From Beginner to Master...

What would you guys consider being a master of brews?

I think a lot would go into that. An intimate knowledge of the chemical processes that occur when brewing, along with an in depth understanding of different grains, yeasts, hops, adjuncts, water profiles etc and their uses/impacts on different styles. Certainly would have to be bjcp certified

For me, and I'm certainly not a master brewer, I have tried to focus on one thing at a time. Once I was capable of following recipes and turning out good brew, I went thru a stage of brewing with as many different grains as possible and think I have a very good handle on them. Right now I' experimenting with different hops (btw, anybody seen any Horizon thats over 11%, can only find 8%) that I don't normally use. Seem like an ever evolving process...

Master is a weird word. A Master Gardner I always considered to be someone that had spent many many years gardening. But I find it is just a number of classes. Granted VERY good classes but . . . .

Master Brewer SEEMS it would be a person that has at least 10 years brewing at the very least. Perhaps someone with 200 batch's under his belt?

Simply...You make one hell of a beer and understand why it turned out so well.


I can't wait to get to that point. The key to master is understanding.

I am not sure... In 6 years i look at what i know and what i can know and still say "damn i need to hit the books"... I dont know what differnt grains do, i dont have an AG setup beyond a rolling pin and a crap load of luck... I know other people who have been brewing longer who know more and other who know less. I know people with all the equipment, and those who have none... Those with a entire libary of brewing books and those who have none.

So what tis a master brewer... well i would say a master brew is a person who no matter what is given to them to make a batch of brew; weather it be Cider, Apfelwin, An ale, A lager, Meade, or Wine... A master brewer as long as they are given enough ingredants and equipment of decent quality i would say should be able to produce somthing that no one else without his experience and knowlege could produce... With a quality and taste to match any taster or group of tasters... And do this at a momments notice (with allowed time for fermenation etc afterward)...

The above stated would not only required extensive knowlege in the chemical aspect of brewing, but also an indepth knowlege of ingredants, basic equipment, techniques basic and advanced, and also a good judge of the people he would be expected to produce an end product for... So basically we are looking at an: organic chem PHD, Mechcanical engineer, Food critic, product critic, lisenced cunsumer profiler, certified psychologist, and one hell of a lucky person... all rolled into one... or sombody with the balls to just try...

Now a Mistress brewer... i would like to meet one of those, preferablly she would be single, about 5'3", red haired, a good bust, green eyes, smooth long legs, and a preferance for the washed up young huanted type who think that the world is going to hell and nobody seems to be doing anything about it so why not work on the problem in there spare time... is there such a women?

Cheers

Experimentation IMO...you can clone stuff all day long but making my own signature series is my goal.

Prost!

Master brewer.... holly cow!

I can't say I'd ever get there, it seems that there are so many things to know... my brain isn't that big!

I'll be satisfied if I can make something I can drink on a regular basis. Noth'n fancy, just something I like rather than some commercial thing everyone else cay just buy.

But here's to those who are! And those who answer my questions here!!!

Cheers to you all!

Get paid to brew 10BBL + batches.
Take a GABF gold..
Win NHC gold more than once.

Historically a "Master" was someone in a craft profession that started as an apprentice and was taught the trade, learned the trade and spent 25 years (or more) in that trade.

But I think with brewing it would involve a high degree of (fairly) 'complete knowledge'. Not sure I would accept a 'specialist' as a 'Master' (in MY 'mind's eye')

Master homebrewer or professional?

To be a master homebrewer, you would to have the experience of John Palmer, Jamil Zainasheff, Tasty Mcdole, Charlie P etc. That involves a lot, but consistently means having a thorough knowledge of every aspect of the brewing process, winning medals, and being prominent on the homebrewing scene. Having a book or winning the Longshot competition with a Pliny clone helps too.

I would say that the "advanced brewer" has all knowledge in the process of every aspect of brewing. They know what works, what doesn't, and can school the average brewer. The "master brewer" would know that they still don't know everything, and understand that they can never fully learn everything they need to know to be complete. The advance brewer feel complete, the master brewer NEVER will.

I am still a newb, but thats how I have always understood what it meant to "master" anything.

I consider myself to understand enough to be able to create beers from base ingredients, to know the fundamentals that make the building blocks of brewing.
Enough to consider myself a capable brewer.

A think a master would need 20 years experience and knowledge on top of that.
I'm not immersed in it enough and have too many other things going on.

I hope to be involved in commercial brewing within the next couple months though.
If things go to plan I should have one of my recipes on tap in a pub before summer.