Help, my brews are boring!

I've been stuck in a bit of a rut lately where all my brews are becoming very similar. I've brewed a couple of batches each of EdWort's Haus Pale, my Vail Pale Ale, a modified version of EdWort's Stone IPA clone (I subbed Ahtanum hops for whatever it was the recipe called for).

All of these batches turned out very drinkable, but they also are all very similar to one another.

I think it's time to switch gears a bit, but to what? Part of the problem I have is that I am a bit picky with beers about the styles I like. For example, I don't like wheat beers and I don't like stouts. I also don't currently have the capability to lager.

Anyone have any suggestions? Recipes?

Well, what do you like? From your choices there, you are really focusing in on essentially like some base malt and crystal so they really are similar I think. Have you tried your hand at lagering? Maybe a Pils or an Octoberfest (getting close to that time!). Or perhaps venturing into a higher gravity brew like a Dubbel?

Do you like malty brews? How about something like Orfy's Hobgoblin clone?

When I was in a bit of a rut last year, I did a Belgian dark strong because it was wholly different from anything else I had ever made. Maybe something like that?

Methinks you need a trip to the beer store, let something different call out to you...

Looks like you're stuck in a pale ale rut, more than anything...How bout a porter or stout, or a hefe?

How about something that get's little play like a Dortmunder?

Try a Belgian beer like a Saison or Wit. Something that is still light in color buy has a unique flavor. You could also try something like an ESB or mild.

I would recommend an ESB. Nice and Malty, but still some hop character. Probably my favorite brew.

All you need is some Marris Otter, some Crystal 80+ (I typically use 120), some chocolate malt and some EKG.

How about an English beer like a brown or ESB?

How about a lighter colored ale like a Kolsch or a blonde with one of the german liquid yeasts is a nice change of pace. Less hoppy, more clean and crisp. Get you ready for the warmer months...BierMuncher's Centennial Blonde gets rave reviews.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=42841

For years I was happy grabbing a 12 pack of Natty Ice on the way home, and now that I have started homebrewing I have to brew a different batch every week. My fridge is like the sampler platter at the brewery.

Brew sour beers! Exciting as it gets.

A hoppy American Amber is my second favorite homebrew (thus far) behind pale ales.

ESB, Cream Ale, Red Ale, or even better...try some recipes you like and experiment. just throw a little bit (like 2 oz) of chocolate malt in there or change the hops around a bit. it'll change the character of the brew and you'll understand why

Bobby_M said:

How about an English beer like a brown or ESB?

Click to expand...

+1 on the brown

landhoney said:

Brew sour beers! Exciting as it gets.

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I agree, but he seems to have a specific(no offense to McCall, I always say brew what you like!) window of things he's currently into, I'd find it hard to see him digging a Lambic at this point in his journey. :fro:

I see a lot of the word "Pale".

Try the word "Imperial" or "Double" for a while and see if that changes things

Don't forget steam beer! (WL SF lager yeast or WY 2112). It is a delicious, over-looked style. Keep ferm temps in low 60's for a cleaner flavor. Only needs 3-4 weeks to age also.

^+1

I have a steam beer that we are halfway through the second keg of. It is really delicious and just seems to get better with age.

The only way to get out a rut is to just get out of it. Quit brewing pale ales, at least for a batch or two. Go to the beer store and look around on the shelves for something different, or check out the BJCP Guidelines, paying particular attention to the "Overall Impression" section in each guideline. See what sings to you.


TL

If you haven't already, buy a 12oz Duvel and a 750ml Ale Smith GrandCru.

Drink the Duvel first, get back to us.

Maybe a steam beer would be just the thing. I can ferment in the high 50's right now. Anyone have a good AG recipe for one?

Sometimes I belive it appropriate to revisit ones history.

What was the first beer you brewed that you said, "I did it. This is good."?

If it is NOT a pale ale rebrew it.

Gammon N Beer said:

Sometimes I believe it appropriate to revisit ones history.

What was the first beer you brewed that you said, "I did it. This is good."?

If it is NOT a pale ale rebrew it.

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Mr Gammon, this is quite possibly the best advice I have ever read for this purpose. We all have a recipe (if we've brewed a batch or three, mind) that, sipping on the result, we sit back, sigh, and tell ourselves we've nailed it. There's nothing like brewing that recipe again when you need to jump out of a rut.

For me, there are two. First recipe is an ESB that I basically just threw together on a whim when I noticed I was going to be out of beer. When it was done, I could find no flaw in it (for my palate, at least). Second is my Witbier recipe.

These make for great "back-and-forth" recipes. I seesaw between Belgian and English styles, you see. So when I've got my fill of Belgian-style ales around, the heart begins to pine for something different, and the recipe book seems to fall open to "Hurricane" - that's what I call my ESB, because "Spitfire" was taken - and vice versa.

Lovely!

Bob

Here's a recipe I found from a local HB club that just might become one of my "house" beers:

For 5 gal:

4.5 lb American 2 row
3.5 lb British Pale
1 lb CaraPils
1 lb 75L Crystal
6 oz Vienna (or toast your own pale)
6 oz Flaked Barley
6 oz Flaked Corn

1 oz N Brewer @ 60 min
.5 oz N Brewer @ 30 min
.5 oz N Brewer @ 15

WLP810 SF Lager

Mash @154 for 60 min.

Ferment @ 62F

I had a particularly good efficiency (close to 90%) that day and ended up with 6 gal @ 1.055 OG. FG was 1.012. This brew tasted great after 4 weeks aging in the keg.

Try making an amber. This is a favorite I make for my local home brew club.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=55427

Super simple and quite tasty.

I just added an AG Version. See the bottom

Gammon N Beer said:

Sometimes I belive it appropriate to revisit ones history.

What was the first beer you brewed that you said, "I did it. This is good."?

If it is NOT a pale ale rebrew it.

Click to expand...

I've told this story before here, but when I first started brewing I did a kolsch with extract and steeping and Wyeast Kolsch Yeast. It turned out all milky and yeasty at first, so I just put it in the basement and forgot about it for awhile. When re-discovered it some time later it was Nectar of the Gods. I tried making it again, though, and it didn't turn out the same.

AG kolsch recipes all look like they're totally different than the ones I made.