What one thing transformed your brewing?

[Naich]

Ignoring clones and simply producing beer styles that I like.

+1 for that. Concentrate on what you like, not on trying to be like other people.

[chrisr]

I've found the comments on this thread really interesting. I think, without actually counting 'the votes' the big three are: water treatment, temperature control of fermentation and liquid yeast.

I'd agree, of course, with the person that said ' you have to get lots of things right'. What I meant in the OP was 'what one thing was it changed your brewing from unacceptable to acceptable' (assuming you were, to start with, in the 'unacceptable' area!) Naturally, as you 'fix' one thing, you find another is letting you down, and then fix that. Etc.

As I said, for me acidifying my rather alkaline water transformed my brews. That was done as part of overall water treatment, but water treatment being right or not, if you are extracting tannins (as it seems I was), you've no chance! As soon as started acidifying, what the other treatments did to the water started working right, and I started improving things in that area.

Another biggie for me was making a RIMS, which improved the quality from the mash, and the efficiency, tremendously.

And finally, I have just recently started with temperature control of the fermentation, and again I've noticed further improvement in quality and repeatability.

Thanks for everyone's input so far.

[TC2642]

Ignoring clones and simply producing beer styles that I like.

+1 for that. Concentrate on what you like, not on trying to be like other people.

After getting everything else right, this would be the biggie for me, experiment and find whatever best suits your tastebuds.

[Andy__]

For me its getting someone else to try my beers, who knows what they are talking about and is not afraid to tell you its cr*p.

Sometimes your just to close to it, to see it for what it is.

Oh yes and a really big mash tun & kettle. I hate trying to squeeze things into either.

[darkonnis]

For me its getting someone else to try my beers, who knows what they are talking about and is not afraid to tell you its cr*p.

See I honestly believe there isn't anyone who "knows what they're talking about" except when you come to perfecting a recipe and you're talking minor changes or general problem solving. If you like the beer you brew, keep brewing it, it'll soon become apparent after 3 pints of something you've made if its crap or not as it you won't be enthusiastic to drink it!

[Andy__]

See I honestly believe there isn't anyone who "knows what they're talking about" except when you come to perfecting a recipe and you're talking minor changes or general problem solving. If you like the beer you brew, keep brewing it, it'll soon become apparent after 3 pints of something you've made if its crap or not as it you won't be enthusiastic to drink it!

OK maybe it's just me. I know when a beer has off flavours or is infected straight away, but I sometimes get too enthusiastic to try a new ingredient or combination. When you put all that love into a beer I find it hard to be objective.

Anyway np.

[orlando]

See I honestly believe there isn't anyone who "knows what they're talking about" except when you come to perfecting a recipe and you're talking minor changes or general problem solving. If you like the beer you brew, keep brewing it, it'll soon become apparent after 3 pints of something you've made if its crap or not as it you won't be enthusiastic to drink it!

OK maybe it's just me. I know when a beer has off flavours or is infected straight away, but I sometimes get too enthusiastic to try a new ingredient or combination. When you put all that love into a beer I find it hard to be objective.

Anyway np.

FWIW I think you're right. Of course if you like it, what has that got to do with anyone else, and in that regard darkonnis has his point. My departure point is how you get some objectivity into something that is essentially subjective. Judging a beer is about trying to check what is made against some generally agreed criteria that looks at all aspects of what has been made. My own bias and prejudice, influenced by the effort and wishful thinking we all go through, is not the only measure that is worthwhile. If I'm to improve as a brewer of beer and not just a brewer of my beer, it has to be measured against a more critical standard. One of the important aspects of being a member of the CBA is to have my beer criticised by my peers. I learn a lot about how to judge as well as what to judge, taking note of the comments and trying again has helped me improve and exposed how much there is to go. This is a great spur to me and I am increasingly enjoying the benefits of having the " faults" pointed out.

[critch]

for me temperature control without a shadow of a doubt

[fego]

for me temperature control without a shadow of a doubt

Me too. Moved my beers from ordinary to individual and superior...

[Dunk]

Temperature control was the biggie once I moved from kits to all grain. It probably would have helped the kits a bunch too.....

To be honest, I often don't actually "control" temperature, but I choose where to ferment based on the temperature that I want - spare room / garage / utility room etc. once it gets too hot, the fermenter goes in the keg fridge though.

[bevan100]

Joining jims beer forum as simple as that.

[Martin G]

For different reasons, and not all of them good. French ebay!!

[darkonnis]

See I honestly believe there isn't anyone who "knows what they're talking about" except when you come to perfecting a recipe and you're talking minor changes or general problem solving. If you like the beer you brew, keep brewing it, it'll soon become apparent after 3 pints of something you've made if its crap or not as it you won't be enthusiastic to drink it!

OK maybe it's just me. I know when a beer has off flavours or is infected straight away, but I sometimes get too enthusiastic to try a new ingredient or combination. When you put all that love into a beer I find it hard to be objective.

Anyway np.

No no, by all means brew whatever and however you like I was just meaning don't get caught up with other peoples opinions or as others have mentioned, you won't end up brewing what you wanted to brew and end up settling for what someone else suggested. I think thats what i was meaning and just failed.

I too like it when people tell me my beers nice and then drink a lot of it, it is the greatest compliment there is for this hobby but if they don't like it I don't change to accommodate them. There's enough fizzy bland for all already

Keep up the enthusiasm!
Cheers,
Cooky

[Rick_UK]

For me it would be Graham Wheelers book and this site.

A lot of people have said liquid yeast - I'm curious if this is due to the variety available so you can replicate whatever beer you chose or just that it's better period? I prefer dried as it's easier to work with and have had problems with liquid and slopes.

Rick

[orlando]

It is still the case that there is a greater variety of liquid yeasts, particularly when you include the "seasonal" examples. But dried yeast varieties are increasing in their variety and as you point out they are a little easier to use, storage in particular is a lot easier. However, this ease of handling can be a bit of an Achilles heal, in that they are assumed to be pretty bomb proof. They still need storing properly, brought up to room temp before rehydrating and that in itself has a very specific method to it. This last point has courted some controversy on here, because a number of manufacturers instructions say just sprinkle it dry onto the top of the wort, even though there is a lot of evidence against doing this to maximise the viability of the yeast.

These instructions from Danstar make the main points about best practice.