Brew Year's Resolution

[brewbama]

I've resolved to add one more arrow in my brewery quiver this year: the ability to ferment at controlled temps. Up to this point I have been making Ales fermented at cellar (basement) temps with pretty good results. I have a couple refrigerators in the basement now so I've decided one will be outfitted with a temp controller this year. I've never made a true Lager -- I've always made pseudo lagers with Cali Common or Kölsch Ale Yeasts -- so that may be an option this year as well.

How about you - do you have a Brew Year's Resolution? What changes/improvements do you have planned this year?

 

[Rhumbline]

I'm going to break away from the standard styles I typically brew, Stouts & Saisons and try out some different stuff.

Maybe I'll do one "oddball" batch every two months or so. I have a temp controlled fermenter so I can experiment with lagering.

As for equipment, I'm pretty sure the only thing I really need to add is a grain mill.

 

[Jimbodaman]

Streamline my sparging technique. Mill my own grains, follow a recipe.

 

[Wiscohio_brewer]

My Brew Year's resolution is to mill my own grains, get a fermentation fridge with temp controller, and start making lagers by the end of this year. I also want to start and perfect my Rhinegeist Fiction clone recipe.

 

[daveMN]

Finish the brew projects I start. Get my brew house efficiency more consistent/ predictable.

 

[chudsonvt]

Buy a house and setup a dedicated brewing space. Also, money saving things like harvesting yeast and bulk ingredients.

 

[SMPress]

I want to do two things, keep my blog up to date, and take better notes when brewing. Sadly, I brewed a Russian Imperial Stout today, and my note taking wasn't any better than normal, so.....

 

[ghohn]

Paint a self-portrait.
Build a house.

Wait a minute .... wrong forum.

 

[soccerdad]

More attention to mash ph

 

[wyccad915]

15 brews at least for the year. I want to try some stout recipes and get into controlled fermentation. Obviously a few lager recipes too. I bought a temp. controller, now i need a freezer or fridge. I might also want to buy equipment for partial mash, but I would be fine staying extract for now.

Edit: Also, if I can get into harvesting yeast to save a little money I would be happy with that too.

 

[DarkStormBrewing]

Convert from threaded fittings to Tri Clamps & win a gold medal again with an Alt Bier I've been perfecting. Brew more...

 

[brhenrio]

Brew more, build a keezer or a fermentation chamber. Clean up my brews and mill my own grains

 

[Yesfan]

Brew more. I made a "top 40 list" of beers I'd like to try to brew this year.

I'd also like to update my keezer (again), I want more taps and I'd like to have a nitro setup for stouts.

 

[PADave]

Currently I am only doing 1 gallon brews, so I will be buying equipment to be able to do 3 and 5 gallon batches. Mainly a new brew kettle and some carboys.

 

[JonM]

Last year, my plan was to brew more and share more. That worked out great, so this year I'll brew even more!

I also want to get a handful of favorite recipes really dialed in and consistently repeatable.

Finally, I have been tinkering with an IPA recipe for a long time, monkeying with the mash temp, mash pH, grains, hop combos, hopstands, etc. I plan to get it down this year.

 

[Baja_Brewer]

Brew more - I think I managed ~10 batches this year and about half I messed up or got infected.

Figure out a kegerator solution - I currently use my Kegerator as a ferm chamber, and we have two full size fridges (neither of which are ours, so I can't drill them) and a chest freezer - so another kegerator is out of the question. Thinking some sort of platform/tap setup in the beer fridge.

Build my Bluetooth BrewPi's and heating wraps before it gets warm out.

 

[Hello]

Brew more, buy less beer. Specifically buy less IPAs because I think I can brew ones that I'm happy with.

 

[CJ-3]

Brew at least one beer that takes me out of my comfort zone.

I'm thinking maybe a Spruce Beer.

 

[JonM]

I love how most of these include "brew more."

 

[TX_Brewing]

My list is

Brew more, at least once per month since I now have seperate fermenting and serving fridges.

Really dial in my efficiency and process.

2015 was the year of "investment" in my brewery and now that I am happy with it I am ready to go!

Also I want to brew at least 1 10 gallon batch since I now have that capability.

And while I am at it I also want to enter at least 1 contest this year.

 

[pointcity-homebrew]

I spent most of last year accumulating equipment, I am the kind of guy that buys when I come across a deal. I have all the equipment to go AG so that is my number one resolution.

I will buy bulk grain and hops and reuse/ harvest yeast.

I will spend this year working on my process and hopefully enter a comp next year.

 

[imasickboy]

• I want to expand my collection of brewing "toys" this year. (hopback, 15G conical, etc)
  
• I intend to actually use all the hops I bought.
  
• I would like to brew more, but that would involve making smaller batches, as I already drink plenty, and only bought two cases of commercial beer all of last year.
  
• Finish my brew room

 

[TX_Brewing]

• I want to expand my collection of brewing "toys" this year. (hopback, 15G conical, etc)
  
• I intend to actually use all the hops I bought.
  
• I would like to brew more, but that would involve making smaller batches, as I already drink plenty, and only bought two cases of commercial beer all of last year.
  
• Finish my brew room

Get some friends to help you drink, I have had confidence issues with my beer, but this past year I have been serving it more and have found that most people drink my homebrew over commercial offerings I have. No I usually don't mention it is homebrew, I just say I have xyz on tap and serve. Most people are shocked to find out I made the beer. I opened the eyes of several people on New Years when I had centennial blonde on tap. Of course the guy joke was having a blonde on tap in the garage.....

 

[BrewinBromanite]

Brew more!! Hopefully, this won't be difficult...only 4 batches last year, which was sad.

 

[brewcat]

Work on my brewspace. I need a dedicated area instead of having equipment wherever it fits (pretty much every room in the house). Within that is get a fermentation chamber (basement works great until summer); install taps on kegerator door.

After that we'll see. Definitely brew more!

 

[rjolin01]

I plan on creating a dedicated brew space in my basement. Complete my equipment wish list. And maybe dabble some in whole grains.

I also plan to create a "portfolio" of my recipes and keep better notes. I got a binder and am developing a system of keeping all paper copies of recipes with detailed notes.

 

[breckenridge]

1) Brew more lagers; specifically Vienna and Helles.
2) Related: Pay more attention to water chemistry and mash pH
3) Simplify brew day. I'm finding direct-fire RIMS and fly sparging more aggravation than satisfaction. Back to batch sparging, cooler MLTs, and temperature adjustments by infusion or decoction.
4) Sell redundant brew equipment.
5) Brew only 5 gallon batches of hoppy styles.
6) Do better with pipeline timing to avoid empty taps on the keezer.
7) Use up the ~150 lbs of malt I have in the basement!

 

[hotwatermusic]

Pitched Brett for the first time yesterday.
That covers my "try new things" requirement. Let's call it a year.

 

[Stillraining]

My bottling system is my weakest link ...I'm not ready to do the whole keg and keezer thing, and I actually like the versatility and simplicity of bottles...So I need to streamline that whole portion of my brewing. From filling and capping to storage both full and empty.
I also need to build some nice custom wood 6 pack carriers.

 

[jeramieb]

1. Build fermentation chamber
2. Buy in bulk and mill own grains
3. Brew More!!