Homebrewing Experience - Top 10

I tend to think that most people's first beers WILL have some flaws, and thus it doesn't hurt to have a pretty hoppy beer (or perhaps dark) to cover them up (assuming they ARE minor, nothing will cover major flaws, obviously).

 

I almost spit beer on the computer screen when I read this.

(yes, I'm drinking a beer at 930am. I had to pop a test bottle of blonde ale to see if they're ready to put some in the fridge. They are).

 

11) if you're going to use 6-row malt, make sure to start a thread about it first, so you can watch the hullabaloo go down whilst enjoying your current homebrew.

(I am still making the six-row / flaked corn cream ale, BTW)

 

1. Take clear and specific notes on EVERYTHING.
2. Sanitize like it's going out of style.
3. Pay the $26 and change for a Ward Labs water quality test. If your Mg levels are high to start with, you don't want to be adding epsom. It'll also help you identify possible causes for off-flavors. When I started homebrewing, all of my beers had very unpleasant harsh, bitter, astringent kind of taste. Lab results shows very high levels of Ca and Mg, so I altered my brew liquor and got better results.
4. Use fresh ingredients. You can't get good tasting beer from stale grains/hops.
5. Read and learn as much as you can, as often as you can. Go back over info you think you learned before to see if you missed/forgot anything.
6. Yeast starters. Do it.
7. Cool your wort as quickly as possible after flame out. A sink of ice-cold water works better than a sink of ice (more surface contact, therefore more heat transferred). A chill plate works even better. The longer it stays between 80-140F, the longer bacteria have to get a toe hold in an ideal environment.
8. Maintain a consistent temp during ferment, and be patient when conditioning. Some compounds, like acetaldehyde, DMS, diacetyl, and sulfur can result from fermentation and may take time to condition out of the beer. A keezer is essential for good lagering, IME, while an out of the way corner in your basement (not damp or drafty) should work for cellaring.
9. If bottling, make sure your FG has truly bottomed out. You don't want your beer bottles turning into glass grenades (though rare, this can cause serious injuries if you happen to be in the room when one goes off, not to mention the mess you'll have to clean up).
10. Oxygen is both friend and enemy to yeast. The wee beasties need O2 at the start, but too much O2, or exposure after fermentation, can lead to oxidation.

I know many of these were stated above, but that's my $0.02.

 

6-row in the right beer, used properly, gives fine results. I use a bag per year.