[HoosierBrew]

As a lifelong fan, the Cubs' bleacher bums have to quit accepting mediocrity (at best). For too long it's been ok because it's a great place to hang out and drink. You can hang out and drink while expecting your team to win. Fans in a city that big carry a lot of clout, just gotta wield it. 


BTW still waiting on the Wonder Kid Theo to start the rebuild.............

[Herminator]

Welcome!  This forum is great...visit often!

[Pinski]

Sanitation, Sanitation, Sanitation.

Actually

Fermentation first. Sanitation comes a close second.

As I see it fermentation is the yeasts job. As a brewer my job is create the conditions conducive to successful fermentation. The one constant in my process is sanitation.

[klickitat jim]

Good save on the epic derail

[Jimmy K]

Sanitation, Sanitation, Sanitation.

Actually

Fermentation first. Sanitation comes a close second.

As I see it fermentation is the yeasts job. As a brewer my job is create the conditions conducive to successful fermentation. The one constant in my process is sanitation.

I'd say sanitation first for two reasons. It's easy to master and bad sanitation can make beer undrinkable - worse than bad fermentation. But, you know - YMMV.

[theDarkSide]

Yeah, I am in a mixed marriage - I am a Sox fan and my wife is a Cubs fan, here in IL.  Neither is looking good,

That's because you are a fan of the wrong Sox! 

The Cubs are always my team in the NL and for the WS if the Red Sox are out...we know the pain they are going through.

[klickitat jim]

I just wonder how many "extract beers sux" opinions exist because they quit making them way before they figured out all the other aspects.

[Jimmy K]

I just wonder how many "extract beers sux" opinions exist because they quit making them way before they figured out all the other aspects.

YES!

[dkfick]

I'm late to the party.  Welcome.  I'm sure once you brew that first batch you'll be hooked and then your issue will be finding the time to brew.  If I go more than a few weeks without brewing I "get the itch" lol.

As others have said sanitation in paramount.  Get yourself some Star-San and like the old lady in the hot sauce commercial... Put that s*** on everything.

[majorvices]

Sanitation, Sanitation, Sanitation.

Actually

Fermentation first. Sanitation comes a close second.

As I see it fermentation is the yeasts job. As a brewer my job is create the conditions conducive to successful fermentation. The one constant in my process is sanitation.

I'd say sanitation first for two reasons. It's easy to master and bad sanitation can make beer undrinkable - worse than bad fermentation. But, you know - YMMV.

Completely disagree. You can get away with lax sanitation as long as you are clean. The yeast will outcompete most nasties. BD fermentation makes bad beer every time.

[Pinski]

Sanitation, Sanitation, Sanitation.

Actually

Fermentation first. Sanitation comes a close second.

As I see it fermentation is the yeasts job. As a brewer my job is create the conditions conducive to successful fermentation. The one constant in my process is sanitation.

I'd say sanitation first for two reasons. It's easy to master and bad sanitation can make beer undrinkable - worse than bad fermentation. But, you know - YMMV.

Completely disagree. You can get away with lax sanitation as long as you are clean. The yeast will outcompete most nasties. BD fermentation makes bad beer every time.

I don't disagree with you Major and there are many process errors that can lead to a "bad" fermentation.  My point is that for a newbie, if they are capaple of following a good basic recipe and process instruction that sanitation is a fundamental process to dial in as a priority. Learning this passtime with lax sanitation practices is a risky venture. We all tend to morph our process and equipment a lot in our first brews and there are plenty of opportunities to mess up.  Fermentation processes are nuanced and complicated for beginners, hell even for us seasoned brewers.  If "clean" works for you in your brewery that's great.  Personally I'm more comfortable doing my best to make sure that anything that comes into contact with my beer has been sanitized. In 19 years I've never had to dump a batch due to infection so I'm sticking with it. 

[morticaixavier]

Sanitation, Sanitation, Sanitation.

Actually

Fermentation first. Sanitation comes a close second.

+ 1.100!!!!! sanitation to the level we need to worry about it is soo easy we all learned it in preschool, wash up after yourself! all we add in brewing is star san.

you can make great beer with questionable sanitation methods (you won't ALWAYS, but you can) but you can't make great beer without proper fermentation control

[Pinski]

Sanitation, Sanitation, Sanitation.

Actually

Fermentation first. Sanitation comes a close second.

+ 1.100!!!!! sanitation to the level we need to worry about it is soo easy we all learned it in preschool, wash up after yourself! all we add in brewing is star san.

you can make great beer with questionable sanitation methods (you won't ALWAYS, but you can) but you can't make great beer without proper fermentation control

Seriously?  You must be a LOT cleaner than most of the preschoolers I know. 

[morticaixavier]

Sanitation, Sanitation, Sanitation.

Actually

Fermentation first. Sanitation comes a close second.

+ 1.100!!!!! sanitation to the level we need to worry about it is soo easy we all learned it in preschool, wash up after yourself! all we add in brewing is star san.

you can make great beer with questionable sanitation methods (you won't ALWAYS, but you can) but you can't make great beer without proper fermentation control

Seriously?  You must be a LOT cleaner than most of the preschoolers I know.

didn't say we MASTERED it in preschool, just learned it.

[denny]

Sanitation, Sanitation, Sanitation.

But before that, Cleaning, Cleaning, Cleaning.  You can't sanitize what isn't clean.