1Mainebrew
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I've not seen a new post by Kaiser in months. Anyone know if he's alright?
Where's Kaiser?
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Help Support Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum:
Nateo
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He's a moderator over at the AHA forum. I think I remember in his interview on the Brewing Network that he doesn't use HBT anymore.
1Mainebrew
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Oh cool thanks
If that is true, that's a shame. It's surprising that some of the bigger "names" don't post more frequently on this forum considering its size. I guess trying to beef up their forums is more important.
Nateo
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Obviously I like and use HBT, but I support the AHA forum a lot more. HBT is part of Group Builder, which is a media company who own a lot of forums and their goal is to make money.
The AHA does a lot of advocacy and competitions, they have a pub discount program, a magazine, book discounts, scholarships, etc. You get all that stuff for $38 a year.
At HBT a premium membership is $25, and it goes to support what exactly? Group Builder? If Group Builder does any sort of advocacy programs, I am not aware of them, but I'll be the first to admit I'm wrong if someone can point me to them.
I've met Kai several times, gotten stupid-drunk with he and a bunch of other local folks, been out to brew at his house several times (just a couple months ago, in fact). He'd a really nice guy, and certainly one of the smartest homebrewers you could ever meet.
If he's not spending a lot of time on HBT these days, I certainly wouldn't read any nefarious intent into that. People are busy, he's got a young family, and sometimes you fall out of the habit of posting a lot. If he's busy on another site, he's probably finding a good audience for the more hardcore scientific stuff he's been working on. You can only do so much.
If he's not spending a lot of time on HBT these days, I certainly wouldn't read any nefarious intent into that. People are busy, he's got a young family, and sometimes you fall out of the habit of posting a lot. If he's busy on another site, he's probably finding a good audience for the more hardcore scientific stuff he's been working on. You can only do so much.
1Mainebrew
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Agree, no nefarious intent meant, simply concern for his welfare. Thats all. Thanks everybody.
When you ask exactly what a membership here supports, perhaps you've overlooked the fact that it's the greatest knowledge base of homebrewing information in the world. That must count for something. I would assume that if there were no paying members, this site would go away; so, ostensibly, some of the membership fees keep it alive.
But your point is good: if all the forums and blogs are free (they are), then any money spent is a donation. Why not donate to the AHA, an organization that sows the money back into the homebrewing community? I do admire the noble intent of the AHA, and I'm a former member.
But consider also the contribution this site has made to your brewing.
I think either is worth the donation. I choose both!
This was my point. I doubt Kai has any alterior motives; that wasn't my implication. I just find it a shame that this is the biggest homebrewing forum in the world and none of the big names choose to spend amuch time here. To me, that makes me think that they lean towards the for-profit venues for obvious reasons.
SpanishCastleAle
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This is a for-profit venue. FWIW, I visit the AHA forum fairly regularly and I rarely see Kaiser post there either, I didn't even know he was a mod there. Between Braukaiser.com, his blog, his career, his family, and any brewing-related lectures/appearances/etc I can imagine he doesn't have a lot of time to post on forums.
Kai's also never been one to post *just* to post. You look at what he talks about, it's almost always something extremely technical. He's not posting about the NFL lockout, or in the debate forum, or in the Tap Room. Just not his thing, from what I can see.
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^^ this.
I've e-mailed him thread links a couple times for topics I know he'd find interesting and he usually pops in to post in them.
He seems to come and go on here from what I've seen. He doesn't post for a few months and then gets really active for a couple of weeks and then we don't hear from him for awhile, just seems like his standard operating procedure.
Hey, I was gone for two weeks . . . . 14 days . . . . . not a single one of you SOBs started a 'Where's Pappers?' thread. Or called 911.
Hey, I was gone for two weeks . . . . 14 days . . . . . not a single one of you SOBs started a 'Where's Pappers?' thread. Or called 911.
I'm sorry...who are you again?!!?
Bedlam
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Hey, I was gone for two weeks . . . . 14 days . . . . . not a single one of you SOBs started a 'Where's Pappers?' thread. Or called 911.
We were waiting until the cats began eating your corpse. Makes for better discussion.
Houblon
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OMFG talk about hubris defined.
yea, maybe over the top?
Nateo
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I was thinking that pretty hard, but I didn't say it. Thanks Houblon.
I don't know, its certainly arguable. Given the length of time, the number of posts, and the breadth of topics, I wouldn't call the claim hubris.
Other nominations for the 'greatest knowledge base of homebrewing information'?
Nateo
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Can it be a single person? Three-way tie between Revvy, Kaiser, and Mabrungard. By volume, HBT wins. By consistent quality of content, HBT leaves a lot to be desired. There is a ton of good stuff on here, if you dig for it, but HBT is also the greatest base of "is my beer fermenting?" content. Disclaimer, I know that's really snobby and HBT helped me a bunch when I was a noobie, and I obviously use HBT all the time or I wouldn't be typing this right now. I guess I just like griping.
I admit I have to catch myself at times with this thinking also. I didn't bring this hobby online until long after I had moved out of "newbiness", so I catch myself being annoyed by the multitude of beginner questions also. BUT, start answering a few and you will be shocked by the appreciation some of the new guys express when you help them out. That usually keeps my annoyance in check
jeffmeh
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Everything on the internet suffers from a low signal-to-noise ratio, so critical thinking skills and a good BS detector remain valuable assets, like in real life. I find that HBT is no exception regarding the ratio, but there is certainly some valuable signal.
I do remember what it was like trying to figure out how to brew (or weld, or fix a leaky faucet, or grow roses, etc.) before the internet. I have only been brewing for a few years, and the wealth of knowledge available, conventional and unconventional, is incredible. In the "old days" one would have had to choose from a few books at the library, perhaps a few periodicals, and the advice of the guy who ran the local shop.
Without the information explosion, I would probably believe:
1) Get the beer of the yeast as soon as possible or risk autolysis
2) Full-volume, no-sparge BIAB cannot possibly be efficient or make good beer
3) One must chill quickly or infection will cause ruination or death
Seriously, though, it is a great time to be alive if one loves to learn.
I do remember what it was like trying to figure out how to brew (or weld, or fix a leaky faucet, or grow roses, etc.) before the internet. I have only been brewing for a few years, and the wealth of knowledge available, conventional and unconventional, is incredible. In the "old days" one would have had to choose from a few books at the library, perhaps a few periodicals, and the advice of the guy who ran the local shop.
Without the information explosion, I would probably believe:
1) Get the beer of the yeast as soon as possible or risk autolysis
2) Full-volume, no-sparge BIAB cannot possibly be efficient or make good beer
3) One must chill quickly or infection will cause ruination or death
Seriously, though, it is a great time to be alive if one loves to learn.
If you needed information about something brew-related that was new to you, where would you search first?
And breadth is certainly a factor. I don't know much about electric brewing, kegging, automation in brewing, decoction mashes, fly sparging, malting my own grain, mead making, and the list goes on and on. If I decided to get more info about any of these, or any other brewing-related area, HBT would be on my short list of places to look, even if it was a way to find other, authoritative sources.
And breadth is certainly a factor. I don't know much about electric brewing, kegging, automation in brewing, decoction mashes, fly sparging, malting my own grain, mead making, and the list goes on and on. If I decided to get more info about any of these, or any other brewing-related area, HBT would be on my short list of places to look, even if it was a way to find other, authoritative sources.
Hell, HBT even got me into smoking BBQ!
We're ALWAYS the first google link whenever someone searches for brewing info. I'm not talking that paid for top search. But if you type in a brewing related term or question the top hits are links to threads here.
I got an offer from a publisher to write a brewing book because of that. Evidently from the person that messaged me, the vast majority of those threads show up they're postings by me, or I'm in the thread.
So I don't think it's too far off base to think this place has contributed in a big way to the knowledge base of homebrewing, despite what Houblon might think.
I got an offer from a publisher to write a brewing book because of that. Evidently from the person that messaged me, the vast majority of those threads show up they're postings by me, or I'm in the thread.
So I don't think it's too far off base to think this place has contributed in a big way to the knowledge base of homebrewing, despite what Houblon might think.
Nateo
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I would buy Revvy's book and give it to my friends who want to start brewing. I'd probably read through it myself first though.
IMO this is one reason why it works so well. Obviously there are a lot of new brewers coming here and (hopefully) getting good information. And there are a lot of people here who are willing to give said good information. People keep coming back, so maybe that's why the site is so large, even though it's not related to the AHA or a podcast.
There is large amount of "extraneous" posting going on, but the forums are clearly defined and it's very easy to go right to the place you need to be. I could only wish the search feature worked better. I've been on here for years and STILL can't get the search to find stuff that I KNOW is on the site.
n00b
remilard
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New Brewing Lager Beer by Greg Noonan.
remilard
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Kai (when he is online) and Martin are on every forum though, so to the extend this is a forum pissing contest, they kinda net themselves out.
If we are talking about internet only, HBD is hard to beat if you are willing to dig.
I think all of the newer online stuff suffers from the same problem. People don't really geek out anymore. Everyone is all "single infusion mash and dump in some dry yeast and it doesn't really matter what you do yada yada" which is fine, and can make good beer, but that brewing approach doesn't merit a whole lot of discussion.
dwarven_stout
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I was just going to throw out you and Saq as homebrewing knowledge repositories. I always like seeing you two poke into a thread, because I know I'm going to be put some information.
Reality is, brewing does involve some equipment. Homebrewing equipment. This forum covers that stuff pretty well. I.e., electric brewing?
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That's a very good point. There's a lot of "yes you can make beer with Mr. Beer or Cooper's kits, but you can make better beer with a single infusion mash and sprinkled dry yeast" and it often stops there.
There really are many more steps to go from making "better" beer to "excellent" beer, of which, many don't want to do or need to do, but that doesn't mean there aren't advanced techniques out there that can produce a superior product.
I mean, not to beat a dead horse, but how come the vast majority (or all?) of NHC-winning recipes as published in BYO/Zymurgi use liquid yeast? *consider pot officially stirred*
Houblon
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I wouldn't as they would be waiting months for a beer to carb, not worry about oxidation and if they heard that the bottles should be carbed while laying on the sides wouldn't do because Revvy says no brewery does that...
cough,cough I guess he's never had a bottle of beer from Dupont or Blaugies as both lay the bottles during carbing.
Thats just off the top of my head.
Thats a loaded question, if the beer info was Belgian related then I would & do go to Belgian/Dutch/French web forums.
If the info was sour beers, then hands down its Babble Belt.
After that I trust (in no order) morebeer,NB and now AHA
Sorry but the signal to noise ratio here is just too thick,
"hey my beer has stopped bubbling....." " I need to wash my yeast"- nevermind that its not really washing as that is done with acid or you need to add sugar to the fermentor- otherwise the yeast will poop out... just some of the things posted.
The bulk of good info here is from wayy back in the archives, funny but most of those posters have moved on.
I don't recall ever speaking about Belgian Beers laying on their side during carbonation, only a new brewer's 12 ounce pale ale or whatever their first batch happens to be, are you saying THEY should lay those on their side?
You seem to delight more in bashing this place and the people in here, than actually contributing.
If this place is so terrible, then why don't you join them?
That's just off the top of MY head.
remilard
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This forum is definitely the best for diy equipment, and I think that is part of why it is popular. Even though it may as well be called water q and a with AJ (and now Martin) the science forum is a good idea.
That's a great site! I didn't know about it. I've been making serial sours lately, trying to nail down the process, and that site is chock full of great info. Thanks.
Just to be clear, I think the AHA is great - no slam against it at all.
Passed Pawn said that HBT is a the greatest knowledge base of homebrewing. You called that hubris. I think PP is closer to being correct than you.
The sites you posted are certainly good and I'll need to check out Babble, which I'm unfamiliar with, but neither the AHA forum or the NB forum have the breadth or depth of information available at HBT.
HBT is not the definitive, authoritative source for any one area of brewing related information. Rather, its a big, broad, storehouse of knowledge about countless areas of brewing-related information.
I like your example of yeast rinsing. There's lots of info here about yeast - the yeast 'washing' thread you mention, countless posts in the yeast subforum about yeast management, how yeast work, yeast strains, etc. It goes on and on. Its a great place for homebrewers to learn about yeast, based on the experience of thousands of other homebrewers.
The information which I garnered here led me to further exploration, conversations about yeast with homebrewers in my local club, and then I read 'Yeast'. The information in that book is far more authoritative than the info on yeast at HBT - which makes sense, right? Its a book written by experts about yeast and HBT is an internet forum about everything related to homebrewing.
You complain about the "my beer has stopped bubbling" posts. I find posts like yours (see above) far more annoying. Of course its fine to disagree with a poster, but snarkiness is always annoying, in my opinion.
Both are expected on internet forums, of course. For me, though, I can tolerate the newbie posts far more than the condescending or snarky posts.
