tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8066877917844499643.post2789928672456095049..comments2024-02-23T15:34:32.816-05:00Comments on The Mad Fermentationist - Homebrewing Blog: Hoppy German-American Wheat RecipeThe Mad Fermentationist (Mike)http://www.blogger.com/profile/07379932734747507258noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8066877917844499643.post-80970003706932902152010-08-03T11:58:09.997-04:002010-08-03T11:58:09.997-04:00I think a lot of it has to do with the BJCP. A lo...I think a lot of it has to do with the BJCP. A lot of home brewers that I've come across get involved in the BJCP to better evaluate their own beers. It's hard to brew a beer, hand it to them, and NOT put a style name to it. And then they promptly evaluate it according to beer styles. It's amusing that you mention roasty schwarzbiers, because I had what I thought was a pretty decent schwarzbier ripped apart at a home brewing meeting for just that reason. I never went back.<br /><br />As a counterpoint to that, I live down the street from the head brewer at Three Floyds, and whenever I try something truly strange, he always says that is the sort of thing they would experiment with in the brewery. <br /><br />With that in mind, I've been doing that a lot lately. Simcoe hops in Blegian style beers. Mixing cistruisy hops with spicy ones. A dubbel with only a 30 minute hops addition. Etc. It's fun, and the beers have been pretty damn good too.Kevin LaVoyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03422429428826110381noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8066877917844499643.post-61074984300817094192010-08-01T22:56:51.397-04:002010-08-01T22:56:51.397-04:00My position on the style vs "creativity"...My position on the style vs "creativity" debate is a little different. First of all, I feel like referring to the opposite of brewing to style as "creative brewing" really loads the issue. It's kind of like when the Right uses words like "freedom". Who would oppose freedom? Or creativity? <br /><br />I focus mainly on brewing to styles b/c it helps me master brewing skills and allows a lot of opportunity for comparison. Beer styles developed organically so there is a lot of trial and error leading up to the development of a "styles". What I've found is that styles have a balance that is often lacking in "creative" beers. I don't believe that I as an individual brewer am in a position to discount the work of some many in the past. <br /><br />I also find that there's tons of room for creativity within the traditional style guidelines. Creative acts are always within boundaries, it just depends on how wide or narrow they are. Sometimes operating within narrow boundaries increases ones focus and attention to detail in ways that can produce illuminating results.<br /><br />All this being said, I of course believe that you should brew what tastes good to you and gives you the most pleasure as a brewer. I can understanding being pissed if your beers don't do well in the Specialty Beer category b/c the judges aren't open-minded or aren't paying attention. Frankly, many judges just aren't that skilled and it doesn't matter what category you're talking about. I've had frustrating experiences with "style" and "creative" beers in competitions and I understand that it can be frustrating having to enter everything in one category. It's also very hard to judge when every beer is so radically different than the one before it.JLapnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8066877917844499643.post-39425855666422962832010-07-31T17:21:10.327-04:002010-07-31T17:21:10.327-04:00I don't know which came first, Jamil and his b...I don't know which came first, Jamil and his books or the emphasis on brewing to style, However, I am another proponent of brewing beer you like to drink. My current session beer uses Belgian malt, German hops, and American yeast to make an XPA I am enjoying in the heat, but doesn't fit anywhere in the BJCP categories.<br /><br />One thing that may have influenced the style craze is Americans' obsession with winning - you can't win unless there's a competition. Jamil's beers win lots of medals because they match the style guidelines perfectly - however, it's arguable that there is better beer to be made in the 'I like what's in my glass' way.<br /><br />For me, the only competition that matters is whether my palate is happy when I take a sup from my pint. When my beer makes me or others happy, I win. I don't care if my beer is 'perfect,' as I think the idea of making objective measurements of opinions is pretty silly.Jo3shnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8066877917844499643.post-47118198578681333132010-07-30T23:23:07.020-04:002010-07-30T23:23:07.020-04:00I took my typical german weiss recipe (one of the ...I took my typical german weiss recipe (one of the only to style types I brew) and loaded it up with Amarillo and Citra hops in april. It turned out amazing and tastes like a passion fruit weiss beer. It actually reminds me of the Wieamea Wheat from Kona brewing company, which actually has passion fruit in it. I think a german wheat yeast with Citra hops is a great combo.Ronhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01722696433409080009noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8066877917844499643.post-2664950947268840902010-07-30T22:35:31.475-04:002010-07-30T22:35:31.475-04:00Well, styles at least give beginning homebrewers s...Well, styles at least give beginning homebrewers something to measure up against. Too many homebrewers want to start out with wacky, often very creative recipe ideas but they haven't gotten their technique down yet, and they think their beer problems are due to ingredients when really it's about their technique (or they just don't even realize their beer is bad). I know I did that and then had to reign it back in after some bad brews.<br /><br />I don't know, I don't' fall on either side of the "style argument" and never will. I like both. Just brew what you want! And stay creative whether you are brewing in the style or out of it.Seanywontonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06142253930096998849noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8066877917844499643.post-83688390115667780552010-07-30T12:49:23.157-04:002010-07-30T12:49:23.157-04:00I also made something much similar to this, althou...I also made something much similar to this, although I modeled it after the Brooklyn version of Hopfen Weisse. 1.085, Galena to bitter, amarillo/palisade at 20 and 10, amarillo and cascade at 0 and amarillo dry hop. Just a fantastic beer, but I think a smaller version would actually be a much better summer bbq beer.pesterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08121280793014478973noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8066877917844499643.post-24780465271284814632010-07-30T11:07:31.678-04:002010-07-30T11:07:31.678-04:00Did Jamil create the style obsession, or did he ju...Did Jamil create the style obsession, or did he just tap into something that was already there? I think the fear of failure is much stronger in brewing than it is in cooking (for example) because you are investing much more time, effort, money etc… I think that probably does play a big roll. <br /><br />Most of the really great brewers I know don’t enter competitions because the judging on specialty beers is often lackluster. It is hard to “prove” you are a great brewer unless you brew to style like Jamil or Gordon Strong. <br /><br />Glad you guys enjoyed the post.The Mad Fermentationist (Mike)https://www.blogger.com/profile/07379932734747507258noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8066877917844499643.post-18462476167543472992010-07-30T08:22:04.262-04:002010-07-30T08:22:04.262-04:00Excellent anti-style rant!
I like experimenting wi...Excellent anti-style rant!<br />I like experimenting with my brews, and brewing to my taste instead of an arbitrary style. I made a lovely summer wheat ale with yarrow, lavender and wild chamomile.<br />I often do split batches with 3 gal playing it fairly safe and two 1 gal plays on the same basic brew.Andrewnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8066877917844499643.post-41697928501031215892010-07-29T19:03:25.642-04:002010-07-29T19:03:25.642-04:00I made something similar recently (actually the 3r...I made something similar recently (actually the 3rd incarnation of the recipe). This time I did 10 gallons and split 5 between WLP001 and WLP320 (american hefeweizen).<br /><br />I tasted them at racking and they were both good, but I'm waiting to really drink the WLP320 one till I kill the other keg (pretty soon)<br /><br />I used centennial hops for bittering, a bit of galena, a bit of citra, and a bunch of amarillo<br /><br />Just delicious. We took a keg out to Beerstock last weekend and it was practically killed. Perfect hoppy beer that is refreshing and lower gravity for a hot dayUnknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13635289225573445128noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8066877917844499643.post-7690449626166351472010-07-29T19:02:00.852-04:002010-07-29T19:02:00.852-04:00I think Jamil Z's success with Brewing Classic...I think Jamil Z's success with Brewing Classic Styles and the Brewing Network definitely play a large part in the mass's fixation of brewing to style. When just learning to brew having such a rich source of information such as the BN that is also so Pro style is bound to draw you into that mindset. <br /> I also think that the fear of failure is a big part of it, no one likes to fail, especially with the price of ingredients on the line.<br /><br /> I will be curious to see how this one turns out. I've had pretty good luck with Amarillo playing nicely with heavy phenolic/ester producing yeast.Paul!https://www.blogger.com/profile/02305373848929479630noreply@blogger.com