125 replies to this topic

[HVB]

Here is what I hoped for in 2014 https://www.brews-br...-brweing-goals/

 

Seeing that I miss most of my brewing goals last year I hope 2014 is better. I will simplify my goals for this year.

[*]Brew at least once a month, 10g batches[*]Brew at least one lager[*]Complete my journey on a small, 3-3.5%, highly hopped pale ale recipe[*]Never have an empty tap[/list]

How about everyone else.  What do you hope for in 2014

 

Most of that did not happen.  Seems I underestimated the time suck a 1 and 4 year old can be .  I do have the lager on tap for this weekend and have all my taps full currently.

 

For 2015 I plan to:

• Focus on core beers I have made before and really enjoy - also scale back to 5g batches
• Get back to the small, 3-3.5% hoppy pale ale.  I have had a lot of great hoppy beers lately and have a beer in mind in both hop profile and mouth feel, I just need to brew it
• Get my 5 year old more involved with brew day.  She loves to watch the "bubbles" and I think she would enjoy thrown in the hops and I hope cleaning
• Lastly try and get the excitement and enjoyment back in the hobby.  Many rescheduled brew days or rushed brew days have made it feel like a chore sometimes to get a beer on tap.  I see the light at the end of that tunnel though and want to get back to enjoying brewing.

 

 

 

 

[positiveContact]

Last year I wanted to put a hole in my HLT - turns out I don't usually use it anymore.  I just mash really thin and sparge with the small amount of water that is left in a smaller kettle that I can easily dump.

 

I also wanted to make as much delicious beer as possible.  I probably could have made more but consuming it would have been an issue.  As it is I drink about 1 pint/day.  I never had an Oktoberfest party this year so I didn't get that help on consuming product.

 

This year - I'd pretty much like to just keep making beer.  No major changes to equipment or process required.  If I could go back to making 5 gallons at a time sometimes I guess that might be cool but as with drez the kids make time an issue.  I guess one thing I'm pretty much always working towards is chasing the hop moby dick.  I always want more intense hop aroma and taste but without any harsh bitterness or grassy flavors.  I've learned some things over the past year but I'm still sorting through all of the variables of hopping.

[Poptop]

I averaged a batch a month last year and I aim to do the same this coming year. I would like to continue to find ways to simplify my brew day and days leading up to... I also aspire to continue perfecting everybody's favorite; my house Saison.

[HVB]

I averaged a batch a month last year and I aim to do the same this coming year. I would like to continue to find ways to simplify my brew day and days leading up to... I also aspire to continue perfecting everybody's favorite; my house Saison.

have you posted that?

[Poptop]

I have not as it is not to style but hey.... neither is a true FA anyways

[neddles]

I have not as it is not to style 

Meh. If it's good share away.

[HVB]

I have not as it is not to style but hey.... neither is a true FA anyways

As you pointed out, a Farmhouse Ale really has not predefined style.  Well, I guess for bjcp it does but that does not matter for me.

Meh. If it's good share away.

This!!

[Big Nake]

Generally I don't put brewing goals together. It adds too much work-like structure to something I like to keep loose and just let creativity flow. I went back and found Drez' 2014 Brewing Goals thread and saw that I wanted to get a little better and having strategies for certain styles. At the beginning of 2014 I was still struggling with water for pale styles but at this very moment I believe I have resolved that issue with very favorable results. In 2014 I made a couple of great kolsch beers and helles and the fact I can make those styles with 100% filtered tap water is a goal achieved, I think. So it would be great to continue with that, make some batches with new ingredients. 2014 marked the first time I brewed with RedX, CaraBohemian, Wyeast 2005, Mosaic, German Hull Melon and a number of other things.

Edited by Village Taphouse, 16 December 2014 - 12:40 PM.

[Poptop]

Fellas, as mentioned it's no where near a style but family and friends cannot seem to get enough. This is the original recipe and I've made it about 4 times. I've lessened the B and 120 down since then but the flavor they impart makes me very happy. Anyway my wife coined the name due to... the color... With the exception of this batch I use table sugar.Recipe: DIRTY PENNY TYPE: All Grain - Style: Saison – 02-15-2014---RECIPE SPECIFICATIONS-----------------------------------------------SRM: 14.8 SRM SRM RANGE: 5.0-14.0 SRMIBU: 42.6 IBUs Tinseth IBU RANGE: 20.0-35.0 IBUsOG: 1.055 SG OG RANGE: 1.048-1.065 SGFG: 1.008 SG FG RANGE: 1.002-1.012 SGBU:GU: 0.770 Calories: 151.6 kcal/12oz Est ABV: 6.2 %EE%: 65.00 % Batch: 5.33 gal Boil: 7.50 gal BT: 60 MinsTotal Grain Weight: 12 lbs 2.0 oz Total Hops: 3.50 oz oz.---MASH/STEEP PROCESS------MASH PH:5.40 ------>>>>>>>>>>-ADD WATER CHEMICALS BEFORE GRAINS!!<<<<<<<Amt Name Type # %/IBU10 lbs Pale Malt (2 Row) Bel (3.0 SRM) Grain 1 82.5 %8.0 oz Caramunich Malt (56.0 SRM) Grain 2 4.1 %5.0 oz Caramel/Crystal Malt -120L (120.0 SRM) Grain 3 2.6 %5.0 oz Special B Malt (180.0 SRM) Grain 4 2.6 %---BOIL PROCESS-----------------------------Est Pre_Boil Gravity: 1.041 SG Est OG: 1.055 SGAmt Name Type # %/IBU1 lbs Golden Candi Syrup (5.0 SRM) Sugar 5 8.2 %0.50 oz Magnum [12.20 %] - Boil 60.0 min Hop 6 22.7 IBUs0.50 oz Aramis [8.10 %] - Boil 20.0 min Hop 7 9.1 IBUs0.50 oz Amarillo [8.80 %] - Boil 5.0 min Hop 8 3.3 IBUs0.50 oz Aramis [8.10 %] - Boil 5.0 min Hop 9 3.0 IBUs0.50 oz Citra [12.00 %] - Boil 5.0 min Hop 10 4.5 IBUs0.70 oz Coriander Seed (Boil 5.0 mins) Spice 11 -Amt Name Type # %/IBU0.50 oz Amarillo [8.80 %] - Steep/Whirlpool Stee Hop 12 0.0 IBUs0.50 oz Citra [12.00 %] - Steep/Whirlpool Steep Hop 130.0 IBUsI've used WLP565 DuPont for 2 and Belle Saison for 2. I'm partial to 565 but like the convenience of Belle.Lastly I'm almost out of Aramis and I don't think a substitute would be needed, maybe just increase the Magnum a little.

[Poptop]

One other thing. I get close to 7%

[SchwanzBrewer]

 

Schwanz's 2014 Goals

• Brew a good lager
• Brew a saison I like
• Brew a Belgian tripel
• Sour my 5 gal barrel
• Make/Buy a kegerator that actually works
• Get lab equipment and count some yeast

 

I did not brew any lager, but I might brew one after christmas, but it obviously won't be ready in time for years end.

No saison or tripel, but I did brew a golden strong that was good.

Didn't sour my barrel that I know of. It's in my fermenter with a beer in it that's been in there for 2 years. I guess I ought to pull it out and try it.

Still no working kegerator.

No yeast cell counting yet. I'll probably get that next year.

 

2014 Accomplishments...

Brewed my first IIPA and BGS. They were both excellent.

Almost perfected Kolsch and Duss Alt. Won multiple medals for those beers (6 total IIRC).

Experimented with new ingredients successfully.

Came up with recipes and ideas for several new beers to brew.

Provided beer for 5 major events and brewed a lot of beer.

 

2015 Goals...

Brew the lagers I have planned.

Perfect the BGS

Perfect the Kolsch and Alt, focusing on water and PH.

Count some yeast so I know how well I make starters.

Don't worry about a kegerator, I like drinking my beer at my FIL's house anyway (neighbors come over and drink with us - it's fun). I can buy stuff to sample and get new ideas to try at my house.

[denny]

1.) figure out the freakin' American mild

2.) get the next book done so I have time to brew!

[neddles]

Fellas, as mentioned it's no where near a style but family and friends cannot seem to get enough. This is the original recipe and I've made it about 4 times. I've lessened the B and 120 down since then but the flavor they impart makes me very happy. Anyway my wife coined the name due to... the color... With the exception of this batch I use table sugar. 

Thanks for that. I have a stepped starter of 565 (3724 actually) on the sir plate as I type. 

 

Didn't sour my barrel that I know of. It's in my fermenter with a beer in it that's been in there for 2 years. I guess I ought to pull it out and try it.

 

Have you been topping it off from time to time?

 

2.) get the next book done so I have time to brew!

 

Ok, I'll bite.. what's the next book?

[SchwanzBrewer]

Have you been topping it off from time to time?

 

 

Nope. I pulled a bottles worth about, I dunno, a year ago or so. It's a black currant saison. It tasted like dry red wine. Looked like it too. Who knows, it might good and there might be bugs in there already. I haven't looked to see if there's a pellicle. It's a 5 gallon barrel. I need to put some bugs in it and some more beer.

[Jdtirado]

I just want to brew more than once a year, or to be home more so I can brew.

[matt6150]

Well it appears I never made any 2014 goals. But had a good year anyway. I finished my electric brewery and can now do 10gal batches. Those 2 items were on my 2013 goals so at least I made progress there. I also brewed 30 batches this year, 7 of which were 10gal. Won some medals. Brewed at 2 commercial breweries.

 

2015 Goals:

Perfect the electric rig so I am brewing consistent beer.

Get a barrel and start some sours.

Incorporate a new fermenting system.

Build the tap tower chiller idea that is stuck in my head.

Brew beer.

 

I think that is all doable. It's just putting aside the time for the bigger projects.

[djinkc]

Not really a goal, but batch #400 since the restart should be brewed around March.  Had a while to think about it and really have no idea what brew.  

 

Then again, I'll probably forget until I get to about #410.........  

[realbeerguy]

Get the Electric system done.

Attempt another Samichlaus clone

Work on more sours

[denny]

Ok, I'll bite.. what's the next book?

 

Called Homebrew All Stars...collection of tips, techniques and advice from the best brewers around

[HVB]

Called Homebrew All Stars...collection of tips, techniques and advice from the best brewers around

Topic for a different thread I know but seeing I am the OP I can hijack .  How were the best brewers determined?