Brewing-related New-year's Resolutions

[Kai]

So, on about Jan 2, things will be back to normal and NY resolutions forgotten

Pedro

You reckon you'll make it a whole day?

 

[Gulf Brewery]

You reckon you'll make it a whole day?

Probably - only because I am not doing anything brewing related on the 1st

pedro

 

[imellor]

Past resolutions

1. Give up smoking ( Have halved my smoking but not given up) Failed
2. Cut back on my drinking. ( Intake has increased ) Medical check up found no problems. Failed

This News Year Resolution

1. Must turn 1 keg into soft drink ( Last purchase explained to SWMBO extra kegs were for the kids soft drink ).

2. Improve the quality of my beer. I Will Do Some All Grain Brewing. Investments already started.

This thread should be reviewed next year to see what the odds of success are amongst brewers. Could be Quite interesting, When resolutions are something we enjoy they should be easy to achieve.

Cheers and a Happy New Year,
Ian

 

[SpillsMostOfIt]

So, on about Jan 2, things will be back to normal and NY resolutions forgotten

Pedro

Hmmm... Probably not a bad thing I'm taking an enforced break from AHB while driving around the wet bits of SA then. I have promised SWMBO that I will not take any brewing kit with us, so I won't be copping any flak from brewers on the street...

 

[pb unleaded]

Last year I said I was going to brew more and not buy any commercial beer. Ended up buying over 20 slabs, sixpacks included.
I brewed about 25 batches too, few of them good.
This year I am going to take it easy on myself. My resolution is not to buy any 'light' commercial beer.

 

[Tony]

1. Stop trying to run before I can walk
2. Organise the garage to make brewing easy
3. Concentrate on process. I want to pick one style of beer and make it consistently before I move on.

FIrst 2 sound perfect but the third......

I would recomend you change it to broaden your horizons. Start simple..... a 1 malt 1 hop beer like am aussie pale ale and them progress it. try adding 5 to 8% crystal and up the bitterness a bit to ballance ans see what you think. Then maybe add 3 or 4 % chocolate malt to the recipe and try a brown porter. then go back to the origional and use a different hop...... say EKG instead of POR...... you will be amazed at the difference.
This is what i do.... i love to make something different every time but make small changes (just the hops i use, or just the type od crystal malt i use) to learn what difference the different ingrediants make to the beer.

There are soooooooooooo many different flavours out there...... you are better off experimenting and learning IMO.

It takes a while but eventually...... depending on your pallate, ability to taste the difference and recognice what is what in the beer....... you will be able to formulate a beer recipe to taste very close to what you want forst go just by invisaging what the different ingredients add the beer and how to mix them properly to achieve this result.

No one can teach you this....... you have to make beer, drink beer, experiment and be prepared to take criticism of your beer and use it wisly.

This is my New Years Resolution........ i will continue to do this and brew "OUTSIDE" the square..... a bit to continue to learn what makes great beer that can reside in my keg in hte fridge.

cheers and sory for the rant

 

[jlm]

GOING AG!!!! Have all the bits under the house, just need the time to put it all together, and then do a brew. Unfortunately, NYE, then buck's night, then wedding, then a few weeks in Thailand will keep me from doing it until early Feb. Man it's been a very festive festive season. That and post pics of my new kegging setup. Life is very, very good.
And maybe try to get up to 20 posts by 16-May 08

 

[Doc]

Let me review this years resolutions:

Quickly thinking about it, I came up with:
- Enter less competitions
- Keep the Beer Engine in service year round, rather than just family events
- Get another CO2 regulator
- Get the backup keg fridge taps installed
- Get more serious in my plans to go commercial
- Upgrade my inline aeration airpump
- Get a microscope
- Make a bigger stir plate for massive starters for massive Imperial Hoppy beers
- Upgrade the HLT and Mash tun so I can do batches larger than 40 litres

Doc

I started well on the comps but then a few new ones poped up and I entered.
Next year definitely less

The Beer Engine got a good workout through the year. Carbonation levels for the beers are still a bit hit and miss, so will have to work on that.

Got another CO2 regulator.

Backup keg fridge is operational.

Commercial plans are still distant, but have learned a lot this year.

Inline aeration wasn't an issue as I switched to no-chill.

I had a microscope sorted, but it fell through. Still looking.

Didn't upgrade the stir plate, but did upgrade the vessels.

No need to upgrade the HLT and mash tun as I switched to no-chill and do concentrated brews so am churning out 40 litres per batch.


So this year:

Enter less comps
Get a microscope
Replace the dead fermentation freezer with a new one or a cool room.
Brew more lagers.

Doc

 

[InCider]

This is less of a resolution for me, but more a plan on where my brewing is being taken.

1. First AG, and step up to regular partials instead of pure Kitten Killer.
2. Love :wub: my kegs and get more
3. Learn to vehemently dislike K+K so I go AG only by the end of 2008.
4. Start actively participating on the forum.
5. Make Mead.


InCider.

 

[barls]

mines to stop making promises and resolutions that i have no intention of keeping no matter how drunk i am when i make them

 

[Barry]

Focus more on;

* pH
* fermentation temps
* yeast pitching
* not using any ingredient unless I know exactly why I am using it.

Happy New Year to one and all, even banana benders. :beer: