No Measurement Brewing

So lately in my brewing I have either gotten lazy or just don't care any more about measuring anything.

What I means is that I no longer take hydrometer readings, pH readings and fermenting temperatures

Example last batch from GWs book, Camerons Strongarm Ale.

I did weight the grain and hops. (no real way to avoid this)
I did measure the mash temp and mash out temp. (I could use my thumb, maybe next time).

So since I do the full Aussie (BIAB and no Chill),
I do Not take:

OG readings
pH readings
Pitching Temperatures
FG.

Am I only one??

I know my beer has not suffered taste wise, and repeatability has not really suffered so why measure.

I am a no measure guy when cooking but beer meh. No one can tell you what to do. I like the numbers with brewing. Just like stat keeping. I am a lazy guy in general I just don't feel like this is a hard thing to do. I have nothing else to do while brewing. I take a ton of notes on my phone.

You are not the only one.. I rarely take a OG readings.. never a pH and sometimes a FG reading. I do always check the temperature when pitching yeast.. I figure if I'm a little off on my OG it is what is is... I will take a FG reading if bottling before the 3 week mark. I love making beer but I dont get overly wrapped up in the numbers especially my OG!

Not really a no measure brewer but my last batch instead of ounces I just used handfulls for hops. I think it had 5-6 handfulls of hops.

No og or fg numbers nor ph. I don't keep a brew journal either.

I measure everything except pH. I make up my own recipes and without good measurements and notes, there would be no way to repeat them or improve them.

ayoungrad said:

I measure everything except pH. I make up my own recipes and without good measurements and notes, there would be no way to repeat them or improve them.

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I never plan or repeating a single brew (to many styles and individual beers in each style)... But I think note taking is a good idea just in case something goes or wrong you can diagnose the problem much easier.

I've gotten pretty lazy the last couple years as well. Sometimes I take OG and FG, sometimes not. I've never measured pH, and currently don't have Fermentation control. Out of all those you listed, I'd say fermentation temp control is one you can't really leave out to expect best results. OG and FG, if you've been using your system a while, chances are you're hitting your numbers. Same with pH, once your system is dialed in you know those parameters that don't likely change batch to batch

Yep... As others suggest, most of these measurements are unnecessary if you know your system. They're nice to have, but if the process is repeatable, you'd be checking for something being wrong, which you'd likely taste.

Fermentation/pitching temps is the one area I'd think is pretty critical, though. Perhaps you have your process well under control and repeatable here, too, but this seems to be an area that could cause a lot of problems if not controlled.

I am not saying I never measured. When I starting out in all grain I measured everything including the temp of the water coming out of my tap. But after 30+ brews I know what everything is going to do, including the fermentation. Since I ferment in an insulated box in my basement every time (temp range 65 to 72f) year round, I just stopped measuring and learned to RDWHAHB.

I just want to measure enough so I know what my system will do, then forget about it. I am not there yet, but I want to do my mash, assume an efficiency and RDWHAHB and assume I came close to it.

petep

My thoughts exactly

imho lighter hopped pils/lager malt brews, show a lot of imperfections, and need monitoring throughout the brewing process.

I'm pretty laid back, but I always do a quick OG check with my refractometer, usually preboil. That just ensures that I'm on track for that recipe. If I miss my preboil OG (rare now that I know my system), I can adjust the hopping or volume to prevent any issues.

I do make a real effort to work on my water chemistry and hit the correct mash pH and acidify my sparge water. That's just part of making the best tasting beer I can, though, and I'n not really one to get hung up on unnecessary details.

I always check pitching temperature and keep fermentation temperature under control. That's just what makes my beer good, and it's easy to do.

I think people take many different approaches to brewing. And lots of different approaches result in great beer. I enjoy the details and numbers. For me, that is part of the fun. For others it's horribly boring and tedious.

Yooper said:

I'm pretty laid back, but I always do a quick OG check with my refractometer, usually preboil. That just ensures that I'm on track for that recipe. If I miss my preboil OG (rare now that I know my system), I can adjust the hopping or volume....

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I agree. I check preboil gravity and if it's on target, I know I'm fine.

I know how much should boil off and I know what will be left to go in the fermentor. If you hit preboil gravity.... your almost home. Of course this assumes you know your system.

thanks to the BCS! my brewing temps are controlled and displayed on the laptop, I input them and check em once (now that I'm used to the system) then I let it go. I always take OG readings and take another reading once fermentation has slowed and another before transfer. My fermentation temp is controlled. IMO numbers are pretty important in brewing and if hit will help insure "repeatability"

Yesterday went quite well. I only took a refractometer pre-boil and was within 5% of my efficiency for that equipment and method.