Procedures Checklist for Successful AG Brewing

[JuanMoore]

- I'm not the one who said vorlauf makes clearer wort, that was the OP.

But you did say that vorlaufing isn't neccesary, and alluded that it was an old wives tale. I think you'll find very few people here who like the harsh tannin taste of boiled barley husks, but if you do, then by all means keep skipping doing a vorlauf.

 

[milholen]

I beg to differ. In my experience (I have a lot more than you) the attention to detail is what makes better beers. That is: understanding the process, hitting your temperatures, cleanliness and sanitization, Vorlaufing, longer boils to coagulate the protiens etc., I could go on and on. Developing good habits while brewing and having a plan or checklist so once you get a recipe nailed to repeat it. Thats what makes great beer!

This is the core reason for my post and the checklist I came up with. After listening to a lot of great brewers I've come to the conclusion that the details matter. Details in procedure, ingredients, and equipment are all important. For example, I listened to a brew cast where Jamil Z interviewed the head brewer at Firestone Walker -- it was amazing to hear him talk about the minute intricacies of his hop regime, mash schedule, and so forth. He really went into great detail about his processes and the brewing science behind it.

I'm convinced that the difference between good beer and great beer is attention to detail.

Another thing I've learned is that I don't have to learn it myself. If I ask someone experienced, or do the research, I can avoid making the same mistakes that others have made in the past. Most likely, whatever problem I'm going to run into has been dealt with by someone already. In most cases, the generally accepted method is the best method. That's why we have wikis and a forum -- so that less experienced brewers can learn from more experienced brewers. Collectively, we can all brew better beer when we learn from the past experiences of others.