What are the 3 most common mistakes made in brewing?

[vince costanzo]

If you find that your beer has some flavour faults it may well be some mistake made during the brewing process. Or it may be many little things which all add up to producing a beer that's not quite right.

Many homebrewers tell me that they have problems with temperature control. Although that is quite important it usually does not lead to flavour taints unless you are brewing on a really hot or really cold day. But we can negate the effects of temperature somewhat with good insulation and placement in a temperature controlled fridge etc.

But there are problems which can occur occasionally which, are not always visible to the brewer, and will lead to bad flavour in beer.

Even microbrewers have been known to fall in the same traps. You may have drank beer fresh from a craft brewery only to find that the flavour is tottally different when purchased in a bottle from your local bottle shop. Why is this so?

I have written a report on the 3 most common mistakes made by brewers and if you are looking for some answers to this question then feel free to request a free copy. If you visit this site you can request a copy.

I'd like to hear of peoples experience in this all important area and some solutions you have found work for you.

Cheers,

Vince

[TBone]

Quite frankly Vince... if your going to start a thread, than pass along the info. And most certainly don't make people have to link onto your business website. 

From my standpoint your damaging your reputation. 

If your going to advertise, than do so. 

If your going to participate in the forum community, than do so. 

But don't confuse the two.

[Ralph]

From here http://www.forum.realbeer.co.nz/forum/topics/why-learn-to-brew-what...

" Reply by vince costanzo on May 4, 2012 at 4:49pm

Hi Brewers,

(For those of you who would rather that I am paying my way on this site, the answer is that I'm negotiating at the moment).

So Vince. Regarding the above statement. What happened?

[Greig McGill]

The guy's just trying to use the resources available to him to help his business. His business is in helping people brew better beer. Why does everyone always have to jump down people's throats when they do this? It's Luke's site. If Luke has a problem with what Vince is posting, I'm sure he'll have a word (once he recovers from his US induced hop-coma, probably). In the meantime, what harm is it doing anyone here if Vince is trying to use a free resource in a fairly respectful way to the mutual benefit of himself and anyone who wants the info?

Nobody is forcing anyone to visit his site. If you object, just don't do it. I don't know him from a bar of soap, so why should I instantly assume nefarious intent instead of just an honest attempt to reach more people with content they may well be interested in?

Not everything in life has to be free. Not everyone trying to make money is bad.

Some days, seeing this kind of pitchfork-and-torch response really brings me down. We're a beer community, and communities are generally open and welcoming.

Anyway, I didn't mean to sound all lecturey, I just wanted to get back to the permanent group hug that is realbeer (to me), not the shit slinging and hating so prevalent elsewhere on these interwebnets.

[Nick T]

I agree Greig, time to RDWHAHB. ;-)  

[Chad Keven]

yeah kinda reckon the same, its one of the awesome things about the www i use facebook for my business and users dont get dark at me!

[Ralph]

Facebook is different Chad. I do not see your advertising as I would have to friend you or "like" your business before I saw it. Here on the forum I happen to see whatever people are posting, whoever they are. 

[Ralph]

I dunno Greig, I see it a little differently to you.

I have absolutely no problem with Vince running a business to help pass his years of experience and knowledge along to others. I hope that people who go on his courses get good value for their money and recommend the courses to others and that his business grows. If people who had been on one of his courses popped up here recommending the courses I would have no problem with this either.

I really like these forums as they offer great help and lots of information and occasionally you even get some of the beer industry people along helping or commenting in here. However it just does not sit quite right with me for someone who does not really contribute to the forums to come along and advertise his business on it for free. Even if that business is teaching people about brewing.

This last post Vince has at least made an effort to give some information (although if I have to provide personal details I dont consider it free) and sort of tried to start a conversation. Maybe he can learn to be a contributing member yet?

[Greig McGill]

Ralph, I see your point. I just think it'd be nice to give people the benefit of the doubt before hassling them. Nobody is forced to read the post or visit Vince's site.

I took a punt after yesterday's discussion and downloaded the report. As a small brewer, I'm unlikely to be able to afford Vince's services in the near future, and his report didn't really tell me anything I didn't already know, but, and it's a critical but, it is good advice for commercial and home brewers. It goes into things which are very common faults and explains simple things to check to fix them. You'll see the headings and think "sure, I know that", but it gets you thinking in more depth about them.

Anyway, now I'm sounding like an ad myself, which I don't intend to do. Call me Switzerland on this one! I just hate seeing the ugly side of the internet creep in here. That was my only point. I'll shut up now.

[Chad Keven]

look at it from anther angle: forget weather the guys paying for adverts, maybe someone you know will take the next step, do one of the courses, setup a brewpub, then next thing you know your chucking beautiful,malty,hoppy goodness down your pie hole, all because this guy helped him or her. YOU the beer fiend could indirectly benefit, there is a serious lack of good, craft beer near me, any promo is good!

as previously mentioned you dont have to look, have a beer and relax 

[Tilt]

Its been a busy week hereabouts so just catching up on the convo.

Grieg,  I appreciate your points, and thanks for making a case for the other side.  I did find Vince's original post a tad disingenuine as it seemed to me to put out a teaser, pose a question and then direct me off the site to find the response which is different to how things normally are on here. But, yeah no-ones making anyone go there and I didn't mean to kick off a stomping. 

FWIW I'd say if you're selling something (and don't we all) be up front about it....along the lines of "I've got a great product and if you want to check it out look up my website". So hey, we've all gotta make a living and brewers have a noble calling so good luck in making that baby fly!

Getting back to that group hug thing - this is a great little thread that says a lot about what I like about this community.  Cheers Bros and Sis'