Batches/Time Period Until I'm Not A Beginner?

[AZCoolerBrewer]

So, I'm pretty sure based on my comfort level and capabilities that I am a new brewer. So how many batches or what time period before I can call myself a seasoned brewer. My third batch of beer, I call Fire Crotch IPA (so fun naming my beer) is ridiculously good. I made the recipe myself and me and the yeasties created a delicious treat, so I'm a veteran brewer right? Just kidding, but what do you think 10 batches, 100 batches, a successful large batch AG, 1 year, 5 years?

 

[iijakii]

When you can look at recipes and see the beer and not just ingredients.

 

[cilestiok]

So, I'm pretty sure based on my comfort level and capabilities that I am a new brewer. So how many batches or what time period before I can call myself a seasoned brewer. My third batch of beer, I call Fire Crotch IPA (so fun naming my beer) is ridiculously good. I made the recipe myself and me and the yeasties created a delicious treat, so I'm a veteran brewer right? Just kidding, but what do you think 10 batches, 100 batches, a successful large batch AG, 1 year, 5 years?

When you go from asking mostly questions to posting mostly answers on here. Haha. I don't think there's a defining moment. There are always questions to ask. There is always an experiment to start. There is always a next step or new method. Just enjoy the ride.

 

[Braufessor]

I have brewed for about 20 years (on and off). To be honest, looking back, I was basically a "beginner" for the first 15 years. I went from batch to batch - following directions, randomly brewing this beer or that beer with no real rhyme or reason. It has not been until the last 5 years or so that I have really delved into the brewing process. For me, I think the defining thing I started to do is to brew the same beer over and over - making changes and evaluating results. And then, applying that knowledge to my next beers.

For me some of the key differences between a beginner brewer and an "advanced" brewer is that an advanced brewer:

*Can brew the exact same beer over and over and every time it tastes the same.
*Knows why they are doing each thing in their brewing - they know WHY they are adding certain ingredients, they know WHY they are changing their water in one way vs. another way. They know WHY they are picking one yeast and not another or fermenting and mashing a certain way.
*When something goes wrong with a beer, an advanced brewer can identify the cause or reason and adjust to fix it in future brews.

* Oh - and of course their beer is consistently really good and free of basic flaws - some may be better or worse - but is generally simply due to experimentation in search of knowledge and not a fundamental error like sanitation, temperature issues, water problems, etc.

I don't know that there is a magic number of batches or years. I brewed a lot, for a long time and remained a"beginner." Then, I changed my focus and over the course of a few dozen batches and less than a year learned more than I had in the previous 15 years.

 

[unionrdr]

Gotta agree with ya there. No set point where you can say you're a brewmaster. We never get too old to learn. Although some learn faster than others...

 

[LandoLincoln]

When you screw up and you know what went wrong and how to fix it for next time.

 

[agrazela]

It took me probably 3 batches to get to where I was making something at least palatable...and that was all about fermentation temp control.

At least 20 batches to get to where I was exceedingly consistent in process (i.e., could always hit my volumes/gravities, predict attenuation to a good degree, etc.)...and that was with an intense focus on nailing process (keeping a running notebook, etc.).

I'm over 50 batches in now and while I can basically make up a recipe on the fly, and I very, very rarely make a "dumper" batch, and I can certainly check all the BJCP description boxes on the styles I like, I'm still working on nuance of formulation/process (like hitting just the right mouthfeel / body / head retention for my tastes, still trying to find the best way(s) to retain hoppy aroma in IPA's, etc.).

So I dunno, maybe 100 (for me) to become an "expert"? I hope it's that few.

 

[Redhawk96]

I am about 80 batches in, starting with extract kits on the stovetop and bottles, to my current 10 gal. AG system with kegs. I am still no expert, but I can make delicious beer that me, my family, and my friends enjoy, which is my only real objective.

A few things stick out for me over the years as moments were I think I made significant progress as a home brewer, which include:

- The first time you really $#@* up a batch, and have to figure out why. For me is was a platic-y or medicinal flavor that traced back to chloramines in my water. I now treat my water, and have not had any reoccurances. I got most of my information to solve it here on HBT, but the process of evaluating, researching, and solving a major flaw gave me a lot of confidence, and helped to overcome the sadness of having to dump 10 gallons of beer

- Knowing what each ingrdient contributes to your beer. This only comes from experience, repitition, experimentation, and again, lots of help from the forums here on HBT.

- Researching and figuring out how to tweak or upgrade your system and brew day to meet your own objectives, be they reducing costs, reducing time, increasing efficiency, improving consistency and flavor, etc. These goals can be different for each individual, but have had a lot of fun tweaking and experimenting over the years, always with a final objective in mind.

Anyway, good luck in your journey, it is a fun and rewarding hobby (or obsession)

 

[JonM]

View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1453229086.092300.jpg

 

[BeardedBrews]

I think there is a sliding scale on recipe design and troubleshooting:

1-This is what came in the kit.
10-This is what should have been in the kit, here are some alternate substitutions that could work, and here are the trade offs between different sources of ingredients.

1-I think I followed the steps in the recipe but something doesn't taste right.
10-I can detect this minor stylistic flaw, I know how it was created, and I know what to adjust next time.


The last variable is consistency, again there is a scale, but I'm not sure you have to be at a 10 to be a master homebrewer...

1-I don't make anything more than once.
10-In a blind tasting by a trained palate batches produced several months apart are identical.



I think you cross the line from novice to proficient somewhere around 5. From proficient to advanced around a 7, and in order to hit a 10 you would need to either be brewing professionally or in fairly high volumes at the home brew level.

 

[drainbamage]

I pretty much echo what Braufessor wrote above. Consistency, ability to write a recipe and know what each ingredient contributes, and ability to identify and correct mistakes are all important factors.

Of course, I think there is a huge middle ground between Beginner and Expert. I feel like I got past my beginner stage maybe 3 years ago, but I feel far from an expert.

 

[normonster]

When you've officially spent $2,000 on gadgets.

 

[Sailingeric]

1000 brews under your belt, all done blind folded, while hanging upside down, in the middle of the a blizzard while you wear nothing but a thong.