what beer style do you most consistently make good

[libeerty]

IPA's are one of those beers that must be enjoyed FRESH! They almost taste better when they are still green due to the hop aroma fade over time. There are very few commercial IPA's that are as tasty as a homebrewed IPA.

I agree. There are definitely a few, but it is very difficult for an IPA to get to me super fresh, unless it is something like a Stone Sell By where I buy it the day it arrives at the store. Otherwise, I'm buying a bomber or 6-pack that is at least a few weeks old.

 

[Braufessor]

It is almost impossible to screw up a Stout or an IPA if you have any clue, therefor I would say that those come out the most consistent for me.

Honestly, this was the last beer I "mastered." I brewed mediocre - bad IPA's for well over a decade. basically gave up making them for the most part. Would come back now and again to take a shot at one, and make another crappy beer. My other beers were all good - but not my pale ales and IPA's. It was not until I started reading about water that I realized the problem. Got a Wards test, 270 Bicarbonate and water softener was causing all my problems. My beer went from decent/good to great the second I started paying attention to my water, using RO water and mixing it with my regular, hard tap water and mineral additions. IPA's are now some of my very best beers..... it was just the water for over a decade.

 

[daksin]

English bitters- I love my OB and wish I had some on tap right now.

 

[branCHEs]

Honestly, this was the last beer I "mastered." I brewed mediocre - bad IPA's for well over a decade. basically gave up making them for the most part. Would come back now and again to take a shot at one, and make another crappy beer. My other beers were all good - but not my pale ales and IPA's. It was not until I started reading about water that I realized the problem. Got a Wards test, 270 Bicarbonate and water softener was causing all my problems. My beer went from decent/good to great the second I started paying attention to my water, using RO water and mixing it with my regular, hard tap water and mineral additions. IPA's are now some of my very best beers..... it was just the water for over a decade.

Can you tell me more about water, or me in the direction of a thread/website that has a bunch of information about water? I had no idea that water had that much to do with beer. It makes sense though. I'd like to know more!

 

[cluckk]

Can you tell me more about water, or me in the direction of a thread/website that has a bunch of information about water? I had no idea that water had that much to do with beer. It makes sense though. I'd like to know more!

One place to start looking is [ame="http://youtu.be/zJj__jEkFUE"]John Palmer's Youtube video[/ame].

The book Brewing Better Beer has a great section on water as well.

I've had a similar problem in that our water has bicarbonate of 212 and a ph of 8.5. Learning to pay attention to mash ph helped my beers greatly.

 

[MVKTR2]

Honestly, this was the last beer I "mastered." I brewed mediocre - bad IPA's for well over a decade. basically gave up making them for the most part. Would come back now and again to take a shot at one, and make another crappy beer. My other beers were all good - but not my pale ales and IPA's. It was not until I started reading about water that I realized the problem. Got a Wards test, 270 Bicarbonate and water softener was causing all my problems. My beer went from decent/good to great the second I started paying attention to my water, using RO water and mixing it with my regular, hard tap water and mineral additions. IPA's are now some of my very best beers..... it was just the water for over a decade.

Bet you made some awesome stouts with it though!

 

[adiochiro3]

So far, my chocolate stout & Irish Ale recipes are spot on. I need to move toward the lighter side for the spring and summer.

 

[bellmtbbq]

Sours and IPAs. Honestly I think making a solid-good IPA isn't that difficult- if you buy some nice hops and use a simple malt bill, you can't screw it up. Making a great IPA, however, I think is very difficult.

 

[Braufessor]

Bet you made some awesome stouts with it though!

Yes I did!

Water resources - I started, really, with Palmer's book "how to brew" - chapter 15. It is on-line, if you don't have it, but worth buying for sure.

From there, I listened to podcasts:

Brewing Network - Brew strong:
April-may, 2009 - water Parts 1/2/3/4 VERY good!
Feb. 6 2011 hops and water

Basic Brewing Radio - July 12, 2007 water alkalinity

From there, Bru'n Water - water addition program with water/brewing explanation.

Google it and you should easily find all of it, if not, let me know and I can dig up links.

Water can make a huge difference...... especially if you have highly alkaline water.

 

[Gerhard]

Belgian Strong Ales/Quadrupple.