What Is The One Aspect of Brewing That Is Least Important to Brewing a Good Beer? (In Your Opinion)

[DrDance]

Hi all!
I always like reading about brewing and different techniques/ ideas.
I had a question for the HB Forum crowd.
If you had to give up control of one (only one) aspect of the brewing process, what would it be?
ie: ability to control the quality and pH of your water [emoji97]? The ability to control the temperature of your fermentation? The ability to whirlpool or sparge? The ability to control the temp or your mash?
What would you give up, but feel you’d still be able to make good beer?
Interested in what people find least or, conversely, most important in their brewing process.

 

[Tobor_8thMan]

Good question. Based on my brewing within the past 2 years (I've been a homebrewer since 1995. Thought I made good beer, but I now realize I didn't know sh*t), nothing. I've learned a lot and I now brew da*n good beer. So, I'd give up nothing. Anyone in the Northern Virginia area is welcome to visit, have a few of my homemade beers and talk beer.

 

[day_trippr]

Most important is easy: temperature controlled fermentation.
Important: everything listed in the first post. Would not skip anything on that list.
Least important? I dunno, base grain selection, maybe? I know I've switched base grains on lots of ale recipes with little obvious difference...

Cheers!

 

[deadwolfbones]

Precisely measuring ingredients. Being in the ballpark is important, but having exactly 1lb of Vienna or whatever isn't. Precise mash temp isn't everything, either.

 

[bracconiere]

If you had to give up control of one (only one) aspect of the brewing process, what would it be?

that's easy! i already did it long ago....

"giving a f*ck" lol

 

[bruce_the_loon]

Precisely measuring ingredients. Being in the ballpark is important, but having exactly 1lb of Vienna or whatever isn't. Precise mash temp isn't everything, either.

Exactly my thoughts, except chocolate or other very dark malts. Precision with those its mandatory.

 

[seatazzz]

Complete sanitation of anything pre-boil. I just used a slightly sticky spoon to stir my strike water, and not one f*ck was given.

 

[mongoose33]

Probably making a starter. Chris White of White Labs said at a workshop he'd just pitch a tube of yeast, no starter, that he thinks homebrewers are a little over-concerned about pitch rates and that it would be fine.

I've done it [gasp!] a couple of times, and the result has been terrific. So if I had to....no starter.

EDIT: Not for lagers fermented at cold temps, just for ales.

 

[kh54s10]

Exactly my thoughts, except chocolate or other very dark malts. Precision with those its mandatory.

Even here precision is not mandatory, it is the degree of precision. 10 percent precision of 10 pounds of base grain is 1 pound. For a number for the dark malts lets say one pound. A 10 percent precision would be .1 pound. If you are off equally percentage - wise there would be little difference in the final product.

Of the things mentioned so far sparging would be in the running. You can always use a little more grain and go with no sparge.

Possibly the starter, though I am not totally on board with that unless you get your yeast at the lab that packaged it on the same day it was packaged.... You never now what conditions the yeast went through on its way to you.

 

[BrewnWKopperKat]

If you had to give up control of one (only one) aspect of the brewing process, what would it be? ... What would you give up, but feel you’d still be able to make good beer?

Recipe software (especially IBUs estimated to two decimal places )

 

[RPh_Guy]

Efficiency.

 

[Bassman2003]

Probably making a starter. Chris White of White Labs said at a workshop he'd just pitch a tube of yeast, no starter, that he thinks homebrewers are a little over-concerned about pitch rates and that it would be fine.

I've done it [gasp!] a couple of times, and the result has been terrific. So if I had to....no starter.

I am also a little suspect of this topic and Chris White. He is a businessman and likes to sell yeast. So he has always dodged this question. I very rarely have gotten "fresh" yeast at my LHBS from White Labs. It is always 2-3 months old for some reason. When we can get yeast on demand or they up their supply chain game I will direct pitch!

As to what is low on the list of importance - mash temps are very forgiving imho. If you had to live with 150f or 152f only you could make great beer for most every style.

 

[shoengine]

I agree with pitch rates. It probably is quite important and I'm a tool, but those yeast seem to be a lot more capable, hardy buggers than we give them credit for.

With that said, I'll probably continue to make starters, but I'm going to glop some DME into a pot, cook it, pitch my yeast and say "close enough" .

Oh shoot, that was a lager...

 

[Jtvann]

Efficiency.

I'll agree here. Too many people caught up in chasing the ever elusive efficiency point. I'd rather have repeatable low efficiency that random high efficiency.

If I had to have one thing in my process to give up or stop caring about, it might be sparge water temp. Not sure it matters if you use 170 degree water or straight tap water. I helped a friend brew who didn't have nearly the gear to fly sparge with, but he wanted to. I basically just stretched a water hose over his mash tun and let it trickle in. It worked and the beer was good.

 

[mongoose33]

I am also a little suspect of this topic and Chris White. He is a businessman and likes to sell yeast. So he has always dodged this question. I very rarely have gotten "fresh" yeast at my LHBS from White Labs. It is always 2-3 months old for some reason. When we can get yeast on demand or they up their supply chain game I will direct pitch!

As to what is low on the list of importance - mash temps are very forgiving imho. If you had to live with 150f or 152f only you could make great beer for most every style.

In fairness, he also indicated if the yeast were old or suspect, he'd do a starter. I'm still diddling with how much I should do this direct pitch thing, with ales I'll probably try a few more of these.

 

[CascadesBrewer]

Precise mash temp isn't everything, either.

This is something I have learned. I have played around enough with mash temps that I chuckle inside now when my brew buddies talk about the difference between a 152F and a 154F beer. My 2.5 gal BIAB batches (wrapped in a few blankets) will drop ~4F over the hour and the beers turn out as expected.

Probably making a starter. Chris White of White Labs said at a workshop he'd just pitch a tube of yeast, no starter, that he thinks homebrewers are a little over-concerned about pitch rates and that it would be fine.

I have not figured out my current thoughts on this. There was a time many years ago when making starters WAS a noticeable step forward with the quality of my beers. These days it does seem yeast quality has improved and direct pitches of White Labs and Wyeast packs makes good beer. I generally plan on making a starter and aerating my wort...even if some batches indicate they are not as critical of steps as I once thought.

 

[kevin58]

Brewing to style. Style guidelines horribly handcuff new, and some experienced homebrewers.

 

[mongoose33]

Brewing to style. Style guidelines horribly handcuff new, and some experienced homebrewers.

When I stopped worrying about hitting a style exactly, and started being more concerned with how my beer tastes, quality improved. Style guidelines have a certain amount of leeway anyway.

 

[Bilsch]

Probably making a starter. Chris White of White Labs said at a workshop he'd just pitch a tube of yeast, no starter, that he thinks homebrewers are a little over-concerned about pitch rates and that it would be fine.

I've done it [gasp!] a couple of times, and the result has been terrific. So if I had to....no starter.

Even with a cold fermented lager?

 

[Smellyglove]

Brewing to style. Style guidelines horribly handcuff new, and some experienced homebrewers.

Does this count, regarding to the topic?

Then I could say "I missed by OG by 1 point", beer still tasted good. I believe OP is more after process than vital data targets.

 

[Smellyglove]

Probably making a starter. Chris White of White Labs said at a workshop he'd just pitch a tube of yeast, no starter, that he thinks homebrewers are a little over-concerned about pitch rates and that it would be fine.

I've done it [gasp!] a couple of times, and the result has been terrific. So if I had to....no starter.

He's selling this stuff, of course he says he pitches a vial and let it rip. The question is if the yeast is healthy and has sufficient count. Would you pitch a way old pack of yeast? Then measure taste parameters, not just FG? Those viability numbers WL posted can't be true btw. If it's six months old it's extremely slow, even though they say that the "new" pack maintains viability. Toss it on a stir plate and see how slow it performs. Even a three months old pack is often slower than the vials.

 

[mongoose33]

He's selling this stuff, of course he says he pitches a vial and let it rip. The question is if the yeast is healthy and has sufficient count. Would you pitch a way old pack of yeast? Then measure taste parameters, not just FG? Those viability numbers WL posted can't be true btw. If it's six months old it's extremely slow, even though they say that the "new" pack maintains viability. Toss it on a stir plate and see how slow it performs. Even a three months old pack is often slower than the vials.

From post #15:

In fairness, he also indicated if the yeast were old or suspect, he'd do a starter. I'm still diddling with how much I should do this direct pitch thing, with ales I'll probably try a few more of these.

 

[mongoose33]

Even with a cold fermented lager?

No, I make a starter with those. But I don't overbuild it, just a 1-liter starter, then I pitch that starter while active (no crashing, no decanting) at 70 or 72 degrees, hold temps there for about 6 hours, then take down to 50 degrees.

So I'm already breaking a bunch of rules there....

 

[Bilsch]

As they say.. if it works for you.

 

[El Nino]

transfering from primary to secondary, i mean what's the point.

even when making fruit beers i don't bother with a secondary. got awesome beers every time

and cold crashing. if you want clear beer just stick your bottles in the fridge for a week then pour slow

 

[histo320]

As I have been brewing for several years I often skip at least one so called essential step every brew.

#1. Making a yeast starter. This used to be an essential step but recently I've been getting yeast that's only a few weeks old. However if I get a yeast shipped to me then I typically use a starter.

#2. Cold crash. Me and the people who drink my beer could care less about clarity. The only cold crash i do is after I keg. Now if it's for a competition or I want it clear then I typically use whirlfloc along with a cold crash.

#3. Sparge temp. I will always heat my batch sparge water but if it's 140F or 180F I don't give a flying goose.

#4. Fermentation temperature. I always stay withing guidelines and typically on the low side but I've had temps go out of control and all was good.

#5. Having to drink on brew day. Sometimes this step was the key failure in my beers. Getting blitzed before the boil typically leads to unnecessary headbanging (I listen to metal on brew day) and missed hop additions and key steps. Now don't open a beer until the boil.

 

[bob1852]

LODO on the hot side...

 

[JimRausch]

Least important? Brand of malt

 

[mongoose33]

As they say.. if it works for you.

That's the weird thing. It does work for me. I've had others try the results, and I keep doing it this way.

It's caused me to wonder and question some of the assumptions about yeast and the conventional wisdom.

 

[govner1]

Good question. Based on my brewing within the past 2 years (I've been a homebrewer since 1995. Thought I made good beer, but I now realize I didn't know sh*t), nothing. I've learned a lot and I now brew da*n good beer. So, I'd give up nothing. Anyone in the Northern Virginia area is welcome to visit, have a few of my homemade beers and talk beer.

^^^^This! Skipping steps to “save” time is a formula for failure.
You might get away with occasionally overlooking a step like whirlpool or the occasional hop addition at the wrong time but mash temp, boil volume, ferm temp are all parameters that you need to fine tune with your system for consistency.
Also yeast starters, oxygenation, and overall yeast health will reward you with better beer.
If nothing else, developing a consistent process for your system and monitoring each step ( preboil sg, posts boil sg, oxygenation, pitch temp etc are all key steps to monitor).
Above all else, at the beginning of your brew day cleaning and sanitation of your equipment is vital followed by thorough cleaning post brew is vital.

 

[Bilsch]

LODO on the hot side...

After doing that for a while, you determined it wasn't worth the effort and decided to give it up?

 

[eric19312]

Intensity of the boil. Really doesn’t seem to matter. Low simmer is fine, no need for hard rolling boil.

 

[Gameface]

I agree with pitch rates. It probably is quite important and I'm a tool, but those yeast seem to be a lot more capable, hardy buggers than we give them credit for.

With that said, I'll probably continue to make starters, but I'm going to glop some DME into a pot, cook it, pitch my yeast and say "close enough" .

Oh shoot, that was a lager...

I recently went from 10 gallon batches to 15 gallon and I was already making 4L starters. Getting a flask larger than 5L seems impractical, so I've continued just making 4L starters. I'm probably still overdoing it for the beers I make, mostly around 6%abv.

 

[dmtaylor]

Farting around with water.

Seriously, just get the chlorine out, make sure it doesn't taste like metal, and unless your alkalinity is sky high, you're good to go.

 

[FatDragon]

Recipe design.

Of course, there are plenty of steps that are more dispensable than recipe design, but many brewers are far too focused on recipes. An award winning recipe brewed poorly won't come close in quality to a simple SMaSH brewed well.

 

[bob1852]

After doing that for a while, you determined it wasn't worth the effort and decided to give it up?

That wasn't the question...

 

[Bilsch]

That wasn't the question...

"What would you give up, but feel you’d still be able to make good beer?"

 

[bob1852]

"What would you give up, but feel you’d still be able to make good beer?"

LODO on the hot side...

 

[CWood]

Water manipulations. LODO extremism.

 

[kevin58]

Does this count, regarding to the topic?

Then I could say "I missed by OG by 1 point", beer still tasted good. I believe OP is more after process than vital data targets.

OP thread title says "one aspect" not one process, not one piece of equipment, one ingredient etc. They are all aspects of brewing. Including my contribution.