tech-nique (tek-neek') n. 1.The systematic procedure by which a complex task is accomplished. 2. The degree of skill shown in any performance.

Brewing beer is in fact a very traditional practice, and some traditions are well grounded in necessity. Of course, the converse is true that some traditions are not very well grounded at all. Yet other traditions aren't even very ‘traditional’, just bad habits perpetuated by brewers learning from other contemporary brewers.

In the ‘old days’ brewers had to make up techniques of their own because they had no one to learn from. The ‘old days’ are a good place to begin. They were not the ‘good’ old days. It was more accurately the ‘dark’ old days, meaning very un-enlightened. There are at least two distinct chronological periods of the old days.

The first was in and around the Prohibition period. The absence of alcohol necessitated human ingenuity in the form of crudely made distillation and fermentation setups. While there had always been some home preparation of alcoholic beverages, the skill, knowledge, and equipment was not universal. People used what they could get their hands on, which is why in the case of distillation it often created health risks. The other issue was availability of proper ingredients to produce the desired beverage. That was the biggest hurdle for the newly vitalized illegal brewing trade and the new home brewers. They used what was available, and most often that was not brewing ingredients but rather materials meant for cooking and baking. Also since there had been no need, there was little knowledge of the brewing process. They learned by doing, and crude technique was passed from brewer to brewer. Bad materials and bad technique made bad beer. Beers of this nature actually became known as ‘Prohibition Beer’, denoting the poor quality of the time. And then Prohibition ended, but by now bad homebrew was the norm and everyone knew how to make bad beer.

The more recent period of old days followed the legalization of home brewing, which many are surprised didn't occur until 1978. Modern home brewing pioneers again had no access to proper brewing ingredients or equipment. What was available was the old Prohibition method, and current supplies and method from home wine making. Brewing ingredients became more readily available quickly, but this new group of brewers didn't really know how to use them. A few brave souls had the grit to experiment and question the wisdom of the wine maker, and it is to them we owe our gratitude for the ease of making great beer today. They respected the more highly developed wine making process but asked ‘why’ regarding just about anything involving beer brewing, often to hear "that's just the way it's done".

Quickly they learned many ways which beer and winemaking differ including heat processing of beer and heightened sensitivity of beer to the effects of oxygen. Experimentation yielded more specific knowledge of the reactions, interactions, and rationale behind the brewing process. Bit by bit this group of malcontents broke away from the bad old ways and began helping other beer makers do the same. They had been able to take what was valid and valuable from wine making methods, and employ some of the ingenuity but not the practices of Prohibition times. They had ‘gotten it’. Over time most brewers became followers of ‘it’, passing ‘it’ on to others. Unfortunately, some brewers never did get ‘it’, or were taught by an ‘un-gotten’. So, to dispense with the suspense, here ‘it’ is: If it doesn't make sense, don't do it! If you don't understand, ask! If the answer doesn't seem logical, ask again! If there isn't a logical explanation, look for another method!

Now, I can hear many saying ‘so?’ and ‘of course’, but you would be surprised how frequently brewers just follow directions without asking why. So, what do you do with ‘it?’ Look critically at your brewing process and your methods. Is there anything you are doing but don't know why? Does anything in your routine seem too complicated, cumbersome, or confusing? Does your beer turn out differently than you would like, or even poorly sometimes? Do you do things, just because? If so, review ‘it’ and start turning your current process into your new ‘technique’. Make your methods and any advice you are given pass the ‘it’ test. You will be in better control of your beer and probably a better brewer. At the very least, it should go more smoothly.