HELLO! Lights on, but nobody's home...

[homebrewer_99]

OK, this is a rant, and yes, I've been drinking...

In the past years I have freely shared my recipes to whomever requested them. I have no problem with that.

What REALLY burns my butt is when I get feedback saying they changed the yeast or whatever...replacing weizen yeast with a pilsner yeast.
For all you newbies out there...the "secret" to EVERY BREW STYLE is the yeast!:rockin:

Again, repeat after me...To be true to style...you have to use the right yeast...IT'S REALLY THAT SIMPLE!!!

You can't make a true Hefe Weizen with Pilsner yeast and use chocolate malt. You HAVE TO use Weizen yeast with wheat malt to make a weizen.

You can't make a true Pilsner using wheat and/or Black Patent malt.

You can't make a Porter with 3 lbs of extra-light malt and an American Ale yeast...

Anyone seeing a pattern here?

You cannot expect to make a brew according to style if you don't follow the rules for that style.

Sure, you'll make an alcoholic beverage you can call "beer", but it won't be anything like your expectations...and please don't offer me any.

Here's the kicker...you're gonna ask for forum "WHAT WENT WRONG"? Well, the answer is, "YOU"!

I know we all have to learn what we like and dislike, but if you're a new brewer asking for assistance with recipes then follow them. Find out if you like something or not before you start tweaking where you shouldn't be.

This is not directed toward any particular individual so, please don't take offense, just our advice.

Thanks for listening.

Bill

 

[Beer Snob]

I feel like I just came from church. AMEN Brother Bill!

Oh and dont't forget about the bread yeast.... can't make beer tasting beer with bread yeast. Although I'm wondering now... and yeah I've been drinking too.... what kind of bread can you make with beer yeast.....

 

[homebrewer_99]

...Although I'm wondering now... and yeah I've been drinking too.... what kind of bread can you make with beer yeast.....

They're called "PRETZELS"!!!

 

[david_42]

I wouldn't put it quite that strongly, as there are many ales where the yeast is a minor component, like stouts where the bill matters most and IPA's where it's all about hops, but some styles & yeasts go together. Pilsners, kolshes, belgians cannot be brewed with the wrong yeast. Use a belgian yeast in an Imperial Stout & someone should smack you!

When I lived in New Jersey, we had a family friend who loved to cook, had no talent and would NOT follow a recipe. One dinner, her son said, "Mom, the spagetti sauce is fantastic." & she started crying. It was Ragu and the only meal I remember eating there that wasn't a challenge.

Brewing to style and/or recipe means following them or drinking the results alone while your friends mock you and drink BMC!

Maybe I'll have another pint & come back with something mean.

 

[SwAMi75]

So, tell me exactly what yeast a porter is supposed to use?

 

[homebrewer_99]

So, tell me exactly what yeast a porter is supposed to use?

http://www.bjcp.org/styles04/Category12.html

 

[Beer Snob]

http://www.bjcp.org/styles04/Category12.html

Hey, nice link..... lots of info there!

 

[homebrewer_99]

Hey, nice link..... lots of info there!

You're welcome.

Be sure to go to the base link: http://www.bjcp.org/

There's a good link to troubleshooting flashcards under exams:

http://www.bjcp.org/OffFlavorFlash.pdf

 

[Cheesefood]

I think we all fall into the same trap at some point: we make a couple of good batches and this of ourselves as designers. Suddenly, 8,000 years worth of trial and error are cast aside as we (the real experts) attempt combinations which we suppose have never been attempted before.

"I'm going to make an American Pale Ale with Irish yeast!"
"I'm going to add four kinds of fruit juice to my wit!" (my error)
"I'm going to use bread yeast for my kolsch!"

Bill, sometimes you've just got to let Baby touch the hot stove to realize it sucks. Sometimes you have to sit back and let someone flush $30 down the drain. It's only after making a couple of great batches, followed by bad batches, followed by great ones that you learn where you can improvise in a recipe.

I think the ultimate test is to ask "Does anyone do this commercially?" If not one commercial brewer (no matter how small) tries to sell what you're envisioning, then just take it to mean that people tried it, they drank it, and they ask their friends to never speak of it again.

 

[homebrewer_99]

...Bill, sometimes you've just got to let Baby touch the hot stove to realize it sucks. Sometimes you have to sit back and let someone flush $30 down the drain...

I know, I'm over it now.

I just get a bad feeling when I read about brewers doing stuff like pouring their brews down the tubes because they think there's something wrong.

 

[RichBrewer]

I don't think this is the way we want to represent ourselves as home brewers. Doesn't much of the fun come from experimenting and trying different things?
I can see if you are trying to brew to style that certain ingredients are required but who says you can't put some black patent into a Pilsner or even into a wheat beer? Where is the rule book that says that?
Did you stop to think that maybe people select yeast that are available to them or maybe strains that they like? OK if you are making a Hefe Weizen you need a Weisen yeast but if someone wants to try a different strain who are we to stop them? It is up to all of us to educate folks in this regard and to advise them if they change an ingredient that isn't true to style. If they still want to make it their way, more power to them.
I for one don't want to become a snob who looks down his nose at someone who tries something that I don't think is appropriate.

 

[david_42]

Last year at Hop madness I tried to randall with wet (fresh) hops right off of the vine. Zip flavor/aroma and this was with an entire corny full of hops! Many of the homebrewers thare thought it was a great idea and were equally disappointed. Brewing with them produces some great ales, though. Most brewers around here have a goal of less than 48 hours from field to fermenter.

 

[Glibbidy]

So, tell me exactly what yeast a porter is supposed to use?

Wyeast 1056 American Ale Yeast works perfectly for making porter.
I can and do make a GREAT PORTER with 1056!

http://www.bjcp.org/styles04/Category12.html

Keep in mind these are only guidelines. If you were entering your beer in a competition, well then I guess you need to follow the guidelines. If you are drinking the beer for your own enjoyment, then do whatever works for you.
READ: think outside the box.

 

[Catfish]

Keep in mind these are only guidelines. If you were entering your beer in a competition, well then I guess you need to follow the guidelines. If you are drinking the beer for your own enjoyment, then do whatever works for you.
READ: think outside the box.

But there's also a catergory for the hybrid and styleless beers. So if you do make an Imperial Stout with Belgian yeast, you have some place to enter it. Or that wild fermentation American Pale Ale, or the Porter with banana juice and burbon... In theory the BJCP guideline should allow for judging beer by their styles, but should not exclude beers which do not match with any existing style.

 

[Beer Snob]

I know, I'm over it now.

I just get a bad feeling when I read about brewers doing stuff like pouring their brews down the tubes because they think there's something wrong.

I've noticed that that has happened a few times around here lately. Keeping my fingers crossed that people start posting here before dumping now.

 

[Jaybird]

Huh
I agree that If you want to ask for recipe info then do it by the book and if you change it before you brew it and it doesent turn out shut the heck up and feed it to your lawn( the lawn LOOOOVES beer by the way). But..... I am also from the school that "Does anyone do this commercially?" really dosent work for me.I am a brewer and being a brewer "to me" means being an inivator, of sorts. just because nobody has used pine needels in a hazelnut christmas imperial stout before dosent mean I shouldnt try it. There are styles added all the time. Create one.
Look at the History of BEER. inivation after inovation and we as brewers should keep that inovation alive for our forfathers. you know, the ones we sing praises to every time we go to the tap.
Just my 2cents
Happy B day HB 99 and thanks for the links to bjcp site very good stuff there
JJ

 

[homebrewer_99]

You're welcome and thanks!

I agree, but I'm not talking about the innovator. To be an innovator you first have to be experienced.

Jaybird, you hit it right on the head with what I am trying to get across concerning tweaking recipes.

You first have to brew a "recommended" brew by the book then you can tweak what you believe will "improve" the flavor, color, whatever, to your likes.

I, too, have been reluctant to give out some of my recipes for the same reason. If someone doesn't follow them to the letter and don't like the results it's too easy to blame me.

From experience I can state that if we shared one of your homebrews and I brewed it exactly to your specs it still may not taste the same due to the change in water and other (user) factors. But I believe we should all strive to create the best brews we can.

 

[Jaybird]

Maybe we should try it. Might be fun
JJ