Keeping a commercial brew journal

[Yuri_Rage]

At SWMBO's urging, I started one. It's a simple score-based spreadsheet with a place for brief notes. Sorry, the screenshot below is a bit of an eyechart, but hopefully the idea is clear.

Who else keeps one? What do you use?

View attachment brew_book.zip

 

[BigKahuna]

At SWMBO's urging, I started one. It's a simple score-based spreadsheet with a place for brief notes. Sorry, the screenshot below is a bit of an eyechart, but hopefully the idea is clear.

Who else keeps one? What do you use?

If you wanted to e-mail me that Excel Sheet, I'd keep one for sure. What a great idea.

 

[Boerderij_Kabouter]

I started one a couple years ago but stopped after like the first 10 beers... I really wish I had those notes now. It would be a good way to track the changes in my beer tastes and experience. I would add a separate column, for drinkability. Not a scored column, but just a note so that 4 years down the line you can remember if you want a case or a single.

 

[carnevoodoo]

I don't have the desire to do something like this. I know a lot of people use ratebeer and BeerAdvocate to write reviews and they keep track that way. I've tried a ton of beer, and I can tell you what I think of each and every one of them.

I think drinking beer is fun. If I start taking notes, I might enjoy it less. I guess it is just counter-intuitive to me. Of course I take mega notes on brewing and I love that, but when it comes to drinking, I keep it simple.

 

[Yuri_Rage]

I can appreciate that, carne. I tried to keep mine REALLY simple so that it wouldn't be a pain in the ass. I didn't want to have to write a detailed description about every aspect of the beer. I can tell you what I think of most beers, but I do sometimes forget. So, I started a journal. I may add a page for "beers to try at the next possible opportunity" - those are much harder to remember.

 

[carnevoodoo]

I can appreciate that, carne. I tried to keep mine REALLY simple so that it wouldn't be a pain in the ass. I didn't want to have to write a detailed description about every aspect of the beer. I can tell you what I think of most beers, but I do sometimes forget. So, I started a journal. I may add a page for "beers to try at the next possible opportunity" - those are much harder to remember.

yeah. I noticed that your descriptions are simple. I like that. It is much less annoying than most of the beer reviews I have read.

 

[Yuri_Rage]

First post edited to include an attached spreadsheet.

 

[ShortSnoutBrewing]

I just recently put an app on my iPhone for such purposes. I've always got my phone with me so I can take my notes and shot a pic right then and there.

 

[beerthirty]

I was using a spiral notebook, ya go ahead and laugh at my last century tech. Thank you for that spread sheet Yuri. I will put it to good use.

 

[BigKahuna]

If I start taking notes, I might enjoy it less.

I actually think that forcing attention to what I'm doing HELPS me enjoy things. It is like smoking. Cigarette smokers puff away all day long, and do not give thought 1 to the taste, craftsmanship, care, smell, storage, or lighting method. They do not truly ENJOY their tobacco. Now when I smoke a cigar, I pay attention to every single detail and that helps me to enjoy it on a much higher level.

Just a bit kooky I guess.

 

[carnevoodoo]

Not kooky at all. We all enjoy things with our various methods.

 

[brewt00l]

That's one of the things that I use ratebeer and beeradvocate for!

 

[ChuckMoney]

I snap a picture with my phone and write it down in a beer dictionary (address book) with a few notes and an easy 1-10 rating. Started in january and already have close to a hundred.

 

[robrob]

For you old schoolers doing it on dead trees...any suggestions? I have been considering a Moleskine notebook (want something to keep for posterity) but just not quite what I am looking for.

The perfect notebook would be:
Small enough to fit in a back pocket of jeans
Flexible
Durable
Easy to write in
Makes me irresistible to women