Brew day gathering?

I just have a couple of questions about everyones brew day. Until reciently I brewed my beers on my back patio, where it was relitevely quiet and privat. However the last 4 brews I started brewing in my garage. At first a neighbor or two would stop by and talk, see what I was doing and have a beer. But the last 2 beers I did by the time I reached my boil it seams like I have about 18 to 20 of the neighbors hanging around drinking beer. and by the time it is chilled and in the carboy I have about 30 people and its a full blown block party. I must say I do like the company and it is a lot more fun but it does get a little hectic to get my beer done error free. Recently I have had about 4 or 5 people ask when my next brew day is so they can stop by. I don't want things to get out of hand but I don't want to tell anyone the can't stop by.
The secound concern I have is I usilly blow about 2 kegs from my 4 keg keezer. I was thinking about putting out a jar for donations for my next batch but I dont want to seem like I'm begging for money to brew. It is my hobby and I do enjoy sharing my beer with my friends and neighbors. When I brew I do 10 gal batches and it cost me around $75 a batch. I use the best ingredents I can. I can aford it but the extra cash might be nice to do upgrades on my system or buy more ingredents and brew more often. If I do put out a donation jar does anyone have any sugestions about what to write on it so I don't sound like I'm brgging.

I hear you - sometimes it is nice to blast through a bunch of beer with friends, but every couple weeks, to the point of going through your stash - that is no good.
Just tell people you are a little low on finished beer. And then have a "bring a 6 pack of microbrew" potluck - each person buys/brings a 6 pack and puts it all in a tub of ice, everyone can sample different types of brews. You could still pour a few pitchers of your homebrew and get some sample size glasses from pubglasses.com or somewhere like that. That way everyone can still sample your beers, but they are also bringing some of their own. Plus, it would be fun to have people have lots of varieties to taste and compare.

Wow, I have been brewing out in my garage for a while now, and the only people who have ever come up to talk to me on a brew day at my house were a couple friendly ladies who were interested in spreading the word of Jesus. Of course, my kegerator is rather far away in my house, and I tend not to drink while I'm brewing.

That sounds crazy, like you go through more beer than you brew. Maybe you could encourage people to bring their favorite commercial brew to share, or buy ingredients for a batch of their favorite style of beer for next brew day. Try and get a few to start brewing themselves and have group brews where everyone contributes beer.

I brew in my garage also. The neighbors do not visit. They probably think I'm cooking meth.

Thanks for the fast replys guys. as for the sample size glasses I have a dozen 3 oz sample pilsners I keep on top of my keezer, that is also in my garage. I guess part of the problem is I have an open tap policy. I feel that is part of the pleasure in home brew is pulling your own beer. great sugestion about a beer pot luck I think ill put that out for my next brew day.

yeah - even if you did the 6pack thing once a month, or every other brew day - that would make a big difference.

I give away a ton of my beer too - part of the fun. Definitely awesome that you have that many people coming by, that would be a blast.

Much as I was never a fan of donation jars, it sounds like it might not be a bad idea in this case. They obviously like your beer, so something like a "next batch fund" might not be too much to ask. My friends drinking my beer is one thing, but the whole neighborhood is another. If that many people throw in a couple bucks, you could probably pay for your brewing. I'd make some garage brew recipes, and save the more expensive stuff for you and a select few.

$75 a batch? Not only do you need to put out a donation jar, but you also need to find a new lhbs. I do 10 gallon batches as well and I have never paid above $50...

oddball
I do agree about the price but I do a lot of high gracity beers and the UK two row I prefer cost almost 75 cents more a pound.
It is kind of funny when you try to warn people there not drinking 3.2 beer and they still drink 2 or three pints and stumble home.

decided to go with a donation jar anyway does anyone have any sugestions for what to write on it.

Donations

Dont forget to seed the pot yourself. That is, throw a couple bills in to get the ball rolling.

Nothing, just drop a couple bucks in it and set it in front of the taps.

When I had an open tap system I attached a donation jar to the outside of the fridge, all it said was $1 a pint keeps the beef flowing. Instead of paying this really really really low price for pretty good beer they just stopped drinking it. Kind of disappointing.

Not that I wanted to make any money but just break even and provide brews for my roommates.

yeah, as suggested, - throw in a few buck first for sure - to get the ball rolling. I think there is NOTHING wrong with a donation jar. Just go with "donations" or maybe if you can find some humorous "beer quote" involving donating - throw that on there.

My dad has a cabin on a couple hundred acres of land. All kinds of people (myself and friends included) come and stay there - fish, hunt, drink, shoot guns, etc. Anyway - little things add up - charcoal, propane, aluminum foil, paper plates, washing dishes, washing sheets and blankets, firewood....... you get the picture. A few years ago, my mom found a "Bull Scrotum" at a flee market - yes, a real one . . . . . that was made into a "pouch" with a leather string on it. That is hanging in the cabin for donations toward all manner of stuff...... Now, anytime we show up, everyone throw a $10 or a $20 in there for the weekend to cover miscellaneous expenses. Sounds like you are supplying a great time to lots of people, hopefully no one has an issue helping toward the cause.

In case you want a "ball sack" instead of a jar - here you go
http://www.etsy.com/listing/87870173/real-bull-scrotum-bag-animal-part-nut

Then you could put:

Have some balls....help the cause.
Don't be an ass crack...help fill the grain sack.
I don't always brew beer, but when I do....It cost money! Pay up you cheap bastards.

Your're gonna hafta' start brewin' in the wee hours...

give them a Gobels, they'll never come back!!!

Have someone you know well make a fairly public donation when everyone is already there. Most will dig deep so as not to look cheap!

whitehause said:

Then you could put:

Have some balls....help the cause.
Don't be an ass crack...help fill the grain sack.
I don't always brew beer, but when I do....It cost money! Pay up you cheap bastards.

Click to expand...

That's a good 'un:rockin:

Kirkwooder said:

Have someone you know well make a fairly public donation when everyone is already there. Most will dig deep so as not to look cheap!

Click to expand...

Psychologically genius

I recently started a new rule that drop ins do not get offered a beer. I live on a main road through the neighborhood and people tend to drive by and see me out there and drop in for a beer. My issue isn't with large amounts of people it's people showing up on brew day or non brew day and staying for hours b/c it's free beer. If someone calls 1st I tell them to bring by some commercial beer then they can drink Homebrew and they often leave beer behind for me to drink. I really don't like the idea of taking any type of $ from people for Homebrew.

I brew out back on the deck when I don't want to be bothered and in the garage when I don't mind the company. I have a few regulars that stop by whenever they see me set up for brewing but I don't mind as I've lived in my house for 13 years and I'm still the new guy in the neighborhood. As far as the donations go I generally am not too concerned about it but if someone asks if I make ______ style I tell them I can if they want to pitch in for ingredients. Sometimes they will, sometimes not.

be careful, tip jar might be considered selling your homebrew, which is illegal

other than that, I've always liked what was printed on the tip jar at the first pizza place I worked at (Mo's Pizza, Atlanta, GA... STILL the best I've ever had)

"Tipping is NOT a city in China"

Thanks for all the great suggestions guys. What everyone has said makes a lot of sense. What I didn't say was that I have lived in the same house fr 25 years and I think a lot of my neighbors do feel comfortable stoping by anytime.