you know what really grinds my gears

[wayloncash]

I came to an epiphany while talking to a salesman/home brewer at a local beer shop. Am I the only one fed up talking to these so called home brewers who don't understand classical beer styles, don't understand balance, don't understand proper fermentation methods...I mean I'm sorry don't act all high and mighty cause you say you brewed a 12% raspberry porter aged in whiskey barrels, with no real description of balance and actual representation of the classical style Porter! Then tell me you like layers of flavor and complexity. Guess what, your kitchen sink beer is crap. Any novice can throw a bunch of grain, yeast and fruit in a barrel and come up with something resembling a beer. Guess what all that **** is just masking your brewing techniques imperfections. Don't get me wrong I like to try unique and over the top brews that push the limits as much as the next guy. But I am sick and tired of these self proclaimed "beer geeks" who think they are master brewers because they serve u something strong and muddy! Give me a well balanced German lager or ale and I'll guarantee you behind that beer sits a real brewer!

 

[ChefRex]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SjuXVUpp89w:p

 

[MindenMan]

A short left leg and a worn out clutch?

 

[wobdee]

I agree! I'm pretty much burned out on those over the top beers and am concentrating on more balanced lagers.

 

[Trencher]

Absolutely. I'll recommend that new brewers start with something like an IPA because it's so easy to mask your failures behind all of the hops, but if you've been brewing for a while and you can't make a great SMaSH blonde ale then you really haven't learned the process. Just ask the guy how he does in competition....

 

[GHBWNY]

There may be as many approaches to and perspectives on homebrew as there are people doing it. True, there is a craze in HBing that demands testing/tinkering with the time-tested limits of every available variable in brewing in an attempt to come up with something that can be swallowed/tolerated. I'm a little bothered myself when I hear the talk over the "latest" and "best" in a particular style, flavor, ABV that the general public considers the next new thing. We would all do well to keep in mind that almost without exception, every "take-off" beer out there can trace its roots back down the family tree to ales and lagers. I spent 15 months in Germany, sampling local beers. Some even came through an underground pipe directly from the nearby brewery to the gasthaus! Everywhere I went, nothing fancy or weird. Nobody bragging about the latest style, flavor, ABV. Just plain, simple, enjoyable beer borne out of a desire for that and only that.

 

[Orion85]

Something I learned when learning to play a musical instrument was that you need to know the rules if you want to break the rules. There are a lot of parallels between the creativity of playing music and brewing. I'm just starting out in the brewing hobby and I won't be going far off of an established recipe for a while. Once I learn what the effects the ingredients have on my beer along with the infinite other variables, maybe then I'll try and put my own creative spin on a recipe or style.

 

[bobeer]

A lot of folks are just products of the craft beer craze. They see something on the shelf and want to take it a step further without having brewed the basic style of the beer first. Just like with anything you'll have the band-wagoners who just want to say what they did, where they went, who they want to win the big game,-- whatever. These folks will jump ship when they get bored or the next big fad sucks them in. Then we'll buy all their gear for cheap on craigslist... All we can do is keep on brewing what we like and sharing what real beer tastes like. Or say screw it and keep the good stuff for ourselves

What grinds my gears are the people who drink a lot of commercial beer and think they know a lot about beer. "Beer is my hobby." No... drinking beer is not a hobby. Making beer is a hobby. Oh well... DWRHAHB.

 

[danath34]

I came to an epiphany while talking to a salesman/home brewer at a local beer shop. Am I the only one fed up talking to these so called home brewers who don't understand classical beer styles, don't understand balance, don't understand proper fermentation methods...I mean I'm sorry don't act all high and mighty cause you say you brewed a 12% raspberry porter aged in whiskey barrels, with no real description of balance and actual representation of the classical style Porter! Then tell me you like layers of flavor and complexity. Guess what, your kitchen sink beer is crap. Any novice can throw a bunch of grain, yeast and fruit in a barrel and come up with something resembling a beer. Guess what all that **** is just masking your brewing techniques imperfections. Don't get me wrong I like to try unique and over the top brews that push the limits as much as the next guy. But I am sick and tired of these self proclaimed "beer geeks" who think they are master brewers because they serve u something strong and muddy! Give me a well balanced German lager or ale and I'll guarantee you behind that beer sits a real brewer!

You know what really grinds MY gears? Arrogant purists who believe if you're making anything more interesting than a classic German lager you're making "kitchen sink beer". I didn't see anything in your post that indicates the person with the 12% barrel aged raspberry porter was an inexperienced brewer or that their beer was sub-par. Is it a requirement to ONLY brew classic styles to be considered an expert?

After all, when it comes down to it, don't we all homebrew so that we can make something we would like drinking? And for a great deal of us, that means being creative and making something you can't just go pick up at the bottleshop. I personally never brew or cook anything the classic way. If I want that, I'll go buy it, because chances are there's someone out there who has made it better than I could. I brew because I want to make beer for ME. I aim to come up with something unique that I can call my own. When someone tells me they just made a killer Oktoberfest, I say cool, and would love to try it, but I am no way impressed by the fact that "ZOMG this guy brewed a beer that has been done millions of times over hundreds of years!!" It may be great beer, sure. But it takes no creativity.

I would actually love to try a 12% barrel aged raspberry porter. I may just start planning that. Thanks for the idea!

 

[patthebrewer]

It maybe none of my business....but I feel it is important to push the edge every now and again. Sure I love the classic styles, I love to brew them, I love to drink them, and feel a measure of historical affinity with the brewers of a bygone era, who designed them. That being said whats wrong with people, just pushing the boundaries, and experimenting with flavors. Frankly sometimes I embrace mad scientist aspect that brewing affords. I love trodding ground that maybe no other brewer has tried before.

Also please don't fall into the trap of thinking that there is no one cleverer than yourself. Arrogance has no place here.

 

[Teromous]

Am I the only one fed up talking to these so called home brewers

All those silly people who brew beers at home thinking they're home brewers. Pfft!

 

[Helloworld]

You know what really grinds MY gears? Arrogant purists who believe if you're making anything more interesting than a classic German lager you're making "kitchen sink beer". I didn't see anything in your post that indicates the person with the 12% barrel aged raspberry porter was an inexperienced brewer or that their beer was sub-par. Is it a requirement to ONLY brew classic styles to be considered an expert?

After all, when it comes down to it, don't we all homebrew so that we can make something we would like drinking? And for a great deal of us, that means being creative and making something you can't just go pick up at the bottleshop. I personally never brew or cook anything the classic way. If I want that, I'll go buy it, because chances are there's someone out there who has made it better than I could. I brew because I want to make beer for ME. I aim to come up with something unique that I can call my own. When someone tells me they just made a killer Oktoberfest, I say cool, and would love to try it, but I am no way impressed by the fact that "ZOMG this guy brewed a beer that has been done millions of times over hundreds of years!!" It may be great beer, sure. But it takes no creativity.

I would actually love to try a 12% barrel aged raspberry porter. I may just start planning that. Thanks for the idea!

http://tinyurl.com/owutz5g

 

[ghosthef]

Water, grain, hops and yeast...after all these years I'm still trying to make traditional beers. But that's me...we all brew for the love of the process and that first taste of sweet godly nectar,...whether it be a simple steam beer or a cherry cream cappuccino stout (I may have just vomited in my mouth a little after typing that....). Live, brew, share, drink and be merry people!


Sent from my iPhone using Home Brew

 

[CBXBob]

Nothing grinds my gears, I homebrew, then I drink it

 

[ktblunden]

Just as tiring as the adjunct addicts who go overboard are the staunch traditionalists who insist everything that came after German lagers should be immediately discounted and discredited. Your opinion is just that: an opinion. Your tastes are your tastes. Brew and drink what you like, but don't expect everyone else to conform to your tastes.

 

[wayloncash]

Good responses....so agree and disagree. Its not being a purist or pushing the envelope with beer or styles that bothers me. It is more of the hipster beer snob attitude of some who jump to the extremes prior to developing solid brewing technique then attempt to hold themselves above everyone else. Once again, a brewer who can produce a balanced, clean beer with all the right subtlety can also produce a big wild beer, though Im not sure if the opposite would be true without proper fundamentals. It comes down to recognizing and appreciating what it takes to achieve a specific flavor profile, big or small.

 

[Talgrath]

German ales and lagers are tasty, sure, but as a brewer I don't just want to brew german ales and lagers. Sometimes I brew a simple pale ale and sometimes I brew a belgian cranberry Citra IPA (eager to see how that beer turns out!); either way my friends seem to like what I brew, I like what I brew and judges like what I brew when I submit my beers to competitions (well, mostly). Sure, it's best to have a strong understanding of traditional styles before you start going off the beaten path, but once you have that foundation why not experiment? You might not like the experimental styles, but that doesn't mean the brewer is bad or the beer is bad.

 

[wayloncash]

I agree talgrath, I enjoy entering the Specialty Category in comps, using oak and anything else we can dream up.

 

[Quaffman]

I've got 4 beers on tap now. Everyone that tries them really like the cream ale and citra pale ale. I personally like the smoked porter. After about 45 batches, I've finally decided to branch out and try crazier things. I've been trying to perfect my process to where I know exactly how the beer will taste when I brew it, and now I'm there. I agree that sticking to tried and true recipes in the beginning is great for learning the basics, but if anyone wants to branch out and create something new and different so be it. That's part of what I love about this hobby. Some of the best beers I've tried have been unique twists on things. I loved a chai stout a fellow homebrewer made a few years ago so my next brew will be a chai milk stout. Now that I've nailed my process I can try different things knowing the likelihood is higher that it'll turn out as expected. What I'd love to make is a Kentucky bourbon barrel ale. If anyone can point me to a recipe I'd be very grateful.

 

[Randy64]

I don't care for people being condescending either. If you want to brew classics or crazy that's cool for you. I'll do my thing. Kinda like life.


Sent from my iPhone using Home Brew

 

[Daphne-weizen]

Geez people! I don't see Waylon as being condescending. I see him coming to HBT to vent in an environment he feels comfortable. Come on, we all have the same thing in common with our love of the brew process, right??
Okay....so what grinds my gears is when the bartender at any brew pub I've been too will automatically put a lemon slice in my beer. Don't molest my beer with fruit!

 

[MrSnacks]

Good responses....so agree and disagree. Its not being a purist or pushing the envelope with beer or styles that bothers me. It is more of the hipster beer snob attitude of some who jump to the extremes prior to developing solid brewing technique then attempt to hold themselves above everyone else. Once again, a brewer who can produce a balanced, clean beer with all the right subtlety can also produce a big wild beer, though Im not sure if the opposite would be true without proper fundamentals. It comes down to recognizing and appreciating what it takes to achieve a specific flavor profile, big or small.

"hipster beer snob attitude"

Translation: get off my lawn.

Balanced, clean beers are boring as hell. I don't really brew extreme beers personally but I also can't remember the last time I even so much as drank a lager, pilsner or kolsch. Because they're boring.

 

[wayloncash]

Geez people! I don't see Waylon as being condescending. I see him coming to HBT to vent in an environment he feels comfortable. Come on, we all have the same thing in common with our love of the brew process, right??
Okay....so what grinds my gears is when the bartender at any brew pub I've been too will automatically put a lemon slice in my beer. Don't molest my beer with fruit!

Thank you Daphne...lol...apparently my disdain for condescending people came across as condescending the point is the love of the brewing process and what it takes to reach the end result. Personally I may love a vanilla coconut porter though at the same time really respect someone who can brew a NHBC winning lite lager. Because I understand the process.

 

[hunter_le five]

I think a lot of people are misinterpreting what the OP is saying. It's not about purity or snobbishness so much as (to mix metaphors) newbies putting the cart before the horse and thinking their resultant turd is a gem.

In other words, not saying experimental/nontraditional beer is bad, but rather newbies throwing a bunch of crazy ingredients together without ever learning the basics and acting like they are elite brewers. Or at least that's what I got out of it.

I have nothing against experimental/nontraditional brews, but I will admit my tastes tend to be biased towards traditional styles.

I knew a guy in college that got into homebrewing about the same time I did, and his first batch was something like a raspberry watermelon currant hefeweizen. It was truly awful, but man was he proud of it.

I could make a beer that was 100% crystal 120 and 2lbs of Warrior hops and say I'm being experimental and innovative... but I don't think anyone would be faulty in saying my beer is bad and maybe I need to learn the basics before I get creative.

 

[mdbrewer1]

How in the world do you know so much about these brewers just by listening to them? Did they straight up say the things you mentioned or are you just assuming? Have you tried their kitchen sink beer?

If you weren't trying to be condescending, I hate to see how it comes out when you actually are, because the original post was absolutely dripping with it.

 

[TasunkaWitko]

lol - I'm going in the reverse direction. I'm starting out with some "exotic" sounding beers (see Brooklyn Brew Shop's interestg list of beers) in order to learn and hopefully perfect my methods and understanding so that I can "move on" to some of the classic, traditional and even historic varieties that I am guessing are much more "back to basics...."

 

[Bamsdealer]

Thats your interpretation of homebrew. Homebrew to many is making a lot of alcohol for little money or whatever ingredients are on hand... thats what it was up until 25 years ago. Now its become making great craft beer, wine, mead etc.

Its the same reason you speak of that I do my own research before brewing... or any hobby for that matter. It often doesnt take much to get to a point where you're more knowledgeable than many in the business. Heck... Ive been making better beer since my 3rd batch than many of the brew shops and veteran homebrewers I know.

 

[TasunkaWitko]

Whoops, I think he was talking to someone else - post deleted, with apologies.

 

[Jsamp]

From what I'm understanding the OP is not bashing people who brew big robust beers. It seems to be more of a question if they could brew a simple pale ale with the same results. Big beers hide flaws better. If the same brewer made a pale ale with the same technique it could all got to hell. Bad water, under pitching, etc, etc. Those flavors would be noticeable. Basically the fundamentals. What the OP was getting at.

You know what grinds my gears? ********* who dont use their turn signals.

 

[HausBrauerei_Harvey]

here here! I'll take a helles over anything else any day of the week!