Graduating from Beginner?

How long until you are not considered a beginner? When I stop asking newbie questions? A certain number of batches? Making a beer that tastes like a beer?

I'd say when you can make an extract batch from beginning to end without having to look up procedures. ...and have it taste good!

rdwj said:

I'd say when you can make an extract batch from beginning to end without having to look up procedures. ...and have it taste good!

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I think maybe one more batch and I'll have the extract brewing procedure down. I would really like to try an all grain batch, but I'l have to get some more equipment! or make my own maybe....

You are no longer a beginner when you actually wait for a batch to condition before drinking all of it.

Waiting IS the hardest lesson.

You are no longer a beginner when Orfy stops making fun of you...

Sorry Orfy, couldn't resist as you've said you want to retire from thhe EAC's. Don ya know that once you're in, you can never get out! fuggetaboutit!

david_42 said:

Waiting IS the hardest lesson.

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No doubt my friend...no doubt. It will be two weeks tomorrow that my first batch will be in bottles...and I have tried only one bottle so far. So far I have had great self control! Saturday is my birthday, so I think I might have to give it a good sampling!!!

dirtymartini said:

How long until you are not considered a beginner? When I stop asking newbie questions? A certain number of batches? Making a beer that tastes like a beer?

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To me it is all in your mind. When things become easier, the beer turns out better, and you don't worry so much.

When you know what a primary fermenter is and don't use table sugar!

Hopfan said:

You are no longer a beginner when Orfy stops making fun of you...

Sorry Orfy, couldn't resist as you've said you want to retire from thhe EAC's. Don ya know that once you're in, you can never get out! fuggetaboutit!

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I guess I have a long way to go.

I considered myself not a beginner when I could brew without worrying about the procedures, and when I could formulate a viable recipe on my own.

Also, when I could answer newbie questions here

cweston said:

I considered myself not a beginner when I could brew without worrying about the procedures, and when I could formulate a viable recipe on my own.

Also, when I could answer newbie questions here

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I'd agree. You can answer more questions that you need to ask, and you can read Ray Daniel's book and understand most of it.

I felt I was beyond the beginner stage when I started asking questions which fit better under other categories than "Beginner Brewing."

Well, as soon as you're no longer a beginner, I've found that you move on to more advanced recipes and techniques and then- boom! Back to "beginnerhood". I'm doing an all-grain batch soon (as soon as I get some motivation to order some supplies), and I'm a newbie all over again.

Last spring when I bought my winemaking stuff, I would have never thought that a year later I'd be into all-grain brewing. This hobby has created a monster! I know much more about beer styles, hops, malt, flavors, etc, than I ever thought possible. But I have a long way to go. I will never be an expert, that's for sure.

Lorena

lorenae said:

This hobby has created a monster! I know much more about beer styles, hops, malt, flavors, etc, than I ever thought possible. But I have a long way to go. I will never be an expert, that's for sure.

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Sure, you'll never know everything. But I am amazed sometimes about the huge difference between how much I know about beer and how much other folks who may even fancy themselves beer afficianados know about beer. It's not because I'm so smart or anything , of course--it's just a natural part of the process of learning to brew and getting good at it.

cweston said:

Sure, you'll never know everything. But I am amazed sometimes about the huge difference between how much I know about beer and how much other folks who may even fancy themselves beer afficianados know about beer. It's not because I'm so smart or anything , of course--it's just a natural part of the process of learning to brew and getting good at it.

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Even though I feel like I have learned a lot in my three batches, I realize that I have so much more to learn.

Even though I have read John Palmers online "How to Brew" book, I just received the third edition printed version. So much to learn...yet so much fun learning.

When you can walk on rice paper and leave no trace.
When you can snatch the pebbles from my hand.

Another thing I found is that when I try new beers, I'm more in tune to what the subtle flavors are and find myself thinking about what the brewer did to get it that way.

When guys you work with, who have brewed for YEARS, ask you questions and you have the sense to ask those questions here b4 you answer them. I have only been brewing for a 15 months and only have 15 or so batches under my belt but IMHO the day you no longer consider yourself a beginner and dont have anything left to learn your beer is going to suffer.