Just beer

[Philip Witney]

Is there anyone out there who just brews beer without any fuss? For pure enjoyment.
You know, just mash a few pounds of grain then boil up with some Fuggles or somesuch? I have been doing this for 30+ years without a problem. I do use a thermometer though and now use a Robobrew for convenience . No idea about IBU's BMW's , EBC's or STD's etc.

 

[Rodcx500z]

Is there anyone out there who just brews beer without any fuss? For pure enjoyment.
You know, just mash a few pounds of grain then boil up with some Fuggles or somesuch? I have been doing this for 30+ years without a problem. I do use a thermometer though and now use a Robobrew for convenience . No idea about IBU's BMW's , EBC's or STD's etc.

Sounds like me Phil, although I do try to understand all the other stuff

 

[DavidDetroit]

I guess there are degrees of fuss and I'm at the lower end; though, from what you wrote, you employ even less fuss than I.
I brew extract which is pretty straight forward. I make about 5-6 kinds only and I follow the recipe as if I were baking a cake. The only thing I have in addition to the most basic equipment is a wort chiller which I made.
I do enjoy cooking and beer making falls under that umbrella. I get 40% more pure joy out of drinking them though.

 

[MyQul]

Thermometer?! Robobrew?! I just use me elbow and the bathtub to brew the beer in . None of this new fangled milarky for me. No Siree!

 

[Clint]

AND his bathtub is a free standing galvanised type that gets hung out on a nail in back yard after...

 

[Oneflewover]

I quite like all the 'fuss'. It's maybe the difference between brewing as a hobby and brewing for other reasons?

 

[cushyno]

I like a bit of both. Still enjoying the journey, making new things and learning a bit about water chemistry. However, I'm happy enough to know from the first few smash brews I did and recent "throw it all in" brews, that a happy and relaxing brew day can be had that results in a mighty fine and simple English bitter.

 

[An Ankoù]

AND his bathtub is a free standing galvanised type that gets hung out on a nail in back yard after...

How do you know?

 

[Gerryjo]

I enjoy spur of the moment brews now and again where you just wing and end up with a decent brew.
Weigh out some base malt, handful of something else and something else as well,and these hops will do and Chuck em in whenever and ferment with the first yeast you come across as I do have a few packs about ....

 

[An Ankoù]

Is there anyone out there who just brews beer without any fuss? For pure enjoyment.
You know, just mash a few pounds of grain then boil up with some Fuggles or somesuch? I have been doing this for 30+ years without a problem. I do use a thermometer though and now use a Robobrew for convenience . No idea about IBU's BMW's , EBC's or STD's etc.

Yep. A tin of malt extract from boots and a bag full of wild or escapee hops from the wrong side of the fence around the gasometers in Northam, Southampton. The best beer I've ever tasted. (Early 70s)
Or is that just happy memories?
I make many batches of beer which I offer to our guests and am amazed at how much they like it. I think it's mediocre because it didn't quite hit the mark of what I was trying to do. Maybe we get too complicated.
Or maybe they're just being polite.

 

[Guybrush Threepwood]

I tend to brew without much fuss I guess. All grain, albeit from custom kits from Get Er Brewed. Pretty simple 3 vessel method and I take temp readings and OG/FG readings etc., but I don't really go in for water chemistry, HERMS coils, wort recirculation or anything too fancy. Liquid yeast and starters is too fancy for me! If I'm a few points off OG/FG or the wort is a bit darker I'm not too bothered. I can see the attraction of tinkering around with these things to improve flavour profiles and the like, but for me I'm just happy to keep it as simple as possible. Plus the fact I don't have huge amounts of free time with two young kids running around the house.

 

[iaincrosbie]

Loved every bit of building my Brewry. Gas fitting. Plumbing welding. Mechanical skills.
Love my brew days.
Relaxing day in the brewshack.
Live the technical bits and fiddling with recipes.
Love the final products.
Working my way through beer styles. Never had a real **** one yet. Some close though
House beer on tap is my Shaun of the red Irish red ale. Mates love it too.
What a hobby
Constantly evolving
Just brilluant

 

[Rodcx500z]

Loved every bit of building my Brewry. Gas fitting. Plumbing welding. Mechanical skills.
Love my brew days.
Relaxing day in the brewshack.
Live the technical bits and fiddling with recipes.
Love the final products.
Working my way through beer styles. Never had a real s**t one yet. Some close though
House beer on tap is my Shaun of the red Irish red ale. Mates love it too.
What a hobby
Constantly evolving
Just brilluantView attachment 20412

That's a fair owd rig there Iain

 

[Rodj]

I just use me elbow and the bathtub to brew the beer in .

Do you not find the beer tastes a bit soapy? Or do you do it the wasteful way and use fresh water?

 

[MyQul]

Do you not find the beer tastes a bit soapy? Or do you do it the wasteful way and use fresh water?

Nah, the boil takes care of it

 

[stigman]

Loved every bit of building my Brewry. Gas fitting. Plumbing welding. Mechanical skills.
Love my brew days.
Relaxing day in the brewshack.
Live the technical bits and fiddling with recipes.
Love the final products.
Working my way through beer styles. Never had a real s**t one yet. Some close though
House beer on tap is my Shaun of the red Irish red ale. Mates love it too.
What a hobby
Constantly evolving
Just brilluantView attachment 20412

Nice set up you got there ian, and you'd never know where them kegs came from

 

[SaintKel]

You have approx 25 years on me but I can’t get enough of the technical side. Enjoy yeast ranching, water chemistry, building out recipes with an idea in mind. That said, I can see that an obsession on numbers could take some of the fun out of it. Listening to BeerSmith podcasts at the moment and Randy Mosher from the US was saying similar with regards number crunching v artistic flair.