Back in the brew shed!

[chrisluki]

Finally made my first beer yesterday, after a break over summer of 4 months! Unemployed for the next two days, so doing a brew was my #1 priority..,don't tell the wife and kids!

Decided on making a West Coast Pale Ale. Getting back to brewing was like slipping on a coumfy old pair of ugg boots! Even hit my OG (1.061) spot on!

Quick question...

Now I have a year under my belt of AG brewing, I a trying to decide whether it is better for me to go back and re-brew my beers and look to perfect them, or should I just keep experimenting and learning with more new recipes?

Suggestions, others experiences?

 

[MastersBrewery]

Not sure on what you usually have on hand in beers ready to drink. I for the last few years kept atleast 1 tap usually 2 for house beer; same beer regular as clock work. Taps 3 and 4 were for exploration, specialties, seasonals. Big beers like RIS, and Belgian strong and sours I bottle.

Ed: use house brew days to refine your proccess, write everything down every brewday even when it's going sideways it will teach you something. Always pitch lots of heallthy yeast(most common mistake in HB under pitching)

 

[Dan Pratt]

Don't re brew them, just use that knowledge to make new beers, the beers you like to drink.

Out of interest what is your west coast ale recipe?

 

[Jack of all biers]

Pratty1. I like that you like your own post. Go you!!! :kooi:

Chris,

Did you like or dislike any of the brews you made last year? If or if not then you have answered your own question. I personally like to mix it up always looking for a new beer I have not yet brewed, just incase I want to make it my regular. You never know unless you try something new (there's no devil on your shoulder emoji for this so I'm posting h34r: )

 

[chrisluki]

Don't re brew them, just use that knowledge to make new beers, the beers you like to drink.

Out of interest what is your west coast ale recipe?

Good idea!

Here is my WC recipe...


4.50 kg

Pale Malt (2 Row) US (2.0 EBC)

Grain

1

77.6 %

0.70 kg

Vienna Malt (6.9 EBC)

Grain

2

12.1 %

0.30 kg

Caramel/Crystal Malt - 20L (60.0 EBC)

Grain

3

5.2 %

0.20 kg

Cara-Pils/Dextrine (3.9 EBC)

Grain

4

3.4 %

0.10 kg

Munich Malt (80.0 EBC)

Grain

5

1.7 %

8.00 g

Columbus (Tomahawk) [15.70 %] - Boil 60.0 min

Hop

6

15.7 IBUs

8.00 g

Simcoe [13.00 %] - Boil 60.0 min

Hop

7

13.0 IBUs

6.00 g

Columbus (Tomahawk) [15.70 %] - Boil 30.0 min

Hop

8

9.1 IBUs

6.00 g

Simcoe [13.00 %] - Boil 30.0 min

Hop

9

7.5 IBUs

3.00 g

Columbus (Tomahawk) [15.70 %] - Boil 15.0 min

Hop

10

2.9 IBUs

3.00 g

Simcoe [13.00 %] - Boil 15.0 min

Hop

11

2.4 IBUs

1.00 Items

Whirlfloc Tablet (Boil 10.0 mins)

Fining

12

-

12.00 g

Cascade [5.50 %] - Boil 10.0 min

Hop

13

3.0 IBUs

10.00 g

Columbus (Tomahawk) [15.70 %] - Boil 0.0 min

Hop

14

0.0 IBUs

25.00 g

Cascade [5.50 %] - Dry Hop 5.0 Days

Hop

15

0.0 IBUs

25.00 g

Centennial [9.10 %] - Dry Hop 5.0 Days

Hop

16

0.0 IBUs

25.00 g

Citra [12.90 %] - Dry Hop 5.0 Days

Hop

17

0.0 IBUs

 

[chrisluki]

Pratty1. I like that you like your own post. Go you!!! :kooi:

Chris,

Did you like or dislike any of the brews you made last year? If or if not then you have answered your own question. I personally like to mix it up always looking for a new beer I have not yet brewed, just incase I want to make it my regular. You never know unless you try something new (there's no devil on your shoulder emoji for this so I'm posting h34r: )

Yeah there have been a couple i have re-brewed cos I liked them...some disappointed me (My Rapture Red Ale).

I guess i was just thinking there was some tried and true method for what you should do in your first year or two when trying to become a better brewer...like something you would find in Palmers book!

 

[Dan Pratt]

Pratty1. I like that you like your own post. Go you!!! :kooi:

Haha, woops. Was meant to like the OP above.

 

[Dan Pratt]

Hi Chris,

That format is hard to read....lol. All good, I see that you went pretty solid with Columbus/Simcoe for the boil, then late adding the cascades and centennial/citra for the DH, nice.

If your looking for some solid recipes, check out the electric brewery. I'd been brewing for a couple of years when I discovered this site and have made about 10 of his recipes, then made different hopped versions, all turned out great.

I think you might like a few of these, the electric pale ale is a solid beer which is what I thought of with your Columbus/Simcoe combo, using them late at 20,10 and whirlpool instead of the traditional times.

Plus this guys brewery if kick arse.

http://www.theelectricbrewery.com/

 

[chrisluki]

Hi Chris,

That format is hard to read....lol. All good, I see that you went pretty solid with Columbus/Simcoe for the boil, then late adding the cascades and centennial/citra for the DH, nice.

If your looking for some solid recipes, check out the electric brewery. I'd been brewing for a couple of years when I discovered this site and have made about 10 of his recipes, then made different hopped versions, all turned out great.

I think you might like a few of these, the electric pale ale is a solid beer which is what I thought of with your Columbus/Simcoe combo, using them late at 20,10 and whirlpool instead of the traditional times.

Plus this guys brewery if kick arse.

http://www.theelectricbrewery.com/

Sorry...I was in a huirry this morning and just cut and past the BeerSmith page...happy to send you more details if you want,.

Will check out that link...looks great!

 

[DU99]

americian site..

 

[droid]

Finally made my first beer yesterday, after a break over summer of 4 months! Unemployed for the next two days, so doing a brew was my #1 priority..,don't tell the wife and kids!

Decided on making a West Coast Pale Ale. Getting back to brewing was like slipping on a coumfy old pair of ugg boots! Even hit my OG (1.061) spot on!

Quick question...

Now I have a year under my belt of AG brewing, I a trying to decide whether it is better for me to go back and re-brew my beers and look to perfect them, or should I just keep experimenting and learning with more new recipes?

Suggestions, others experiences?

perfect your favorites and look to beers you haven't brewed before that sound nice to you. personally i am aiming for a five star line-up of differing brews and then the seasonal/specialty brews as well

 

[CoxR]

I brew 3 beers constantly and usually have one or two of these on tap. I do new brews in between, this is mainly because the wife has her favorites and I like them also funny that all three have come from this site.. Mid ale (sometimes with different hops) Galaxy pale (stone wood clone) and the very awesome DSGA (the version with Rye).
I just like to have a fallback brew on tap so if I do a new brew and the wife hates it there is something for her

 

[Diesel80]

Suggestions, others experiences?

I suggest brewing what you enjoy drinking, and make the time to keep the hobby ticking over. Gets hectic with kids etc, but make sure you do something brew related every now and then just to keep that pilot flame flickering!

I am recently having a crack at some mid strengths. English bitters are 3.5 - 3.8 but near everything here from the shops in that range is rancid. I reckon I am a shout to do better. Rogers the exception for mine.

Cheers,

D80

 

[chrisluki]

perfect your favorites and look to beers you haven't brewed before that sound nice to you. personally i am aiming for a five star line-up of differing brews and then the seasonal/specialty brews as well

You sound like a full on brewery!!!!

 

[chrisluki]

I suggest brewing what you enjoy drinking, and make the time to keep the hobby ticking over. Gets hectic with kids etc, but make sure you do something brew related every now and then just to keep that pilot flame flickering!

I am recently having a crack at some mid strengths. English bitters are 3.5 - 3.8 but near everything here from the shops in that range is rancid. I reckon I am a shout to do better. Rogers the exception for mine.

Cheers,

D80

If you hit a sweet spot with a mid strength, I would love to know!

With kids, and other commitments getting in the way of slamming down high ABV pints, i love me some tasty mid strength these days!

 

[Diesel80]

Chris, kegging one over the next couple of days, will let you know how it goes.
This one is cluster experiment.

Cheers,
D80