First brew

[thunderwagn]

Thanks @Trialben
Here's the cream ale I keep around in some form or another almost all the time. It's super simple, cheap, adaptable, and delicious.
https://www.brewersfriend.com/homebrew/recipe/view/894456/cream-ale

 

[Craigerrr]

Now why didn't I think to recommend TW for Cream Ale support...

 

[Hawkbox]

I'm very disappointed Craigerr.

 

[Craigerrr]

 

[BarbarianBrewer]

Normally I don't nitpick, but I don't want @Coronajax to think secondary fermentation is a myth. It may be a misnamed but it's not a myth. Granted, a new brewer definitely does not need to worry about secondary fermentation. However, it is important to realize that certain beers, like a Wee Heavy or other high gravity beer needs to bulk age in secondary for a few months before kegging or bottling. I only use a secondary once a year when I brew either a Wee Heavy or a w00t stout. One month in primary and 3 months in secondary. After that 3 more months in the bottle. I'm already having a Gollum type argument with myself on whether I should give it out as gifts or to hide my precious!

Also, processes like adding fruit and such also benefit by racking to secondary.

 

[Craigerrr]

Indeed secondary is necessary in cases like you describe, thank you for your comments.

 

[Bulin's Milker Bucket Brews]

I've got a buddy that has done a total of 3 batches of homebrew(this wa a few years ago) ALL of them were kits, all of them were excellent. I've been brewing since this summer(not too very long). The extract beer recipes I came up with were 2 out of 3 pretty decent(the ales weren't bad, the first crack at "Dirty Bohemian" not so much). But I keep plugging away at it. There is something about brewing my own recipes that just gets me more :invested" in it. The last batch of "Dirty Bohemian" wasn't bad. I learn, I make adjustments, for me. doing my own thing drives me to do it better moving forward, making mistakes, making adjustments and seeing the results makes the whole process fresh every time.

 

[Craigerrr]

And that is what it is all about!

 

[Lager Dan]

I've got a buddy that has done a total of 3 batches of homebrew(this wa a few years ago) ALL of them were kits, all of them were excellent. I've been brewing since this summer(not too very long). The extract beer recipes I came up with were 2 out of 3 pretty decent(the ales weren't bad, the first crack at "Dirty Bohemian" not so much). But I keep plugging away at it. There is something about brewing my own recipes that just gets me more :invested" in it. The last batch of "Dirty Bohemian" wasn't bad. I learn, I make adjustments, for me. doing my own thing drives me to do it better moving forward, making mistakes, making adjustments and seeing the results makes the whole process fresh every time.

How do you know what your mistakes are?

 

[Nosybear]

How do you know what your mistakes are?

If the beer tastes bad, it's a mistake. If it tastes okay but isn't what you intended, it's a mistake. Minor process variation can be considered a mistake but I generally don't, see qualification #1.

 

[BarbarianBrewer]

One quick way to identify what a mistake might have been is to tie a specific off-flavor to a specific cause. Google and homebrew books have lots of information. This one has good descriptions --> https://learn.kegerator.com/off-flavors-in-beer.

However, most of my mistakes were learned by process changes. For instance, I was never happy with the taste of my beer in the beginning. Then I started letting it bottle conditioning longer and it tasted better. Another lesson learned was regarding fermentation temperature control. I went from a carboy in the basement, to a swamp cooler, to a chest freezer with an InkBird controller. The flavor and consistency improved with each change. Most "mistakes" can be thought of as something you haven't learned yet.

 

[BarbarianBrewer]

Most mistakes that can be classified as a "Mistake" are pretty obvious. Like the time I brought my cooled wort into the house and seeing 3.5 oz of flame-out hops still sitting on the kitchen table!

 

[Craigerrr]

There is a thread here called "you know you did it wrong when..."
All kinds of fun mistakes in there!

 

[Mase]

Most mistakes that can be classified as a "Mistake" are pretty obvious. Like the time I brought my cooled wort into the house and seeing 3.5 oz of flame-out hops still sitting on the kitchen table!

Dry hop!!!!

 

[Lager Dan]

Thanks for all the good replys, however I met to ask was how do you know what caused a mistake, i.e., after the fact.

 

[GFHomebrew]

Thanks for all the good replys, however I met to ask was how do you know what caused a mistake, i.e., after the fact.

It's a bit of both experience and being too green to know where you went wrong.

A bit like how long is a piece of string.

There is a myriad or area beer can go wrong from recipie formulation-procedure-fermentation-packaging/storage.

Where along that line you screwed up is a process of elimination.

 

[Craigerrr]

Thanks for all the good replys, however I met to ask was how do you know what caused a mistake, i.e., after the fact.

Making beer is essentially cooking, you can't be a renowned chef without education and experience. Do some reading, ask lots of questions here, google some videos, read some more, ask more questions here. Lather rinse, learn, repeat.
I am two years in and am really just scratching the surface, but am pleased with where I am as a brewer. Thanks in large part to the thoughtful folks here on BF (you all know who you are). I have progressed to the point where I am not afraid to add advice to posts to help impart what I have learned. Nosybear will tell you that the best way to learn to brew is to brew the same recipe over and over again until it tastes the same every time.