Noticed a change in my thoughts on brewing

[Vongo]

I used to be ... Brew as often as possible no matter what. Now I noticed I am taking my time and placing a lot more thought into my recipes (not my own but ones that I brew). Grain selection hop selection shooting for a more balanced brew. Is this a pretty common transition?

 

[hadabar]

I feel you I'm getting that way too..

I'm starting to take alot more enjoyment through the whole process...

I think soon as I got a pipeline...I relaxed...also when I got my system kinda figured out.

cheers.

 

[smchasta]

When you see that you are making good brews and can make subtle changes that greatly affect the taste, then you do put more time in it. It's like that with any hobby really... once you realize that are able to do it well and get quality products you start to spend more time it.

When I started brewing, I was just pushing out clone recipes and basic styles as often as possible. Now I find myself going over each recipe a hundred times... even when I think I have it right I'll change something at the last second.

 

[Seven]

When I first started brewing I brewed a lot. I'm now more focused on the quality over the quantity of brews.

 

[RustyZymurgy]

Quality > quantity

 

[BrotherJoe]

Have to agree here. In my first couple years I sort of settled in and got some house brews going. For the past several years I've stayed interested by doing subtle experiments; some years I spend a lot of time using some of my less complex (ingredients-wise) recipes in split-batch yeast stuff, or, playing around with hop-combinations in some of my base recipes.

One of the best things I ever did was spend a whole summer brewing single-hop beers. Out of that came a greater appreciation for specific hop varieties and adjustments in usage. Out of that came a couple of single-hop house beers that I really enjoy.

Playing with different base malts has been similarly informative.

This year I've been fussing with yeast split batches, still, but in a more focused way. I plan to spend some some time playing with malts again.

There is so much to learn that I don't know if I'll run out anytime soon;

 

[ChillWill]

My first brews would often be watered down if I was like 0.2 gallon short to meet my post boil target. Now I don't and accept a better quality beer rather than trying max yield.

I also start planning recipes in a couple of weeks advance. Like in a couple of weeks time I'm doing a Belgian dry stout, so am looking up methods of cold steeping the roasted grains, using sugar, researching beers in the style for typical IBU's and hops for example.

I think the actual brewing time is very small in comparison to the amount of time I spend researching, reading and generally pondering what I can do to create my next craft beer.

 

[tonyolympia]

I'm already at the point where you folks are, except that I have only 3 batches under my belt (one still fermenting), all of them extract or extract with grain, and I have quite limited equipment at my disposal.

I can't tell you how many hours I have spent over the last two months planning recipes, researching ingredients and styles, reading up on processes, or working on brew math. It's out of control. I have limited time, money, and space, what with a somewhat high-pressure 9-5 job and two little girls running around the house. But I'm so hungry to refine my expertise, expand my repertoire, and get creative.

My wife is excited that I'm brewing, and likes my beer, and having that support helps, though she loses patience when I start with the wonky beer talk.

I just brewed this Saturday, and won't get to brew again until Father's Day. But I'm going to make it a good one: my first AG!

 

[Parkinson1963]

Same here I used to worry about all my beers being at least 5% alcohol, now I want a good tasting beer no matter what the alcohol content.
E.G. My current house favorite is only 3.6%.