purechaos
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thats how i did it :rockin:
Was Alton Brown Right? Good Eats
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thats how i did it :rockin:
iammatt
Well-Known Member
I just don't understand all the hate towards the episode. It's a mildly educational TV show on FOOD network. The jest of brewing is simplified, shown, and executed. Sure it's not done by the "correct serious business brewing procedure" but for an entertaining Cooking show on Food Network you're not going to get better, or the average "Joe/Jill Sixpack" wouldn't watch.
So with that being said, we all have one mission: to make beer, brew on!
So with that being said, we all have one mission: to make beer, brew on!
Ceedubya
Well-Known Member
I would have drank that beer...... and enjoyed it
ColbyPants
Active Member
I would have drank that beer...... and enjoyed it
Exactly. And this is exactly the thing that got me into home brewing in the first place. Watched this episode, got the bug, did some online searching and away I went.
gointomexico
Well-Known Member
I think you could make great beer like this. I liked this show because he showed that beer isn't hard to make. I don't think he did anything wrong, but I wouldn't boiled my grain. I'm assuming so long as his PH of the wort was over 5, he wouldn't extract tannins, or something like that. Shoot, grain bags are cheap, and he already had a strainer, just fish them out.
Oxygenation of wort isn't strictly necessary when your OG is under 1.060. WPL says you don't need to use a starter with 5 gal of beer, because the WPL vial (which I'm guessing is what he used) has over 1 billion active cells. Also, under pitching provides more ester production, which is usually desired in an ale beer.
Oxygenation of wort isn't strictly necessary when your OG is under 1.060. WPL says you don't need to use a starter with 5 gal of beer, because the WPL vial (which I'm guessing is what he used) has over 1 billion active cells. Also, under pitching provides more ester production, which is usually desired in an ale beer.
Ceedubya
Well-Known Member
I re-watched the entire episode since it was posted here, and was planning on putting together a whole pro vs cons list, but thought that would be a bit much sooooo...
Cons: made several mistakes, but nothing worse than I have seen or heard from some others.
Pros: Got many people excited about homebrewing (I think I counted 3 on this thread alone).
all in all, I'd say thats a win.
Could you teach someone to brew your way in 20 minutes? I didn't think so
Cons: made several mistakes, but nothing worse than I have seen or heard from some others.
Pros: Got many people excited about homebrewing (I think I counted 3 on this thread alone).
all in all, I'd say thats a win.
Could you teach someone to brew your way in 20 minutes? I didn't think so
I think what concerns people is that by showing Joe Sixpack some simple yet flawed method to make off-flavored beer, it has the potential to turn people off to the hobby and to reinforce the prevailing stereotype that homebrew tastes like crap. (By the way, fusel hooch also apparently makes you exhale with a loud "AHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!" after taking a long pull, as evidenced by the Craigtube videos.)
Instead for the rest of his life, he has to listen to Mrs. Sixpack laugh at him in front of their friends (this part is best imagined with a New Jersey accent), "Oh! And let me tell you about the time Joe here tried to make 'beer.' Isn't that what you called it honey? Beer, Ha! He saw this video on the food network and suddenly he's Emeril Lagasse..."
But you're right, there's only so much they could do in a 20 minute episode. If it got more people interested in the hobby, maybe it's not as bad as everyone thinks.
Instead for the rest of his life, he has to listen to Mrs. Sixpack laugh at him in front of their friends (this part is best imagined with a New Jersey accent), "Oh! And let me tell you about the time Joe here tried to make 'beer.' Isn't that what you called it honey? Beer, Ha! He saw this video on the food network and suddenly he's Emeril Lagasse..."
But you're right, there's only so much they could do in a 20 minute episode. If it got more people interested in the hobby, maybe it's not as bad as everyone thinks.
I bet his was still better than anything I ever made with a Mr. Beer kit. Best result I ever got from one of those was a carbonated bottle of high fusel water. Made for interesting belches, but that was about it. AB's beer looked good to me.
MrShake
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Your entire argument is flawed!! Alton's recpie will not produce "Off Flavored" beer... in fact, it produces a very drinkable, easy to make beer. So, why would Mr Sixpack not like it?
Yes, my argument is horribly flawed. How do I possibly live with my bad self?
Silly me for thinking it is foolish to advocate people boil their grains for all that yummy, yummy tannin extraction.
davesrose
Well-Known Member
Here we go with the flames again Meh....obviously you're not going to get award winning beer if you follow this episode's tips for some generic ale. But, hey, I've seen a lot worst from intro kits. In fact, my first beer kit was some non-descript "dark ale" kit that looking back, was probably even worst then what this would produce.
Sure, I do all grain and have a much better system then what this episode suggested.....but the truth is you're not going to get terrible beer (it's still going to be better then some comercial beers). About the only thing that made me wince was when AB left his specialty grains in when doing the hop boil. For those few people that watch his show, and then want to actually try brewing, they'll then learn about the better methods of brewing through experience.
Meh....obviously you're not going to get award winning beer if you follow this episode's tips for some generic ale. But, hey, I've seen a lot worst from intro kits. In fact, my first beer kit was some non-descript "dark ale" kit that looking back, was probably even worst then what this would produce.Sure, I do all grain and have a much better system then what this episode suggested.....but the truth is you're not going to get terrible beer (it's still going to be better then some comercial beers). About the only thing that made me wince was when AB left his specialty grains in when doing the hop boil. For those few people that watch his show, and then want to actually try brewing, they'll then learn about the better methods of brewing through experience.
conpewter
Well-Known Member
Didn't he do a shorter boil as well? At least that might limit the amount of tannins extracted. Also with all the sugar etc, it may have had a low enough PH that also limited the tannin extraction (see decoction mashing...) Still not something I'd advocate, and I winced when he did it, but.... maybe not as bad as we think.
SpanishCastleAle
Well-Known Member
I finally watched it. True there are lots of errors but I agree he made beer that was prob fine. Other than boiling the grains and the ice, the thing that made me 'wince' (exaggeration) was that he immediately put the water-filled airlock on a fermenting bucket full of 87* F wort. Recipe for suck-back in many cases.
It also looked like his method of adding the LME could potentially cause some scorching. IIRC he just poured it in without stirring while on high heat.
lol bacteria puppets.
It also looked like his method of adding the LME could potentially cause some scorching. IIRC he just poured it in without stirring while on high heat.
lol bacteria puppets.
giligson
Well-Known Member
Most of the "hate" about this episode is that he didn't consult one of us.
Seriously though there are a couple of simple snippets of information that could have been easily changed to more likely produce better results.
Seriously though there are a couple of simple snippets of information that could have been easily changed to more likely produce better results.
craigd
Well-Known Member
Out of curiosity, anybody here make it exactly as he suggests and do a tasting? Lots of discussion of what it "will" produce but how bad is it? Real question - not a flame...
There was a post on another forum I saw a while back where someone tried to replicate his recipe. In the end, the guy ended up changing it quite a bit and justifying how it was still an accurate representation of AB's beer. I don't think a true test has been done. Hmmmmm, I'm still pretty much a noob, but maybe I'll consider it. Not like he's doing anything requiring any specialized equipment...
davesrose
Well-Known Member
It might be interesting to follow these directions to see how drinkable the beer is. I don't think the methodology is that bad....if I were to complain, I think it's more the science that he tries to cover. After watching the episode again, I'd say the main things he confuses is with mashing. Specialty grains he says he tries to keep at 155 for 30 mins to mash....even though when you really mash, you then sparge the wort out to boil. Then once he pours his malt extract, he cautions about boil over "because there's a lot of starches".....most of what he's using are already mashed extracts....so this whole thing about enzymes is not really pertaining to his extract recipe.
Edcculus
Well-Known Member
I was contemplating following his instructions exactly, just to see what would happen. The only thing I'd change is that I'd use Starsan, and not shove everything into my fermentation bucket. Thats just a recipe for scratches in my bucket.
MrShake
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Yes, my argument is horribly flawed. How do I possibly live with my bad self?
Silly me for thinking it is foolish to advocate people boil their grains for all that yummy, yummy tannin extraction.
Which may or may not happen at all, or even at detectable levels... leave it alone man and stop the hating.
chefmike
Well-Known Member
Wow... the idea has been presented that maybe somebody could try and follow the instructions and see what happens instead of running around thumping the keyboard screaming about how wrong it all is?!
I predict that someone will try it and it will work just fine, making decent beer. Then the thread will continue with people saying it will never work and cannot possible make beer.
At least, that is how it has gone in a few other threads.
And much as this is a good starting point for exploring brewing, I find AB's show to be a great resource of cooking techniques and tips that will fuel an appetite for more advanced applications.
He teaches solid technique with achievable results that are accessible to a beginner. Will an experienced chef, cook or brewer disagree with aspects of the show? Of course! More than anything, I think the show is hysterical. I appreciate his humor immensely.
I predict that someone will try it and it will work just fine, making decent beer. Then the thread will continue with people saying it will never work and cannot possible make beer.
At least, that is how it has gone in a few other threads.
And much as this is a good starting point for exploring brewing, I find AB's show to be a great resource of cooking techniques and tips that will fuel an appetite for more advanced applications.
He teaches solid technique with achievable results that are accessible to a beginner. Will an experienced chef, cook or brewer disagree with aspects of the show? Of course! More than anything, I think the show is hysterical. I appreciate his humor immensely.
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