Is brewing broken?

[Rygar]

I had placed this note in the wiki around Halloween time last year when I started doing Minotaur Hero's Brew:

when beginning to brew this at skill level 188, with 208 wisdom, I experienced 68 combines with no skill up. Bring your patience!

Having 119 INT at skill 175 can be rough. I seem to recall it being not bad until 188 however (when doing Minotaur Hero's Brew). But that is a 9 item combine so it takes a long time to do! Maxing brewing at 248 was real rough.

But I have a heavy +WIS set on my monk for tradeskills (even got him a Testament of Vaneer and Coldain Skin Boots!)