My Brewing Can't Keep Up With Demand

I moved to NM from Dallas a little over a year and a half ago and was disappointed that I could not find anyone to brew with. My four tap kegerator was always full and I always had another brew ready to replace the ones going out.

After a year of brewing alone, I decided to be proactive and propagate this hobby to others in the area so I could have some brew buddies. I started visiting around and found 6 other folks in the area that really wanted to learn...so I taught them to brew and began having monthly brew days at my house...that was 6 months and 6 brew days ago and they have really taken off...to the tune of 30-40 people there each month (6-7 people actually brewing). This is awesome and a lot of fun...but my homebrew pipeline can't keep up!

After the first two...I told the other guys that were brewing that each one had to "donate" one of their batches each month on a revolving basis...that way I would at least get 5 additional gallons along with the 10 that I brew. Still, however...I keg 5 gallons of my house beer and the keg is gone in a WEEK. I love the camaraderie and we have lots of fun...but I sure do miss having full kegs all of the time.

IncredibleMulk said:

I moved to NM from Dallas a little over a year and a half ago and was disappointed that I could not find anyone to brew with. My four tap kegerator was always full and I always had another brew ready to replace the ones going out.

After a year of brewing alone, I decided to be proactive and propagate this hobby to others in the area so I could have some brew buddies. I started visiting around and found 6 other folks in the area that really wanted to learn...so I taught them to brew and began having monthly brew days at my house...that was 6 months and 6 brew days ago and they have really taken off...to the tune of 30-40 people there each month (6-7 people actually brewing). This is awesome and a lot of fun...but my homebrew pipeline can't keep up!

After the first two...I told the other guys that were brewing that each one had to "donate" one of their batches each month on a revolving basis...that way I would at least get 5 additional gallons along with the 10 that I brew. Still, however...I keg 5 gallons of my house beer and the keg is gone in a WEEK. I love the camaraderie and we have lots of fun...but I sure do miss having full kegs all of the time.

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I think I found your problem.

Good luck.

Yeah, I'd encourage people to bring a few of their own bottles of homebrew to share or a sixer of some local beer or other craft beer. If you didn't bring any don't expect to try any.

get a bigger kettle

You've got a cool thing going on there, but your ratio of moochers-to-brewers is way too high. You've gotta make the entry fee a 6er or a case of (craft or homebrew) beer and get people drinking more of that than off your taps. Maybe make the taps a free for all for everyone brewing, but limit everyone else to one pull.

Just keep it simple. Tell everyone to bring a good brew in for trade or cough up some dough. Then new people can just drop some cash while the brewers can leave a six pack and gain even more props for bringing another craft brew to try out.

You are already hosting what sounds to be a great day and should have either more beer in the fridge when they leave or cash in hand to make even more of your own.

I have only started with the "brew party" thing and I have much smaller numbers. (Generally I'm brewing and some interested folks come over to watch, learn or just hang out.) Obviously it doesn't take too many people to kill your stock. And for some odd reason, people assume that home-brew is practically free and therefore they don't really need to compensate you for drinking yours.

I have recently begun telling people that they need to bring at least a 6'r of non BMC to the party for drinking/donating. Either they drink all their beer, or at least they leave me with something to throw in my kegerator until I can get the next couple of Corny's ready.

They bring 6-12 packs of good beer with them (most do)...and there is usually some left over...but...it's still not my homebrew, which I like better. Anyway...you guys are right...it is a good thing that we have going...and I love the brew days, it's gonna just have to be something that I deal with. I moved to 10 gallon batches to try to keep up and it's helping...I just need to get some beer in kegs ready to replace my fallen soldiers.

Dude, I think you need a couple brewing interns to help you increase output.

How did you meet all these people?

chalmer9 said:

How did you meet all these people?

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We moved out here for family, so two of the other brewers are brother-in-laws. Others are just friends we've made since we arrived. The brew days are a lot of fun...we theme them all and people bring food based on the theme. After the first one...word spread and they have gotten bigger every time. We even rented a 38 ft. inflatable slip n slide for the brew day in August.

Honestly...I've thought about moving to my office (I own the business, building and land) and just bring one keg...but there's the drive home thing and lack of basic amenities.

May just have to suck it up and go to an 8 tap set-up and make the other brewers do a supplemental brew day with me each month (brewing only...not the party)...but then that brew night means more beer flowing out of the kegerater...catch 22.

I guess if this is all I have to complain about...I'm doing pretty damn good...speaking of kegerater...

Personals ad on craigslist of course.

What about doing double batches on brew day? You already have the equipment out already. Just start a few hours earlier and have people show up in the middle or during the second batch. No real change to the consumption but you get an extra 10 gallons out of the brew day.

Peter_h said:

What about doing double batches on brew day? You already have the equipment out already. Just start a few hours earlier and have people show up in the middle or during the second batch. No real change to the consumption but you get an extra 10 gallons out of the brew day.

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That's a great idea...I considered starting earlier just so I could finish earlier...but double batching it is a great solution...Love my keggles...but would love to do 20 gallons at a time in one vessel.