Too critical

Do you ever feel like you are too critical of your beer to the point where you convince yourself it is no good?

Yes. I do film and sound mixing for a living, and brewing as a hobby. When you're talented at something, you'll be your biggest critic. I'm like this with soundboards, the camera, and beer.

I recently brewed an IPA. I've virtually convinced myself that it's a bad beer; however people rave about it. They think it's one of my bests. I think the difference is I understand what I was going for, and what I could do differently; where as my friends are getting handed a well-crafted, full flavored beer, for free. They have virtually nothing to complain about.

harrymanback92 said:

Yes. I do film and sound mixing for a living, and brewing as a hobby. When you're talented at something, you'll be your biggest critic. I'm like this with soundboards, the camera, and beer.

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I fully agree with this. I'm a musician and I can't even listen to any of the recordings I've done, despite the fact that others tell me they sound great. All I can do is obsess over the mistakes or think how I could have done it better.

I do the same with brewing. Unfortunately I don't know how much I can trust some other people's opinions on that. Some of my friends seem to think if they offer any criticism I'll stop giving them free beer. It doesn't matter how many times I've said I want real feedback.

I'm more shy about giving out my beer to try. After all, what will they think? Too much pressure, ha.

But I managed to get 2 friends who hate any beer not miller to say its not bad, with a dark braggot among all things too.

I gave a bunch away last Christmas, claiming it to be ‘best beer ever.’ Followed by ‘If you know of one better let me know what it is.’ Still waiting. Then again I didn’t get most of the bottles back.

I got to get me some better friends.

Yes, I'm my own worst critic. Which I think is for the best. I think we often treat our brews like our children. Every parent thinks their baby is beautiful (cue the Seinfeld music). But many is the time, I've gotten homebrew from others that they claim is better than automated laundry. Sadly, it is rarely the case, it happens....but not very often. I guess that's why I always downplay my beers. Even the ones I know are phenomenal and even when complete strangers rave about the beer. I assume its some kind of defense mechanism or maybe just my humble side showing. So, yeah....I'm hard on my beers, but I think it makes for some awesome quality control.

Nah. After drinking Blue Light on vacation and coming home and having a few of my homebrews.....I'd say my beer is great! But kidding aside, there are a lot of small brew pubs around my area. I've been to some that I can say I've definitely made better beer. I suppose it could just be a biased opinion but....I would just as soon drink one of my beers over anything I buy at the store. I haven't brewed a hundred batches, but of all I've had there have been maybe two that I probably wouldn't have shared. My dad hasn't thought any of my beers have been that good, but he is mostly a light beer drinker. Everyone else has been pleasantly surprised.

Well I tend to pick out flavors and consider them "odd" or "off" but then I go open a Stone or Bells and find the same flavors. It drives me crazy.

I am definitely hard on my beers, as well as my cooking, my work I do for a living, and basically everything else. My beer is great, my cooking, my wife is hot, and I'm great at my job but if you ask me I'll tell you I'm barely keeping myself and my ugly wife off the street and have to drink swill to not think about it not really, but you get the point.

bottlebomber said:

I am definitely hard on my beers, as well as my cooking, my work I do for a living, and basically everything else. My beer is great, my cooking, my wife is hot, and I'm great at my job but if you ask me I'll tell you I'm barely keeping myself and my ugly wife off the street and have to drink swill to not think about it not really, but you get the point.

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I couldn't have put it better myself.

msmith92 said:

Do you ever feel like you are too critical of your beer to the point where you convince yourself it is no good?

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Definitely. But just as well sometimes I'm full of myself and think the [product] is better than it really is. In the end I think experience will show me the truth and I will try neither to be too critical or too lenient.

Expectations are another thing. A practical person can be hard on themselves in terms of expectation, but at least it should match with an attainable goal.

OT: I am about to dump my first case of beer. I waited six weeks, it got better but not nearly good enough. I know/learned why it is the way it it is, so it's not a waste by any means.