A humbling experience.

[Kosch]

I'll throw out something here. I think everyone here is commenting as though they were the customer. I know myself, as a customer, get really frustrated when the employee at a specialty store isn't a full on expert. For example, I fly RC planes. the local Hobbytown used to be my main store because the employees were all knowledgeable. The owners basically ran them out, hired these "car salesman" types. They lost my business, those guys didn't know what they were talking about and that's one of the main points of supporting a local business.

Anyway, you're trying, and that's all that matters. If people want to be upset that your not an expert, they should be upset with the owners of the shop for not hiring experts, not you. You're being honest and trying to learn the game, can't ask for much more than that!

And for the record, I'm a new guy and not anywhere close to an expert

Kosch

 

[bottlebomber]

I'll throw out something here. I think everyone here is commenting as though they were the customer. I know myself, as a customer, get really frustrated when the employee at a specialty store isn't a full on expert. For example, I fly RC planes. the local Hobbytown used to be my main store because the employees were all knowledgeable. The owners basically ran them out, hired these "car salesman" types. They lost my business, those guys didn't know what they were talking about and that's one of the main points of supporting a local business.

Anyway, you're trying, and that's all that matters. If people want to be upset that your not an expert, they should be upset with the owners of the shop for not hiring experts, not you. You're being honest and trying to learn the game, can't ask for much more than that!

And for the record, I'm a new guy and not anywhere close to an expert

Kosch

That sums up exactly how I feel, and thank you. I'm not trying to be rude, and I actually appreciate your honesty anderson. I don't think it was ever anyones intention to attack you personally, and so please don't take it personal. No I do not want you to stop brewing or quit your job, jesus especially not with a young one on the way. I do think that your boss need to be taking better care of training his employees though. He should be quizzing you guys and hosting brew days at the store, that's what I would do. My LHBS is exactly like yours, a mom and pop shop with a half dozen employees, however they are all extremely knowledgeable. One of them is a girl your age and she has been able to answer every ridiculous question I can think of (to be fair she is the bosses daughter and they've been doing this for awhile) so I guess I am spoiled.

 

[MattHollingsworth]

I'm not sure where the hostility is coming from. We all start somewhere. I received the job and then learned to brew. Why does it have to be the other way around?

I take things very personally, and I've momentarily thought to myself that i'm doing the brewing community a disservice and should quit my position and brewing. I really do enjoy my job though. So it's not really an option

You shouldn't take it so personally. I don't think people were trying to be hostile to you at all.

You also shouldn't just focus on this stuff that's obviously annoying you. You should look at the good advice given here. You might have read a lot, but you don't have a lot of hands-on experience, and I lot of people here DO. So, instead of getting all upset, maybe try to glean what knowledge you can.

Anyway, I hope your beer is great and best of luck.

 

[GySgtLynn]

Don't take it to heart... It's great that you have a job that makes you happy however, if you want to learn don't start by saying that your a manager(perceived that your an expert) at a homebrew store... Rather try saying I'm 4 batches deep and have a question.

 

[baddad]

I'm a auto mechanic , have been for over 30 years , you'd be shocked at how many managers and service writer's can't change they're own spark plugs, or change they're own oil . Lol. Keep it up, it'll get better with patience and practice .

 

[pantsmachine]

Chill pal, opinions are like ar**holes everybodys got one and their one shouldn't be overly important to you! Nobody get their first AG dead right. If they do they should retire undefeated and do something else for a hobby. The best thing i did on my first 1/2 dozen AG's was a 'to do' list for the brewday itself with timings and volumes. Doesn't half help to focus the head when there are a few things to do in a short space of time. Buy jugs and get your volume sorted, taking rough control of your process (how much and when) is a great 1st step. All the rest comes later as you go along. Read lots, get your own ideas and experience as you go and remember 'its only beer'! Well done on your step over to the dark side and good luck with the tasting come the day, i'm sure it'll be ace!

 

[ChadChaney]

Wow, you fell into s great gig, it sounds like, depending on the pay, lol. Do not let anyone get you down. I had a similar-ish experience, I work in a Wine and Spirits dept. of a large grocery store chain and we added a HBS section, since I had some brewing knowledge, I became the default go to guy. Just be up front with your clients, sounds like you are, and learn from them too, many are happy to expound on their trials and tribulations. If you are really into brewing, read all you can and there is some surprisingly good info on youtube, especially Northern Brewer. one thing I did with my boss, I asked to start a homebrewing club, we meet once a month and share/taste brews. i brew a batch for the meetings every month, that way I get to brew at the store's dime and get the experiences and feedback for nothing or close to it.

Stay strong man, get as much sleep as you can that baby will change your life, congrats! Also, look into partial mash and BIAB brewing, really easy and kind of trendy right now. Allows you to gently step to all grain. Last thing, do not stop brewing because of one bad experience and some negative feedback, if that was the case there would be a very few amount of great brews and brewers out there. Prost.

 

[Rev2010]

I'm a auto mechanic , have been for over 30 years , you'd be shocked at how many managers and service writer's can't change they're own spark plugs, or change they're own oil . Lol. Keep it up, it'll get better with patience and practice .

This right here. I can see where someone might point out him being a manager but to keep going on and backing up the reason for calling him out is uncalled for.

At my last law firm the IT manager knew nearly zero about computers, servers, etc. He was purely and simply a manager and would come to me with the most elementary of computer questions. However, he ran the department damn good and didn't need that knowledge with the staff he had on hand. I always thought his position was pointless until I got to my new firm. My new boss is an IT whiz, but a poor manager because he is always so busy doing actual IT work and not spending time managing. It's after this I saw the value of my old boss.


Rev.

 

[cadarnell]

i will just say this ... make very specific notes about what you did right and wrong ... you can't believe how easy it is to forget to do something that really worked, or do something that really didn't ... good luck

 

[El_Exorcisto]

Keep impeccable notes, and follow all the rules. Especially in the beginning. If you want to be the biggest asset to your clients, you need to get a lot of experience and a lot more mistakes under your belt. Brew lots, and bottle lots. Most home brewer bottle due to cost, and having experience there will help you be relevent to your clientele. Also, do your best to stash a few away for extended aging. I just cracked a one year old oatmeal stout that is just phenomenal.

 

[bottlebomber]

^^ How was Africa

 

[jgln]

This right here. I can see where someone might point out him being a manager but to keep going on and backing up the reason for calling him out is uncalled for.

At my last law firm the IT manager knew nearly zero about computers, servers, etc. He was purely and simply a manager and would come to me with the most elementary of computer questions. However, he ran the department damn good and didn't need that knowledge with the staff he had on hand. I always thought his position was pointless until I got to my new firm. My new boss is an IT whiz, but a poor manager because he is always so busy doing actual IT work and not spending time managing. It's after this I saw the value of my old boss.



Rev.

I am sure this can be true, but I have had many bosses who did not know the job well and they ran everything terribly because of that lack of knowledge. They could not make any decisions on their own at all and if they tried it was wrong. If the place ran smoothly at all it was because we or someone else was running the place. I think it a shame someone who can't run the place get better pay and not have to do much just because he is a nice guy who can manage a vacation schedule or give out raises.

EDIT: This was in reply to the above two posts not to the OP. I am guessing the OP does his job just fine.

 

[Dynachrome]

In the winter I am not averse to setting my BK outside and dealing with it in the morning. There are people who no-chill in hot climates and I take the risk that I won't get an infection this time of year overnight. Wost that has ever happened was getting too much hop utilization, which I often try to duplicate.

It will get better.

Same here. I don't set it in the snow. Snow melts and the kettle falls over.

Place it on something like an unpainted board wide enough for good support and place a weight on top of the lid in case the wind comes up. If it's raining - the garage works well also.

19 degrees F is a great temp. It probably won't freeze. I did one colder than that, and it was slush by the next morning.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f127/what-i-thinking-165148/


.

 

[laporte272]

The original poster of this thread reminds me a lot of mikedavid00/takesomeadvice @ youtube. Sounds a lot like his postings. Also he says his wife was making him brew then she turned into his fiance. Just my .02 worth.

 

[laporte272]

I think this may be a dead giveaway of "mikedavid00" or "[email protected]" Quote "and excruciating sanitation measures were in play".