Learning to Brew Your Own Beer with Black Rock Home Brewing

--- ### Overall Course Review The online course on home brewing by Black Rock has received a global rating of 4.30 from recent reviewers, indicating a generally positive experience among users. The reviews encompass a wide range of opinions, from those who found the course helpful for understanding the basics of brewing with Black Rock kits, to experienced brewers who appreciated the course for its reinforcement of knowledge and tips on expanding their craft. **Pros:** - **Educational for Beginners:** The course is praised for being great for beginners, offering clear guidance and tips on how to get started with home brewing. - **Real-World Application:** Reviewers appreciate the practical demonstrations carried out in a real brewery setting, which enhances understanding and relevance. - **Tips and Tricks:** Many users found useful insights and tricks that helped them improve their brewing process, particularly emphasizing the importance of sanitization. - **Interactive Learning:** The Q&A format is commended for its effectiveness in clarifying key points and ensuring important information isn't missed. - **Reinforcement for Experienced Brewers:** Some experienced brewers found the course useful, providing a refresher on best practices and reinforcing their existing knowledge. **Cons:** - **Focus on Black Rock Kits:** A few reviewers point out that the course is primarily focused on using Black Rock kits, which might not be suitable for those interested in traditional brewing methods without kit dependencies. - **Basic Information:** Some users felt that a significant portion of the content was too basic or seemed like an advertisement for Black Rock beer kits. - **Limited Scope for Advanced Brewers:** Experienced homebrewers might find the course too elementary if they are already familiar with the brewing process. - **Incomplete Coverage:** A couple of reviewers mentioned that they expected a different focus, such as BIAB (Brew in a Bag) or grain brewing, which was not thoroughly covered. **Learning Outcomes and Personal Experiences:** - **Understanding the Process:** The course successfully helped users understand some aspects of the brewing process that they found confusing prior to taking the course. - **Brewing Success:** Several reviewers reported positive results after following the course's instructions, with some already planning their next brew with Black Rock products. - **Sanitation Awareness:** The emphasis on cleanliness and sanitation was a recurring positive note, with users learning through personal experience the importance of these steps in avoiding off-flavors. - **Inspiration to Continue Brewing:** Many reviewers expressed that the course inspired them to continue or resume brewing after encountering setbacks. **Personal Anecdotes:** - **Gert's Experience:** One user shared a success story of using Black Rock kits and expressed excitement for moving on to partial mashing, thanks to insights gained from the course. - **Sanitization Lesson:** A user learned through personal experience the hard way about the critical importance of sanitizing equipment, which significantly impacted their brewing outcome. - **Long-Term Brewer Feedback:** An experienced brewer who has been at it for ten years appreciated the course's value as a refresher and for learning specific details about partial mashing. **Final Thoughts:** This comprehensive homebrewing course by Black Rock is a valuable resource for beginners and a helpful reference for more experienced brewers. It covers the basics well, with practical demonstrations that help learners understand the process of brewing with Black Rock kits. However, it may not provide the same depth of knowledge for those looking to explore beyond the kit or who already have a solid foundation in homebrewing. The course's emphasis on sanitation and its interactive approach make it stand out as an educational tool for the hobbyist homebrewer.