1yr in….what next?

[GDubs]

I asked a similar question nine months ago when I was still super new to home brewing. To a person, everyone here suggested I work on my process before straying too far from the basics. At the time I had maybe two or three BIAB batches under my belt. They were completely different styles and I was getting widely variable efficiencies and overall mixed results. I took the advice of the folks here and over the course of the summer I stuck with fairly similar pale ale batches with 4-5 hops that I knew I liked and US-05… i dabbled a little bit with crystal/specialty malts to mix things up a bit.
With my set up I found the key to good efficiencies was a 90 minute mash at 1.5q/lb. From there I move my bag to my bottling bucket and rinse the grains with the valve open till I reach pre-boil volume. This gets me to 75% efficiency or a little better. Ive added a wort chiller to my bag of tricks and developed a workflow that has shaved over an hour off my brew day (clean up included). Overall I’m very happy with the improvements I’ve made in my first year. Thank you all for the early advice.
So, my question for you guys that have been at it for a while…
What was something that you added to your brewing playbook that was a real eye-opener? Is there a process, ingredient, or additive that surprised you, or really contributed to your understanding of home brewing? Maybe some piece of equipment that was a real game changer? Also, I’m not set up for lagering and a complete brew system isn’t in the budget right now
Thanks again for your guidance, I look forward to the responses.

GDubs

 

[Megary]

The only things I've added to my BIAB set-up are kegs. I'll still bottle the occasional batch, but kegging is sooooooo much easier. Maybe not in your budget now, but something to keep in mind. Other than that, I keep it simple. Cheers!

 

[Minbari]

For me, what really upped my game was temp control on the fermentor. This made results repeatable and took a major variable out of the equation when evaluating what happened.

Other thing that I added fairly early on was testing during mash. Check gravity, check if starch still exist. This will effect efficiency and it will effect how the fermentation will go.

 

[Zambi]

Fermentation fridge with controller

Plus a remark someone made about brewing for SG, not volume.
I brew in a fairly small pan, and pretty much uncontrolled. I brew to higher SG and dilute to the SG I want afterwards.
Volume used to vary enormously, but I'm getting the hang of it.
I would call it "primitive brewing" though

 

[Sandy Feet]

The corny keg is starting to be a game changer and so was learning to lager.
The only thing you need to lager is an el cheapo used refrigerator and a $35 controller for it. The controller turns your refrigerator on and off and can keep it in a narrow temperature range. It also has a delay that you can set so you don't blow up your refrigerator turning it on and off. As long as the keg and the fermenter fit, life is good. My refrigerator is in the garage and the only time I have issues is during the coldest two weeks of winter. Even then, the wife's hairdryer a couple of time a day will keep it close to warm enough.
The Bichmann burner was also a game changer. I was using a camp stove. It did not heat evenly and was a disaster ready to happen with the weight on it. My mash/strike water temperatures with that kick ass burner have been right on the money, and at 110K BTUs, that bitch will heat some water quickly.
You now have experience with S-05. Why not try some other yeasts? After I had a few S-05 recipes under my belt, I started playing with some liquid yeasts and English and Belgian style beers.
Go out to a few breweries, try some different things, find what you really like, and make something close.
I love my BIAB. One pot, one bag, and it makes good beer.

 

[Minbari]

Fermentation fridge with controller

Plus a remark someone made about brewing for SG, not volume.
I brew in a fairly small pan, and pretty much uncontrolled. I brew to higher SG and dilute to the SG I want afterwards.
Volume used to vary enormously, but I'm getting the hang of it.
I would call it "primitive brewing" though

Exactly how I do it too. Easier to add more water than take it away.

 

[GFHomebrew]

Now you've got the basics and repeatability on your brew system maybe take on the brewerfriend Quarterly brew.
This will introduce you to beers you'll not normally brew and the recipes are tried and true Homebrew recipes which I've found equal great rewards and results.

This will test your brewing skills some more.
It'll teach you about how to gather ingredients to hit a target beer style as sometimes exact yeast malts arnt available where you live.
It'll also teach you how to adapt them recipes with them ingredients to your brew systems targets.

Cheers here's to another year in brewing beer!

 

[Herm brews]

Get a refractometer (if you don’t already have one), learn to use it, and use the spreadsheet under the Calculator tab to determine a correction factor. I use mine throughout the brew day, from the time I “dough in” to verifying that I have hit or am near the projected Original Gravity (O.G.). Then I use it to determine if my small 2.5 gallon batch has reached or is near the projected Final Gravity (F.G.).
Early on, I started crafting my own recipes, though I doubt there really is anything original about any of the recipes I have created. Meaning, more than likely, someone else has already created a recipe that I have “discovered” as my own.
And then there is water chemistry.
But don’t get too far ahead of yourself, and keep having fun.

 

[Donoroto]

For me, kegging was huge. No fiddling with sugars and bottles. But I spent over $200 for everything. And it did not really change the beer.

Fermentation temperature control was big. That cost $25 for an Inkbird controller used with my old fridge. It allowed me to try several new styles. I got better repeatability.

Then I started playing with other base malts to better understand their flavors and effects. Ditto hops, and yeasts.

Lastly, I invested in a water report. I found that my water was actually pretty good for brewing, but is low in calcium. I can't say how much that helped, but I feel that it did.

 

[Minbari]

For me, kegging was huge. No fiddling with sugars and bottles. But I spent over $200 for everything. And it did not really change the beer.

Fermentation temperature control was big. That cost $25 for an Inkbird controller used with my old fridge. It allowed me to try several new styles. I got better repeatability.

Then I started playing with other base malts to better understand their flavors and effects. Ditto hops, and yeasts.

Lastly, I invested in a water report. I found that my water was actually pretty good for brewing, but is low in calcium. I can't say how much that helped, but I feel that it did.

I think water is one thing too many people overlook. You can make a good beer great or worse if the water is not right. Kinda like yeast, it won't ruin the beer, but does influence it.

I use RO and brewing minerals for every batch.

 

[GFHomebrew]

Oh and another thing lol.

I found early on is yeast health I suppose if your brewing ales small batch under 5gal and 1.060 and pitching dry yeast it don't matter.

But I found early on brewing lagers and even ales is a good healthy starter got my beers fermenting along nicely.

Was and still is a big one for me.
I rekon outta the over 150 batches I've done I've done the sprinkle dry yeast over the top of the wort once or twice .

 

[Over The Cliff Brewing]

For me it was the "no fear factor". Since I have not entered any beer contests, I brew what I think I might like. That freedom came after understand my process and making that repeatable. Joining brewersfriend was a major stroke for me. There is always help here. This site has just about everything you need except $$$'s to buy your stuff. Also, after 3 batches of bottling, I invested in kegging and have not looked back. I do bottle sometimes but maybe 3 to 6 bottles just to compare tastes to the kegged beer. Hang in there

 

[philjohnwilliams]

The most important thing I have added to my brewery is control. A grain mill to control my crush, an old fridge and an Inkbird to control fermentation temperature and an R/O filter to control my water. Every step of the brewing process involves some form of variable, and being able to control them will make your brews more predictable so when you make changes to your process and recipes you'll be better able to taste what those changes do to the beer.

 

[MrStacy]

The major thing that seems to have improved the quality of my beer is going to pressure fermenting. I went to a Kegland 30 liter all-rounder with the pressure kit and immediately my beer quality improved as well as the time savings on kegging. I do have to agree about temp control. I don’t have a dedicated temp control chamber, but can use my insulated shop (using heaters in the winter and AC in summer) to better control ferment temps (rather than the back bedroom in the house). That was a noticeable payoff as soon as I started doing that. Plus, it kept the wife happier.

 

[Mr_Bsfld]

Fermentation fridge with controller

Plus a remark someone made about brewing for SG, not volume.
I brew in a fairly small pan, and pretty much uncontrolled. I brew to higher SG and dilute to the SG I want afterwards.
Volume used to vary enormously, but I'm getting the hang of it.
I would call it "primitive brewing" though

i think i’m going to try this method as well

 

[Climb]

1. Fermentation temperature control.
2. Pressure fermentation to prevent suck-back during cold crashing.
3. Closed transfers along with kegging.

 

[Herm brews]

Another tool that has helped improve my brewing is a grain mill. Mine is a simple 2-roller model. Being able to crush grains adds some control that you otherwise don’t have if someone else is crushing the grains for you.

 

[MontanoBrew]

Finishing up my 27th year of homebrewing. I agree with previous posters citing cornie kegs and lagering.

 

[Minbari]

Another tool that has helped improve my brewing is a grain mill. Mine is a simple 2-roller model. Being able to crush grains adds some control that you otherwise don’t have if someone else is crushing the grains for you.

and being able to buy in bulk since you dont need them crushed

 

[GDubs]

You guys are great! Thank you for the continued advice and support.
I was expecting a lot of folks might suggest lagering but I am blown away by the number of responses that offered "temperature control" as being a big factor in their ales. I ferment in a very temperature stable (66F-68F) finished basement, in a glass carboy, using primarily US-05. All of my pale ales have fermented along the same predictable schedule, with similar results with respect to flavor, gravity etc. When you refer to temperature control are you talking about eliminating fluctuations or fermenting at a specific temperature to get a better end result. What kind of improvements could I expect? Is US-05 just particularly forgiving or well suited for 66F-68F? Or am I making lousy beer and just havent figured that out yet?!?!?!? (Joking)
I am eager to begin kegging, it has been on my short list of additions for a while. Until I can find a used set up locally I am ok with bottling.
TrialBen had a great suggestion about the Quarterly Brew. My brew-ducation thus far has targeted specific elements in my process. Its probably a good time to bring it all together to see how close I can get to a specific end product.
Thanks again everyone.

GDubs