I have been around a while..brewed a bunch of what I consider good beers...some not so good. I am doing all grain...wash and save yeast..have a 3 tier gravity system...have good temp control ( well semi good) what is the next step to improving my brewing? I REALLY like this hobby but feel like I am just replicating what everyone else is doing...meaning I basically brew other peoples ideas and recipes. What should I delve into next that will educate me more on brewing my own beers?
Ok what is my next step?
- Thread starter OHIOSTEVE
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GrogNerd
mean old man
brewing the beer YOU like to drink and think is good is the end-game, if that's all you want. nothing left but to keep brewing
if you want to keep getting better, then I think you would have to brew what OTHER people like and think is good
competition will keep you learning
if you want to keep getting better, then I think you would have to brew what OTHER people like and think is good
competition will keep you learning
dbrewski
Well-Known Member
A couple of books that focus on beer styles can be helpful. And can stimulate you to try some different beers than you might normally.
Designing Great Beers
Brewing Classic Styles
Designing Great Beers
Brewing Classic Styles
WoodlandBrew
Well-Known Member
Pick up a copy of "Designing Great Beers" By Ray Daniels. This will open up the doors to designing your own recipes from scratch. Also this blog post is a quick read on cloning beers:
http://woodlandbrew.blogspot.com/2012/10/how-to-make-beer-recipie-clone.html
http://woodlandbrew.blogspot.com/2012/10/how-to-make-beer-recipie-clone.html
J187
Well-Known Member
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Steve, I think you said it yourself. Stop brewing other people's recipes. Work backwards from the numbers and use your knowledge and research of the style. Start with BJCP and get the gravity, color, and bitterness. Use taste notes, and go to work. Work with several different grains to create complexity.
Ogri
Well-Known Member
Just an impulsive, and probably rather dumb now that I think about it, thought to contribute to your thread
How's about taking a couple of your favourite craft brews and trying to replicate them without consulting a clone, or otherwise, recipe. Just consider and decide what your grain bills, which yeasts to use, hopping schedules and fermentations are going to be and see how close you get to the brew you're trying to reproduce. Could then try little tweaks on future brews to see what brings them even closer to the original objective.
How's about taking a couple of your favourite craft brews and trying to replicate them without consulting a clone, or otherwise, recipe. Just consider and decide what your grain bills, which yeasts to use, hopping schedules and fermentations are going to be and see how close you get to the brew you're trying to reproduce. Could then try little tweaks on future brews to see what brings them even closer to the original objective.
OHIOSTEVE
Well-Known Member
I thought about that, I honestly would have no idea where to start.
inhousebrew
Well-Known Member
Yeah, before you start cloning beers on your own you need to get down and dirty with learning the ingredients. Designing Great Beers is a great place to start. I read it a year ago and now only brew my own recipes and am still learning constantly.
Pick up that book, read through it. The first half is very technical so I skimmed what i found interesting while avoiding other things like color and water although at some point I may go back to water. The second half is where it's at though, breaking down styles by historic brews vs. commercial examples vs. homebrew competition beers that did well. Handy charts outlining which grains work well in combination and in what percentages with what hops and what yeast.
I'd also say that if you don't have some already you should buy some good brewing software to help you along the process
Pick up that book, read through it. The first half is very technical so I skimmed what i found interesting while avoiding other things like color and water although at some point I may go back to water. The second half is where it's at though, breaking down styles by historic brews vs. commercial examples vs. homebrew competition beers that did well. Handy charts outlining which grains work well in combination and in what percentages with what hops and what yeast.
I'd also say that if you don't have some already you should buy some good brewing software to help you along the process
I would say start with a recipe you know and like and tweak it to make it your own. Find out how it changed and if you like it. It doesn't sound glamorous, but you learn a lot.
Ogri
Well-Known Member
Again, just empty thoughts on my part, but have you done any SMaSH brews??
I'm contemplating my first attempts into BIAB and it seems, to me, that doing SMaSH would be a great way to learn the different properties of the base grains in combination with hops. Do a bunch of small volume batches, probably do 2 & a 1/2 gallon ones to use my old Mr. Beer LBKs, so as to get as much experience and info/feel for the ingredients as possible in as short a time as possible. Then start including specialty grains.
I've just ordered some Marris Otter, some fuggles and east Kent goldings to use, with some crystal 70 I've got kicking around, in an attempt to try to get something close to Old Crafty Hen.
I'm contemplating my first attempts into BIAB and it seems, to me, that doing SMaSH would be a great way to learn the different properties of the base grains in combination with hops. Do a bunch of small volume batches, probably do 2 & a 1/2 gallon ones to use my old Mr. Beer LBKs, so as to get as much experience and info/feel for the ingredients as possible in as short a time as possible. Then start including specialty grains.
I've just ordered some Marris Otter, some fuggles and east Kent goldings to use, with some crystal 70 I've got kicking around, in an attempt to try to get something close to Old Crafty Hen.
jonnyp1980
Well-Known Member
Learn the basic recipes for the styles of beer you like. Then add or subtract from that. Add more hops here, more crystal there. Nope too much hops subtract some..its fun and a beautiful craft..in the end there is a basic recipe for each beer you can do whatever you want to it and make it your biotch...i mean your own. skys the limit..its science, trial and error. Have fun!!! Create..now go.
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