Experimenting / Winging it

[jstrausss]

I've been seeing alot of posts having to do with Sparge, Mashing , vorlauf. I know we refrence these temps and procedured to not duplicate things that may contribute to off tastes , but has anyone just gone out and experimented with other ways , or try just to winging it , to see what comes of that ???

[Fast_Eddy]

Originally posted by jstrausss
I've been seeing alot of posts having to do with Sparge, Mashing , vorlauf. I know we refrence these temps and procedured to not duplicate things that may contribute to off tastes , but has anyone just gone out and experimented with other ways , or try just to winging it , to see what comes of that ???

That's tempting but, IMO, since brewing is an evolved science then the current processes are probably the best way to do things and produce the best quality beer. We benefit from hundreds and hundreds of years of people just winging it and making big screw-ups and big successes. I'm not saying there's no value to experimenting but you pretty much have to stay within certain bounds to produce a good quality beer.

[chris1kanobi]

I agree. The basic process of brewing has not changed much in the last 200 years and before that the process was pretty much the same except they didn't know what yeast was and used mostly herbs instead of hops. The same goes with wine and mead. There may be ways to get things done faster, or cheaper or inhance a small aspect of it, but overall the process and end product is the same. Here is a great website about the history of beer: http://www.alabev.com/history.htm
:D

[jstrausss]

That is a great site . I love to read about the history of beer making . It just inhances my love for brewing. Thanks for the link. Anyone else have any links on the history of beer ?

[chris1kanobi]

http://www.beerinstitute.org/history1.htm

http://www.beerchurch.com/Interest.htm

http://www.beerisgoodforyou.com/History/a_history_of_beer.htm

http://www.beerhunter.com/documents/19133-001511.html

:D

[jstrausss]

Man - Those are some great stories. Makes a person feel a whole lot better about drinking beer, and less guilty :)

[toneyc]

Originally posted by jstrausss
Man - Those are some great stories. Makes a person feel a whole lot better about drinking beer, and less guilty

Guilty? Hang on, what'd I miss? Why on Earth would you feel guilty for drinking beer for?

:eek:
Toney.

[Fast_Eddy]

Originally posted by toneyc
Guilty? Hang on, what'd I miss? Why on Earth would you feel guilty for drinking beer for?

:eek:
Toney.

Yeah with the time and effort we all put into beer - you should only feel guilty if you're NOT drinking beer.

[jstrausss]

Ya Sure - Thats all Funny , but you mean to tell me you can just sit there and drink beers and not feel one ounce of guilt. The way this world makes out drinking alcohol, you guys have no guilt ? Your wife or family members don't look at you to possibly being a major alcoholic if this continues. I Don't complete feel guilty but that is in the back of my mind once and awhile . Especially after drinking a few in one day. My wife looks at me as if shes thinking is this drinking becoming a problem. I don't know . I 'm paronoid :)

[Fast_Eddy]

Originally posted by jstrausss
Ya Sure - Thats all Funny , but you mean to tell me you can just sit there and drink beers and not feel one ounce of guilt. The way this world makes out drinking alcohol, you guys have no guilt ? Your wife or family members don't look at you to possibly being a major alcoholic if this continues. I Don't complete feel guilty but that is in the back of my mind once and awhile . Especially after drinking a few in one day. My wife looks at me as if shes thinking is this drinking becoming a problem. I don't know . I 'm paronoid :)

I don't feel even the vaguest iota of guilt ---- I provide for me and my family and whatever I do is nobody's business but mine. I know that might sound like a little bravado but it is 100% how I feel.

[toneyc]

A little paranoia never hurt nobody. But I'm with Fast_Eddy on this, I provide for my family, I don't miss any work because of beer. I have gone to work with a good sized hangover before, but that's rare these days. And I am saving money by brewing my own beer. And it keeps me off the road and away from a second DWI. One was more than enough. My folks and my in-laws don't drink, so I usually don't drink when they visit, but if they visit after I've poured one, I won't pour it out or hide it from them. Nah, no reason for guilt!

:D
Toney.

[stronk]

That's just courtesy, a bit like eating vegetarian when you have a vegetarian to dinner.

The only time I feel guilty drinking is when I or one of my friends has to drive back. If I'm driving, I'm always looking over my own shoulder; if they're driving, I feel bad that I'm not driving.

[jstrausss]

Thats fine , but you never know what could happen - one beer could be two , two , could be three , and next thing you know your drinking alot and your drunk most of the time . Theres much more to a drinking problem then just losing your job over it . but if you don't feel 1 ouch of guilt in the back of your mind then thats great for you guys. An Alcoholic really dosn't believe hes an Alcoholic until someone points it out to them and tells them "Hey look - your drunk just about every day" . You don't have to lose your job to have some concern. Its like stronk had said . There are always certian circumstances that may make you feel guilty. Another one may be when you have kids around that your taking care of , or suppose to be responsable for. But like I said before I just mentioned it as a small thing I think about in the back of my mind sometimes.

[Fast_Eddy]

Originally posted by jstrausss
Thats fine , but you never know what could happen - one beer could be two , two , could be three , and next thing you know your drinking alot and your drunk most of the time . Theres much more to a drinking problem then just losing your job over it . but if you don't feel 1 ouch of guilt in the back of your mind then thats great for you guys. An Alcoholic really dosn't believe hes an Alcoholic until someone points it out to them and tells them "Hey look - your drunk just about every day" . You don't have to lose your job to have some concern. But like I said before I just mentioned it as a small thing I think about in the back of my mind sometimes. Actually the more I think about it .

Dude - I didn't even finish reading this post. There are enough things in life to worry about without coming up with things!! Be honest with yourself and enjoy your life(it'll be shorter than you think). You're gonna give yourself a heart attack and a stroke........ :(

RELAX AND HAVE A HOMEBREW!!

[jstrausss]

I know - Thats why I reposted that its just a small thing I think about in the back of my mind sometimes. Who Mentioned Worrying ? and I am being honest . I think about it once and awhile. Not a big deal.

[Fast_Eddy]

Originally posted by jstrausss
I know - Thats why I reposted that its just a small thing I think about in the back of my mind sometimes. Who Mentioned Worrying ? and I am being honest . I think about it once and awhile. Not a big deal.

I guess I'm overly sensitive to this kind of thing. I work with a guy that's been in AA and sober for like 13 years and some of the AA rhetoric he espouses makes me crazy. Basically according to some of it you can "be happy, gainfully employed, treat your wife and kids great, have a wonderful life" and still they believe there's something wrong. I say "F it!". I should be so lucky.

[jstrausss]

Yep I hear that . Its like my brother when he tries to push religion on me. Thats a little out of hand . Trust me though - if I sit back and just have a couple once and awhile - I enjoy them fully with no worries. Its when I have a great batch of home brew that I keep drinking at least 3 a day when I get home, I start thinking a little . LOL Actually you said part of what I was trying to say in the beginning. The public / world these days go to far , and blow things out of purportion. making the good guys feel bad , but thats in my head and I need to just not feel there guilt. Maybe I 'm not drinking enough . what do you think HAHA

[chris1kanobi]

I agree with you guys. For me, moderation is the key to life. There are people who are all or nothing, and I would not reccomend that they take up homebrewing, or any other activity that may be harmful if not done in moderation (including religion). I think that people who have all the answers or pushing things in your face are in denial about their own happiness. I am a great husband, father, employee, brewer etc. and nothing anyone says can ever change that. RDWHAHB!!!:D

"Whatever you have to do to have a good time, let's get on with it, so long as it doesn't cause a murder."-- Frank Zappa

"Independence is my happiness, and I view things as they are, without regard to place or person; my country is the world, and my religion is to do good."-Thomas Paine

"Say nothing of my religion. It is known to God and myself alone. Its evidence before the world is to be sought in my life: if it has been honest and dutiful to society the religion which has regulated it cannot be a bad one."-Thomas Jefferson

"I never will, by any word or act, bow to the shrine of intolerance or admit a right of inquiry into the religious opinions of others."
-Thomas Jefferson