Attaining consistency, predictability.

[WharfRat]

I am on my tenth all grain brew. Did plenty of extract and partial mashes before making the move. With all grain, I have begun more rigorous tracking of my brews and brew-day processes. I make beer I and all of my friends love, but it seems like each brew day throws minor variables that leave me scrambling to correct or scratch my head trying to isolate why, for instance, my efficiency was so different from the last time I brewed recipe x... Or whatever.

Curious to know from more experienced brewers: how long did it take you to be confident in the batch-to-batch consistency of your brews? What were the major factors in your getting there? Thanks and I'll take my answer off the air

 

[Hammy71]

Two things come to the forefront. Buy a digital thermometer that can be calibrated and mill your own grain. Everything else you can document and keep the same. But those two items, if you can't be consistant....can really screw up your brew days. Also, buy your base malt in bulk. Not only different manufacturers, but different bags of the same brand/type can give you different yields.

 

[Denny]

Brew the same recipe over and over until it comes out the same every time. Worked for me.

 

[edmanster]

+1 to the thermometer and another is keep your water grain ratio consistent...

 

[duboman]

+1 to Hammy , milling my own grains was the number 1 thing I found in my process and I now have 80% efficiency in every batch.

Your hydrometer and thermometer and being properly calibrated would be equally important.

Using software also is a huge help to track and create recipes, handle calculations and keep notes on each batch.

 

[hogwash]

+1 to Hammy , milling my own grains was the number 1 thing I found in my process and I now have 80% efficiency in every batch.

Your hydrometer and thermometer and being properly calibrated would be equally important.

Using software also is a huge help to track and create recipes, handle calculations and keep notes on each batch.

I was going to suggest software...

 

[ArcaneXor]

A lot of it is also experience and learning your equipment. For example, I recently upgraded to a Blichmann kettle from an aluminum turkey fryer pot, and have to adjust my brewing process slightly because of it. The brewpub system I am also still getting used to. Accurate thermometers, volume measurements and a consistent crush go a long way, as does using grains from the same maltsters, but things like how your efficiency changes with grain volume or how temperature loss in the mash tun changes with fill level are things only experience can teach you. Take good notes and brew a small set (two or three) recipes over and over again until they are just right until you have these variables figured out.