"light bulb" moment.

I'm sure there have been other threads like this but I feel this type of question always leads to answers that can be quite valuable. At what point during your AG career did the "bing" moment happen to you? What process change or equipment purchase supplied the feeling?

For me, it was water chemistry. Sanitation and the recipes were on point, but the water was off.

Water temp. Holy CRAP does four degrees make a difference. No joke.

Grain mill. Yesterday was my first use of it and that brew sucked, but supposedly wheat is a biatch to work with, so I give myself the BOD on that one. Today, though... typical brew is 65-70% efficiency. Today after using my new grain mill I got 78% from crush alone. Next time I am going to try for a little finer crush and get even better efficiency.

About 3 months into playing with water chemistry, realizing how much better it is to add salts to the mash and boil instead of before heating the strike water and sparge water. Overheat strike water and preheat mash tun, add water until desired strike temp, remove as much water as added, dough in, add salts. I've done much better hitting my target temp since and have far less heat loss through the mash.

I use all RO to do this, never bothered getting a water report but it takes 4 minutes for me to get 10 gallons from a water vending machine VS about 20 - 25 to filter it, costs $4. It would work the same if you prediluted all your water as well.

LMAO as I typed 'prediluted all your water'....probably shouldn't drink mead like it's beer.