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Post by brewbama on Dec 27, 2021 15:24:14 GMT -6
I read this in another thread so I thought I’d start a new one as not to derail the Saison discussion: …my ever present objective of "less is more" I keep the grain bill as simple as possible…. ^^ That is my objective this year. This past year I focused on intentionality especially in mash pH and simplifying water. In that effort I revamped my mash strategy. I am very pleased with the outcome. The intentionality will continue so I am analyzing my routine recipes to see where I can refine. I’ve already seen some areas for improvement. Has anyone else set brewing goals this year? Did you meet your brewing goals for this past year? |
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Post by Ken on Dec 27, 2021 15:41:04 GMT -6
My attempt to simplify doing the things that you and I discussed here already turned out to be very good, I believe. My brewing has been disrupted but once I start up again I will be continuing on that road. Getting brewing water to a pH of 5.5 prior to heating was a good start. Holding darker grains until later in the session worked well on the occasions where I used it. Building my water for each batch is relatively simple already and I'm comfortable with it as well. The addition of acid with about 10 minutes left in the boil seems to be working out well too both flavor-wise and also clarity-wise... whirfloc seems to like the lower pH better. So other than just getting my brewery and bar up and running, I plan to stay the course.
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Post by drez on Dec 28, 2021 7:43:49 GMT -6
My focus is to actually brew and have fun with it again. The last several years I have read to much and wanted to try new things and figured if I do not have time to do it all 100% no point in bothering to brew. That led me to 4 batches last year. I need to go back to having fun and just enjoying the process more. We will see if that can happen.
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Post by Ken on Dec 28, 2021 8:43:30 GMT -6
My focus is to actually brew and have fun with it again. The last several years I have read to much and wanted to try new things and figured if I do not have time to do it all 100% no point in bothering to brew. That led me to 4 batches last year. I need to go back to having fun and just enjoying the process more. We will see if that can happen. I feel like the LO thing was a bit of a distraction. I will say that I did use (and still use) some of those concepts but similar to you... I was thinking I needed to do all of these high-end things and I needed to do all of them or else I shouldn't do any of them and I sort of lost my way. We talked about this and I remember us both saying we needed to get back to what we liked. But in the meantime I was a little bit lost and my beers suffered as a result. What I did for most of 2021 was a huge improvement and I enjoyed the process & the beers. |
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Post by drez on Dec 28, 2021 13:07:21 GMT -6
My focus is to actually brew and have fun with it again. The last several years I have read to much and wanted to try new things and figured if I do not have time to do it all 100% no point in bothering to brew. That led me to 4 batches last year. I need to go back to having fun and just enjoying the process more. We will see if that can happen. I feel like the LO thing was a bit of a distraction. I will say that I did use (and still use) some of those concepts but similar to you... I was thinking I needed to do all of these high-end things and I needed to do all of them or else I shouldn't do any of them and I sort of lost my way. We talked about this and I remember us both saying we needed to get back to what we liked. But in the meantime I was a little bit lost and my beers suffered as a result. What I did for most of 2021 was a huge improvement and I enjoyed the process & the beers. My daughter ( wife) got me a gift card to Northern Brewer. I think I am going to let her pick out a kit, I am sure it will be based on the clever name since she is 12 ...lol, and let her help me brew it. I think that will end up in a fun day. Hope that is the jump start I need!! |
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Post by Ken on Dec 28, 2021 13:14:18 GMT -6
I feel like the LO thing was a bit of a distraction. I will say that I did use (and still use) some of those concepts but similar to you... I was thinking I needed to do all of these high-end things and I needed to do all of them or else I shouldn't do any of them and I sort of lost my way. We talked about this and I remember us both saying we needed to get back to what we liked. But in the meantime I was a little bit lost and my beers suffered as a result. What I did for most of 2021 was a huge improvement and I enjoyed the process & the beers. My daughter ( wife) got me a gift card to Northern Brewer. I think I am going to let her pick out a kit, I am sure it will be based on the clever name since she is 12 ...lol, and let her help me brew it. I think that will end up in a fun day. Hope that is the jump start I need!! I like it. Just the fact that you're mentioning your kids tells me that part of your break is your attention to the kids. I started brewing in 1999. My daughter was 4 and my son was 1.5 or so. My third came later. Probably a TERRIBLE time to begin a time-consuming, education-requiring, money-eating hobby. Extract for 5 years put me to 2004 so the kids were 9, 6.5, 4.5 and then all-grain started. I definitely slowed down when the kids' activities started to go full force. So enjoy the time with the kids now. You can always redirect your focus when they're older and who knows... there will probably be awesome new equipment and processes to embrace. |
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Post by tommymorris on Dec 29, 2021 11:32:23 GMT -6
I’ve been thinking about this post for a few days. My obvious resolution is to get back to brewing after my arm heals. That’s just time. I know I could not lift the kettle with beer in it right now. But, I probably will be able to do so easily in another month. The arm is much better already. Process: I don’t think I will change anything major about my process in 2022. In 2021, I abandoned my PicoBrew and went back to BIAB with a kettle on a cheap inductive burner. I love this brewing technique. It’s cheap and easy (to steal Denny’s phrase). I resolve to keep ignoring innovation and stick with this system. Cheap and easy makes me happy. Recipes: I plan to keep only brewing styles that are everyday drinkers for me. In 2021, I brewed beers with 1036, 1041, and 1042 OG. All were excellent. I want to experiment more with low gravity. Hops: I have too many. I’ve been toying with the idea of throwing away a lot my older hops and starting over. TBD. Not ready to make this a resolution yet. Maybe I’ll just use more hops per batch instead  Grains: I have too many of these also, but grains go more quickly, so I don’t consider this a problem. Yeasts: I just bought a pack of Charlie’s Fist Bump. I haven’t use that one in years. I want to try lagers and ales with this one. I want to experiment more with S-23. I used it twice last year and liked it. I also plan to try Verdant in more beers and try the Lallemand East Coast Ale dry yeast. Garage sale: In 2022 I plan to sell or toss a bunch of gear I no longer us. First, out goes Picobrew. That will be followed by an assortment of junk: PH meter, carboy hauler, inline thermometer, electric heat stick, Blichmann bottle filler, refractometer,… PS. I just bought a Tapcooler. If it works as advertised, I plan to take more beer to parties. |
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Post by drez on Jan 2, 2022 14:13:42 GMT -6
I use the tapcooler with the can adapter and imo it is much better than a beer gun or cpf, just works really well.
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Post by tommymorris on Jan 2, 2022 17:54:15 GMT -6
I use the tapcooler with the can adapter and imo it is much better than a beer gun or cpf, just works really well. I like the looks of that can adapter. I buy so little beer, I may switch to buying cans or bottles. Seems like cans should be cheaper when the novelty wears off. |
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…my ever present objective of "less is more" I keep the grain bill as simple as possible…. 
