Finally, I can make outstanding beer!

[spiny_norman]

It took a year and a half and 15 all grain batches, but I'm now able to make seriously good beer--consistently

Best compliment so far, "Seriously--you made this?" (after announcing it was actually homebrew).

Things I learned along the way:

- Stick with one style (preferably the one you're most familiar with) until you can make that very well and consistently
- Temp control is incredibly important--at every stage
- Pitch the proper amount of healthy yeast. (I use Mr Malty calculator religiously). If it says you need to pitch 2 vials into 2 liters for a starter, you really do need to buy the extra vial--and it makes a big difference in attenuation and taste.
- Skip the secondary: not needed. 1 month primary even if aggressively dry hopping. Cold crash + gelatin works great.
- Listen to all of the Brew Strong episodes. I learned a heck of a lot from JZ--and this forum.
- Build a kegerator. There's nothing like coming home after work and pouring a fresh, super tasty beer straight from the tap.

(Or skip the last point: I'm starting to look like I'm 6 months pregnant.)

Sharing in the hope that it might inspire / encourage other newbies. Almost ready for the next stage of this hobby: competitions for critical appraisal...

 

[steinsato]

My biggest problem right now is temp control

 

[curlyfat]

- Temp control is incredibly important--at every stage
- Pitch the proper amount of healthy yeast. (I use Mr Malty calculator religiously). If it says you need to pitch 2 vials into 2 liters for a starter, you really do need to buy the extra vial--and it makes a big difference in attenuation and taste.
- Skip the secondary: not needed. 1 month primary even if aggressively dry hopping. Cold crash + gelatin works great.
- Build a kegerator. There's nothing like coming home after work and pouring a fresh, super tasty beer straight from the tap.

BIG +1 on all of this! Until I got fermenting temps controlled, and started pitching starters, I never quite got that nice clean, "perfect" beer taste.

Congrats!

 

[maida7]

Awesome! I'm also a huge fan of JZ. Listening to him has taken my beer to the next level.

Build a stir plate. It really makes the starters much more manageable. You won't need to spring for that second tube of yeast. A 2L flask and a stirplate can make starters for everything but the biggest of beers.

The absolute best temp control is a fridge, a heat bulb and a dual output digital Ranco controller. Get the fridge used and cheap (I got mine on craigslist for 30.00). The heat bulb can be had at the pet store for 10.00. The controller is kinda pricey about 100.00 to 150.00 but well worth the cost. I just tape the probe to the fermenter, dial in whatever temp I want and it's steady cruising. I'd highly recommend investing in temp control way before I went AG or got into kegs.

 

[kmk1012]

I'm well on my way to be at your level of quality, just curious, who is JZ? Where could I listen to him?

 

[Laughing_Gnome_Invisible]

Dinsdale.......

Er, I mean, well done Spiny Norman!

 

[steinsato]

Jamil Zainishaiff or something like that. He host a radio show on www.brewingnetwork.com

 

[SumnerH]

For the "who is he" other than a name:
Jamil's a 2-time Ninkasi award winner (for most medals in the national homebrew competition) and the author of Brewing Classic Styles and other books.

The Brewstrong show he co-hosts with John Palmer (author of How to Brew among others).

 

[ksbrain]

Gee I always thought it was JZ the rapper.

 

[jturie]

After 1 AG batch, I see that I have a ways to go. Gotta get a fridge--my chest freezer is busy holding kegs!

QUESTION: what is "cold crash" and what does it do?

 

[spiny_norman]

QUESTION: what is "cold crash" and what does it do?

An incredibly simple and highly effective way of clarifying your beer by dropping out the yeast and proteins. After fermentation I drop the temp to 34 and after 24 hours add gelatin and keep it a 34 for a further 6 days. Then keg and condition.

I used to have a problem with chill haze. That went away after I started cold crashing with gelatin.

 

[maida7]

After 1 AG batch, I see that I have a ways to go. Gotta get a fridge--my chest freezer is busy holding kegs!

QUESTION: what is "cold crash" and what does it do?

Cold crash is dropping the fermentation temp drastically to get the yeast to drop to the bottom. Brewers do this at the end of fermentation to speed up the floculation phase. If your patient it's not really necessary. Commercial brewers use this a lot because time is money and the quicker they can move the beer out of the fermenter the quicker they can start a new batch.

One word of caution: be sure to reach your ending gravity before cold crashing. Cause once you send you yeast to sleep, it's very hard to get them back up and working.

A diacytel rest is a good idea before a cold crash. You warm the ferment an extra few degrees to ensure that the yeast finishes the job then cold crash to clear the beer.

 

[jturie]

Thanks....looks like I have to cruise Craigslist for a cheap refrigerator.

 

[MBasile]

It took a year and a half and 15 all grain batches, but I'm now able to make seriously good beer--consistently

Best compliment so far, "Seriously--you made this?" (after announcing it was actually homebrew).

Things I learned along the way:

- Stick with one style (preferably the one you're most familiar with) until you can make that very well and consistently
- Temp control is incredibly important--at every stage
- Pitch the proper amount of healthy yeast. (I use Mr Malty calculator religiously). If it says you need to pitch 2 vials into 2 liters for a starter, you really do need to buy the extra vial--and it makes a big difference in attenuation and taste.
- Skip the secondary: not needed. 1 month primary even if aggressively dry hopping. Cold crash + gelatin works great.
- Listen to all of the Brew Strong episodes. I learned a heck of a lot from JZ--and this forum.
- Build a kegerator. There's nothing like coming home after work and pouring a fresh, super tasty beer straight from the tap.

(Or skip the last point: I'm starting to look like I'm 6 months pregnant.)

Sharing in the hope that it might inspire / encourage other newbies. Almost ready for the next stage of this hobby: competitions for critical appraisal...

I'm doing almost all of those! I've gotten through my college phase (aka: this is fun and I want to experiment with a ton of different stuff!) and I'm now starting to rebrew some previous recipes (pale ale and IPA) so that I can nail those. Also, I'm just now moving up to full-boil/mini-mash and I'm hoping that'll help give me an extra kick of quality.

 

[maida7]

Thanks....looks like I have to cruise Craigslist for a cheap refrigerator.

Cold crashing is not that important IMHO. Unless your really hung up on clarity I would not go to great lengths just to cold crash.

However I do suggest getting a cheap fridge for fermentation temp control. Fermentation temp control is a HUGE factor in making great beer.

 

[Jewrican]

i agree. even when you think you have it down, there is so much more to it.

I found out about ferm temps after my 4th batch.. damn what the hell took me so long. I thought it was just whatever - yeah... its not.

 

[Laughing_Gnome_Invisible]

Dinsdale.....

 

[mikfire]

Dinsdale.....

He used... sarcasm. He knew all the tricks, dramatic irony, metaphor, bathos, puns, parody, litotes and... satire. He was vicious.

 

[sonetlumiere85]

That's great that this works for you. I would recommend people read everything they can and then try things out on their own, and figure out what works for them based on their own experience, instead of the experience of Jamil. Don't get me wrong, some of Jamil's stuff is very good, but I can't personally stand the Howard Stern-like approach to "radio" often used on the Brewing Network.

 

[maida7]

I would recommend people read everything they can and then try things out on their own, and figure out what works for them based on their own experience, instead of the experience of Jamil. .

what's the difference? Aren't books just the experience of the author? Jamil writes books also. Are you recommending reading his books but not listening to his podcast? It doesn't make sense?

PS: Howard Stern is awesome! The BN can only hope to be as funny as the great Howard Stern.

 

[EricCSU]

+1 on all of that. Whirlfloc and cold crashing got my beer "pretty clear." Adding gelatin and it is crystal clear, even after dry hopping in primary. Why does it matter? Because you drink with your eyes too. Unless no one else ever drinks your beer, you should be concerned with clarity.

Eric

 

[Token]

Controling fermentation temps is what finally got my beer where it needs to be. Only problem is now I absolutely love it and have to keep from just sluggin' it down!

 

[ksbrain]

Controling fermentation temps is what finally got my beer where it needs to be. Only problem is now I absolutely love it and have to keep from just sluggin' it down!

+100 to both of those