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Stef1966 · 03-05-2009, 02:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Laughing_Gnome_Invisible

Frankly, I'd rather talk about Bull's avatar!

He he he.... indeed!

**bull8042** · 03-05-2009, 03:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Laughing_Gnome_Invisible

Frankly, I'd rather talk about Bull's avatar!

Wow, being a little public about your aversion aren't you?!

Plowboymiz · 03-05-2009, 03:28 PM

That's a fine looking boer ya got there!!

llazy_llama · 03-05-2009, 03:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Plowboymiz

That's a fine looking boer ya got there!!

Take off the velcro gloves and step away from the goat.

carnevoodoo · 03-05-2009, 03:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by david_42

Hardly true, or why would you continue brewing?

I am interested in brewing as a process. I am interested in finding out what I can make and how far I can push a style towards exactly what it should be. I drink maybe 1/20th of what I make. The rest goes to my friends who will drink just about anything, especially if they've already been drinking.

I want to be a professional brewer someday, and this is just one step. I can tell when I try a beer whether or not I am going to be able to give it to my beer nerd friends, or if I just need to pass it to my other friends. The ones for my beer nerd friends are much fewer than the rest.

That said, I am meticulous and I will make sure everything I do is as good as it can be. You have to remember that the people on this site are a brewing minority. The one poster who mentioned people who just get Mr. Beer kits and brew them without any desire to make it better are the norm. We're different here. We're the obsessed.

DanVader · 03-05-2009, 03:38 PM

forget the cluess clerk, theres a lot to be said for pride of ownership. I can see where homebrewing can be a waste of time compared to doing a lot of other things, but what a great way to waste time!! Wasting money is a completely different thing. Even without being able to break into bulk grain purchases yet, I'm putting out top notch beer at around 8 to 9 bucks a case. Extract brewing does seem to be getting pretty pricey lately and I don't think I'd ever want to go that route again. AG equipment will set you back a bit, but if you're an avid brewer (I'm OCD) it pays for itself pretty quick. It'll be a fun day when you can go in and tell the clerk "I tried so and so the other day for 7.99 a six pack and I can do as good or better for 1/4 the cost"

dontman · 03-05-2009, 03:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by arover

Damn, I just read every single post in my thread while I have my first beer fermenting...I've been all excited about it, hoping it's going to turn out well and taste decent (having never had a homebrew before, I'll really have no clue). But now I feel like I should be shy about sharing my prospective accomplishments, lol. I'm a perfectionist, and waiting 4 weeks to see how well the fruits of my labor have turned out...and to think about this "95%" chance of it turning out subpar...it's a tad bit nervewracking. At least I'm not using Mr. Beer. I went for a two stage fermentation, with a mini mash and all. We'll see how well it treats me in the end

Damn, I didn't even think about the fact that you were a brand new brewer. Dude, your beer will be the best you ever drank when it is properly aged and carbed. YOu will be amazed.

This is not what I, or any of us really, was getting at. That homebrew is not very good. Quite the contrary.

Think of it like home cooking. I am a trained chef from back in the day. These days I make my own fresh pasta and pasta dishes. When people eat these dishes at my house they consistently say that this is the best pasta they have ever tried. BUT I live in a city with over a million Italians and nearly as many Italian restaurants and some of them are just stellar. There just ain't no way mine is as good as the best of those restaurants.

But that doesn't mean mine is not really really good and because I made it myself I like it all the more and people are really impressed that I did it.

Same with Home Brew.

**bull8042** · 03-05-2009, 03:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dontman

Damn, I didn't even think about the fact that you were a brand new brewer. Dude, your beer will be the best you ever drank when it is properly aged and carbed. YOu will be amazed.

This is not what I, or any of us really, was getting at. That homebrew is not very good. Quite the contrary.

Think of it like home cooking. I am a trained chef from back in the day. These days I make my own fresh pasta and pasta dishes. When people eat these dishes at my house they consistently say that this is the best pasta they have ever tried. BUT I live in a city with over a million Italians and nearly as many Italian restaurants and some of them are just stellar. There just ain't no way mine is as good as the best of those restaurants.

But that doesn't mean mine is not really really good and because I made it myself I like it all the more and people are really impressed that I did it.

Same with Home Brew.

VERY well said, and a great analogy as well!

Zenman · 03-05-2009, 05:29 PM

Quote:

But that doesn't mean mine is not really really good and because I made it myself I like it all the more and people are really impressed that I did it.

Yeah this is also do to freshness. I bet the majority of resturants in Philly are not hand making pasta from scratch every morning, the ones that are are going to be higher end in the price so most don't get to that on a regular basis. My wife is a wonderful cook and I can say when she makes something from scratch with the freshest ingreatients it kicks most everything else out there. This is due to freshness of ingredients (and of course her skills.) Kinda of like difference between frozen fish and fresh fish... major difference in texture and flavor!

So many home brews are supierior to us because we like fresh clean beer and understand what that means. It is the difference between a chef tasting a dish and a college kid tasting a dish, college kid just wanted some frozen chicken wings dunked in insanity fire hot sauce so didn't like the dish, chef recognized that everything was fresh and made from scratch and the ingredients meshed well to create a dish of fresh hot chicken wings from scratch. It is all perspective.

Many beer snobs I've run into look down on home brew, because they have had ones they dind't like, or they feel the quality isn't there. But then some get excited and want to try out what I have made, because they get it. Of course I am not always sure I even like what I brew, it is good and drinkable, but I cannot say it is the favorite I have for the style, so the obsession continues, to brew a favorite for each style that I can drink until I die. Due to that I am always buying specialty beer to understand the flavors for various styles, its how I learn and undestand how I am doing against a standard.

Cashier sounds like a young know it all, that tried some friends home brew but didn't like it cause it was 'nasty' problem was he likes malty scottish ales and the home brew was a hop monster IPA... never know what it was he tried or his tastes. I have a friend that drinks Coors & Keystone, recently switched to Bud Light cause it has been cheaper. He notices a big taste differnce (he claims). I notice a little difference but nothing to make me say one is better than another. He makes a nasty face for anything my wife or I get to drink that isn't fizzy yellow tastless, even our beloved home brews. I guess it is all in the tounge of the drinker...

**Laughing_Gnome_Invisible** · 03-05-2009, 05:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by arover

...and to think about this "95%" chance of it turning out subpar...it's a tad bit nervewracking.

Don't worry, I'm guessing that 95% of home brewers don't have the might and wisdom of HBT behind them!

PS Bull, nice avatar!

I used to own three lady goats. Have no fear. I know my way around a goat's udders.