Bristol Brewers

I'm not sure oak flavour and dry-hopping would go together, as oak adds an nice aged roundness to the malt character with vanilla (especially from a whisky barrel I expect) and spice, while dry-hopping is all about fresh hop flavour. Also if you do dry-hop, wait until you have taken the dry hops out...

Fair enough. But back on topic, I haven't seen many infected beers at beer club in the last few years, while I have tried a lot of ropey beer. Either people are chucking their infected beers (in which case they know how to recognise infection) or there aren't that many being brewed?

Glo-ro_Bob wrote:I would say it's much easier for an infection to take hold in 25 litres than in 2500.

Up to a point maybe, but aren't pros more likely to ensure they pitch the right amount of healthy yeast? An underpitch or poor quality yeast leaves you wide open whatever quantity you brew.

Citra and mint, for the love of baby jesus, just say no! Nobody should have issues creating fairly balanced recipes, read some books, take some advice. Nailing bloody infections is a bugger though. Why do we have so many as home brewers, it doesn't seem to happen to commercial brewers. I don't thin...

Ok this Thursday it is.

Good point. Sam just came round to pick up some hops and mentioned it but I hadn't considered it as bcb was last week. Obviously I hadn't factored in the month starting on a Wednesday. What do people think - do it this week and stick to the third Thursday of every month? Or (what I prefer) always le...

I am going to have to totally disagree with this. Fuck styles and fuck the BJCP (apart from competitions). If you only brew to style then you are missing out. However you can go too mad and make Lavender wheat beer and that sort of stuff is just sad and wanky I agree, but brewing to style is no the...

Jeltz69 wrote:Mark, my point was that a lack of understanding of the processes involved (from sterilisation to serving) is a major factor in people churning out rubbish beer.

Fair enough, but then surely it's a good idea to identify where exactly the understanding is lacking?

I have voted. I would say fermentation issues are number 1. Normally caused by underpitching, poor temperature control or failing to rehydrate dried yeast. Of course if yeast health is sub optimal due to the above factors, that also allows other organisms to gain a foothold before the pH drops from...

Infection of some description would be the number one flaw. I didn't think of that as distinct from yeast/fermentation issues, but you're right that getting a bacterial infection, say, is different to fermenting too warm or stressing your yeast out. I have added another category with all previous v...