What Has Been Your Highlight...

[Duff]

...in your brewing 'journey' thus far?

What has really stood out that has become memorable?

For mine it was receiving a bottle of Les the Weizguy's Berliner Weisse in the NSW XMas swap a couple years ago. I still think about it as it set the level at which I aspire to get my beers at. There's many on here who are into brewing for the cheap kick it provides, but there are others who are genuinely interested in improving on an ongoing basis. Les' Weisse was perfect. It was balanced, refreshing, one of a kind, and to this day I still haven't tried anything close. And to prove how good it was, it went onto win the major gong at NSW State.

What's yours?

 

[ozpowell]

The day I realized I could brew beer that tastes as good or better than what you can buy in the stores. ^_^

 

[T.D.]

Duff, long time no see mate!

I agree, that Berliner Weisse was a great beer. Shame we only got one each!

I would so the highlight of my brewing so far is probably not one specific event but more one "concept", and that is sharing a brewday fellow brewers and mates. I've had some crackers over the years (usually including a few beers consumed too). Brewing on your own is kind of a bit "boring" in comparison.

I've had some great big brew days with some mates on my 150L brewery at my folks' place in the country. Great way to do a brewday!

 

[joecast]

a couple off the top of my head..,.

going way back, maybe my fourth brew. a coopers real ale kit. still have fond memories of that one. i think the difference was better ferment control and really opened my eyes.

since then, probably starting part mash BIAB last year. too easy, and too fun. and the beer has been pretty damn good too
joe

 

[MVZOOM]

My first AG SNPA clone, the Trough Lolly version. Probably about my 5th AG - it blew my socks off. The other 4 AG's were good, this one was the tipping point. The realisation that I could make this stuff, again and again and have it on tap was a revelation!
Cheers - Mike

 

[peas_and_corn]

My second batch ever- it was drinkable. Also the first beer I poured through my taps (thanks for the installation GMK )

 

[Tony]

1st: taking out the NSW title last year with my Old Ale
2nd: getting a first place in catagory at the AABC with said Old Ale
3rd: Was cleaning out my brew rig one night after dark. A couple of youn fellas wandering past on their way to the pub saw kegs and came to investigate. Conversation as follows:

Them: Holy **** mate, what do you do with this?
Me: I make beer with it mate.
Them: yeah....... really? How?
"lamens terms explination followed and they lisened with big smiles and wide eyes.
Me: have you ever tries a foreign style beer before?
Then: No we drink Extra dry cause it tastes better!
Me: Do you want to try one of my beers?
Them: Yeah sure.
Me: Now...... this will be nothing like you have had before. Its a german wheat beer. Dont expect it to taste like extra dry. Open your minds to something new and see if you like it.
Them: Blank worried looks............ Oooooooo Kaaaaay
Me: Poures 3 beers. 70% german wheat, 30% german pils, 3068 and it was nice!
Them: tasted..... looked at each other..... drank some more..... smiled......drank some more. HEld up beers and looked at them in amazement.
Me: What do you think of that boys
Them: thats the best beer ive have ever tasted, one stated. Its got taste and it feels nice in your mouth.

They finnished the glass, and headed off to the pub.

I saw them a few weeks later and they came up and told me they cursed me for ages after that night. They got to the pub and the beer on tap tasted like waterery **** and continued to do so for days after.

Only took one schooner to open their eyes, and it was a fun experience.

cheers

 

[peas_and_corn]

That's a great story there Tony, great to hear about people being educated about real beer

 

[Pumpy]

Going for a weekend to the original Bullshead brewery at Tamworth , to a brewday with Ross ,Ducati Stu.

To meet a brewer that gave me a great deal of help in my early days

He was so passionate about his beer that his enthusiam just had to rub off on you .

and continues to do so for a lot of other budding brewers .

Pumpy

 

[wambesi]

Thats awesome Tony.

My best to this point would be valentines day last year, my wife knew I wanted to get back into brewing (stopped in 01 or 02) and bought me a coopers kit for v-day...........and regretted it ever since, now onto my second AG, a stack of fermenters, cubes, fridges and lot's of other gadgets sitting in the brewery/garage.

Now just saving up for that Keg system Ross and I have talked about.

 

[Adamt]

I'm surprised no-one has said this yet?

I found this site!

 

[peas_and_corn]

Link doesn't seem to work, it links to a forum full of ******s...

 

[captaincleanoff]

I found this site!

 

[Stuster]

I found this site!

A highlight for me. Without it I would probably have given up after a few batches, not tried AG and not met all the great people I have along the way. :beer:

 

[peas_and_corn]

I must say that yeah, this site has been good to me- I certainly wouldn't be AG with kegs without this site.

 

[Tony]

Awww shucks Pumpy

I have fond memories of that weekend too. I remember mashing in early in the morning and you lot turning up in a taxi. Walked in the garage and ross handed me a beer............ it all went from there didnt it.

Has it got a bit of greyhound in it? :lol:

For me the early days was spent on the old Grumpys forum with the likes of Ross Pumpy, Ducatiboy Stu, and many others on here now. It was a great simple little forum where i learnt a lot from the likes of Jazman and most of all.... GT or THD as he is known on here.

Spammers took over, the forum died in the bum and we all ended up here.

cheers

 

[T.D.]

For me the early days was spent on the old Grumpys forum with the likes of Ross Pumpy, Ducatiboy Stu, and many others on here now. It was a great simple little forum where i learnt a lot from the likes of Jazman and most of all.... GT or THD as he is known on here.

Yep, fond memories.

 

[schooey]

:lol:

I remember making a call to MHB about three years ago....

G'day mate do you sell heater pads?
No, why would you want one?
Cause its winter and it's a bit hard to maintain 26 C in winter...maybe?
You don't need a heater pad, just better yeast...(Insert 5 mins of brewing education)... Why don't you drop into the shop?
OK, will do.

The next day I rocked on in, opened my eyes and more importantly my mind and here I am today brewing AG. No major prizes won or any accolades achieved, but I make a beer that I like to drink and I have a hobby that I really really enjoy.

One of the other high points I will mention was the day I realised it's so easy to over complicate things when brewing. Catching the AG bug and wanting to brew all sorts of wonderful things, making recipes with 8 grains, 5 different hops, triple decoctions.... yatter yatter, then one day asking : Hmmm, why? Then brewing an APA with two grains, two hops, single infusion mash and it tasting bloody fantastic... :icon_drool2: Then I realised it's so easy to catch AG fever and over-complicate things. Some of the best beers I've made, and some of the best beers other brewers have made that I have been lucky enough to taste have been very simple recipes, very simple mash profiles.

I guess it's something you have to learn yourself, but it's all part of the fun getting there

 

[Swinging Beef]

Going to an IBU meeting and drinking Caprettas Belgian Ale and him telling me its all extract and takes less than 2hours to make.
I liked that.

Brewing my own first english bitter with detailed instruction from a pro-brewer was step II

 

[browndog]

I thought my K&Ks were pretty good stuff, then one day I accepted an invo from a fellow off the grumpies forum that lived at Carbrook, who knew nothing of me, nor I of him. He gave three of us an AG demo that day and poured us some beers from his bar, which had about 4 or 6 taps back then. When I tried Ross's beers it was a defining moment for me. I realised THIS is what beer is supposed to taste like. My idea of homebrew = cheap beer went out the window for homebrew AG = real beer.


cheers

Browndog