# of batches before you became real confident?

[teej_810]

just wondering how long or how many batches it took before you became real comfortable and confident in your brewing? like you could do it with your eyes closed.

I've just done my 4th batch and i'm getting more comfortable but still have a feeling that something might have gone wrong somewhere that i missed. But so far my worst batch was my first and they have been getting better every batch. BWT i'm only into extract brewing since i'm limited on space

 

[excaptn]

I love that my heart starts pumping hard when brewing, I hope that I continue to get this excited the more confident I get. I second this question to those who have been in the game for a while.

 

[lknbigfish]

i'm about 45 gallons in and learn alot from each batch. they've all turned out good, you can really screw up and it still make some great beer.

 

[Pilgarlic]

I'm at my twelfth batch. I read and read and studied and studied during the first five batches until I was conversant and had a basic understanding of the processes. My second batch was and each since has been all grain. With each batch I try something new in my process, so, as I get confident with the established parts of my process, the experimentation always brings some nervousness back. I'm not sure I'd get much fun out of brewing the same recipe the same way time after time. But that's just me. I'm still very excited about the whole process, and on the steep part of the learning curve.

 

[Yooper]

I'm a slow learner, so it was probably 100 or so batches before I felt totally comfortable! Of course, part of that is because as I "grew" as a brewer, I stretched my knowledge base. By that I mean that once I felt ok with extract batches, I started partial mashes. I started creating my own recipes, and then I started growing and drying hops. After that, I tried a different way to chill my wort. Once I felt comfortable with that, I got into fermentation temperature control, quickly followed by: all-grain brewing, yet another chiller, kegging, yeast harvesting and saving, building a kegerator, and bulk grain purchases. My newest endeavor is water chemistry. I also bought a HERMS so I have a brand new learning curve. I'm now brewing on an all-electric indoor system and still learning more about March pumps, HERMS, and grain crush.

I feel like I will never know it all, and I can continue to learn and hone new skills each time I brew. I think that's why I enjoy it so much- there is always something new for me to learn!

 

[bullinachinashop]

I gave up counting a while ago so I don't recall when, but once you understand the process and properly prepare, the worry and concern goes away.

I now focus more now on profiles of grain and yeast and what different temps can do to affect the final outcome.

This is a hobby that is a continual learning process. The results are a great finished product.

Bull

 

[UnderThePorchBrewing]

somewhere between 10 and 15 before I felt comfortable. then another 15 or so to become really comfortable.

 

[KUbrew]

Only talking about the brew day, not talking about yeast washing, fermentation control, etc., it probably took me about 8-10 batches before I felt truly comfortable and I knew I wouldn't have to look at my instruction sheet during the brew day. I recently took about 4 months off and then brewed last weekend with my neighbor because she wanted to learn. It felt good that I didn't mess anything up after not brewing for a while, especially with somebody watching.

 

[passedpawn]

Roughly 10 .

 

[artyboy]

I never really get nervous and I never have. I've always had the attitude after reading a couple of websites and watching a few youtube videos that there's really nothing to it unless you want their to be. I had a Mr Beer kit in my closet for at least a year before my brother insisted on taking it home and using it himself if I wouldn't. I let him have it. After trying the finished product I decided that brewing my own was worth trying so I got a turkey fryer and a partial mash kit. He quit brewing after using that Mr Beer kit and now I've got a pretty decent all grain setup and I'm brewing every weekend. I'm just now getting to the point where my finished product is really good and I can predict how things are going to turn out which is pretty exciting. I still don't worry about messing things up, though. I've messed up a few things pretty horrendously and still haven't ended up with undrinkable beer. I've had some experiments that were close, though! It's only as complicated as you make it. If you screw something up so what? The more you know the better off you are.

 

[GRHunter]

I think it was right around 10 batches that I started to feel pretty comfortable on brew day. Not that I have become an expert, far from it. I still make plenty of mistakes. Early on I thought that everything was going to kill my beer. After about 10 batches I finally realized that just about any mistake short of dropping the glass carboy full of beer, will probably still result in drinkable beer.

 

[Scut_Monkey]

I felt completely comfortable on my first batch. I understood everything and every aspect of brewing.

 

[Cheeto]

2 years, XXXX gallons brewed and I am still unsure of my ability,

I know i can brew beer, most anyone that can make a box of Mac and cheese can do the same...

If it weren't for the people around me and a few imaginary friends on this website, I would have thrown it in by now.

I have brewed 10 gallons for a friends wedding here in 3 weeks. after that I might feel better about my brewing ability. I am very self critical. Practice that is all you can do to get past the uneasiness of what you produce.

 

[Noldar]

I felt completely comfortable on my first batch. I understood everything and every aspect of brewing.

While not quite that confident ... I did do a whole heck of a lot of reading before I started my first batch. I think by my 3rd - 4th beer I had a really nice routine set up that produces good beer.

 

[azscoob]

Scut_Monkey has a rare gift known as "Zen Brewing Sight" this is where at the very instant he brewed his first batch he understood it all, knew every beer related thought EVER since brewing began thousands of years ago, he knows the thoughts of the yeasties in the fermenter, and can feel the hops growing thousands of miles away.
It is a rare gift from the beer gods indeed!

as for me it took like 8 batches to get my brewlegs under me!

 

[Prime]

I don't think it was necessarily a number of batches, but being able to brew a few times in quick succession. In the beginning (only about a year ago), I brewed every couple months if i was lucky, but once I was able to string together 3-5 brews without having to relearn every time it really helped. Of course I am still learning a ton and have something new to try on almost every brew day.

 

[DromJohn]

I became confident after my third brew.
I am still confident after five brews all min-mashes.
This or next weekend I will start my sixth.
Five weeks later I may have to drink my words.

I have to give HomeBrewTalk a lot of the credit for the confidence.

 

[Scut_Monkey]

Scut_Monkey has a rare gift known as "Zen Brewing Sight" this is where at the very instant he brewed his first batch he understood it all, knew every beer related thought EVER since brewing began thousands of years ago, he knows the thoughts of the yeasties in the fermenter, and can feel the hops growing thousands of miles away.
It is a rare gift from the beer gods indeed!

It is a blessing!

 

[Marsdude]

I just put my 8th batch into the carboy. I was fairly confident in my process at this time (extract) - however, I am not totally satisfied. I can make some good beer but, like most here I would believe, I want to make exceptional beer.

So... although I am now confident in my process I want to challenge my self and begin the journey to better beer by learning what small changes (or large - all grain?) I can make to improve.

 

[winstonofbeer]

Been brewing now 2 years.
First batch i made, Infected horribly. Oh wellz...
After that, i started brewing 2-3 times a month and have kept it up for the first year.
This year, Slowed down a bit, But with brewing there is something always new to learn.

I feel if you can make beer and get close to the gravity you shoot for..You have got it made there.

The challenge for me and may always be challenge, Is making a recipe from scratch and when it is done fermenting comes out just the way you want it.
The point where, you KNOW that its damn good beer and you refuse to change anything!

I have had this happen a couple times in 2 years. I have never used a "recipe" done by someone else... May have taken a recipe by someone else and changed a few elements in it and then had that person try it my way.

It may not by grain, It may be something as simple as hops that can change your beer to a completely different taste.
I have always used US-05, So i don't get much flavor from the yeast.
Experimented with Notty once....Blew the airlock off my carboy!!

Longer you brew, The more knowledgeable you get. But i think with brewing there is something always to learn.

 

[Chipman]

Well I keep thinking it'll happen after the next one...

 

[Richabt]

After a few years of on and off brewing, lots of reading, watching others brew, and reading HBT, I still consider myself a novice. Yes there are some beers that I could brew in my sleep and feel confident about. I generally like to try to brew different beers (new to me) which always keeps me learning and opens me up to potential mistakes along the way. It keeps me honest.

 

[Shooter]

I'm a slow learner, so it was probably 100 or so batches before I felt totally comfortable! Of course, part of that is because as I "grew" as a brewer, I stretched my knowledge base.

I think this is a lot of it. I've been brewing for a year and a half now. Every time I try something new I'm always a little nervous if it's going to work. I was nervous when I did my first Mr. Beer batch. I was nervous when I moved to full extract batches. I got comfortable with them and then got nervous when I tried my first stove top partial mash, turned out great. Yesterday I used my new mash tun cooler for the first time on only my second all grain batch. I was worried I wouldn't hit the temp, but I came to within a degree. Then I started worrying it wouldn't convert. Pre-boil gravity was spot on. Then I was worried I didn't boil off enough. Volume and post boil gravity were also perfect...I have NO idea what I was so worried about!

 

[Homercidal]

Probably about 10 batches before I stopped worrying about how bad I mess up.

I am with Yooper. I started on extract, and worked on chilling, transfering procedures, adn stuff, then switched to AG. Then had to worry about volumes and temps. Beersmith helped a lot.

Now it's more about being prepared ahead of time and having a good recipe. The actual brewing goes pretty easy. Being prepared simply reduced the frustration when I realize I forgot to clean this, or have to run to the house to find something I forgot to grab.

Still, there is a thrill when tasting each batch yet. I don't brew enough, nor brew enough of the same stuff, to feel confident that I can reproduce a recipe exactly each time.

Right now there is a Saison in primary that I really need to check FG on, and a batch of Wit that might also be done. My first Saison, and I hope the temp was high enough. The Wit I've done before, and worry the temps might have been too high. I'm not worried that they won't turn out "ok", but I know I could have done better.