My Thoughts on Brewing Over The Past 25 Years

[lopatkam]

My Thoughts on Home Brewing Over The Past 25 Years

Today was going to be brew day. I had plans to make 10 gallons of Baltic Porter. But, as luck would have it, it is raining, cold, and windy. So I’m sitting here in my favorite chair in my sunroom looking at the rain and the trees blowing around thinking of brewing. With nothing better to do (I guess I could change the burned out light bulb in the master bath) I decide to write down some of my thoughts. The Baltic Porter can wait, I have 25 gallons of beer either fermenting or lagering now.

I was helping a new home brewer out a couple of weeks ago and I realized much has changed in home brewing since I first started almost 25 years ago. It is very similar to the old story on how to boil a frog. For those not familiar with this, it basically says that you put a frog in a pot with cool water. Then slowly turn up the heat and the frog never knows that it is being boiled because the change in temperature is so slow.

Well, that was me with this greatest of all hobbies. There was never a revolution in my technics and equipment, but a slow evolution.

I started as many home brewers back then, with a can of malt, (Blue Ribbon?) a bag of yellowish unnamed hops, and a white pack of something labeled “Brewers Yeast.” I didn’t brew again for almost five years. I don’t think I need to explain.

My next attempt was with a can of pre-hopped malt, actually understanding that sanitizing was part of brewing, and less is more when it comes to priming the bottles. I could actually drink what I made, and it was certainly in the beer family. Home brewing would forever be part of my life, just like having a car or playing hockey.

I was so proud that I had bottles of beer that I made and wanted someone to try it, but who? Then I remembered my old childhood friend Chuck. As kids, Chuck would do anything I dared him to do. I would often say something like, “Hey Chuck, bet you won’t drink chocolate milk and grape Kool-Aid!” Chuck would drink it. So now I knew who to get to try my beer. When Chuck came over, I proudly opened the bottle with that familiar sound of a “fittttt”, poured it in a glass, and said, “Hey Chuck, bet you won’t drink my home brewed beer!” After a few smells of the glass, he asked if I really brewed this. I said yes and he pushed the glass away. A lot has changed since then. Now friends and family always come by, get a glass and pour a beer from one of my taps before even saying hello!

What happed from that day with Chuck, to today? Again, it was an evolution, not a revolution. My first mash system was two pickle buckets with a hundred holes drilled in the bottom of one of them. Bleach as a sanitizer. Carboy brushes. 8000 BTU stove top. All this eventually made good beer. But brew day was more than one day. By the time the wort went into the fermenter, the kitchen was a disaster, I was exhausted, but the wonderful smell of boiling wort filled the house.

Today’s brew day includes Blichmann burners. A keggle for a multi step mash, a five or 10 gallon coolers for a single step mash and sparge water. A grain mill. A 20 gallon brew kettle. Computers, iPhones, and an iPad. My home made stir plate made out of an old Mac Mini. Of course, the selection of yeasts, grains, hops, and other adjuncts are infinitely better and more varied. However, the most significant additions to my brew day are Star San and Powdered Brewery Wash. It is my humble opinion that Star San is the single greatest thing that we as home brewers have today that was not available to me 25 years ago. I think I can do without all other things I now use, but I will never give up Star San.

I would like to hear from other home brewers. What do you think has changed your brew day the most? Is there some other “silver bullet” that I should know about?

Guess what, the sun is coming out and the wind is dying down.

 

[bob1852]

Cool post! Thanks.

 

[Revvy]

Great post.

 

[Yooper]

.

I would like to hear from other home brewers. What do you think has changed your brew day the most? Is there some other “silver bullet” that I should know about?

Guess what, the sun is coming out and the wind is dying down.

The equipment has changed for me (Beer Machine 2000, anyone? ) and the beer has improved.

But I think the "silver bullet" for me has been adopting the RDWHAHB philosophy.

I still screw up, and have a scar on my left boob to show for it! But my level of relaxation has increased. I feel pretty comfortable with my skills, while still learning something new everyday.

There is always something new to learn, about water chemistry or malting or calculating diastastic power. So I'm never bored.

And at the end of the day, I have BEER! It's the best hobby in the universe.

 

[rexbanner]

I decided that I wanted to do this professionally a year ago. That gave me a sense of purpose and direction that radically changed how I brew. I think I made about 50 or more batches in the last year alone and got a hell of a lot better at brewing. That was only possible with a grain mill, an inventory, and washed yeast.

However, in terms of a "silver bullet," I think it is to have a sense of purpose. Try to learn a style. Start simple with zero, one or two specialty grains. Add more or subtract on the next batch if necessary. Try to think of a direction you want the beer to go. I always name my beers first, I think that helps. Make some single hop IPAs to learn hops. Enter some comps. Make some friends. Brewing is like life; you can walk around with your head down and things will never change, or you can be conscious of your actions and try to improve yourself.

 

[amandabab]

I look back and think, I want my Phil's Philler brass bottle filler back.

 

[ArcLight]

>.What do you think has changed your brew day the most?

Buying an outdoor burner & real brew kettle (15G).

I started brewing last year with Mr Beer. (I wouldn't brew those kits again, and would rather not drink that beer)
I moved up to 5 gallon extract brews using kits from Northern Brewer and Midwest Supplies.
Then I started doing stove top BIAB with a WEAK stove. That was a PITA.

I just ordered some Stone Clones from Austin Home Brew (All Grain) and am looking forward to brewing (BIAB) them in my new kettle/burner.

 

[DeafSmith]

and have a scar on my left boob to show for it!

tpiwwp

 

[jwalker1140]

For me, it's the internet and the community here at homebrewtalk.com.

My first brewing attempt was sometime around 1990 and the only guidance I had was the set of instructions on the can of malt-stuff. Now, since diving back into this hobby a couple years ago after a long hiatus, my knowledge has advanced so far in such a short amount of time because of posts like DeathBrewer's partial mash techinque, Bernie Brewer's yeast washing illustrated, the ebay aquarium temp controller thread and the countless pearls tossed out daily from the likes of Revvy, Yooper, et al. I should also mention the Brew Strong and The Jamil Show podcasts. Those help me keep the learning going during the two hours I spend each day fighting Los Angeles traffic. They're definitely sanity-savers.

 

[MikeMetroka]

It is the auto syphon for me.

 

[davekippen]

Great story. As a guy who has just started, I wonder what I will post in 25 years....

 

[zendog]

The silver bullet for me, since I started brewing in '94 has been the internet. Brewing forums, podcasts, blogs, brewery websites... Very little is a mystery anymore.

 

[amandabab]

speaking of the internet, anyone remember rec.crafts.brewing or HomeBrewDigest with a QWK reader?

 

[CastleHollow]

speaking of the internet, anyone remember rec.crafts.brewing or HomeBrewDigest with a QWK reader?

I think I still have some helpful rec.crafts.brewing posts that I printed out years ago!

 

[RmikeVT]

When I was in my young teens, mid nineties, my dad got into brewing. He brewed 10 or so batches over a couple years. He seemed to enjoy it quite a bit but packed up the kit and put it in the attic, not to be seen again until February of 2012, 17 years later when I dug it up and decided I am going to breath life back into home brewing, at least in my family.

I've brewed 21 batches since February, over half have been all grain, most have been good with a 2 or 3 excellent brews and 2 or 3 duds. While having a pint with my father we started discussing homebrew then and now and why he stopped pursuing the greatest of all hobbies.

He told me he made one good batch and it was too much time, energy, and frustration to brew bad beer. I started asking him about technique and pointing out spots he could probably improve and ingredients he would probably be better off using, etc. He stopped me and told when brewed 17 years ago he didn't have any options and the directions on the kit as the bible on home brewing. The conclusion from our conversation is that the internet, homebrewtalk, and the ability to research and communicate fast and efficiently make it so homebrewers and new home brewers can get educated quickly and produce quality beer more consistently.

 

[boscobeans]

For me the Starsan, burp top fermenter, propane burner and all those things are really great and have made homebrewing a lot faster, easier and safer. The end product today cannot be compared to the stuff I made in 1963.

The real advances in brewing to me are not in the science or equipment department but in the brewing ingredients.

When I started brew day meant going down to the local grocery store and blowing the dust off a can or two of Blue Ribbon hopped malt, then grabbing a cake of baker's yeast.

Wow! Now I can spend 20 minutes in the car or 30 seconds on the computer and make choices I never knew existed back then. Two row, six row, pale, biscuit, English, domestic, any color choice, LME, DME, Lintner value, fuggles, willamette, UKG, Nottingham, S-04.....and on and on and on. And I do mean on and on.

Now I'm an artist on brew day, (LOL) a little of this, a little of that, 60 minutes here, 30 minutes there.. I no longer think of myself as a caveman with a can and a crock.

In the end, no matter how you look at it, it was and still is BEER, and I loved it then just as much as I love it now.

bosco

 

[ron,ar]

I have only been brewing about 15 years and I can see the advances in that short time. Internet and LHBS make the biggest impact nowdays on most homebrewers. Speaking of changes...while in the Navy in the mid 60's one of my shipmates made 5 gallons of the worst brew I have ever tasted, but we all got a few cups of it and claimed we liked it.....nasty, just plain nasty it was!!!...but we were young and lived thru it :^)
The greatest change in brewing for me.......having a wife who not only "allows" but takes part in and enjoys the hobby. My ex didn't think it was a socially acceptable thing to be doing with grandkids around. (somewhere I have pics of the grandkids helping Paw-paw bottle beer). They are all grown now and in college....they also know how to make beer, guess I'll take the blame for that :^)

 

[Denny]

I've been brewing for about 15 years and the biggest change I've seen has been the increased availability and variety of ingredients. People who have gotten into brewing in the last couple years don't realize how good they've got it.

 

[Erroneous]

I'm also interested in what kind of beers are around now compared to 25 years ago. The craft beer scene had just started in the mid eighties when hardly any ales were available, so what was your first exotic type of beer, and did you brew it or buy it first?

 

[Denny]

speaking of the internet, anyone remember rec.crafts.brewing or HomeBrewDigest with a QWK reader?

HELL YES! Or rec.food.drink.beer!

 

[Glynn]

I've been brewing for about 15 years and the biggest change I've seen has been the increased availability and variety of ingredients. People who have gotten into brewing in the last couple years don't realize how good they've got it.

So true. ^^^

Like the OP I started back in 1993, then after an 8 yr break I decided to start back up again and found you guys and i can say with all honesty that the one single improvement in my brewing has bee you all. /sniff :rockin:

 

[mb82]

While I have only been brewing for a few years. What started me was remembering watching and smelling ( mainly smelling) Dad brew beer when I was a kid. The biggest changes I can think of is being able to brew outside because of the turkey fryer burner and the wort chiller. Dad would brew inside and smell up the house then he would have to put the lid on the 1.5 gal pot and take it upstairs to the shower to cool it off. The changes from when Dad brewed to now he even admits are huge. He would sanitize with bleach, canned prehopped malt extract was the norm not the exception. He never knew you could add grains to beer as a homebrewer.

The knowledge that is out there and the ease of obtaining it has revoluntionized homebrewing I would think. 2 years ago when I started HB I didn't know that I could do all grain brewing, now with what I have learned by reading the internet and hanging out in the local homebrew shop I all grain BIAB.

 

[VladOfTrub]

I go back a little farther than 25 years. My Grandfather had a clandestine brewery in his garage. We'd brew beer in 10 gallon stainless milk jugs. My task on Saturday was to take the Schwinn to the market and grab the Bermaline or PBR bakers malt. Then, to the Steg brewery for a bag of hops and a couple of quarts of yeast, his cronie would have waiting. We'd brew on Sunday morning when my Grandmother would go to church. He would tell me. "Never let your Grandmother know what we are doing, or she'll make us go to church." He and I only went to church for funerals, weddings, or when the block party was going on. She'd go real early every Sunday morning, to make sure God was awake, when the Priest showed up. In 1964 she bought a new Chevy Impala. About a week later, on Saturday night, a bunch of bottles blew. Throwing beer and glass on the hood. She was heading to church, when she came running in the house screaming, about beer and glass all over her car. My Grandfather, with an astonished look, casually said. "It must be your Grandson and his hoodlum friends making beer." To make it look good. He preached to me about how illegal it was. That satisfied my Grandmother. I never ratted him out. Later, he said thanks, and handed me twenny bucks. My Grandmother dragged me to church to have the Priest exorcize the Devil from me.... My Silver Bullet was discovering Siebels book and learning the tri-decoction method. That was over 30 years ago. Back then the only HBS I knew of was EC Kraus. The products were below par. Today, when I look back on what it was like, I just think, how much better, brewers have it now....Sometime, after my Grandfather passed away. I was with my Grandmother. I brought up the day her car got splattered. I figured, it was the time to rat out my Grandfather. A smile came to her and she said, "I always knew your Grandfather brewed beer, I just never said anything about it." Then, she handed me twenny bucks. On that day, I learned the true meaning of the statement. "Kingdoms have been won and lost because of a woman."

 

[Glynn]

Begone demon's of beer lol. I command thy. Where's revey when you need him

 

[dstranger99]

I feel sorry for that frog..........

 

[dktoller]

I brewed a couple of batches back in the mid nineties and never got past the extract stage. Ultimately gave it up because I liked drinking beer a lot more than the process of making it.

Fast forward nearly twenty years. The craft scene is in full force, online supply shops are everywhere, and the internet resources are amazing. Moreover I am surrounded by good friends who appreciate talking about and drinking home brew.

The biggest factor for me clearly is the internet. This is true of some of my other resurrected hobbies as well. Having a community and resources makes a huge difference. Thanks HBT!

 

[grathan]

I think just the distribution that allows people to appreciate new beer flavors is awesome. No I'm not talking about Bud Lime. I have a choice of like 30 microbeers in a major grocery chain right here in my small town of 5000 people. Right across the street is a beverage center, a store that sells mostly beer with aisles dedicated to beers from other countries and another for microbrews. I have to be honest. My only interest in brewing comes from drinking these beers and aspiring to be like them.

 

[POAS]

I definitely believe that the biggest change is the availability of ingredients. I love this forum and I have gotten a ton of useful advice from it, but without the ingredients, it wouldn't do much good. The first time I brewed was back in the late 80's in college and to be honest, it wasn't very good. I quit when I could afford decent beer and finally started again a couple of years ago after tasting some really decent homebrew in Colorado. The difference in ingredients available now as compared to the 80's is incredible. The internet helps, but I have a brother in Venezuela that is starting to brew and although he has all the advice and information he wants, the ingredients just are not available for him like they are here. At least not at a reasonable price. Just my 2 cents...