What's your brewing focus-technical or artistic?

[corkybstewart]

When you brew your beer do you focus on the technical side-hitting all the numbers, strict temperature control, precise measurements, etc, or do you just come up with an idea, brew it and see what you get?
I'm definitely not on the technical side. I don't measure water volumes precisely, I just know that for x amount of grain I need roughly y amount of water. I use a scoop for grain that holds around 2 pounds, depending on the grain(rye and wheat are denser so I get about 2.2 pounds per scoop). I weigh my hops on a digital scale, but then I throw another handful in to account for aging. I formulate my recipes ahead of time on Promash, but when it comes time to brew I freely make substitutions. About the only thing I stress over are mash and fermentation temps, these I do strictly control.

 

[Reno_eNVy]

Being in the sciences and having worked in labs I can say that I definitely get technical. When I write recipes I pay attention to and record OG, IBUs, IBU:GU ratio, color, qt/lb thickness of mash, water profile and salt adjustments, mash pH, etc, etc.

I don't feel like I could ever wing-it... I would be far to anxious the entire time. And if I were like many people on here and didn't take original gravity readings I would not be thrilled.

 

[Revvy]

This topic's much more fun when you phrase it like THIS.

 

[Reno_eNVy]

This topic's much more fun when you phrase it like THIS.

Oh but when you word it like that my answer completely changes. I'm technical, yes, but in my own little microcosm of numbers and precision I'm very relaxed and comfortable.

 

[gstrawn]

Being very science oriented academically, it's odd that I have followed my cooking route and am very free flow with my brewing. However I find myself becoming more and more technical as I make mistakes. I imagine in 10 years I'll be about as technical as they come. I really just try to have a balance of both. I think both approaches are necessary

 

[corkybstewart]

This topic's much more fun when you phrase it like THIS.

Not at all. No offense but I really don't have any idea about those people's brewing philosophies. Papazian may be more artistic than technical but I really don't know. Palmer's probably very technical but having never really read any of his stuff I just have to assume that from the way everybody else quotes his work.

 

[eanmcnulty]

I am usually trying to brew something specific, but my problem is that I'm just not that accurate. So I try to be scientific, but I end up being off what I intended, and I can't figure out why. It's beer, and it's good. I just don't know how it got that way!

 

[Mermaid]

A combination of both.
I enjoy the technical aspect of it, keeping decent notes so that if I do make a mistake I don't repeat it the next time I brew. Also, as I really start to get into all-grain brewing, I learn what works and what doesn't (recipe experimentation).

I really enjoy the artistic side. This is why I tweak recipes, try new yeast strains, fiddle with fermentation temps, and not get too caught up in always following the "rules". One of the first brewing books I read was "Brew Like a Monk". I love the Belgian approach, which seems to emphasize creativity /experimentation.

This makes the brewing process really "fun" to me.

 

[corkybstewart]

I guess my psuedo-science background influenced my brewing style. I'm a geologist and we get to make up our own facts because when what I'm trying to decipher today was created, there was nobody around to observe it.
Mermaid, I'm with you on the fun aspect. If I felt constrained by rules and measurements imposed by a nebulous group of people it wouldn't be much fun. I suck at music(except for the stereo), can't write or paint so brewing is my only true creative expression.

 

[beergolf]

A combination of both.
I enjoy the technical aspect of it, keeping decent notes so that if I do make a mistake I don't repeat it the next time I brew. Also, as I really start to get into all-grain brewing, I learn what works and what doesn't (recipe experimentation).

I really enjoy the artistic side. This is why I tweak recipes, try new yeast strains, fiddle with fermentation temps, and not get too caught up in always following the "rules". One of the first brewing books I read was "Brew Like a Monk". I love the Belgian approach, which seems to emphasize creativity /experimentation.

This makes the brewing process really "fun" to me.

Are you my twin brother? Sounds exactly like me. I do keep good notes but also like to experiment. Just like my cooking. You get a good feel for what works and tweak from there.

Brew Like a Monk is one of my favorite books. I love Belgian beers and brew them often.

 

[yorkbrew]

I tend to brew more on the technical side but I don't like to go overboard with the measurements. Usually I do the bare minimum to make a consistent brew. When I'm troubleshooting I'll go nuts and record EVERYTHING. For me taking too many measurements takes some of the fun out of brewing. I kinda like the hurry up and wait side of brew day.

 

[jmprdood]

I think my style would be labeled more "autistic"...

 

[unionrdr]

Brewing is more of a zen thing for me. I just sorta know what'll work for whatever style I'm going after. I study up on it,& my subconscious takes over like a ram disc. Then it comes into my conscious mind & I do it. That's the art of it for me. I measure everything,& all that to be precise,& keep good notes. But it's all in my head beyond that.

 

[Aschecte]

Well I'm scientifically creative. If that makes any sense. I do my best to learn from a technical standpoint so I know how water chemistry effects the grain but I will also combine a classic regional style and add another cultures influence on it or use a yeast that will alter the flavor. I also carefully monitor ferm temps though not always follow the recommended range.

Sent from my iPhone using HB Talk

 

[wailingguitar]

I learned from non-technical guys (one of whom knew ALL the tech stuff, but didn't care about it), they made great beer... I absorbed what I learned from them and took my own tangent.

 

[J8D]

My mild OCD keeps me pretty technical in regards to "the numbers", my technique, and the recipe. I also don't like to waste five hours and $25+ by making mistakes that could have been eliminated by attention to detail. The return has been no infections and only one complete screw up (hydrometer issues and the creation of a light IPA).

Another factor that likely limits my creative genius is that I really don't run in any homebrew circles. I really have no clue if what I am brewing is good by anyone else's standard besides my own (and my wife who drinks anything). Therefore, I have focused on a handful of recipes I am familiar with and can replicate, then expand as my desire to try something else strikes. I should probably join a local club so I can have some more experienced tasters tell my I suck.

 

[scottland]

I'm definitely on the technical side simply from a repeatability standpoint.

Precise water volumes, accurate mash temps, hop additions added like clockwork, calculated pitch rates, and controlled fermentation temps.

It's so much easier to figure out what went wrong, or what I don't like about a recipe when there are less variables to worry about. Thankfully I have temp controllers that do all the work, so it's just point and shoot.

Recipe formulation is more artistic and less technical. I don't worry as much about calculated IBUs, SRM or any of that junk. It's more 'rule of thumb'. But I do carefully measure the ingredients so that I can repeat it if I like it.

 

[GilaMinumBeer]

Both.

Just because I am playing with Magascarian grubs in the mash doesn't mean I am exempt from recording my processes and ensuring I hit the proper mash pH and temps.

 

[Airborneguy]

What are we considering "scientific" as opposed to "artistic"? These are very broad terms with a lot of room in between them.

I take the key measurements relatively seriously (OG/FG, temps, times, volumes, recipe), but I definitely wouldn't fool anyone into thinking they were in a lab. I care much more about the final product tasting the way I want it to than I care about hitting all the numbers perfectly, but I also am concerned with being able to repeat that success next time around.

 

[rhinoceroceros]

I brew with my sister who has experience in a lab so she definitely keeps me technical but we also have a tendency to not worry too much about the details. we throw in an extra 1/4 oz of hops we have left over or add about the right amount of any extra additions,but we're still learning and aren't too interested in replicating results just yet.

we try to be artistic in our recipes though without going overboard and trying stuff when we're not sure how it will effect the beer.

 

[RosewaterFoundation]

Brewing is more of a zen thing for me. I just sorta know what'll work for whatever style I'm going after. I study up on it,& my subconscious takes over like a ram disc. Then it comes into my conscious mind & I do it. That's the art of it for me. I measure everything,& all that to be precise,& keep good notes. But it's all in my head beyond that.

This is largely the case for me too. I know what I want to do, read about how to do it well, then let my mind go.

Also, I know my system so well at this point that the technical aspects no longer feel that way. I can make adjustments on the fly pretty well, so it just feels like brewing and not a technical proceedure.

Plus I'm a technical writer, so, at least on the technical end, I do take detailed notes.

 

[insubordinateK]

I employ both scientific and creative aspects. I think the science will guide the creativity. The brewing process, for me, is not super technical, however, I feel comfortable with my equipment and know how to adjust on the fly. I tend to use up ingredients rather than weigh out specific amounts.

I recently watched an old interview with Steve Jobs who suggested that people who do great things, typically, are both doers and thinkers - meaning the intellectually work and the creative process are not mutually exclusive. I think this is true in many fields when I think of people who go above and beyond. I imagine the best brewers rely both on science and creativity.