to consistently producing really good beer. Critique and add as needed.

And I know a lot of this is covered in the stone cold pipe thread, but I'm trying to get a focused response, thanks!

So, in no certain order, here we go:

1. Sanitation - use proper sanitation techniques. But, remember, you're sanitizing, not sterilizing. And don't worry about every little weird smell in the fermenter. If you made a mistake, the end result will help tell you where you went wrong, and besides, it's too late to fix it now!
2. Make a proper starter. You should have 5 billion yeast cells per degree of OG.
3. Oxygenate your wort.
4. Pitch your yeast into the wort, with both at the desired fermentation temp.
5. Leave the beer in the primary longer than the fermentation. Let the yeasties do their job, and that takes time!
6. Ferment at the proper temperature, and keep the temp consistent.
7. Buy a hydrometer and learn how to use it.
8. Be patient. Stop obsessing over everything, like taking hydro readings every thirty minutes.
9. RDWHAHB.

So far, so good?

I'd say 5 is optional, but just fine. Most of us keep everything in primary.

You're also missing a very important one: Give your beer proper time to ferment and condition.

I'm a novice too, but I would add
7. Never, ever panic.

My rule has been roughly three weeks in the primary, and I've been brewing ales between 1.042 - 1.054. Sound practice?

Sanitation is over-emphasized, in my opinion. That's not to say it's not important, but a lot of new brewers stress out about it and automatically assume that any odd smell/sound/sight coming out of the fermenter is an infection.

OhioBrit said:

I'm a novice too, but I would add
7. Never, ever panic.

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Ah yes, I forgot to add the Hitchiker's Guide rule. Damnit.

JustDave said:

Sanitation is over-emphasized, in my opinion. That's not to say it's not important, but a lot of new brewers stress out about it and automatically assume that any odd smell/sound/sight coming out of the fermenter is an infection.

Click to expand...

Good point. I guess the better way to put it is:

Use good sanitation practices, but don't freak out about every little thing.

You forgot to add possible the most important rule

-brewing is more fun while consuming other brews

+1 on stressing out about sanitation. Think about general safe food handling practices and just apply them to homebrewing. No need to be able to perform open heart surgery in your brewing area using brewing equipment.

Yeah, once I figured out that I'm sanitizing, not sterilizing, things were much easier!

I would add that every fermentation is different. It kind of goes with not panicking, but alot of new brewers freak out when fermentation number 3 does something totally different (like finished sooner).

Another key is that airlock activity is not really an indication of whether or not fermentation is complete, only your hydrometer can tell you for sure.

1. sanitation, definitely
2. temperature control (mash and others, but most importantly fermentation) and consistency
3. patience

i would mildly disagree on some of your points:

you don't need a starter to make good beer (although it's never a bad idea), especially small beers. plus, there's always dry yeast, which make damn fine beers, too.

you can easily shake and splash a 5 gal batch for a little while and that's enough aeration to do the job for most beers.

secondaries have their uses. let's say: leave it in the primary LONGER. this goes with the patience thing.

there are so many different ways to brew, i'd say that the top three are the most important for everyone.

Basic points I think are the right ones to emphasise. I might order them a bit differently:

1. Don't Panic.
2. Clean and sanitise things that will touch cooled wort or beer.
3. Control your temperatures.
4. Oxygenate your wort.
5. Pitch enough viable yeast (order could be switched with 4 . . .)
6. Patiently allow your yeast adequate time in every stage (fermentation, conditioning, carbonation). Trust your yeast; they are good at their job.
7. Trust your hydrometer. (Look on your thermometers with suspicion.)
8. Don't Panic.

Follow the noble eightfold path; it leads to the cessation of suffering.

(If we can agree on a set of these, it'd be another candidate for the ever-proliferating Beginner's Forum stickies)