People that won't drink your beer...

Kind of a rant.. I've been brewing beer for awhile now (not nearly as long as some people) and put a lot of time and effort into each of my batches. But immediately without even trying a sip most people are turned off like some drunken ugly chick on prom night hitting on them, some people might try it.. but they already have that preconceived notion that it's sub par to mainstream beer. I hate that feeling when people look at my beer as though it is a foreign substance of unknown origin because it's not commercial and having a flashy label covering most of the product.

It really seems this day in age most people respond to cosmetics over aesthetics and craftsmanship.

I brewed "Cream O' 3 grains" for my dad and my girlfriends mom that are bmc drinkers. They didn't want nothing' of it..

I brewed a great pumpkin ale using 4 different types of squash and because of a little sediment in it even though it is translucent and nearly transparent (which is tough for a pumpkin ale I used a whirfloc tablet irish moss and cold crashed for awhile).... still because of a little sediment my friends wife wont touch it.

All of this makes me want to focus most my attention of presentation than overall quality; filtration, filtration, whirlfloc, irish moss, gelatin, filtration, and screw the ingredients. I'll just make an IPA with 42 ibu's like Harpoon instead of my 88 IBU IPA with cascade and citra dryhopped.

Just to note I do like Harpoon IPA's but highly conservative on the IBU end of an IPA.

More beer for you.

Brew for yourself. If it is good beer and others do not like it because they like a different style, then let them enjoy what they like and you enjoy your brew.

You can't force your brews on others.

My friends and I all experienced that. But we just shrugged it off as people being people... its not that they're turned off by it necessarily, it just intimidates them a bit. Afterall, for all of their life, all most of them knew was BMC. I get how a slightly hazy beer with aroma and lots of flavor and more alcohol would freak em out a bit. So one year we decided to throw an Oktoberfest party. My buddy made a Kolsch and Hefeweizen. I made a Dusseldorf Alt and a Dunkelweizen, and another friend made a Bavarian slanted Hefe and a simple Northern Alt. We had light to dark, banana to bitter. We also made traditional German food. We had a moderate turnout and of course we had all of the preconceptions... but they had no other beers, so they tried a Kolsch or a Hefe. Then they moved up and got ballsy and tried a Dunkel. They then tried the Alts. There was a few comments about how different it was and how much they like their BMC. But guess what? Next year, EVERYONE of those people were back. They even brought friends. They now rave about our beers and have even asked that we have a winterfest... they demand our beer. Sure it was weird for them at first... but my theory is that after they left our first party and got home, they went to the fridge for a nightcap and grabbed the only beer in their fridges... BMC. They then realized, "Hey, that homebrew was pretty damn good." So to make a long story longer, throw a party, have a couple different styles, and ban BMC. They will come around.

Ha- my dad came for a visit last summer. He got out of the car with my brother, after a 14 hour drive, in 90 degree heat and I met him at the car with a cold class of cream ale that I poured from the tap. He said, "This isn't any of that homebrew **** is it?" I told him to shut up and drink it, and he said "Ah, this is more like it! Genny cream ale, right?"

I told him no, that it WAS homebrew. He said, "Well, it's almost as good as MGD!" He and my brother kicked that keg the next day, but didn't touch any other beers.

He rarely comes for a visit, but when he does I try to have a keg of cream ale on tap for him, or a light American lager. But since my preferences are IPAs and APAs, for the most part I buy him some MGD and let us both be happy.

My advice is to brew what you like, and don't try to brew to people who don't want to like your beer. It's not worth the effort!

Make and drink the beer you like some people won't try anything short of a gun to the head. That being said let them bring their own don't cater to others whims.

I say more beer for you.

Don't get me wrong I haven't brewed but 5 batches but it seems most of my friends are always excited to try my beer but that is probably because most of my friends are Craft beer nuts (the ones that drink).

I even converted my dad to craft beer. It wasn't easy but put him on a crash course of the training wheel beers now he is a Hop stoopid / Dirty Bastard drinker like me. Now were building a kegerator for him for when he starts brewing.

Most people are so jaded by gimmicks like vortex bottles, flavor protection can tops, wide mouths, Blue moutains.

They think these things mean quality. They just follow the crowd.

We are the few that aren't content with fizzy yellow liquid that multi million dollar advertising claims is beer, That 10%

I say don't brew to make others happy brew for your enjoyment . It is your beer if they don't like it they can drink swill. Don't get me I drink PBR, Old Style, Highlife and Regular Bud. I just prefer The good stuff.

People think cloudy beer is bad beer. They are used to over filter crystal clear pasturized product . The most I do is use irish moss thats it.

My Rant is now over . Enjoy you brewing Cheers Mate!

beergolf said:

Brew for yourself. If it is good beer and others do not like it because they like a different style, then let them enjoy what they like and you enjoy your brew.

You can't force your brews on others.

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They don't even give it a chance though.. that's what bugs me the most. And maybe some stems from jealousy I don't know?.

My conceptualization of this phenomenon has to do with people who drink to not think, relax, zone out.. and possibly connect to the world as they know it. Even if it a product in a bottle closer to fast food than a thanksgiving meal, drinking a near universal substance associated with nationality and unity is far more refreshing than the actual product itself???

Which isn't bad... I'm all for unification but gods sakes man what about the product itself?

I can see why that would be frustrating. I fortunately have not encountered that problem... but I agree with the comment that it just means more for you! At some point, maybe some of them will get curious enough to give it a try?

Have you tried inviting them to assist with a brew? Maybe that would make them more inclined to give it a try. Of course, maybe not.

BigB & Yooper those are both refreshing stories. I actually feel a lot better now.

The worst feeling for me though is to have a great beer off hand and having no one immediately around sharing in the gratification. Leaves me feeling psychotic or something, holding a dead skunk by the tail and telling people how great the smell is.

...For stoners they might understand as well.

I know exactly how the op feels my fil trashes all my brews and often asks " when are you going to brew something good?" It really pisses me off because he likes crap beers imo. He has a pre conceived thought that "dark" beers(anything that isn't urine yellow" are bad. He use to ask to try it and I would give him a 4 oz glass that always went down the drain so now I'm like eff him and don't even offer anymore like many others I have taken the more for me approach Chopps

Yooper said:

My advice is to brew what you like, and don't try to brew to people who don't want to like your beer. It's not worth the effort!

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This is wisdom.

We are conditioned to like the generic and mass-produced. My mother, bless her, never met a can of cream of whatever soup that she didn't prefer to an actual handmade gravy.

Bread is another example. I like making bread, its good, many of my friends and family really like it. But we all know that most people would rather have store bought bread.

My buddy says "did you fix that sludge in the bottle thing...." Holy crap, you are getting a bottle-conditioned thing of beauty and all you care about is some sediment in the bottle? I stopped giving my beers away, they don't get it.....

Kylito87 said:

I say more beer for you.

Don't get me wrong I haven't brewed but 5 batches but it seems most of my friends are always excited to try my beer but that is probably because most of my friends are Craft beer nuts (the ones that drink).

I even converted my dad to craft beer. It wasn't easy but put him on a crash course of the training wheel beers now he is a Hop stoopid / Dirty Bastard drinker like me. Now were building a kegerator for him for when he starts brewing.

Most people are so jaded by gimmicks like vortex bottles, flavor protection can tops, wide mouths, Blue moutains.

They think these things mean quality. They just follow the crowd.

We are the few that aren't content with fizzy yellow liquid that multi million dollar advertising claims is beer, That 10%

I say don't brew to make others happy brew for your enjoyment . It is your beer if they don't like it they can drink swill. Don't get me I drink PBR, Old Style, Highlife and Regular Bud. I just prefer The good stuff.

People think cloudy beer is bad beer. They are used to over filter crystal clear pasturized product . The most I do is use irish moss thats it.

My Rant is now over . Enjoy you brewing Cheers Mate!

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Dude that is awesome, wish I had the same type of beer drinkers around me. The only person who's always around and likes my beer is my brother and he's a bad alcoholic that I need to keep my goods away from

Pappers_ said:

This is wisdom.

We are conditioned to like the generic and mass-produced. My mother, bless her, never met a can of cream of whatever soup that she didn't prefer to an actual handmade gravy.

Bread is another example. I like making bread, its good, many of my friends and family really like it. But we all know that most people would rather have store bought bread.

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I know, but being isolated in an introspective solitude state while your sociological level is conflicted by propagated origins and ideals...

Tell them that when they come over, they must bring some sort of 6 pack of a beer they have never tried before, preferrably in pry-off bottles. If they don't like your game and just want to drink swill, that's fine, but when people try something made by the pros that is different, it seems to open their tastebuds to new horizons.

People generally don't like homebrew at first because it's just different kinds of beer than they are used to. Just lead the horse to water - it's all you can do.

Can't say I've really had that problem. I brew pretty simple recipes that I like, and I usually offer my friends homebrew that I figure they'll like based on their tastes. One of my roommates thought Shock Top was great, so I had him try my witbier. He likes my witbier better and keeps asking for more. Would I have him try my IIPA? Hell no, he can barely stand the smell. It's really just understanding that people have different tastes, because I don't ever get offended if any of my friends don't like the IPAs I brew. They just don't like IPAs, simple as that.

It does help being in college and being able to shame people into trying beers by asking them if they're afraid of a little beer. It usually ends up benefiting both parties though, they find a beer they like and I get compliments on my homebrew.

Everyone in my family is a BMC drinker which is awesome! I spend all the money, time and effort (don't get me wrong, I feel its worth the investment and effort) when home brewing so I want to reap the rewards. Don't get me wrong, I am glad to share when asked, but generally if I know the person consistently drinks BMC (and considers something like guiness a 'heavy dark ale') I try to steer them away from my stock pile. I know they will not enjoy them, just like they will not enjoy a bottle of Moose Drool, Arrogant Bastard or Delirium. Hell, I was like that at one time too!

To each their own and more home brewed beer for me!

That is true more homebrew for me I suppose

I used to be the same as well, I couldn't stand an IPA when I was younger. Now understanding hops the aromas and flavors associated to different strains I try to find the most complex ones, or brew my own.

This site rocks if it wasn't for you guys (and gals) I probably would of given up by now :rockin:

haven't had that experience either.. my friends are usually begging me to either bottle them some or to have a bbq so they can come try out my latest stuff. I've actually yet to have someone diss me because it's homebrewed and not from a big brewery. I've certainly had people say they don't like beer and either not drink anything or just take a little. But on the same note, some of those people take a sip of my "non-beer people" beers like my Oatmeal stout and suddenly they don't normally like beer - but they like mine. It's a shame you don't get that appreciation from your friends, I find feedback from my friends and homebrew club to be very rewarding.

bruin_ale said:

haven't had that experience either.. my friends are usually begging me to either bottle them some or to have a bbq so they can come try out my latest stuff. I've actually yet to have someone diss me because it's homebrewed and not from a big brewery. I've certainly had people say they don't like beer and either not drink anything or just take a little. But on the same note, some of those people take a sip of my "non-beer people" beers like my Oatmeal stout and suddenly they don't normally like beer - but they like mine. It's a shame you don't get that appreciation from your friends, I find feedback from my friends and homebrew club to be very rewarding.

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I dunno I guess most of my friends aren't beer drinkers in general besides a select few. My family members who are, are strictly bmc drinkers. I started late in my late twenties brewing, most of my high school party buddies are gone or live far away. So I'm stuck with a fussy bunch. I do have some that appreciate my beer, but in general when I brew a batch I feel some friends and family would appreciate.. their responses have been unorthodox to me.

Try making a single malt and single hop blonde ale. If you don't keg and are worried about people being turned off by sediment, pour the beer into a glass for them. They probably won't even know its homebrew.
I think many homebrewers try to make craft beers with very strong flavor profiles. It might be a good beer, but its hard for people to really appreciate it when they expect beer to taste like BMC. Making some of the more classic, drinkable styles and slowly introducing them to your friends and family might get a better response.
Regardless, brew because you like it and if nobody else wants any of your beer, its just more for you!

Maybe it's how I was raised or something, but I generally prefer the homemade version of whatever (beer, wine, bread, jelly, what have you) to the store-bought version. To me just the fact that it was made at home with care rather than in a factory seems to make it taste better. And it's twice as good if I made it myself.

People who would rather go out to dinner than have a home-cooked meal boggle my mind too. But there are a lot of them out there. One of the many side-effects of an overly commercialized society I suppose.

I will say that the majority of people that actually try my beer like it, it's just getting them to give it a chance that is the obstacle.

Here's to us homebrewers knowing what is awesome!

I think its just ignorance man, most of my craft brew buddies love trying my beer.
BMC people are concerned that its "A Dark Beer"

My first brew, a Mead, my dad said to me "Son you better be careful, I don't want you going blind!" I LOL'd.

Mongrat said:

My first brew, a Mead, my dad said to me "Son you better be careful, I don't want you going blind!" I LOL'd.

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Same here. ALso many people adamantly told me it was illegal. #1, as if I would care, and #2, they are wrong.

Brew_4iT said:

I used to be the same as well, I couldn't stand an IPA when I was younger. Now understanding hops the aromas and flavors associated to different strains I try to find the most complex ones, or brew my own.

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This is it! You couldn't stand it because you never had a pallette for it. After drinking it in small amounts you gradually build an appreciation for it. It is the same for wine, hot foods, Edwort's Apfelwein. Remember back to the absolute first time you tried beer. Was it cool and refreshing, or did it bite a little bit? Your mouth, tongue and taste buds had to get used to the idea of it.
Have a tasting with those folks. Bring out some different foods to pair it with and have them try just a bit at a time. Slowly they will gain an appreciation for it. If not, bless em!

I pretty much agree with the sentiment to brew for yourself, and let them drink what they prefer.

But, just for curiosity's sake, maybe try an experiment with an open mind. Try to figure out whether it really is just prejudgement, or different taste. If they like BMC, brew a great cream ale or maybe a Kolsch, and give them a blind taste test, without even mentioning homebrew. Just pour a taste of 3 commecial beers and one of yours, all the same style, and ask them which they prefer, just so you will know in the future. If they really like Bud, you learned something. If they find they like yours, they learned something. Win/win.

And don't expect a Coors drinker to like an IPA.

I wish I had your problem!! I've been finding my people drink too much of my beer and I'm still only doing extract. My father-in-law is a cognac drinker that will occasionally have a beer. When I have the pipeline open he won't stop knocking on my door asking for another and he always tells me how good it is. Even my sister-in-law and her boyfriend shockingly would have refills - they rarely ever drink more than one 12oz and since I use 16.9oz (500ml) bottles each one is a hair over a pint.

This is the way I look at it. Don't try to get them to drink your beer. If they ask for a beer tell them you only have whatever of your own stuff available. If they decline screw 'em. If they have one give them only a few ounces to taste first and see if they like it before pouring a whole glass. You can also stop telling people the beer you are giving them is homebrew. If someone wants a beer just pour it and that's it. Eventually it will come around that it's your own made beer and maybe they will respond differently.

Sounds to me that the people you are trying to get beer acceptance from are a bit closeminded or snobby - no offense intended! Just saying maybe you should stop bothering to expand their palates


Rev.

I understand your frustration as well. It's like you've found the golden nectar of beer and want to share it. Then when someone tries it and doesn't like it, you simply can't believe your ears. Lets face it though, there's a huge difference between an ice cold american lager and a nice fruity, hoppy, bitter ale. It's an aquired taste for those that cut thier teeth on BMC and some people just can't make the transition. Personally, once I tried my first Seirra Nevada pale ale there was no turning back. Like others have said already, brew what you like and don't worry about what people think. Just go to the store and buy some bottled water, I mean BMC, and keep that in the fridge for the skeptics.

Can't say that I've never had someone that didn't like my beer but it is unusual for it to happen. Most folks may start out with "homebrew issues" but find themselves enjoying the beer and ending up believers. I do try and serve folks a style that they enjoy or might enjoy based on their likes and ability to define that to me.

OP's sig says it all "Good people like good beer"

The live-in GF & I do alot of entertaining at our house and most of my friends really like my beer. They also enjoy good food, stinky cheese, wine, and good beer. Some will have 2-3 HBs then switch to Coors so they can hang all night. I don't mind that at all. Drink the good stuff when you have a palate and can enjoy it, then switch to swill after you catch a buzz. I guess I hang with a hip crowd who are open minded and like quality stuff (not just food). Most of my family, on the other hand, are kind of wine snobs so they are able to get into beer, They just need to educate their palates. My dad and BIL even enjoy some sours with me.

I do live in Texas so I sometimes get some random friend's friends over who are scared and I just don't give a ****. I do not suffer fools easily, so they can do whatever, but if a person is not willing to try something new then I'm not really interested in getting to know that person.(we won't have much in common) I generally don't give those kind of people a second thought.

Edit: Not trying to be rude. Like a said in regards to my family, they just need some education. If it is someones first HB and they are not a craft beer person, I will probably give them something malty, everyone can appreciate those kinds of flavors.

My Uncle is very much like what you discribe. He will tell me everytime I ask him to try one that," I don't like ales, I like lagers." Ok, fair enough but he wants to drink my pumpkin ale as fast as he can get it down his throat and he asks for it often. Last time he asked about it I told him,"You do know that is an ale right?" and he just grumbled a little and goes on. I think that what he means to say is,"I like most lagers and a few non-hoppy/non-bitter ales." But is not beer lingo savvy so it just comes out all wrong.

The truth of the matter is most of us who home brew make some pretty wild and off the wall concotions. Mix this with the misinformation (legalities and the "go blind" thing) and the average BMC drinker has no interest in trying it. Remember these folks are used to crystal clear, ice cold, flavorless beer any variation away from this may not be well recieved.

I have found that some of my friends have been pretty close minded when it comes to trying new brews. When they say no to me/my brew I reply,"As long as you are enjoying what you have there, I am happy." smile and go on.

I have found a lot of people I talk to that aren't into the craft beer scene consider heineken a dark beer . They just haven't been exposed, nor tried anything beyond their comfort zone.

Sounds like you are simliar to me, and many others here, that you enjoy trying new things and seeing what else there is. And unfortunately these people (family, friends, etc) are fine with the mainstay.

Luckily most, if not all of my friends are all about seeing what I have on tap. I can understand your frustration though. If my family wouldn't even try something that I was so amped about I would be peeved as well. Even if they don't like it it's nice to know they tried it and know for sure.

ive never known anyone who would refuse to even try a homebrew simply because it was brewed at home. however i wouldnt necessarily feel bad, like i would if they actually tried it and said it tasted like butthole. i would simply think they were incredibly closed minded, which is their own loss and more beer for me.

as terrible as it may sound to many of us on HBT, some people actually do enjoy natty ice or bush light. diffrnt strokes.

my family is willing to try my homebrew, which is all I ask...if they like it fine, if they don't, I don't take offense to that.
That just leaves more for me to drink!!!
I can understand the OP frustration...it's like refusing to eat homemade chili, cause you're used to Hormel from a can.

Perhaps brewing a clone of something commercial is the way to introduce your homebrew and have people at least trying it.
Is like showing then that you have control and can brew anything you want.
Example, if you know that some of your friends drink blue moon, brew a clone and make a blind test. I did this once and people couldn't tell which was the homebrew, and sundenly all their fears with homebrew was gone.

I have run into this problem as well, but being in college it's hard to give an IPA to someone who drinks the cheapest piss they can. Some of my buddies love my beer, and one of my hosemates even is a big torpedo IPA fan so I made a citra/cascade APA we can both enjoy. However, there are lots of guys that I have tried to give beer that just don't like it, but I don't think they would like the commercial version either. I have a bunch of guys that love my hefe, but only a select few that have liked my more bitter stuff.

Heres the way I think about it. If you bought a commercial beer, say Torepedo, and you might love it. But you wouldn't ask your friends to love it too. To each their own, they might like some of your stuff they might not, but I have recently come to realize that it's not about the masses it's about the select few that love your brew!

I've been pretty lucky so far I guess. My friends, family, and coworkers are all very eager for homebrew.

This is an interesting thread and I had a similar experience with a friend of mine. He stopped by and I offered him a beer. He knew I was home brewing and asked if it was some home brew. He quickly stated that he never had a home brew he could stomach. So I poured him a glass of MGD (His favorite beer) and a glass of home brew. He started on the MGD and I asked him to give the home brew a try. He reluctantly took a sip, then a gulp and before I knew it the Miller had gotten warm and the home brew was re-filled several times. Before he left he apologized for his assumption and was surprised how good the beer was. He went as far as saying it was the best beer he ever tasted and he would like some to share with his friends.

My theory is the majority of people who drink main stream mass produced beers are not really conisuers of beer or even paying allot of attention to what they are drinking. They just want a beer that goes down easy with little to remember it by. They choose their beer based more on marketing and price. When they are offered a "Home Brew" they tend to pay much more attention and are more judgmental. Many people have this stigma about “Home Brewed Beer” that comes from people making it with poor ingredients and uncontrolled processes back in the day. I’ve found a good way to get someone to try your beer with an open mind is to have some of their favorite beer available for comparison. Let them start with one of their beers and in the middle offer them one of yours. If they don’t like it then oh well more for you..

You can't please everyone, so ya got to please yourself.