[oscarvan]

Ah malt hopper....... you see, when all you have is 12 bags of different ingredients in small quantities putting them all in there and letting it do its thing IS the simple solution.

[narvin]

I am still trying to learn then lingo but what do you mean kitchen sink beer

http://idioms.thefreedictionary.com/everything+but+the+kitchen+sink

[tubercle]

How will you know if you don't try. I do a "clean out" brew often. It only affects those who brew to style, what ever that is. Just make sure to write everything down in case you like it.

[The Professor]

How will you know if you don't try. I do a "clean out" brew often. It only affects those who brew to style, what ever that is. Just make sure to write everything down in case you like it.

Best answer yet.  On all counts.

[corkybstewart]

How will you know if you don't try. I do a "clean out" brew often. It only affects those who brew to style, what ever that is. Just make sure to write everything down in case you like it.

I pride myself on not brewing to style, but I've decided that my simpler recipes turn out at least as good if not better than when I just throw stuff into the mash tun hoping for the best.  I've even simplified to the point that I only keep Crystal 60 and 120 on hand, Special B, CaraVienne and a few roasted malts.  If I can't brew it (whatever it is)with those I don't need to brew.  I have bags of things like aromatic, victory, biscuit etc that I've never found a need for-now they're so old I really need to just compost them.

[Jimmy K]

Maybe part of the reason kitchen sink beers surprise us is that we have fewer expectations for them. There is no specific style or taste we are trying to replicate, so we just evaluate the finished beer for what it is, not what it could have been.

[tomsawyer]

My problem is that I have probably 20+ specialty grains in my stash and when I go down to the cave to put together a grist I open the tubs and there they are all calling to me.  So I'm the worst about adding a lot of ingredients.  I do think theres a certain amount of muddling that happens when you do this.

[dbeechum]

It only affects those who brew to style, what ever that is.

See, I'll disagree with that. Even as someone who brews wildly complex beers (and not really to style). A muddled malt profile is a muddled malt profile no matter if you make a brown ale or Beechum's Kitchen Sink and it may not be a universal axiom, but it sure feels like one to say that muddled anything is bad.

[tschmidlin]

it may not be a universal axiom, but it sure feels like one to say that muddled anything is bad.

A mojito doesn't taste right if the mint is not properly muddled.

[jaybeerman]

as someone who brews wildly complex beers (and not really to style). A muddled malt profile is a muddled malt profile

I'm fine with this statement.  

general statement
My original post wasn't meant to be an anti-style shout out, nor was I saying that haphazardly throwing grain at a recipe will result in a drinkable beer.  I did a considerable amount of thinking before I made that stout.  I even decided to take out all the munich and dark munich that I had as leftovers and put them towards another grainbill.  If I had looked at my leftover grains (munich(s) included) with the SO-4 and decided that I should brew a pale ale then there would be a problem, that would have been a horribly muddled beer.

[pinetree]

Just be sure to submit it to "The Journal of Irreproducible Results."

[Slowbrew]

Everything but the kitchen sink can work but the couple I have done were disasters.  Of course YMMV.   

I do this type of thing in the kitchen all the time.  The worst part of "leftovers cordon what?" is when the kids keep asking for it again.  I hate having to tell them I have no idea what was in it.  I have the same issue with Anything's Left Ale or Leftovers Lager, I'd hate for it to turn out great and have no way to brew it again.  Of course I tend to think of taking notes about 20 minutes too late most days.

Paul

[jaybeerman]

Just be sure to submit it to "The Journal of Irreproducible Results."

why would it be irreproducible?  don't you take notes on your brews?

[jaybeerman]

The worst part of "leftovers cordon what?" is when the kids keep asking for it again.  I hate having to tell them I have no idea what was in it.  I have the same issue with Anything's Left Ale or Leftovers Lager, I'd hate for it to turn out great and have no way to brew it again.  Of course I tend to think of taking notes about 20 minutes too late most days.

Paul

"leftovers cordon what?"  i like that the kids ask for it again - funny, i'm not sure if that's a good sign or a bad sign.  I think that kitchen sink beers can benefit from the same mindset though, it's not just dumping everything in, it's making the best of what you have.  I was the same way about note taking until the brew that broke the camels back, I just hate it when you're thoroughly enjoying eating a meal or drinking a beer and you have no way to reproduce it.  cheers, j

[euge]

Just be sure to submit it to "The Journal of Irreproducible Results."

why would it be irreproducible?  don't you take notes on your brews?

+1 though I don't always.