I'm in one of those moods today, so I thought I would compile a list of commonly asked but somewhat tiresome questions here on the board. Another way of stating it would be that these are questions you least like to read and may be least likely to answer. I don't mean to be peevish so much as to just start a little friendly discussion. Perhaps we can come up with a Letterman top-ten list.
Don't be ashamed if you've asked--or answered--some of them. Obviously I've done both.
I have the following list of ingredients. What kind of beer can I brew with them?
Can someone provide a recipe for my favorite commercial beer?
Can I use aluminum vessels for brewing?
How do I start a siphon?
Can I reuse yeast?
I brewed my beer yesterday and pitched the yeast but there is no activity in the fermenter yet. What should I do?
Why is my beer's F.G. so high?
Bill,
I enjoy the threads about cloning different beers. I usually save the recipes that come out of those threads. This also goes for the "here are my ingredients what can I make" threads. You get some interesting ideas coming out of those threads and you see how creative people have become with homebrewing.
-Doug
How about:
Does anyone have an extract recipe for (insert one of the following: RyeIPA, B52, SSoS)?
I've learned a lot from some of the discussions here about cloning difficult and unique beers such as Orval. Of course I could recite a Guinness Draught or American wheat recipe in my sleep. Obviously it has something to do with one's experience level.
I think my complaint about asking for clone recipes is the reluctance to do a little research or consult some of the commonly available references. I agree that they aren't always perfect but I can't say how many times we've told people "there's a recipe in Clone Brews."
what kind of beer should I make ???
what kind of yeast should i use ???
what style is this recipe ???
how do you calc. O.G., IBUs , ect ???
how much priming sugar for a 3gal batch ???
I agree w/ Bill, buy Clone Brews if you want to clone and don't know where to start
My beer stopped bubbling..is it OK to bottle it now?
I don't want to use sugar because it will make my beer tase cidery.
Indeed, many of these questions can be answered by doing a little research. I admire the patience and good will of the members of this forum for answering many of these questions over and over without sarcasm- I know I've asked at least ONE of the questions listed here.
Why stop alone at tiresome questions, why not have a poll of tiresome replies? Here's a couple of examples:
- Aerate well and pitch a large population of healthy yeast.
- What was/are the peak and current bubble counts per minute?
- Don't buy that stolen piece of crap from that shyster, spend a few extra bucks and get the real thing from Zymie.
And worst of all are the responses by a few yahoos who hijack a thread to talk about hunting, fishing, or sports. 
I forgot the Irish Moss! Will my beer be ok?
The primary popped the airlock! Will my beer be ok?
The stopper got pushed into the fermenter! Will my beer be ok? Btw, how do I get it out of the carboy?
My smack pack hasn't swelled yet! What do I do?
Auck! My beer comes out all foam! What do I do?
Is it ok to use plastic buckets for brewing? Will my beer be ok?
What's the best grain mill? Will my beer be ok?
I mashed my smoked Scottish pumpkin ale in an aluminum kettle and scorched it...
I've been on the asking end of some of those questions in the past and have been gratefull for the help I gotton with regard to drilling stainless, addding a drain valvle to a kettle, many others.
"I didn't bother to take a hydrometer reading, but it's been 4 days...should I rack to the secondary? I don't want autolysis, you know."
Since I got a pump for christmas, I will be in need for some help with biulding my herms. I know this has been hashed over multiple times but since I never was interested I didn't pay any attention. And with the state of the archives, it is best just to ask again. Here are a couple of questions I find tiresome:
Does your wife laugh all the time?
Why is it you are so wise in the ways of homebrewing?
How is it you are both good looking AND physically fit with all the beer you drink?
Would you cheer for (insert substandard NFL team's name) so they can be as good as the Pack?
Why is it that we never see you and Charlie Papazian in the same room at the same time?
Where did you learn how to create 3D graphics like that?
PTA
for those who have grown tired of the newbie questions, why do you continue to answer them?? Just to go on the other side of the fence, some are not as "internet search savvy" as others and come here for help. As dedicated homebrewers with experience, are we not obligated by our love for the nectar of the Gods to nuture and tolerate the up and coming?? To allow the youngsters to grow in the craft and possibly sway them to our own brewing phylosophies. To possibly have sources for free beer all over the planet. ( I like that one)
Is it not the ultimate goal of all of us that we may turn a swill drinker into a homebrewer
Bill, might I ask, when you were learnig did you not ask those very questions? I won't believe anyone who states they did all the research themselves with no help from others.
OK, how many actually read that crap?
My beer looks and smells terrible in the fermenter. Is it going to be all right?
HEY DOES ANYONE KNOW HOW TO MAKE A YEAST STARTER???????????????????
Should I use these old cans of extract, that are bulging from botulism ????????
I was going to start a new topic for this the other day, but I think this is an appropriate time for it.
This is the best board on the web to get knowledgeable answers for your homebrewing. BUT, the layout of this board isn't very user-friendly. It's very dated. The one thing that I find very user-unfriendly is the inability to search the archives by keyword (unless I'm missing this function somewhere). I'm guessing that these questions are asked over and over again because of this inability to search.
There are much better discussion board formats out there that are very simple to set up and use. For example, the RealBeer.com forum is easy to navigate and search. But I don't trust the answers from that board as it doesn't seem to generate the quality of people that are on this board.
I hope I'm not stepping on any toes here, but I think an updated message board format is the way to go.
One of the guys at my LHBS store outwardly shows his frustration with Newbie (and even some experience) questions. He makes it a place where you get you grains and leave. Most people find it comforting to talk (in person or online) to someone of experience rather than just relying on something they read. If the people with experience make it uncomfortable to ask questions (even stupid questions), the less experienced with no longer visit.
You may get what you are wishing for, a forum with 5 or 10 guys and an average of 3 posts a day.
I thank everyone for answering all of my stupid questions.
-Doug
<OK, how many actually read that crap?
I did, sounds like hop envy to me.
PTA
About a year and a half ago I considered an FAQ section for the board. I abandoned it after a number of people seemed to want it to become a kind of comprehensive homebrew book in Q&A form. Others thought it might stifle activity on the main section of the board or discourage dissenting opinions. I had envisioned something more modest, merely the general consensus in answer to about 20-30 commonly repeated questions from new brewers. Now that I have quite a bit of time on my hands I'm leaning toward resurrecting my original plan.
Every one of us here was a new brewer once, and I'm sure we all have thought many of these questions even if we did not post them directly. It's more that many of us can't be excited about discussing which grain mill is best or how to start a siphon, questions for which the short answer is that any of a variety of models and methods work very well. A reference to the FAQs is probably enough for those who ask them, and we can get on with talking about such weighty matters as how to count bubbles and which football team is the most obnoxious. 
Bill-
Well, that would be the Vikings or Cowboys, of course. ;-)
Can you tell if my beer is infected? There's some white gunk floating on top. I asked this one once and got useful answers.
If you had a list of those 20-30, I'd help with answering them so we could make FAQ.
> My beer looks and smells terrible in the fermenter. Is it going to be all right?
This was a question I asked a couple years ago. I got great answers from Bill and others and I let it finish fermenting. Had I not asked I would have dumped the "beer" down the drain. The smell from the fermentor was that of vomit after eating too much pineapple and canadian bacon pizza - don't ask how I know this. I never thought I would be able to bring myself to putting it near my mouth. It was a tripel that eventually received a second place finish in a local comp.
PTA
Bill, I think the FAQ is a good idea, the NB forum has it, but there isn't that much there. I am undoubtedly one of the askers of some of these questions, but that's how you learn. I'm sure in a couple of years (hopefully) I'll be answering more than asking... and the knowledge transfer continues.
Chumley, what are you saying? You mean that homebrewing talk isn't the one and only thing discussed here? I thought that was sacred, I can't believe some people have the nerve to knock threads off course!! I'll have to watch out for that and stop it when I can!!
Seriously now, even though I've been brewing off and on for about about 7 or 8 years, and I kept reading about it even when I took a couple years off when we built our house, I still consider myself very much so a newbie. Especially since I only have two all grain batches under my belt. Therefore, MOST tiresome questions aren't too tiresome to me and many times they bring out different responses depending on people's attitudes that particular day. Or maybe I'm just not saying they are too tiresome because I've asked many of them?
OTOH, I agree with you Bill, an FAQ about the basics is a wonderful idea, especially if someone like you who has the will and the know-how to get a good start on one on your own is willing to work on it.
ROFL at PTA....
I sanitized my fermentor with Star San, and now there's a big gob of foam in it. Should I rinse it out with my tap water (which comes from a 30-foot deep well)?
The bicycle boards I frequent have mostly resorted to a faq or a very searchable archive. This board has neither and perhaps, to alleviate some of the rookie questions I ask, it should. ;)
Can we also have a page that interpets what Fredrik says, like babelfish (http://babelfish.altavista.com/) for us stupid folks? That cat is way beyond my scope of comprehension. ;)
PiTA.... My hop inadequacies are a very sensitive subject and to resort to airing it in public is down right......well....my feelings were hurt and if I were a man of the South, I would challenge you to a duel. Being a man of the NOrth means I must resort to alcohol and firearms. Considering I don't want to shoot anyone...can you tell me what these floaties in my beer are?
Wait till next year baby!! there won't be a moniter big enough to view my hop crop.
If you made a section for "Newbie Questions" I bet the same people would still go and answer them over there, and if you make a FAQ people will still ask a question here. I realize almost any question we ask can be found not just here, but many other places on the net. I think that asking a question directly to the people here adds not only the comeraderie (sp?), but it also gives way to more ideas or discussions of different techniques and practices. If the LHBS had a printed FAQ, and everytime a customer came in with a question he just pionted to the FAQ, many people, including myself, would just leave.
I guess what I am trying to say is, if you dont want to answer the same old questions, just dont. Many newbies who will become oldies will be able to answer with the excitement we all once, and some of us still have.......
Bill, I respect your thoughts on this. As a newbie I have asked my share of tired old questions. I have also received very thoughful and useful answers to those questions. Those of you who have been kind enough to provide these answers only reinforce my eagerness to ask (perhaps stupid) questions again later...SHAME ON YOU.
Bill, I was quite surprised to see you ranting, as you have been more than kind in answering my dumb-a** questions on numerous occasions.
I have to admit that one reason I enjoy this board is that it allows me to get quick answers WITHOUT having to dig around the internet, go to the library, etc.
It is kind of a tough spot for us newbies, because if we don't put our questions in front of the cognoscente we will not get educated answers. The FAQ/searchable archive are great ideas.
Dave
For All New Brewers out there,,,
don't let these rants keep you from posting,,,ask anything and you'll probably get a good responce
ALSO; for those who don't know....you can take a Sample of wort after you have pitched the yeast,,,keep the Sample in a separate jar and the Sample will ferment,,,how great is that !!!!
No, No, No, the sample shows you what is happening in your opaque fermenter. Geesh, get it right....
Grant, good one. Dave, it's just a list of overly asked Q's, not a rant or a diss on those that asked...
My small list :
Do I need to use 6-row in B52?
Anything that has to do with counting bubbles.
Aluminum vs Alzheimers.
Oxidation in beer less than a month old.
HSA, period.
Dry vs Liquid yeast.
All grain vs Extract.
The phrase "Hey Now".
My favs :
Mexi-Chiller.
Dissin St Patty.
MWB vs BP on wort aeration.
PiTA warped humor.
Adam and Nathi smackdowns on urban myths.
PizzaHutAbdul sightings, and chutney.
Happy New Year.
Things change over time, but there probably won't be any dramatic changes from day to day. People who do things very differently like Frederik or those who make pleasant "mistakes" or those who make radical new advances are much more rare than the new brewer. Everyone will have different levels of experience and the same questions will be asked over and over again. It's just the nature of our hobby.
However, over time, the answers to those same questions change - albiet slowly. Five years ago, how many people would have recommended dry yeast for brewing quality beer or building a manifold out of a hot water heater hose?
A lot of people will become obsessed, learn everything they can for a while, frequent this board, and then less frequent this board.
A FAQ would be nice, but I think you're right Bill, it should be very basic. A large FAQ would do a couple of things to this board.
1. It would lessen the traffic on this board.
2. It would make the board less friendly to new people.
Places where "RTFM" or "Check the FAQ" are common answers tend to make the new guys feel more like "stupid noobs" rather than members of a very cool community. Answers like that make them afraid to ask other questions. It doesn't teach people how to be helpful and that being a noob is ok.
One of the problems with FAQs is that not all people understand them and need it to be said in a different way.
Someone suggested a more modern board format. This would eliminate the need for a FAQ. A searchable forum is fantastic and would help slow down the repetitive quesions as access to the knowledge would be readily available. Right now, without search functions, this board is essentially a Q&A type format rather than a knowledge repository. Still, it's a lot of fun.
Cheers,
Rob
I have to respectfully disagree about the FAQ. A FAQ might actually make the site a bigger target for new brewers, because it would offer up yet another source of information. And if the FAQ doesn't answer your question, pop in here for the details. It's pretty cool to be able to find your own answers, and it is a little annoying when you feel that a noob hasn't done his own due diligence.
Ken
How much beano should I add to my beer to lower the final gravity?
Here are the types of threads that I generally skip. No offense to anyone who posted threads that I use as examples, these are just threads that hold less interest for me.
- Anything with a subject that says nothing about what the thread contains (ex. "Woohoo, this is cool", "check this out", "There's hope yet", "What to do?", etc.) Maybe just worth a suggestion to keep subject lines descriptive.
- "Where to drink in [location]?" There are multiple websites such as pubcrawler.com, ratebeer.com, and beeradvocate.com that do a great job of listing places to drink in various locales.
- "Stupid brewer tricks"
- "[beer style] recipes?" There are tons of places to find good recipes online.
- "Where can I order brewing supplies online?"
About the clone recipe threads, I really enjoy reading the threads about cloning beers that don't have a ton of easily obtainable information available, such as the Orval threads that Bill references. I also like it when the thread poster does some research on the beer before posting and at least comes up with a rough approximation of a recipe.
And in looking through the current threads, there are actually a lot of solid threads. Great signal-to-noise ratio. Keep it up, y'all!
> why do you continue to answer them??
To dispel disinformation and spread education.
Some of this brewing stuff is experience and some of it is common sense (if you stop to think things through). It's the common sense questions that tend to bug me.
Some of my frustration with questions is the obvious lack of attempt to figure it out yourself. I think this stems from using USENET waaay back in 1990. Asking a question whose answer is easily discovered with a little effort is considered bad form and likely to be ignored. I balance that however with the understanding that there are boatloads of misinformation out there.
And that reminds me how much I dislike the word newbie (or n00b). It just seems condescending to me. Don't sell yourself short - you're an inexperienced brewer.
Other annoying topics - "I have these ingredients - how will it taste?". Any discussion or rebuttal that starts with the words "I heard somewhere/I read somewhere/people say/my LHBS owner said".
Being a newbie,(my first batch is still in bottles, well most of them, second batch in the fermenter)I have found this board awesome and have seen very little reluctance in anyone answering questions. I typically try to read most posts before asking what seems like a tired question.
One thing that would help is a search. I live out in the country on a dead end road and my internet connection (14,400kbs)limits my ability to go back in the archives without spending large amounts of time loading pages.
Another thing that would help is if people would use a topic that reflects what they really want to know, not what they think sounds funny, save the humor for the actual post.
And finally make howtobrew.com required reading before asking any questions.
This site and all of its members have been great in getting me started, and may have helped me make the final decision to try brewing, even though I am not all grain yet.
Oh, what are some of the abbreviations used on this site, there are a few that continue to go over my head.
Thanks everyone for their patience.
Kevin
If I RDWHAHB will everything be OK?
If No, How many?;
What is the best answer to my question?;
How many times are you going to answer my question with the same answer?;
Which came first the beer or the brewer?;
But seriously, I know the answer to all the abobve questions. Unfortunately my SEARCH function is not working.
What came first? the answer or the question?;
Kevin, you've made me realize something. Being a new brewer, you most likely haven't found and bookmarked the many valuable sites out there that relate to brewing. My "favorites" list is HUGE, and it's taken a long time to build it. So maybe a new brewer should get some extra slack because he just hasn't had time to gather all his resources yet. Hey, here's a pretty nice glossary, by the way.
http://hbd.org/uchima/glossary/glossary.html
Keep brewing!
Ken
Oops! Maybe you were looking for this!
http://www.acronymfinder.com/
I did X
Do you think Y?
-NameWithBrew McBeerPun 
Yeah Ken, so far I only have 27 beer making sites bookmarked, but I am working on that! I LOVE IT!!
Thanks again everyone.
Kevin
And my personal favorite (that we've already come close to):
This board isn't as cool and laid back as it was (insert arbitrary time period) ago. Why can't we all just get along?
You cannot speak at a public hall in a small town and not expect new residents to ask questions.
I tell folks to start off with a good book and brew shop to get the basics, but many go to the internet for answers. Brewing beer is a simple process (for the most part in the beginning) and there are bound to be repeat questions as we recruit more folks into this fantastic hobby.
You don't have to read or answer every post unless you find it irresistable. Besides, this string seems to be getting larger than strings from newbie questions.
Just my two cents,
IMHO,
RDWHAHB,
ya da ya da,
thank you for your patience,
advocate for the newbie,
Dave
ANY DRY LAGER YEAST USERS OUT THERE?
DOES IT WORK? IS IT WORTH USING?
I joined a local hb club with the great hope of gaining (greatly) needed helps and advice. What I recieved insted was a cold shoulder from those brew educated a**holes because I didn't know what they knew nor did I know how to go about gaining it. I stumbled accross this board by absolute dumb luck. I typed in the initials hbd and this board appeared. (I was extreemly frustrated and was just typing random letters into the search engine; something I do not suggest doing).
Since that time I have posted a great number of uneducated, stupid, even annoying questions to wit I have recieved both patient and abusive responses. I tried not to become upset myself because all in all this is beyond a doubt the best discussion board on the net and what makes it so is the variety of users. But if mine and other less educated and less experienced brewers questions/inquiries are becomming to offensive for those better educated, more experienced brewers then I guess you more educated farts are just going to have to move on because I believe that I read in the purpose profile of this board that the purpose of this board was to exchange information freely and TO ASSIST THE NEW HOMEBREWERS WITH HOW TO INFORMATION.
So IS THIS GOING TO MAKE MY BEER TASTE BAD?
Bill Pierce, as a former maintenance instructer on aircraft maintenance, I know where you are comming from. It got so bad that when we hired them we gave them books to read right off the bat, read & answer & send in results before they showed up in class. I am relativly new to this board, but I am amazed at the lack of simple reading & research from some posters. I started brewing some 15 years ago before all the internet stuff got started.
Back then we bought books & we read them. I have a host of authors from Papazian, Greg Noonan on Lager, books on styles - porter, Terry Foster & on & on. Since joining the internet I have a 20 or so brewing sites online. I think we live in a fast society that wants fast answers, what was wrong with comming to the event after some research. Im not an expert but I always tried to show up prepared for the event.
From another board "im new to allgrain, what is sparging" like most of us do we try a simple precise explanation & give them some references they can go to to learn. I applaud your time and patience.
Bill
I like the clone threads. I get hard to find recipes...like an extract B52, DFH Midas Touch or Arrogant Bastard...and then when someone asks again I can give them the recipe. I only have 1 book right now (Homebrew Favorites by Karl F. Lutzen and Mark Stevens) that I can pull recipes from. I will buy more as my budget permits, so this is the only place I can go to find a clone, after I google, of course...I just don't have the time to go through all 15,000 hits for what I am looking for! And thank you all for answering my stoopid questions over the last few months (oreo stout...what was I thinking?!? ). If it wasn't for this board I don't think I would still be brewing. I come here to get a question answered truthfully and I go to RB to get a few laughs along with my answer.
PS BTW Would someone else answer my post..."What to do?" it is about mixing yeast.
PPS Where is Walt in this thread?
PPPS here is another: Do I HAVE to make a starter for my 1.115 wort? or can I just pitch the 75ml smak pak? <---NOT a question from me.
Cheesehead, I'm with you: the Vikings and Cowboys win hands-down.
Bill, I'm with you: a FAQ would be quite useful, as would an improved search facility on the archives. There's a lot of treasure just lying there to be mined with the right tools.
That being said, I've asked my share of basic (dumb) questions and have always received courteous answers from the experts here. The interchange of ideas and continuous dialog is what makes this board great.
I'm brewing all-grains now into cornies and I still don't know if I'll ever feel knowledgeable enough to answer any questions. Still, I visit all the time because it's a fun community.
Oh yeah, a built-in spell checker would be very helpful for many of us.
Rich, at the sake of offering actual information in this thread, if you use MS Internet Explorer try this free add-in.. IE Spell Cheker fur knot so good spellers
PTA
Thanks PTA! I'll try it out. BTW: I sent you an e-mail on the side. You're bio graphic is a scream.
Rich
I think the point is....
If we could indeed create an FAQ, or search, on the board, we could cut down the number of postings on this board by prob 70%.
Cause how many times in the same month, do you hear the same questions?
"Every one of us here was a new brewer once, and I'm sure we all have thought many of these questions even if we did not post them directly."
No doubt Bill...
We all have asked these questions...
just not 947 times...
So i guess my addition to this thread is....
HOW MANY TIMES DO WE HAVE TO HEAR THE SAME QUESTIONS ASKED OVER N OVER BEFORE WE JUST POST THE ANSWERS TO THE TOP 10 QUESTIONS... AND GET ON WITH IT?
For the LOVE OF GOD!, please create an FAQ or Search ability, n save us all!
hehe...
Walt
I'd be willing to post a FAQ on my site if some one want s to give me some frequently asked questions
Belly
www.bellybuster.noadweb.com
Questions only appear tiresome if you think you know the answer. Free your mind and the beer will follow.
It's absurd to think that you will, or should, eliminate what some of you consider dumb questions. The realization that you can easily brew your own beer is a great thing and to think that once someone has decided to try it they are going to sit down and read TNJHB, Noonan's books, designing great beers and clone brews before firing up the first batch with DME hops and yeast sitting in front of them, it ain't gonna happen. I've read them all, and more, and still have questions about how to do things.
I've been brewing for almost 10 years and have closely followed this board for 5 years and I continue to learn things about the same old procedures, whether its increasing efficiency, making starters or where to buy grain. I also avoid the discussions that don't interest me, ie extract recipes for SSoS, B52 or DC's Rye.
What is tiresome is the efforts to reduce this valuable community. Whether it is requests that the banter be taken to the rat chat, or the creation of a private posting area, or one of Bill's last requests to only answer those questions about which you are fully knowledgable so as not to distribute misinformation.
I would not be were I am today without the help of many current and former contributors to this board. What makes this resource so great is the wealth of knowledge, the diversity of experience, and the personalities involved. To reduce that by driving people away, or making the new brewer feel hesitant to participate, is a disservice to us all. The newbie should be encouraged to pursue this addiction, contrary to popular opinion you can make excellent beer without brewing all grain on a three tier system.
The creation of a FAQ section and restoration of the search function would go a long way to provide the resources to do some leg work on your own. In the meantime, avoid the threads you think are tiresome.
JB
I, myself, like to read the same question and answer over and over again. I stand a much better chance of retaining the info. Hey, I brewed too long with aluminum pots.
BTW, do you ever get tired of people asking the same old questions over and over again?
Hey you guys (including women):
I've been brewing for two years, built a HERMS and just did my first AG a couple of weeks ago. There is no way I can think of that this would have happened without the info in this forum, including links to experienced brewers' websites. I think a brief FAQ list would be great, and of course it would be a major boon to have a working searchable archive. I can easily pass by questions I have already found answers to here, but what I have found is that frequently old questions get new answers. One of the great things about this hobby is that not even the most experienced brewers would say they know all there is to know, or that our continually evolving knowledge of technology and techniques doesn't provide fresh looks at old questions.
There could certainly be an intro statement for new people here, such as, "Welcome to the HBD B&V Forum. If you are new to homebrewing, you might want to have a look at our FAQ list, and we encourage you to enter any term you like into our searcheable archive. Meanwhile, we hope you will grab a seat at the table with us and ask whatever questions you might have. We've all had questions like yours, we've all made the mistakes you may have made, and we've all lived to brew again. We learn best by talking together, so join in!"
Thanks, you guys.
Tom
Good post Tom
I think Tom was a PolySci major...
Drive through please, next thread...
Has anyone got a good clone recipe for Buttweiser?
It is difficult to decide if the question is worthy of inclusion or repetition on the board. I don't really know how I found the forum though and seldom go through the other bits of HBD.
If others are likely to do the same, it should be clear where FAQs are.
I can never find the way to start new discussions when I want to anyway.
Mag
PS - My beer tastes good and nothing like the stuff I buy, what am I doing wrong.
All of the above. I am guilty of"tiresome questions" myself but the best thing about the board is that you can get an answer. There doesn't have to be a number of replies to make it worthwhile. Actually, I find some of the best threads are those which go off on a "tangent" from the original post. I sometimes learn quite a bit from these.
A FAQ is a great idea, but I'm not the one running the site.
Tom's post sums it up best
Its been 12 hours since I pitched my yeast, yet there is no sign of activity. I took a sample of my yeast and looked at it under my microscope, but they aren't moving. Are my yeast dead?
The threads that bother me the most are ones about "Tiresome questions". The posts that bother me the most are ones in such threads complaining about how anoying the thread is.
Oh, yeah, and anything to do with kralpen.
Seriously, though, I think a lot of the naive questions here come from bad or incomplete instructions on beer kits. My first kit didn't mention anything about aeration or making a starter with a smack pack. Naturally, I ended up with a stuck fermentation. With online homebrew shops and "pitchable" yeast suppliers giving such bad advice, it's only natural that you will have a bunch of silly questions. I think an FAQ list would be useful. At the very least, it could point to other pages for answers. Also, searchable archives would be useful too.
Bill, how many times have you typed (or hopefully copied and pasted) pitch a large starter, aerate well, yada, yada..... I agree about the not clear topics headings. Sometimes a topic that doesn't sound interesting has the most interesting discussion. Usually the discussion doesn't match the heading in any way!
To those who have a hard time decyphering Fredrik, try reading Steve Alexander (-S) on the hbd. Quite a few scientist types posting on it requiring me to try and remember organic chem and bio chem. Or is that just the AL brewing kettle kicking in? :>)
If it had not been for this board and the many benifical responses that I have recieved over the past two years from Bill Pierce, Chumley, Hophead, BBB, Walt and so many others I would have most likely stored my first equipment away some where and given up the hope of ever brewing a drinkable and believe it or not, a damned good beer.
Thanks to all of you (especially you Bill) for your tireless efforts in assisting those of us less knowledgable, yet equally enthused, brewers.
David B.
If it had not been for this board and the many benifical responses that I have recieved over the past two years from Bill Pierce, Chumley, Hophead, BBB, Walt and so many others I would have most likely stored my first equipment away some where and given up the hope of ever brewing a drinkable and believe it or not, a damned good beer.
Thanks to all of you (especially you Bill) for your tireless efforts in assisting those of us less knowledgable, yet equally enthused, brewers.
David B.
Dudes - my friends and I want to get f%@ked up when we watch the Iggles kick some Packer as$ this Sunday. Can I add a pint of Everclear to my keg of IPA?
ahem? care to make a wager?
PTA
Everclear?
151 Rum is much closer to the color profile of an IPA.
Go Pack!!!!
Last Sunday (a beutiful winter day in Sheboygan), my buddy and I decided to brew a batch while watchin' the Pack play Seattle. The wort was chilling and about ready to be siphoned into the fermentor when suddenly that long-haired guy ran an interception back for a TD in OT to win the game for the Pack! Then in the excitement, my buddy dropped his bratwurst into the cooled wort!!!
Using a spoon, we managed to skim out most of the bun, kraut, onions, and yellow stuff which in fact I believe to be mustard (but may have been lupulin glands from the hops). Unfortunately, the brat sank to the bottom of the kettle. Before I could say anything, my buddy stuck his fat, hairy Wisconsin arm into the bottom of the kettle! Five seconds later, he proudly fished out the now dripping wet brat.
I went ahead and transferred the wort to the carboy anyway, and pitched my yeast. Should I dump this batch?
> Whether it is requests that the banter be taken
> to the rat chat,
One of the best things that happened to this board in the 3 or so years I've been on it was the requirement of a login. It got so bad here with a few people off-topic posting in every thread. I mean, I'm not into adolescent toilet humor but occasionally posts like that lighten the mood. Unfortunately a few people took that as a license to do it to EVERY thread - at that point it's not funny and makes it very hard to glean real information.
Uh, I think Bill has hit his limit on repeating himself. I smell a postal situation on the near horizon.
Oh, and by the way, no you can't brew in Aluminum.
Chumley-
It really depends. Was it a Johnsonville brat? Did your friend use Dijon or brown brat mustard with horshradish?
If it was a Johnsonville brat with brown mustard, you're in luck as both have proven to be excellent yeast nutrients.
On the other hand, if you happened to use that fancy Grey Poupon that your no-good Illinois, Chicago-Bear lovin brother in law left with that six pack of Bud, then the batch has been infected and the best you can hope for is a phenolic bier de garde.
Go Pack!
I tend to look at basic questions from new brewers from a bigger viewpoint. If we want our hobby to continue to grow and be healthy, then there must be new brewers to account for attrition and growth. If we encourage these new brewers, hopefully they will continue learning and brewing. If our hobby (obcession) remains strong and healthy, then there will continue to be plenty of resources offering a wide variety of supplies. If our numbers decline dramatically, the number of resources and the variety of ingredients will decline also. I feel that it is in our best interest, as a group, to answer the questions and encourage the new brewers.
Rob
Hey Chumley, that's covered in the FAQ section. You should always look there first before posting here.
I would like to agree with, and perhaps agument what Rob Beck said. Let's face it. Our hobby (yes, obsession!)took a nose dive a few years ago. And although there are signs that the plunge has abated, Buttwiper would still like to kill us all. I, for one, will continue to answer any question posted, within my abilities (limited as they are), no matter how small, repititious, or silly the question may be. In my "other life", I frequently have to answer questions from those not in the know, and when they say: "This might be a dumb question . . " I resppone "There are no dumb questions, only dumb answers." OTOH
Bill's FAQ idea is peachy-keen-neato.
Yaw'll just wait. The 'aint's are gonna get to the Super Bowl some day. And when they do, Ma cher! Sacre bleu! Geaux Tigers!
Hi,
As a moderator for a user support community of a major e-learning software, we still get a lot of "newbie" questions from faculty even with several FAQs and search capability and the software containing context-sensitive help functions. Then there are students who think we can answer their homework for them. :-)
But we still try to answer the newbie questions for we found that there are often several other "newbies" out there lurking and wanting to ask the same question but are a little timid. So we usually end up helping far more than one person asking the "dumb question". To dismiss one newbie question may actually turn away many other newbies and begin a slow downward spiral towards a dead community.
We found the "newbie" questions dropped off considerably by putting up front-end entry pages directing users to FAQs and other resources before entering the "Ask a question" forums. In looking at this forum, I agree with others that it's due for a makeover. Possibly dividing Brews & Views into two or more topic-centered fora may also help by directing new brewers to their own area. But I also understand and can appreciate Pat's situation of running the board on a shoestring while holding down a full-time job, helping raise the kids and get the house remodeled before the Alberta clippers start really slamming into Michigan.
If the traffic is getting a little heavy for one forum moderator and one forum administrator to handle effectively, maybe it's time to enlist a few more moderators for the HBD Forums. I know the issue has been brough up within the past several months with many willing volunteers.
Just my $0.02 CAD...
Go Eskimos! Ooops, the Grey Cup was last November. Go Packers!
Bob
Now we have everyone being apologetic and timid in every post, what a shame. I feel like asking a stupid question, but I'm afraid to.
What Rob said.
I wonder if there are any statistics on the number of first time homebrewers who brew one batch, and then let their stuff collect dust on a shelf...either from frustration, sucky beer, etc.
I would imagine it is pretty high...kind of like all of the New Year's Day "workout/get-in-shape" fanatics. People get ramped up, but then get frustrated, lose interest, etc. for a number of reasons and just quit.
All of us are not fortunate enough to be endowed with a LHBS, much less a homebrew club. Let's face it...the B&V and HBD is one of the best HB resources on the web (Thanks, Pat!).
I would like to think that the newbie questions answered by Bill P., and others (even me ocasionally), help newbies make better, more consistent beer, thereby fueling their "obsession."
As Marlon said, without new blood, we are going all to suffer in the long-run. Homebrewers make beer. HB's support LHBS's. What a great demographic we are for craft brewers, as well! It's all 6 1/2 degrees of separation.
Cheers.
Chumley: You are my hero.
Dave
Quoting Marlon Lang: "Let's face it. Our hobby (yes, obsession!)took a nose dive a few years ago. And although there are signs that the plunge has abated, Buttwiper would still like to kill us all."
Could you elaborate? Was this "nose dive" due to something in particular? Just curious.
Why is it that every time I go to open up this forum, several other "screens" (? - is that the right word?) open up on my monitor. They are filled with scantily-clad, buxomy co-eds imploring me for my credit card number. Should I buy a new PC to access the B&V?
And speaking of computer problems, why is that everytime I try to open a recipe file in ProMash, RealPlayer starts playing a song instead? I tried to open up the B52 recipe from Skotrat's site, and all I got was some shrieking about a "Rock Lobster" - ?
As is my usual nature, I had both a humorous and a serious purpose in my original post at the top of this thread.
I've had some good laughs, especially courtesy of chumley. All I can say is don't brew when the Pack plays the Iggles.
As for the FAQ section, I'm going to come up with 20-30 commonly asked questions by new brewers along with relatively short answers. There will be a brief opening message about not discouraging discussion or stifling dissent. I'll ask Pat about placing a banner for the FAQs on the opening screen for B&V.
I don't intend to stop answering questions, even repeated ones. I don't think it will diminish the number of new people who find the board helpful and occasionally amusing and who wish to participate in this great obsession of ours called homebrewing.
Chumster, the reason is this. The jacka$$ advertisers have figured out that the easiest way to defeat all of these new pop-up blockers, is to simply pop-up a new explorer or navigator window, which is not currently recognized as a pop-up add by your blocking tool; it figures you are just opening a new window. Give the pop-up blockers a couple of months (or weeks) and they'll figure that one out too...
As to your 2nd question, uh, right, and I get the Redskins fight song when I open up DC's RyeIpa (sorry, best I could do on short notice).
"I get the Redskins fight song when I open up DC's RyeIpa"...damn, wish I was awake enough to think of a snappy reply!
Hmmmm....good thread.
Trying to think of something funny to say....of well....no luck.
Regarding what Michael says 6 or 7 posts above:
The inverse is also true....the more complicated and automated you make your system, the more likely it is that you're going to quit brewing soon after your system is totally completed. I can think of many former prominent posters who fall into this category. In addition, if you have a webpage dedicated to your brew-system then the odds of quiting go way up!
"I feel like asking a stupid question, but I'm afraid to."
Im thinking its fine to ask a stupid question, hell im sure ill still ask many..;>
And an FAQ wont stop em all...
But it would help with the top 10-20...
Plus there is another benefit to an FAQ.. and that is, the newbie wouldnt have to wait for a reply
Walt
"Do you think you could taste 135 IBUs or that the isomerized alpha acids are soluble to that extent?"
I don't know how many times I've seen this one.
PTA
I just want to thank all who have answered my questions. I don't care if I get some good natured flack back because someone always also gives me the information that I'm looking for. I don't post much as I feel I am still pretty much a beginer.(been doing AG for a little over a year)But I do try to post to help out when I can at weird hours when there is less likely to be a quick reply (I work late hours) I love reading almost any thread for both the information I can learn and also for the humor. When I'm bored at work it doesn't matter. So the only thing that bothers me is when soemone asks such a question and then gets all upset when the thread has some homor in it. Lighten Up!!!
In all honesty, it would help a LOT if there were a better SEARCH function on this board. I know it is practically impossible for me to find older threads that I KNOW are out there, let alone someone coming in here as a newbie.
Regards,
-Jeff
Jeff, I agree. There's got to be some way of having Google's web-bots crawl through these pages and archive them. They should do it unless explicity told not to. Then we could just search Google with site:hbd.org and get results from this forum and the HBD.
Mike A.
Chumley???(a beutiful winter day in Sheboygan),??
I bet that was one tasty brat!
Michael
P.S. Go..um, er..Raiders
I think some people are missing the point of bill's original idea. Many times questions are asked that are too simple. In a short time you could find the answer either on line or by picking up a book for once. I don't answer these and you can call me a snob but some people just want everyone to do their work for them.
I'd read at least 2 books on brewing before posting and asking questions on the HBD. And I'm sure I've asks a few bone head questions myself. Thank you to all that were patient with me and explained clearly the answer.
My other pet peve is people who answer with no info? You've seen this before, Some one will ask "What is the character of Wy1335?" And the first post is "Well I never used that strain before but......." If you don't know the answer then move on to the next question!!!!!! Other wise we wind up playing this monster game of telephone tag where the final answers have nothing to do with the question asked.
But come on people some questions are just dumb. Like does dry yeast work? No that's why they sell tons of it! Think before you type and if not don't be mad that no one responds to you.............
end of rant.
I'd rather read and answer dumb questions than watch crap like American Idol.
And I'll keep asking dumb questions too.
Don
Hey, can you guys tell me how to build a three tier gravity stand & what kind of burner pump should I get? And how the heck do ya drill a hole in the pot for the valve? And what size hole?
Bill, I think it would be deserving to receive the honor of first having your FAQ list, or at least a portion of it, published as an article in Brews and Views, in an appropriate format. (And receive a shekel or two.) Or maybe it's been done already?
Ken
How many BTU's are in a typical IPA? ;^)
I think the only statement that gets to me on this site is the one about the search engine. Now that is old and tiresome!
I say try the FAQ's for 3 months and show the amount of hits it gets. Then we can see if its worth keeping!
David
>>I think some people are missing the point of bill's original idea.
Amen. I thought it was a good excuse to post some lame attempts at humor in form of the typical questions (scenarios slightly revised) we see on this forum. Too many people here seemed to use this thread to get on their soapbox to decrie the debasement of the newbie. Shame on you.
Since we have reached out 100-thread maximum limit, I will stop here and will post to this thread no more. But, first, one parting shot:
"Me and my friends in St. Louis are getting together two weeks from now to watch our St. Louis Rams whuppass on the hapless Beagles. All of us are PC-correct 21st century certified vegetarians.
I have been lagering a finely-crafted Coors Light clone (thankx Mark & Tess!!!) for 8 weeks, intending to serve it as we watch the champonship game. Prior to force-carbing this brew, I added isinglass to the secondary to clear it. The beer was absolutely brilliant when I transferred it to the keg, reminiscent of a cup of a vegetarian's urine, before sent to the lab for mineral deficiency analysis.
Today, as I was in visiting with my LHBS owner, he informed me that isinglass was in fact a crushed product from the bladder of a STURGEON!!! I mean, like, a living organism!!! As I mentioned before, all my friends are vegetarians. Should I serve it and keep quiet? I suppose that since the QB of STL is named Bulgur, I could serve my friends a bulgur wheat dip for their organic chips. But that may not count enough? Ohwwww, I don't know what to do!!!
signed, putzboy"
serve that puppy, n shutup..
Snicker..
Walt
To John Schmidt: Here in Louisiana, from 1999 to 2001, we went from 4 LHBS within a 100 mile radius of Baton Rouge to 1 full time (in New Orleans), and 1 part time. We also lost three micro brewers. Let's call that a 66% reduction. Qualifies as a nose dive to me.
Chumley,
FWIW, the Isinglass (Fish Glue) attaches to yeast cells and other impurities (Fats?) And fall to the bottom. My guess is all the Isinglass has fallen out by the time you rack. So, in a sense, you really didn't add it to your beer, you used it as a filter.
Like Walt said, serve that puppy, n shutup..
I thought yeast were living organisms too...
Murderers.
Besides, everyone knows it's going to be the Patriots vs Panthers in the big game. Whatta thrilla.
I think Marlon's right about the downturn a few year's back. As with the craft breweries and brewpubs, I think the homebrew industry got a little overextended.
Now, as far as I know, homebrewing is growing again. I should point out here, though, that "as far as I know" isn't really all that far. I have some anecdotal information -- BYO is doing fine and my homebrew club (the Austin ZEALOTS) has almost overgrown it's meeting place. But if anyone has any real hobby-wide numbers, please jump in here.
Interestingly, the home winemaking industry is really taking off. It's at very much the same place that homebrewing was 10 years or so ago and the "vibe" is similar in a lot of ways, too. Remember "back in the day" when everyone with a couple batches of bucketbrau under their belts was talking about scraping together some money and opening a brewery (or brewpub)? (A friend and I had grand plans for German-style beer hall, big mugs and all 8-) That's where a lot of new winemakers are at now.
It will be interesting to see how the home winemaking boom effects homebrewing.
Chris Colby
Bastrop, TX