How long did it take for you to brew a batch you REALLY liked?

[pointcity-homebrew]

First batch was the Caribou Slobber from NB, I have had great reviews and zero negative as of yet. Someone who actually drinks Moose Drool chose mine over the original in a blind taste test.

The second is the Vanilla Orange Cream Ale from Jasper's. It tastes good but is not carbing up , and it seems as though I am not the only person having this issue.

My third is a Single hop APA (Citra) I will be bottling it this weekend but the samples that I have drawn are very tasty.

My next will be an Apricot blonde just waiting on the ingredients from Brewmasters Warehouse, it seems the cascade was out of stock so I guess this weekend brew session will not happen.

 

[TheMattTrain]

I really enjoyed my first solo batch. I started with AG and went straight for a wee heavy. I hit all gravity marks within .002 and the batch turned out great. Subsequent batches weren't all stellar... some of that is because I try to brew a batch now and then for my friends who aren't big craft beer people, so it's more the style than the execution. Everything thus far is at the very least drinkable.

 

[agrazela]

...I'm sure we are all our own worst critic.

I have a wife, so believe me, I am NOT my own worst critic :cross:

In my experience: my first 1 or 2 brews were bad. Then I got ferm temp control, and the 2 or 3 I made after that ranged from alright to OK. Then I really got to studying (this forum, blogs, books, etc.), started mashing (first PM, then AG--all BIAB), and keeping very detailed notes (incredibly important!). The next 2 or 3 batches were a comedy of errors, but I steadily improved until by about brew #20 or so I was finally at the point where everything (efficiencies, gravities, malt/hops balance, flavor notes, etc.) turns out more or less the way I expect it to, even on new and/or untested recipes and even on technique tweaks.

My wife even likes my beer now

 

[gwapogorilla]

Even my first batch was pleasing. But, I started with full volume boils, partial mashing and using yeast starters. I did a lot of homework before my first brew.

 

[dan81]

Answer: 3rd brew.
Reasons: Fermentation chamber to control temperatures and it was also the first time I did a yeast starter. The beer is awesome, or at least I'm very happy with it.

I can't imagine trying to brew without a ferm chamber and a yeast starter

 

[dobe12]

I thoroughly enjoyed the first beer I ever brewed. Of course the following 98 batches have almost all been better, but I still remember and enjoyed the first, English Bitter.

Tomorrow I'm brewing batch #100 and going back to the beginning by brewing an ESB.

 

[Vedder014]

I've brewed 5 batches and the only one that was good (actually it was amazing) was batch #3 which was a brewers best pale ale that I added more hops to. Batch one had to mature 6 months before it was drinkable, batch 2 wasn't too bad but had a bottle bomb problem, batch 4 was not drinkable, and 5 was drinkable. My problem was temp control. I fermented in an upstairs bathroom closet so it was just too warm, except the pale ale which was fermenting during winter. Now I have a new house with a nice cool basement and two batches currently fermenting. Hoping these turn out better.


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[j1n]

Took me my 3rd brew before i had something i was proud of. The first one i under pitched and didnt control the temp, got a ton of estery off flavors (banana and clove). The second one i didnt under pitch but i didnt control the temp. got same off flavors but not as much. the 3rd one i pitched the correct amount and by then i had a fermentation chamber setup.

 

[Black Island Brewer]

I'm impressed with the folks who had a drinkable beer on their first batch. My first batch (in 1996) was drinkable for the first two weeks, but due to a acetobactyr infection, became too sour to drink after that. Only one other infected batch since then, but that was one too many!