How Good is your Homebrew?

Pretty much this. I've tasted only few other homebrews, and mine were better. I think I'm probably around average or a bit above. I have some process shortcomings that would improve my stuff like inability to do full boils and no fermentation temp control in a warm climate. But I brew to my climate and everyone who tries my stuff always really likes it. I have room for improvement but I make solid beer.

 

Ditto. I've found in the last couple of months, I grumble about getting everything together to brew, but once I do, I enjoy making beer far, far faster than I can ever drink it, or even desire to drink.

I regularly start filling up growlers to stock up the neighbors, co workers and friends. They regularly follow my advice that if you want more, to bring the growler back cleaned out.

I've never had a growler not returned. I take that for what it's worth. I had a co worker offer to buy my next grain buy for a batch the other day too. He doesn't understand the whole, "I can't sell this beer to you" thing.

 

Pretty much the same here-2 6 keg kegerators in the garage. But I don't let people fill growlers, that leads to dependency. Fill a man's growler he'll drink for an hour. Make him learn to brew and you'll ruin his life.

 

It's average I think , maybe a bit below, but there are times I hit a home run too. People always say it's great, but I think that's because they are comparing it to someone who made mr beer

 

LOL! I'm working on this with a friend this weekend to show him how easy all-grain can be and hopefully get him hooked on brewing again!

 

I've made 3 batches, and my last batch (just tried it a week ago) is the first batch that I consider at least average. I ended up dumping out some of my first couple batches because I had "amateurish" problems - cidery taste, poor carbonation, etc. I gave a few bottles away but was somewhat embarrassed to do so.

The key is to add/improve the process a little bit each time. The big change I made this time out was steeping grains for the first time and using higher quality yeast. Next time I'll finally start adding hops myself (have always used pre-hopped extracts).

 

I will also add that when I was brewing extract batches I was producing much better beer because I had a whole set of processes taken care of professionally. Now I have to worry about efficiency, over sparging, sparging temps, pH, pre and post boil gravity, strike temps, mash temps, mash consistency, and all the crap I can't think of right now. I brewed my first double batch of a lower gravity brew, 1.050, and am worried I was extracting tannins and maybe sparging to fast and too hot as I don't have a thermometer on my HLT and the one in the pot I was using to heat my sparge water leaves a lot to be desired.

 

I'm a noob and I sure hope my beers turn out better than average. I started into this hobby because, based on forums like this, I'd come to believe that it's possible to make beers comparable to top notch commercial craft beers. I tasted a neighbor's home brew and it was awful. My first beer was not good but was better than his and my second beer would probably hold its own against some commercial beers. So things are looking good so far!

 

I think my beers were pretty crappy until I purchased brewing software to help me find a better balance with my flavors. It also gave me the confidence to move to all grain. I’m still learning more every day, but I seem to have most of the big kinks worked out in my recipe design. Even though I still need to work on efficiency with my bigger system/ bigger brews, I feel as though some of the beers I’ve brewed could be considered very good indeed. My experience with other homebrew is pretty limited, but I’d love to try and/or trade with someone in my area.

 

Most people say that my beer is very enjoyable. I work hard at it.

 

I have only had a few complaints. Most come from homebrews I forgot about to long.

I have 2 beers in particular that have become massively requested and 1 so much so I now have someone learning to homebrew because of it and had multiple requests for the recipe and 2 people pay for a batch of it to be brewed for them. I'm still tweaking it but it's gotten serious feedback at events too from folks loving it, heh even ones asking at Darkness Day when it'll be available on shelves to buy (more than willing to share the recipe for those interested, it needs some loving still but I feel it's almost there).

 

I would say I am average more often than not but I am pretty critical of myself. I write my own recipes 90% of the time so sometimes its not the the beer is flawed in some way but that it wasn't on target for what I expected from the recipe But you just take notes and retweak it the next time. I've got a few recipes that I am set on and have dialed in but its always a process. I nailed my hoppy wheat beer on the first try but my breakfast stout took about 5 batches to dial it in to where I want it. One of the beers I have gotten the best feedback for has been a Biere de Garde I did for Christmas that I gave out. I received consistent feed back that "non beer drinkers" loved it which I guess is a sign that is was well made. I think my next big challenge to tackle as a home brewer will be water. I often feel like my beers lack a certain pop or that some of the flavors don't come through as much as they could. I was thinking this may be a water issue but after watching the Chop and Brew episode with John Kimmich I am positive that working on my water will help create a more defined flavor profile. All I know is that I can consistently brew solid, drinkable beer, in the styles I enjoy. Sometimes its great, sometimes its just average, but its always a beer I am proud to say I made with my own hands.