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When it comes down to it though, the 3 biggest factors in making good/great beer is fermentation temperature control, pitching the correct amount of yeast and sanitation.

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Originally posted by j biesinger:

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When it comes down to it though, the 3 biggest factors in making good/great beer is fermentation temperature control, pitching the correct amount of yeast and sanitation.

Like I said, its been some time since I read into home brewing, but this quote is very intriguing. The sanitation part goes without saying, however the other two factors, I can't say I've ever seen stressed before. They certainly make sense, and were things that I intuitively knew I should do something about. Coming from a background in biology, I figured I needed to do a better job feeding the yeast, so to speak.

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I have to agree with Brad W's comments. Sanitation and yeast health/performance are the keys. You need to know what the yeast likes - this info comes from the vendor.

Wort in full primary fermentation actually increases in temperature so that needs to be recognized.

In my brew days I emulated some of the process of brewpubs and aereated with oxygen. This boosted the yeast performance. For me it was the start of many fine batches.

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In my brew days I emulated some of the process of brewpubs and aereated with oxygen. This boosted the yeast performance. For me it was the start of many fine batches.

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Originally posted by Brad W:

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In my brew days I emulated some of the process of brewpubs and aereated with oxygen. This boosted the yeast performance. For me it was the start of many fine batches.

Oxygen is big with the yeast, use an aeration stone myself.

Lonnie Mac, nice set up. I'm still pretty ghetto compared but until I get a bigger place, that's not going to change. I did score a cheap deep freeze from a neighbor up the street, so I'll be able to store 10 kegs cold.

Though delayed, I get a 10 gal batch done, an experimental hoppy blonde though I won't be kegging it until Sunday morning. My smoke day got moved from the 23rd to the 24th due to a college graduation.