2nd best technique to improve your homebrew

[arturo7]

It seems controlling the temperature of fermentation is #1.
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f13/poll-best-technique-improve-your-brew-179602/

What is #2?

 

[Edcculus]

pitch proper amount of healthy yeast

 

[BadgerBrewer]

Sanitation throughout the process

 

[Edcculus]

Sanitation throughout the process

oh yea, that too. I might consider that one a basic though. You can't even make decent beer if you don't keep everything sanitized.

 

[TheManes]

Full boils.

 

[jpsloan]

Choosing/treating/building good water to brew with.

 

[Mike M]

Number 2? If you ain't first, you're last.

 

[remilard]

Things that are very important:

1. Temperature of fermentation
2. Amount of yeast pitched
3. Health of yeast pitched
4. Sanitation
5. Amount of oxygen pick-up

Things that are pretty important
1. Mash pH
2. Freshness/quality of ingredients
3. Clarity and body
4. Using water that is good to drink and free from chlorine

Things that are sort of important
1. recipe
2. any issue related to water other than those above

 

[RiverCityBrewer]

pitch proper amount of healthy yeast

+1 I couldn't agree more, making correct sized, healthy starters and oxygenating wort before pitching should go hand in hand as #2.

Joe

 

[MBasile]

Hmm, I've been controlling temps since brew 1, and have been doing yeast starters since 3 or 4. I've also gotten into kegging already, so I guess the last step is to go all grain, or at least full boil!

 

[Hegh]

Recently I finally started aerating properly, with an aquarium pump and stone, and that solved a plastic/medicinal taste that's been in most of my brews for the past year. So I'd say aeration and temperature control are pretty close to equal.

 

[azscoob]

I think my second biggest improvement was to not homebrew myself into a blurr while brewing, I concentrate on my process and nailing my numbers and temps, when I start the chill I grab my first pint and enjoy myself. I would hate to drop a carboy in a drunken stumble, or grab a beer-nap during the boil and miss the hop additions or boil too much off ect.

 

[Boerderij_Kabouter]

IMHO, a full boil is second after temp control. For a standard gravity beer, pitching a smack pack or yeast tube or a hydrated dry pack is just fine (maybe not ideal, but just fine).

A full boil will noticeably improve your beer.

 

[kcinpdx]

when people refer to a full boil, what is this opposed to?

 

[BigJefe]

when people refer to a full boil, what is this opposed to?

boiling less than your full volume and adding water to bring up to volume.

 

[Hegh]

I've never actually done that, which may be why I think aeration is more important... I've thought about doing a few partial boils (extract + steeping grains) to fill up my pipeline, since all-grain batches take a whole day and a partial boil could probably be done in 3 hours or less.

 

[tamoore]

I'm inclined to think that pitching the proper amount of yeast is #2.

 

[schristian619]

I've never done partial boils, even when I started with extract. But I would say that pitching the right amount of yeast is an extremely important factor to producing good beer. Also, for me, the switch to all-grain was night and day, although i only made 4 or 5 extract batches.

 

[GaryJohn]

Waiting for it to age before drinking.

Longer the better!

Well..pretty much.

 

[remilard]

Also, for me, the switch to all-grain was night and day, although i only made 4 or 5 extract batches.

There was a time when I could have said this, but for a lot of styles I can make an extract beer that is as good as my all-grain beer. My theory is that if you are blessed with good water (moderate hardness and low alkalinity) as I have been, getting a good all-grain result is fairly easy.

Getting an optimal extract result can actually be trickier. I think you have to be diligent about getting good extract (or as above, be lucky that it is good where you happen to get it). You also need to know how fermentable your extract is and how to fix it when needed with maltodextrin or sugar.

Either way, I've been judging a lot this year and I am surprised at how many of the best beers I have are extract beers.

 

[Hammy71]

Choosing/treating/building good water to brew with.

+1. Maybe not 'building' the water, but surely having good water to brew with. Since it's 99.9% of the finished product.....hell yeah it's important.

 

[GilaMinumBeer]

Brew again.

 

[schristian619]

Remilard, I definitely believe you. Like I said, I only did a few extract batches so I know my technique was not all there yet.

 

[Bullbythehorns]

I have to agree with the water. I am cursed with hard water and when I started cutting it with RO water for the pale ales and IPA's it was a very notable difference. Stouts come out very well, which is to be expected, but ligher SRM styles always had a harsh bite until I adjusted the water. All of the other aspects are true, fermentation temp, proper yeast qty, solid, repeatable process. The water doesn't apply to all regions, but to those with hard water, it is worth taking a look at.

 

[ndoe22]

I vote water. I switched what town I got my water and I was way below my target gravity, twice.