Principles I like to live and brew by:
T – Time
E – Effort
C – Consistency
H – Honesty
When I put those into words and began to write about them, I realized that there were a few missing:
A – Authenticity
E – Efficiency
R – Respect
Whether brewing, working, or living life, following the T.E.A.C.H.E.R. principles have served me well. For Brewing the ideas break down in the below, generalities:
T.ime – Everything takes time. It takes time to master a craft, develop a product, or simply for yeast to ferment wort into beer.
E.ffort – You must put in effort to spend your “free” time pursuing a hobby and hoping to eventually have that hobby carry you into a business. Effort is the backbone of a solid work plan.
A.uthenticity – Be authentic to yourself. Be authentic to your craft. Be authentic to your readers, customers, and friends. When you brew, be yourself. If you love German beers, brew German beers because your authentic love for them will shine through in your product.
C.onsistency – Strive to be consistent with brewing – follow a recipe you create or find and you’ll find the product is as designed. The moment you go off course, track your changes so you can duplicate and be consistent for your future. Some of the best beers I’ve tried are “Frankenstein” beers and can’t be recreated easily because the brewer didn’t track their steps.
H.onesty – Brewers make mistakes. Honest brewers mention their mistakes, share their stories, and grow through them. This helps not only you but others.
E.fficiency – Higher efficiencies tend to lead to better results. I say brewing is 75% cleaning, 20% design, and 5% actual brewing/fermenting. If you can become more efficient at any part of the process it can and will improve your overall product. I like to clean or package while my Mash is underway or while the boil is occurring.
R.espect – Show respect to everyone your encounter. Other brewers may try new things you don’t enjoy but do your best to respect their trials. Respect your equipment, your yeast, your materials, and yourself. Not everyone wants a critical review of their craft. Some are just trying to have fun or spend time with friends trying something new. Be cognizant of what others are trying to accomplish and be respectful of their path.
Leave a reply of other principles you follow in brewing, work, or in your life.
