What was your brewing revelation this year?

[zippyclown]

What was your big revelation this year? Something that suddenly clicked, and helped you along with your process or quality?

For me, it was that my water really does suck for IPA's. For years I listened to the guys saying, "If it tastes good, brew with it". And those mental cases who answer everything with "RELAX! DON'T WORRY! HAVE A HOME BREW! NO REALLY -- IT'S GOING TO PHYSICALLY MAKE THE BEER TASTE BETTER TO YOU AND YOUR FRIENDS!" And for years I just wasn't happy with any IPA I made.

Well the problem wasn't my level of relaxation or sobriety. It was my water. And to fix it, I didn't "get into water chemistry" and I didn't spend any time with a water chemistry spreadsheet. I just started buying spring water with very low mineral content and making very minor adjustments as suggested by the water sticky in this forum. The quality of my IPA's have improved leaps and bounds overnight.

zc

 

[geoffm33]

Fermentation temps.

Had been using a swamp cooler for the past few years and I it just wasn't cutting it for me. Bought a chest freezer and an STC-1000 and my beers have improved.

 

[TexasDroughtBrewery]

For me, it was figuring out what the hell mash thickness was and how to calculate it.

 

[Wiscohio_brewer]

Fermentation temperatures.

The moment I started deliberately controlling my fermentation temps, my beer tasted much better. It's probably the single biggest revelation I've had brewing beer. I kind of feel stupid for not realizing how significant it was sooner :smack:.

 

[ThomasPaine]

I realized that a submersible pump in a cooler full of ice to run immersion chiller is a much better plan than the tap water running that whole time. 20 lbs of ice can chill 10 gals pretty fast.

 

[Invertalon]

Everything!

Really though, I start homebrewing this year and have (IMO) produced amazing, commercial quality beers if not better. I started right with all-grain after months of research/studying.

After the first few beers I bought a fermentation freezer with controller, purchased my own grain mill, started doing water adjustments and new hopping techniques (first wort, hop stand)... And the last three beers have just been downright amazing (Oktoberfest lager, imperial stout and harvest IPA with some whole leaf, homegrown hops). Doing all that in less than a year was pretty awesome, I admit. I feel like I kind of bypassed the whole mediocre first time homebrews. I believe that is just because I spent so much time studying the craft before hand and just didn't jump into it, so my learning curve has been very quick.

 

[FVillatoro]

My revelation: Keep StarSan mixed with distilled water.

I am about to complete my first year of brewing (I started in November of last year) - I am currently controlling ferm temps with a fridge, thermowell, and a temp controller and I never suffer from excess esters.
I also went all grain and hit my OG gravities and get full 5 gallons of beer in my Keg and I built a 6-keg keezer with temp control and recirculating air and balanced my lines.

Out of all the things I learned and have done well this year... something happened to me: I repitched yeast and got 2 consecutive infections because of it.
The reason? The StarSan was breaking down.
Why: Because of my heavily chlorinated water.
Solution: I now buy 5 gallons of distilled water and keep a starsan solution in a fermenting bucket ready to go and months later - it's still as clean and bright as the day I mixed it and no more infections.
I recommend you all do this to save time!

 

[normonster]

I like light beer so I'm pretty much only doing those now.

 

[Rhumbline]

I switched from extract kits to an all-grain, automated system.

I'm pleased that I can zone out a bit and don't have to remain constantly on watch. I also got my ferm chamber built and running, it also removes some concerns.

 

[day_trippr]

Nothing to do with process, just that I discovered I really love Trappist yeasts...

Cheers!

 

[Schmoogdaddy]

European pilsner flavor requires the use of continental pilsner malt.

 

[N4teTheGreat]

Just started brewing this year, so my revelation was, this is fun!

-- Nathan

 

[betarhoalphadelta]

Yeah, water was a big one for me as well... I'd been brewing almost 9 years when I made the switch to RO + minerals. My beers were consistently good, and I was pretty successful in competition when I found the time to enter something style-appropriate.

But when I changed the water, I immediately tasted a difference in the product. The flavors were so much clearer and brighter. Huge, huge difference.

Not that this will provide equal results for everyone, of course. I think our water here in SoCal is probably just not all that great. If someone's water where the live is better, the improvement will probably be much less noticeable. But for me, it was highly important.

 

[coyotebrew]

Yeah, water was a big one for me as well... I'd been brewing almost 9 years when I made the switch to RO + minerals. My beers were consistently good, and I was pretty successful in competition when I found the time to enter something style-appropriate.

But when I changed the water, I immediately tasted a difference in the product. The flavors were so much clearer and brighter. Huge, huge difference.

Not that this will provide equal results for everyone, of course. I think our water here in SoCal is probably just not all that great. If someone's water where the live is better, the improvement will probably be much less noticeable. But for me, it was highly important.

+1 especially epsom salt love how crisp the pilsners turn out!

 

[zmanzorro]

You don't have to buy a lacto culture to make good sour beer. Did a kettle sour berliner weiss souring with a few ounces of grain and it turned out really well.

Not all lacto is the same. Tried to recreate the same beer with a purchased lactobascillus delbrueckii culture (as opposed to the brevis I naturally cultured) and it came out with more of feta cheese funk to it.

Also, when making sour beer on a larger scale (10 gal) in a small apartment, prepare for it to stink up the place for a few days.

 

[ol-hazza]

Kegging rules!! to be honest I was expecting it too so not much of a revalation.

So mainly that I love late hop additions.

 

[schematix]

1. Using chester freezer to get the wort from 85 -> 40 instead of trying to get there with ice. Now i just use tap water year round.

2. Using both pumps in series really boosts head pressure and thus flow through the plate chiller.

3. Purging kegs with water and 1 pass of CO2 instead of 2-4 fills/purges of CO2. Saves CO2 and purges better.

 

[E-Rodge]

1. Kegging is the way to go. Bought a freezer, added 3 taps and now i get pissed when i dont have a spare and have to bottle.

2. Next batch will start my venture into altering water chemistry so hopeful i will taste the same results others here have posted. I have made some good ipas, but never great.

3. Trying to improve overall safety of my process. Getting rid of glass after i broke a carboy and updating my brewday setup to eliminate so much bending over and lifting (developing back troubles). Currently clean in a tub but purchased a utility sink for outside so i can stand while cleaning.

 

[TAK]

Closed system fermentation from pitch to tap.

I bought a 10 gal corny keg to ferment, back in February, and I love it. It's so nice to go all the way through fermentation to the serving keg, with the only O2 exposure being that which I deliberately provide at pitch. I also appreciate the ease of taking a gravity sample, by CO2 pressure, without cracking the seal, at any point in the process.

I just bought a 15 gal corney to start doing 10+ gal batches the same way

 

[Komocabo]

Mine was to stop buying equipment and really get comfortable with my brewery. The last thing I bought was a pump, and it took some time to get both pumps working in tandem when fly sparging. Got that down really well now and brew day is a breeze. So, I guess I should have just said "pumps "

 

[madcowbrewing]

Re-teaching myself that a secondary is not necessary. I am in such a hurry to push beer quicker in some instances that just leaving it in the primary is the way to go. And it does not make a change to the beer. In fact, my beer this last year won several awards.