Home Brew Class

Sanitation and fermentation temperature control

 

I agree with the above reply, it's important to understand the difference between cleaning and sanitizing. I remember when I brought my first homebrew kit, the owner of my LHBS told me " your first couple of batches will turn out great, but eventually you'll get lazy with sanitizing and learn a very expensive lesson!"

 

Yup. And yeast pitching rates.

 

Pay attention to everything and take notes. Then read www.howtobrew.com . Then ask here about anything that was different.

 

What LHBS?

 

I've got some co-workers who were thinking about brewing beer. Got me thinking about whether I would teach them if they asked (I would consult Yoda on that) and how I would approach it. Probably would use a KISS strategy. Let is know how the class went and what you found helpful and confusing.

 

Biggest thing you can take away is curiosity. You're not going to learn everything you need to make good beer in a class, but if you get that itch to keep pursuing brewing knowledge, that's where it's at.

 

If you like IPA's, make an IPA. That's a style you see commonly suggested for first brews. My biggest advice for IPA's is once fermentation is done, do everything you can do to avoid oxidizing your beer (no splashing, smooth transfers from fermenter to bottling bucket, etc.)

Also, tell those guys you're going to name your beer after them ("Strange"). I hear they love that.

 

I've been brewing for years and still find it difficult to brew a great IPA...

Recipes that are harder to screw up, in my opinion, are darker sessionable beers - brown ale, dry irish stout, porter - anything in the 5% range that doesn't require intricate hopping.

 

My first was a brown. You're right, it was great and painless.

 

Makes me think that mash pH might be the problem. Darker beers that use higher kilned malts typically bring a mash pH to balance, whereas lighter beers including IPA need more hands on adjusting of the mash and water salt additions to hit the mark.

 

I've gotten my water chemistry pretty dialed in at this point. Don't get me wrong, I've brewed some great ones...I think I just have really high standards for IPAs, whereas I don't for those other styles.

 

Key take-aways:
1) Relaxing
2) Not worrying
3) Having a home brew.

 

Always remember that you are brewing for you. Just because it "doesn't take like xxxx super double imperial IPA" doesn't mean that the beer is a failure. As long as you enjoy the taste, and more importantly the experience of brewing it, then it is a success. I still learn from every batch of beer I make, and love the process of brewing. Keep it fun, and you will be happy for years to come.

 

I bet they have cease and desist notices on a roll like toilet paper.

 

Get "the process" down first...IPAs are not that hard to brew, just a little more work after brew day.

 

I always suggest a hefeweissbier. Not many hops, and crazy quick grain-to-glass time. No secondary either.

But, how was the class??

 

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