So I just had the most relaxing and relaxed brew day (morning really) in a long time. Kept it simple. Simple water locked in the pH (yeah I made the usual notes but maybe now I won't need to check things like that except for a totally new style.) Simple mash (153°F and mash off) gave a wort of superior quality and the usual yield. Went back to FWH so I could walk away and forget about most of the boil. I actually think this might be the best beer I have made in a long time, and most importantly, it was really fun again! Next stress reducer: I'm going to quit filtering my beer. Heck, I know it's clear and clean enough after lagering, I'm just wasting my time and stripping my beer. I just cut an inch off the dip tubes in my lagering kegs and made a jumper from spare tubing and parts! Thanks to Jim for his original post.
You are most welcome. We may end up with an Alice's Restaurant type movement here!
Jim, are you up for relating the story you told me about your helles?
It's in here if someone wanted to dig. But sure...
Basically, a couple years back I devoted myself all winter to "perfecting" a Munich Helles. Chose that for difficulty level. I brewed it umpteen times, making improvements along the way. I employed the help of a couple Grand Masters. #1 and #2 in charge of BJCP Education. Following their suggestions after sampling beers I sent them. I sought out every authentic technique I could find and could do on my equipment, including step mashing on my direct fire recirculation mash tun, kettle acid, etc etc. After nearly depleting my will to live, I brewed one final iteration using my same ol same ol single infusion, no mash out, no kettle acid, bla bla bla... bottled up a couple bombers off my beer gun and hauled them to Seattle. After the friday night session of judging NHC Round One, I rounded up Randy Scorby, Steve Antoch, and Tedd Hausotter. Three guys who know beer in my opinion. They judged it in front of me after I convinced them I wanted their gut honest opinion. The average score was 42. The ding I remember was the slightest hint of sulfur. A few more days in primary would have bumped it closer to 45.
I'm all for pursuing the deep end of the pool. Go for it if you enjoy it. And maybe all the intense, advanced, complex, traditional techniques might get you a 43, or 45, maybe even a 50. Awesome! Go for it! I applaud you! But go easy on the rest of us. A thing you read in a book and tried once doesn't make you superior to anyone. It's not about being superior, at least not for me.
I'm glad I put myself through it. But, for ME, and my time, my enjoyment, my whatever... simple methods make plenty good beer. Of all of the iterations of that helles, simple ruled the day enjoyment-wise, and score-wise.
I have not brewed that beer since. I do brew a slightly bigger slightly hoppier version that I love.
All of my other beers improved drastically after that exercise, but not because I use any complex method. I think it was just the experience.
For what it's worth.
Topic: Hitting Cruise Control (Read 4578 times)
