Brewing beer is easy - and difficult (sort of)

[Sematary]

So, my experience with brewing beer tells me that brewing beer is easy , and difficult. The "easy" part is that it really doesn't involve much. You need sugar, hops, and yeast. That is pretty much the basic recipe. The "magic" (if you will) occurs in the "how" you put your brew together. Do you use light malts or dark malts? What type of yeast do you use? Full grain? Partial grain? All extract or partial extract? It really doesn't matter beyond the fact that you are trying to create a specific flavor - a specific type of beer. You can literally create beer out of any type of sugar and the hops and yeast determine p what type of beer it will be. I am, personally, trying to create my own "style" of IPA. But the basic ingredients are the same - sugar (either through grains or dme and lme ) and yeast and hops. That is pretty much it. After that, it is just about producing a flavor. Which grains do I use? Which hops do I use? Do I want something like an IPA or a Lager? Whatever your "style" of beer, it still comes down to those 3 basic ingredients and when you use them.

 

[ReaperOnefour]

I agree with what you said. I brew partial extract recipes. I do plan on brewing AG some day, but for now partial extract is really working for me. I've had people ask me why do i spend hours brewing, & why do i spend all this money on equipment, & on ingredients when i can go to the store & buy beer. I just tell them its because i love to brew. I love the fact that i can make my beer anyway that i want. I love the feeling of creating something good. I know that sounds corney, but it's true. LIke you said.....it's magic.

 

[pdxal]

Beyond the ingredients, as you mentioned, don't forget a few other things that influence your specific flavor:
- temperature, of fermentation, whirlpool, conditioning, how (quickly) you cool, etc.
-how long you boil, or don't boil at all.
-yeast management- #cells and relative under/over pitching.
-oxygenation at pitching, avoiding oxidation at packaging.
-shape of fermenting vessel and size of batch.
-amount of carbonation, serving temperature.

 

[madscientist451]

So, my experience with brewing beer tells me that brewing beer is easy , and difficult.
I am, personally, trying to create my own "style" of IPA.

Oxidation is a problem with IPA's and other beer styles with large amounts of hops. Its a problem with all beers, but hoppy beers will have more off flavors when when oxidation occurs compared to beers with less hops.