There must be a brewing method or aim by your fellow homebrewers that completely irks you when you hear about it. Not because it's poor technique per se, but maybe because you think it's ridiculous, unnecessary, a common myth, or an illogical fad. Let's hear it!... Vent, rant, whatever.
What is your Brewing Pet-Peeve?
- Thread starter bobbrews
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1-2-3
Many instructions show that you should primary 1 week, secondary 2, bottle for 3. One week in the primary may not be enough, secondary is usually not necessary, and bottle conditioning doesn't follow a schedule worth a darn.
Many instructions show that you should primary 1 week, secondary 2, bottle for 3. One week in the primary may not be enough, secondary is usually not necessary, and bottle conditioning doesn't follow a schedule worth a darn.
It's not a serious pet peeve but why don't people write more of their own recipes? There are numerous free programs to use and the amount of info on almost every brewing ingredient, in every style, in every amount, in every time and temp is out there.
Get on them internets and do a little research. It feels awesome toiling with a recipe and making something wonderful that is all your own.
Get on them internets and do a little research. It feels awesome toiling with a recipe and making something wonderful that is all your own.
Many brewers (especially new brewers) tend to believe that bigger is better with beer and aim for the highest OG possible and most ABV% they can achieve when they really should be more worried about the quality of their end product, not the % alcohol. I got over my "big beer" kick after 2 batches of the stuff and realized that I like drinking beer too much to make big beers and get sick after just 3 of them.
THIS.
I'm a huge advocate for controlling the fermentation but letting the fermentation tell you when it is okay to transfer/bottle/lager, not using a calendar to tell you when to move the beer.
spearko520
Well-Known Member
i hate subway. i don't want to coach someone on how to make a sandwich- i want to point at the picture or say a number and that's it. extra pickle, hold the mayo whatever- but i want you to meet me at the register with a finished product, without me having to hold your f-ing hand while you do your job. If i were an expert at making sandwiches, i would be the one working at the sandwich shop- not you. this doesn't really have to do with brewing but i really hate subway.
ArcaneXor
Well-Known Member
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Some of mine:
-Novice brewers adding all kinds of crazy ingredients to their first beers despite being advised to gain experience brewing base beers first, and then come back to the shop complaining that the beer didn't turn out
-People who sanitize with bleach and complain about infections or phenolic off-flavors
-New brewers who pick up bad information from online forums and think it's the only way to brew
-Brewers who spend hundreds if not thousands of dollars on equipment but won't shop at the local store because the ingredient prices are a few percent higher than at the online mega-stores.
-Novice brewers adding all kinds of crazy ingredients to their first beers despite being advised to gain experience brewing base beers first, and then come back to the shop complaining that the beer didn't turn out
-People who sanitize with bleach and complain about infections or phenolic off-flavors
-New brewers who pick up bad information from online forums and think it's the only way to brew
-Brewers who spend hundreds if not thousands of dollars on equipment but won't shop at the local store because the ingredient prices are a few percent higher than at the online mega-stores.
I haven't used a kit in a long time, but kit instructions are a big pet peeve of mine And I'm not talking about the 1-2-3 thing or advocating outdated methods. I mean they're sometimes really poorly written - not in a grammar Nazi kind of way, just in a way that doesn't effectively describe the steps. They seem to skip steps, make assumptions, repeat themselves, etc.
The way they're written sometimes reminds me of a cookbook I have that was roughly and loosely translated from French.
The way they're written sometimes reminds me of a cookbook I have that was roughly and loosely translated from French.
wailingguitar
Well-Known Member
Don't get me started!!! LOL
Ok... I'm started...
-fly sparging is difficult because you 'must maintain 1-2" of water above the grain bed'... Not so, as long as there is water over the grain bed, it's fine. While you might no longer CALL it fly sparging, once you have your runoff established, just get all the sparge water in as quickly as possible. Using a cooler MLT I have all of my water in after 5-10 minutes (depending on how fast I move). Let gravity take it's course. I then use the remaining 50 minutes or so to clean my fermenter, eat breakfast or whatever. I learned this technique in the first commercial brewery I worked in and have used it in three or four others as well. If you know your volume, it's the simplest way to go.
- fly sparging... I hate that term. Where did it come from? It's been the standard sparging form for a very long time, it doesn't need a special term
- I would like to see people suggesting CO2 stones to new keggers as opposed to all the up the pressure, shake, burp, etc. method of rapid carbonating. A stone, at serving pressure and temp will have a keg carbed almost as quickly, with much less fuss and with ZERO chance of error. Perfect for someone new to kegging... and for those of us that prefer the KISS method as a general rule.
- I also have a thing about absolutes and blanket statements, I try not o make them myself... sometimes I fail in that regard, I am honest enough to admit it. The thing is, there is more than one way to skin a cat. In the end, all that matters is what hits the glass
Ok... I'm started...
-fly sparging is difficult because you 'must maintain 1-2" of water above the grain bed'... Not so, as long as there is water over the grain bed, it's fine. While you might no longer CALL it fly sparging, once you have your runoff established, just get all the sparge water in as quickly as possible. Using a cooler MLT I have all of my water in after 5-10 minutes (depending on how fast I move). Let gravity take it's course. I then use the remaining 50 minutes or so to clean my fermenter, eat breakfast or whatever. I learned this technique in the first commercial brewery I worked in and have used it in three or four others as well. If you know your volume, it's the simplest way to go.
- fly sparging... I hate that term. Where did it come from? It's been the standard sparging form for a very long time, it doesn't need a special term
- I would like to see people suggesting CO2 stones to new keggers as opposed to all the up the pressure, shake, burp, etc. method of rapid carbonating. A stone, at serving pressure and temp will have a keg carbed almost as quickly, with much less fuss and with ZERO chance of error. Perfect for someone new to kegging... and for those of us that prefer the KISS method as a general rule.
- I also have a thing about absolutes and blanket statements, I try not o make them myself... sometimes I fail in that regard, I am honest enough to admit it. The thing is, there is more than one way to skin a cat. In the end, all that matters is what hits the glass
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People who complain about how someone else brews their beer.
Calichusetts
Well-Known Member
This! Parroting is so bad these days, unfortunately even on this forum.
logdrum
Well-Known Member
Don't get me started!!! LOL
Ok... I'm started...
-fly sparging is difficult because you 'must maintain 1-2" of water above the grain bed'... Not so, as long as there is water over the grain bed, it's fine. While you might no longer CALL it fly sparging, once you have your runoff established, just get all the sparge water in as quickly as possible. Using a cooler MLT I have all of my water in after 5-10 minutes (depending on how fast I move). Let gravity take it's course. I then use the remaining 50 minutes or so to clean my fermenter, eat breakfast or whatever. I learned this technique in the first commercial brewery I worked in and have used it in three or four others as well. If you know your volume, it's the simplest way to go.
- fly sparging... I hate that term. Where did it come from? It's been the standard sparging form for a very long time, it doesn't need a special term
- I would like to see people suggesting CO2 stones to new keggers as opposed to all the up the pressure, shake, burp, etc. method of rapid carbonating. A stone, at serving pressure and temp will have a keg carbed almost as quickly, with much less fuss and with ZERO chance of error. Perfect for someone new to kegging... and for those of us that prefer the KISS method as a general rule.
- I also have a thing about absolutes and blanket statements, I try not o make them myself... sometimes I fail in that regard, I am honest enough to admit it. The thing is, there is more than one way to skin a cat. In the end, all that matters is what hits the glass
Allright, I want to know more about this sparging method. What temp is your water? Mash out? Acidify the water? Cooler for HLT or pot?
I actually have no problem with this in itself. This can work very successfully for a moderate ABV beer - if everything is done well. I would agree that they should preface this recommendation with a statement that this is simply a rough guideline and that proper measurements should be taken before proceeding to the next stage.
boscobeans
Well-Known Member
Posting a question with no other information other than:
Why is my beer:
not fermenting,
fermenting too rapidly,
not carbonating,
over carbonating...?
How about adding some information like:
Did you get an OG or a FG,
What recipe and/or yeast did you use
What temperatures are we talking about,
How did you prime, type of sugar and amount, per bottle or per bucket,
How long has it been in the bottle, keg or fermenter???
Without a few hints it is very hard to answer a lot of questions that are always being asked.
bosco
Why is my beer:
not fermenting,
fermenting too rapidly,
not carbonating,
over carbonating...?
How about adding some information like:
Did you get an OG or a FG,
What recipe and/or yeast did you use
What temperatures are we talking about,
How did you prime, type of sugar and amount, per bottle or per bucket,
How long has it been in the bottle, keg or fermenter???
Without a few hints it is very hard to answer a lot of questions that are always being asked.
bosco
pcollins
Well-Known Member
You got me started, too.
Overcomplicated recipes, especially for starting brewers. You don't need 8 different malts and 10 different hops with a hopping scheduled that keeps you glued to the boil kettle for 90 minutes. Great beer can be made very simply and I think that a lot of people get hung up on the "more is better" method of brewing. For starting brewers I think that keeping things as simple as possible from start to finish and making great beer is a fantastic starting point.
Saying that ALL beer NEEDS "x" amount of time to condition. Grain to glass in 10-14 days is very easy to accomplish. If you're doing basic, mid gravity beers and you have off flavours at the two week point and you need several weeks of conditioning before they're "good" to drink... There's something wrong early in the process.
Those points said, I don't object to complex brews. I've done them and tasted others that have done them and some are spectacular. I just have a very strong feeling that for those starting out brewing that this over complication of ingredients can be a bit of a block.
My caveat for the second point, I do agree that SOME beers benefit from a certain amount of conditioning but I don't believe ALL beers NEED it.
Overcomplicated recipes, especially for starting brewers. You don't need 8 different malts and 10 different hops with a hopping scheduled that keeps you glued to the boil kettle for 90 minutes. Great beer can be made very simply and I think that a lot of people get hung up on the "more is better" method of brewing. For starting brewers I think that keeping things as simple as possible from start to finish and making great beer is a fantastic starting point.
Saying that ALL beer NEEDS "x" amount of time to condition. Grain to glass in 10-14 days is very easy to accomplish. If you're doing basic, mid gravity beers and you have off flavours at the two week point and you need several weeks of conditioning before they're "good" to drink... There's something wrong early in the process.
Those points said, I don't object to complex brews. I've done them and tasted others that have done them and some are spectacular. I just have a very strong feeling that for those starting out brewing that this over complication of ingredients can be a bit of a block.
My caveat for the second point, I do agree that SOME beers benefit from a certain amount of conditioning but I don't believe ALL beers NEED it.
turkeyjerky214
Well-Known Member
I'm definitely gonna piss off a few people with this, but here goes anyway....
People who enter recipes that aren't their own into competitions. I know a lot of people swear that if you brew it, it's your beer, but I don't agree with that. You're following a recipe that someone else came up with. You may have brewed it, but it's not your beer. Just like when people follow a recipe out of a book exactly as written, and then try to pass it off as their dish.
I've got a friend that just pulls recipes that have won people medals at NHC and brews them specifically to win awards. He's got a lot more medals than me, but I know that the ones I won were earned with my own recipes.
People who enter recipes that aren't their own into competitions. I know a lot of people swear that if you brew it, it's your beer, but I don't agree with that. You're following a recipe that someone else came up with. You may have brewed it, but it's not your beer. Just like when people follow a recipe out of a book exactly as written, and then try to pass it off as their dish.
I've got a friend that just pulls recipes that have won people medals at NHC and brews them specifically to win awards. He's got a lot more medals than me, but I know that the ones I won were earned with my own recipes.
It's a brewing competition, not a recipe development competition. BUT, if you get more joy out of it that way, more power to you.
wailingguitar
Well-Known Member
Allright, I want to know more about this sparging method. What temp is your water? Mash out? Acidify the water? Cooler for HLT or pot?
Ok, let's see... to begin with, let me say where I learned this in the first place... That was at Bell's (then known as Kalamazoo Brewing Co.) in 1989. Basically it was a means of dealing with the peculiarities of the system. Without going into all the specifics of why it was done this way, basically this was the method; xfer mash from mash tun to lauter tun on top of a foundation of sparge water to prevent clogging the screen. Start run off and begin sprinkling water over the top with a food grade hose. Once a pre determined amount of runoff had drained, fill lauter tun to the rim with sparge water and let it do it's thing. This was dealing with a brewhouse that had begun life as a bunch of 40 gallon soup kettles, not ideal... however, I have done essentially the same thing on a few (4 I believe) other commercial systems as a means of saving time... get all the water in and not have to waste moments here and there making sure flow rates were perfectly balanced. Works great...
SO, at home, my current method is this; Measure out exactly how much water I will need (mash water needed+sparge water needed+MLT dead space= pre-boil volume) heat water to 178F (I like hot mashes) in my kettle. Xfer a given volume of water to cooler MLT to mash in. My typical mash is around 156-158F. After 45 minutes, make sure water remaining in kettle is at least 170F, if not, crank the flame for a couple minutes. I then pour the water into a bottling bucket, I may or may not put a blanket around it. It isn't going to be in there long anyway, so the thermal mass keeps the temp fine. Begin runoff, draw pitchers of water from bucket and diffuse over a wooden spoon to keep from disturbing the top of the grain (someone suggested laying tin-foil of the grain to achieve this). All water gets in the MLT in 5-10 minutes (5 if I am quick, 10 if I dawdle). NOTE, it does NOT mix in with the grain, diluting the mash... it stays on top until gravity drains it through. The thermal mass combined with the insulation maintains the temp of the sparge water throughout the runoff.
If your brewing water is right to begin with, there is no need to adjust the water chemistry any more than you might with a normal "fly sparge" since the mash isn't being diluted. Water temp is maintained. I think it is important, whether using this method or another, to know exactly how much water you need... this prevents a lot of guess work, worrying about pH of runoff, etc. No mash-out is needed (I wouldn't do one anyway, TBH), although the temp of the mash does have a tendency to be raised through the duration of the process-it has been ages since I have watched the progress of this, so I can't give specifics on the temp increase.
BrewThruYou
Well-Known Member
When posters on here go off on a tangent about how they do a certain thing that is completely irrelevant to the original poster's question. Everyone has their own setup, their own methods...but when you totally ignore the OP's questions and give someone a rundown of how you do things, it's not particularly helpful.
The one I keep seeing in the Bottling/Kegging section:
OP: I have a Blichmann Beer Gun [or CPBF or some other filler] and I need a little help setting it up. My issue is blah blah blah. Thanks for any help you can give.
A: Don't pay for overpriced blichmann. What I do is take a scratched up racking cane, some dirty tubing, a stopper, etc. blah blah blah...bam...filled bottles. Works for me!!
OP: I already have the blichmann and you totally ignored my question.
The one I keep seeing in the Bottling/Kegging section:
OP: I have a Blichmann Beer Gun [or CPBF or some other filler] and I need a little help setting it up. My issue is blah blah blah. Thanks for any help you can give.
A: Don't pay for overpriced blichmann. What I do is take a scratched up racking cane, some dirty tubing, a stopper, etc. blah blah blah...bam...filled bottles. Works for me!!
OP: I already have the blichmann and you totally ignored my question.
I wish my local store was only a little higher!
The fact that ingredients (especially Hops!) cost as much as 300% more at my LHBS than I can get them online, shipped to my door is ridiculous.
I've got a couple...............
-All the posts about being off by 1 point on OG. Is my beer ruined? Do some research and understand what you are asking.
-Style guidelines. I brew to taste. This antiquated style guideline then is used to judge my beer, when I submit. To me judge the beer for the beer.
-Those that don't do any research, come on here asking everyone to hand them the info. I want to start a brewpub, how do I do that? type questions.
-All the posts about being off by 1 point on OG. Is my beer ruined? Do some research and understand what you are asking.
-Style guidelines. I brew to taste. This antiquated style guideline then is used to judge my beer, when I submit. To me judge the beer for the beer.
-Those that don't do any research, come on here asking everyone to hand them the info. I want to start a brewpub, how do I do that? type questions.
Personal pet peeve - when I forget to close the ball valve on my mash tun or bottling bucket prior to placing in hot liquids 
I dislike when newer brewers come to me with their beers and I give good feedback and criticism (after asking about process) but then they don't make an effort to make improvements. I then consistently taste their crummy beer and make the same recommendations, then repeat
I dislike when newer brewers come to me with their beers and I give good feedback and criticism (after asking about process) but then they don't make an effort to make improvements. I then consistently taste their crummy beer and make the same recommendations, then repeat
gmcapone
Well-Known Member
I gotta agree with you here. Even though it's acceptable I would feel dirty doing it. To me this is like doing a cover song without giving the original artist credit...cough Vanilla Ice....cough cough
I squeeze the bag. Alot. Sometimes I put weights on to if it and let it drip for the whole boil. I even stood on it once to extract all those evil tannins. They never show up. Maybe they dont like me?
I also sparge with 110°F water and still hit 80% efficiency.
I'm a rebel I tells you!
I also sparge with 110°F water and still hit 80% efficiency.
I'm a rebel I tells you!
I have one about 40 mins away, but he will never get any more of my business. Sure, the prices are a little higher, but that isn't a big deal.
The last time, and I do mean last time, I was in there he seemed bothered by my presence. I was looking for a 1 gallon glass jug and some other things.
"Hi, I'm looking for a 1 gallon glass jug."
(Blank stare) "Uh, I'm all out of those."
"Could you order me one?"
(Now, visibly getting aggravated) "I guess I could, it'll be a couple weeks."
"Thanks anyways"
If customer service is too much of a hassle, I can shop elsewhere. At least I tried to keep my money locally.
Grinnan5150
Well-Known Member
When a friend who has never brewed asks to join you and after the five hour brewing session informs you that it is too difficult and that they would rather just drink the finished product.
I know it's not relevant, but I've been complaining about this all week. Nothing in the fridge, craving Italian, but nobody in my family wanted to get any. Subway advertises a pizza sub $5 footlong. So I ask for one, on wheat. They ask what I want on it. I say I've never had one, I just want whatever comes on it. So they ask whether I want sauce on it. Then they ask whether I want cheese on it. Then they ask whether I want any vegetables on it. No matter how many times I repeat "just put on it whatever normally goes on it," they won't add anything that I don't directly tell them to add. I'm starting to think they don't actually know what goes on their sandwiches.
OP
OP
bobbrews
Well-Known Member
I have a few:
*Fads like continuous-hopping by novice brewers just because Dogfish does it.
*Adding fruit, oak, bourbon, or spices if you've brewed less than 5 batches, and sometimes more. This is also a fad.
*New brewers asking for advice to combat a particular issue, and then not heeding said good advice and just rolling with it or making it worse, never learning or growing as a brewer.
*New brewers who think they're connoisseurs in the first 2-3 months of brewing. They subsequently travel to Belgium, buy a few rhizomes, subscribe to 3 beer magazines, visit Oktoberfest, trade for beer on a weekly basis, etc. all in the same 2-3 months.
*People who use the word "Balance" to describe IPAs/DIPAs.
*The entire extract kit bunch who's afraid to move on to building their own recipes, or at least learning about it. I agree that kit instructions are very basic/subpar.
*People who pre-freeze their beer glasses... and the beers themselves (to a point).
*Partial Volume Boils!! I hate them. I'm using the word hate here. I'd rather have 3 gallons of an excellent beer, than 6 gallons of a mediocre beer any day of the week. And yes, before you ask, I whole-heartedely believe that topping off with 2-3 gallons of plain water affects the quality of your beer in a bad way.
*People who use hopped-extract or buy a $29 Mr. Beer kit expecting the world.
*Homebrewers who blindly trust advice, even from the pro's... Like a 1999 Palmer quote on such an ever-changing and highly subjective subject like Dryhopping in 2012.
*Insisting that extract or all-grain is the only way to go without ever trying your hand at partial-mashing.
*Homebrewers who let their wort come to room temperature over the course of 24 hours instead of using an ice-bath or wort chiller or something.
*Homebrewers who stock up on multiple pounds of Citra, Simcoe, and Amarillo... and then waste them for a few years in a loose ziploc bag. A friend of mine does this. I called him a bastard for contributing to the higher demand and taking those hops for granted
*Fads like continuous-hopping by novice brewers just because Dogfish does it.
*Adding fruit, oak, bourbon, or spices if you've brewed less than 5 batches, and sometimes more. This is also a fad.
*New brewers asking for advice to combat a particular issue, and then not heeding said good advice and just rolling with it or making it worse, never learning or growing as a brewer.
*New brewers who think they're connoisseurs in the first 2-3 months of brewing. They subsequently travel to Belgium, buy a few rhizomes, subscribe to 3 beer magazines, visit Oktoberfest, trade for beer on a weekly basis, etc. all in the same 2-3 months.
*People who use the word "Balance" to describe IPAs/DIPAs.
*The entire extract kit bunch who's afraid to move on to building their own recipes, or at least learning about it. I agree that kit instructions are very basic/subpar.
*People who pre-freeze their beer glasses... and the beers themselves (to a point).
*Partial Volume Boils!! I hate them. I'm using the word hate here. I'd rather have 3 gallons of an excellent beer, than 6 gallons of a mediocre beer any day of the week. And yes, before you ask, I whole-heartedely believe that topping off with 2-3 gallons of plain water affects the quality of your beer in a bad way.
*People who use hopped-extract or buy a $29 Mr. Beer kit expecting the world.
*Homebrewers who blindly trust advice, even from the pro's... Like a 1999 Palmer quote on such an ever-changing and highly subjective subject like Dryhopping in 2012.
*Insisting that extract or all-grain is the only way to go without ever trying your hand at partial-mashing.
*Homebrewers who let their wort come to room temperature over the course of 24 hours instead of using an ice-bath or wort chiller or something.
*Homebrewers who stock up on multiple pounds of Citra, Simcoe, and Amarillo... and then waste them for a few years in a loose ziploc bag. A friend of mine does this. I called him a bastard for contributing to the higher demand and taking those hops for granted
As a new brewer, I can say that my biggest peeve is advice from "experienced" brewers who require self-affirmation in the form of: "I never do X and I make great beer!", where X is something I am asking about. It is hard to take advice from folks who don't supply any reason or knowledge other than they do or never do whatever it is...... But somehow I am a clueless noob because I didn't take their advice.
Oh, and when I forget to make my priming solution. That really gets under my skin.
homebrewdad
Well-Known Member
I have a few:
*Fads like continuous-hopping by novice brewers just because Dogfish does it.
*Adding fruit, oak, bourbon, or spices if you've brewed less than 5 batches, and sometimes more. This is also a fad.
*New brewers asking for advice to combat a particular issue, and then not heeding said good advice and just rolling with it or making it worse, never learning or growing as a brewer.
*New brewers who think they're connoisseurs in the first 2-3 months of brewing. They subsequently travel to Belgium, buy a few rhizomes, subscribe to 3 beer magazines, visit Oktoberfest, trade for beer on a weekly basis, etc. all in the same 2-3 months.
*People who use the word "Balance" to describe IPAs/DIPAs.
*The entire extract kit bunch who's afraid to move on to building their own recipes, or at least learning about it. I agree that kit instructions are very basic/subpar.
*People who pre-freeze their beer glasses... and the beers themselves (to a point).
*Partial Volume Boils!! I hate them. I'm using the word hate here. I'd rather have 3 gallons of an excellent beer, than 6 gallons of a mediocre beer any day of the week. And yes, before you ask, I whole-heartedely believe that topping off with 2-3 gallons of plain water affects the quality of your beer in a bad way.
*People who use hopped-extract or buy a $29 Mr. Beer kit expecting the world.
*Homebrewers who blindly trust advice, even from the pro's... Like a 1999 Palmer quote on such an ever-changing and highly subjective subject like Dryhopping in 2012.
*Insisting that extract or all-grain is the only way to go without ever trying your hand at partial-mashing.
*Homebrewers who let their wort come to room temperature over the course of 24 hours instead of using an ice-bath or wort chiller or something.
*Homebrewers who stock up on multiple pounds of Citra, Simcoe, and Amarillo... and then waste them for a few years in a loose ziploc bag. A friend of mine does this. I called him a bastard for contributing to the higher demand and taking those hops for granted
Wow, what a list! I think you could almost sum this list up as "other homebrewers" or "novice homebrewers".
OP
OP
bobbrews
Well-Known Member
Good point. People should back up their advice with reasoning. On occasion, people may not be so thorough to provide a reason why, but all you have to do is ask for more in-depth analysis as to why.
aubiecat
Well-Known Member
I despise homebrewers that become beer snobs. People that look down their nose at others because a of a certain beer they drink are the biggest *****es in the world.
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