lickapop
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- 7/6/08
- Messages
- 103
- Reaction score
- 48
If you're a perfectionist, on the spectrum, complex, or everything is either black or white, YOU will know that all aspects of life can be pretty tiresome.
If you cannot pull off a task perfectly, you consider it a complete failure. This failure then manifests itself as frustration and that frustration then manifests itself sometimes in anger toward folks you care about... or some random. Sometimes you get depressed. If you have enough failures you quit.
Brewing for a perfectionist is a complete nightmare. The sun and moon have to align to pull off the perfect brew day. There is a lot of preparation. Water chemistry, perfectly milled grain, perfectly planned mash steps, the science, the software, the equipment, the environment , the playlist, the weather.... its so stressful it is not fun.
I love the thought of brewing but didnt really enjoy it most of the time. My first beer I ever brewed was on a 50L 3v setup. I spent 12 months reading everything I could get my hands on, building the system, planning the brew. It went perfectly, Failure was not even an option. It went into my perfectly balanced and built kegerator and it was the best beer I have ever had. But like a drug, chasing that first hit is a slippery slope to self destruction.
So here are my tips for maximum enjoyment I have personally experienced in the last 6 months back into brewing after pulling the plug a few years back. If you fall into the perfectionist complex personality zone like me, you are not going to like it.
KISS- Keep it simple stupid.. Yep I said it. You really need to let go. This is key to enjoying the craft
Equipment- I dont even want to count the money I have wasted chasing perfection. 3V system, 50L, 20L, 10L Braumiesters, manufactured kegmenters back when you couldnt buy off the shelf, glycol chillers, hop rockets, more fermenter fridges Bigger and better wont make your beers taste better than your last brew. It just complicates things and robs you from enjoying yourself. Dont go down that rabbithole. Dont have that arguement every 3 months with the Mrs/Mr when the $2k power bill comes in because you're running 4 fermenter fridges, 2 kegerators and 5000W 15amp elements in your fully airconditioned brewroom you built in the shed. These days Im using a 36L BIABasket. a couple of femzillas and a ferment fridge. I couldnt be happier. It gets a nice beer into a keg without having a breakdown.
Software- Honestly just stop using them. All those numbers, sliders, profiles. Spending hours tweaking recipes is a trap for perfectionists. I use it now only to build a quick water profile for a recipe I just copied off someone else who spend months tweaking. To that person I say 'Cheers' I am eternally grateful I didnt have to do it.
Brew day- The only thing I check is PH. I stopped caring about gravity readings. I guess maybe a little experience comes into play here but Im really not concerned about where I am at brew day. Its just noise. A perfectionist wont sleep for week if they miss their target by a couple of points. Remember its all about having fun and drinking half decent beer.
I do use a iTilt though. I would not brew without one now. Its a very simple way to check where Im at in fermentation for dry hopping and finishing without the fuss.
Fresh wort kits - Your a perfectionist. A FWK just wont cut it because someone else less perfect brewed it. Dont be shy and get a few FWK into those kegs in-between brew days. Remember to let go of the steering wheel. You can still tweak those bad boys with your fav yeasts and hops.
Yeasts- Dont be bogged down with making yeast starters with flash liquid yeasts. You dont need 100+ yeast library taking up half the fridge. There are some great dry varieties now. Just pitch them straight in. One or two packs will do it. Simple as
In the information age, the more you read the dumber you become.. In my experience, and not just with brewing, the more info you bombard yourself with the more confused and unsure you become and the more complicated your systems blow out. You never stop learning, but limit who you learn from. Pick a couple of well informed sources and stick with them and express your gratitude for the time they take to share their knowledge.
Dont critique your own brews. As a perfectionist you are not qualified. Find an honest friend to do this for you. My IIIpa, neipa loving GF tells me when my beers are great and when they are ****. This system works well.
At the end of the day most of us want to make beers for the enjoyment. I hope this finds a place for some that maybe struggling to have a bit of fun.
KISS and be kind to yourself.
If you cannot pull off a task perfectly, you consider it a complete failure. This failure then manifests itself as frustration and that frustration then manifests itself sometimes in anger toward folks you care about... or some random. Sometimes you get depressed. If you have enough failures you quit.
Brewing for a perfectionist is a complete nightmare. The sun and moon have to align to pull off the perfect brew day. There is a lot of preparation. Water chemistry, perfectly milled grain, perfectly planned mash steps, the science, the software, the equipment, the environment , the playlist, the weather.... its so stressful it is not fun.
I love the thought of brewing but didnt really enjoy it most of the time. My first beer I ever brewed was on a 50L 3v setup. I spent 12 months reading everything I could get my hands on, building the system, planning the brew. It went perfectly, Failure was not even an option. It went into my perfectly balanced and built kegerator and it was the best beer I have ever had. But like a drug, chasing that first hit is a slippery slope to self destruction.
So here are my tips for maximum enjoyment I have personally experienced in the last 6 months back into brewing after pulling the plug a few years back. If you fall into the perfectionist complex personality zone like me, you are not going to like it.
KISS- Keep it simple stupid.. Yep I said it. You really need to let go. This is key to enjoying the craft
Equipment- I dont even want to count the money I have wasted chasing perfection. 3V system, 50L, 20L, 10L Braumiesters, manufactured kegmenters back when you couldnt buy off the shelf, glycol chillers, hop rockets, more fermenter fridges Bigger and better wont make your beers taste better than your last brew. It just complicates things and robs you from enjoying yourself. Dont go down that rabbithole. Dont have that arguement every 3 months with the Mrs/Mr when the $2k power bill comes in because you're running 4 fermenter fridges, 2 kegerators and 5000W 15amp elements in your fully airconditioned brewroom you built in the shed. These days Im using a 36L BIABasket. a couple of femzillas and a ferment fridge. I couldnt be happier. It gets a nice beer into a keg without having a breakdown.
Software- Honestly just stop using them. All those numbers, sliders, profiles. Spending hours tweaking recipes is a trap for perfectionists. I use it now only to build a quick water profile for a recipe I just copied off someone else who spend months tweaking. To that person I say 'Cheers' I am eternally grateful I didnt have to do it.
Brew day- The only thing I check is PH. I stopped caring about gravity readings. I guess maybe a little experience comes into play here but Im really not concerned about where I am at brew day. Its just noise. A perfectionist wont sleep for week if they miss their target by a couple of points. Remember its all about having fun and drinking half decent beer.
I do use a iTilt though. I would not brew without one now. Its a very simple way to check where Im at in fermentation for dry hopping and finishing without the fuss.
Fresh wort kits - Your a perfectionist. A FWK just wont cut it because someone else less perfect brewed it. Dont be shy and get a few FWK into those kegs in-between brew days. Remember to let go of the steering wheel. You can still tweak those bad boys with your fav yeasts and hops.
Yeasts- Dont be bogged down with making yeast starters with flash liquid yeasts. You dont need 100+ yeast library taking up half the fridge. There are some great dry varieties now. Just pitch them straight in. One or two packs will do it. Simple as
In the information age, the more you read the dumber you become.. In my experience, and not just with brewing, the more info you bombard yourself with the more confused and unsure you become and the more complicated your systems blow out. You never stop learning, but limit who you learn from. Pick a couple of well informed sources and stick with them and express your gratitude for the time they take to share their knowledge.
Dont critique your own brews. As a perfectionist you are not qualified. Find an honest friend to do this for you. My IIIpa, neipa loving GF tells me when my beers are great and when they are ****. This system works well.
At the end of the day most of us want to make beers for the enjoyment. I hope this finds a place for some that maybe struggling to have a bit of fun.
KISS and be kind to yourself.
