Friends paying for beer?!

Hello guys,

Im making my beer, im coollest friend around right now... since my friends are atomic drinkers, i thought i should charge them something to buy more ingredients, not so much for drinking the beer...

how do you go around this? ive spent around 50 bucks and roughly 2 months, on my first batch....and i dont really want them to drink my homebrew like it was an eternal fountain of free beer.

If they drink it at your house Id put little coffee mug out next to the fridge saying "If you're drinking my homebrew, please help support OUR habit"

you're not selling commercial and technically you can't charge without a license.
But if it's to the point of them drinking your beer to the point you can't afford to brew for yourself, Put out a mandatory "tip" jar. Or if it's primarily 2-4 friends, then you all 4 can alternate who pays for batches.

Or the sign above the jar that says, "This **** aint free to make, AHEM!"

Put a big glass jar on top the fridge that has a clear sigh that says:

Just tell them you'll provide the beer and they can supply the food.

Just tell them you'll make whatever beer they want as long as they buy the ingrediants, exagerate the cost a bit ($5-10) save that little up and before you know it you'll have some extra money for your own recipe.. while drinking their's.
I also like the tip jar/can/cup/sock/whatever idea.

You can make them buy ingredients and brew it for them.... to me thats different then selling beer.

or sell them beer, you wont get caught. keep a rough tally of how many each person drinks, and everyone can agree to settle up when it's time to brew more.

If that doesnt work get new friends.

lol...i already told them i didn't want to sell them the beer, but i need them to pay for the ingredients... im just a bit worried about how to enforce this, at the end its up to them.

How many friends are we talking about?

coy said:

How many friends are we talking about?

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around 6...and 2 of them are HARD CORE, not in a good way...guess im getting tired of their attitude, my biggest concern is them...

You can't really enforce it. Unless you want to make entry to your house a $5 cover like a keg party. Which wouldn't be too friendly. If youhave GOOD friends a simple tip jar near the tap or fridge (with a little emphasize by you) would probably work for a few bucks.

I have a grain fund that keeps me in beer. Four people buy me a sack of grain a month.

20 years ago my Uncle bought a kegerator and stocked it with BMC. He was the most popular man in town until he asked for help buying the beer. Shortly after that he quit stocking it and all his "friends" disappeared.

Best beer to drink is OPB. (other peoples beer).

echotraveler said:

around 6...and 2 of them are HARD CORE, not in a good way...guess im getting tired of their attitude, my biggest concern is them...

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Just tell them to poney up $12 each batch or they won't get any beer. As for the "hard core" guys. keep a baseball bat near ya. it usually works.

Lot's of good ideas.. The bottom line is. Are they really friends or just liking the free beer? Real friends will pony up and respect you for it. The rest can take a hike and you'll be better off for it.

PinkyOFloyd said:

Lot's of good ideas.. The bottom line is. Are they really friends or just liking the free beer? Real friends will pony up and respect you for it. The rest can take a hike and you'll be better off for it.

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+1 I used to have moocher unappreciative friends Back in college... wised up and shed the *****ebags.. never looked back. those pecks are always the ones ruining good things for others via bad choices or over the top behavior. first ones to get you busted.

Just hang a receipt of your recent ingredients purchase right next to the keg next to the "Beer Fund" cup. If that doesn't work, then Adios Amigos!

Ask them to do some yard work.

I just go with buying supplies for ya works well for me right now......I still give out free samples a few 22oz here or 6zer there to input.........then someone want's a case so I just have them buy me more stuff to make another batch......works well since I get over 2 cases a batch.

For at my house drining I have a large water jug dontation jar (was my hot tub fund) I only wish I had used it for a secondary instead now.

Your friends may not realize the expense in making your beer -- so I would say mentioning your expenses and asking that they chip in once (while they are sober) should be enough. If they continue to drink without pitching in, they aren't friends, they are just mooches, and you should quit inviting them over, or make your house BYOB.

I talked to my buddies and told them that when they come over they can drink free beer, I only drink a couple so they will also (I limit myself when they are around). I give them a couple free beers to take home when they are ready, all else they need to pay me!!!. My deal is that it will be cheaper than what they can buy at the beer store. I'm not expecting to make a profit just enough to get a few free brews!

Tell those cabrones to pony up some mullah!

SmokeShank said:

I talked to my buddies and told them that when they come over they can drink free beer, I only drink a couple so they will also (I limit myself when they are around). I give them a couple free beers to take home when they are ready, all else they need to pay me!!!. My deal is that it will be cheaper than what they can buy at the beer store. I'm not expecting to make a profit just enough to get a few free brews!

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...which essentially is a profit.



I like the jar idea myself. I have a bunch of people asking for free beer now that I've started. I've had to explain to them that it costs money to make. They never seem to want any after that.

I have hosted a few homebrew happy hours and never had anyone turn me down. Just ask they bring some munchies and if they like it, I could brew them some more and give out a recipe list. I love the hobby, and won't mind brewing an extra batch...ahem..keeping a few for myself.

Just put a sign above the toilet that says "Free Beer... Slightly used"

I may be alone here, but if you're gonna share it with them, asking them to pay for it is a bit... tacky. If a buddy of mine pointed to a "tip" jar every time I came over and had a beer, I may actually put in, but I would probably think less of the guy.

I love to share my beer with everybody I meet. If I go through a case in a day with my friends, that's on me. If you don't want them to drink it, don't offer it to them, don't tell them about a new recipe you're psyched about, and don't tell them the progress on your batches.

You don't have to share your homebrew. And if your friends really only come over to drink your brew, then that is a problem. But if you like to make it and you like to share what you've made with others, I think that cost is on you. UNTIL they start making requests. Then you are totally within rights to ask them to poney up. Just my two cents.

Keep less beer in your fridge. If you are going to have few friends over decide how much beer you want to part with and chill only that. If they ask if there is more tell them it is conditioning.

This.

You don't have to share your homebrew. And if your friends really only come over to drink your brew, then that is a problem. But if you like to make it and you like to share what you've made with others, I think that cost is on you.

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QFT

put a per bottle labor cost...selling beer without a licence is illegal but youre not selling beer youre selling the labor to make it the beer is free(add fermentation time in too )

I have a friend who has chickens, and I buy him eggs every week, another one sells records, and I buy him vinils every month.
This is what I do: When my friends come home they drink as much as they want for free, also when I go to their places I always bring them some beers. But sometimes they want to take some beers to drink at their homes, or to give them as a present to their families or whatever, then they ask me for a sixpak and they pay a reasonable price.

I must say that I meet 10 or 12 really good friens everyday at our music-association and most of them drink 2 or 3 litres of beer daily, they like my beer and that's great, but when all of them ask me for a sixpack they know that I can not afford giving it for free.

The same way I prefer to buy eggs to my friend because I know how his chickens live, in a meadow, with freedom, and I want to support his farm, he also prefers to buy beer he knows it's made with love and care.

Sorry about my English, It's long since I don't speak it.

I like the idea of chilling only what you want to part with. The other idea is to treat it just like it was a byo party, and offer up just one or two of your own brews to your buddies and keep the rest stashed away. They can enjoy your brew, just don't let them go at it with Frank the Tank gusto.

To me people are talking about different situations. If you are just have 1-3 friends over once in awhile and they drink some beer (a few) then its probably tacky to ask for money.

But, if your place tends to be the hangout place. With people spending hours there and drinking tons, say instead of going out for the night. Then a tip jar or asking for money is totally fine and necessary in my opinion. I'm guessing this is more likely the case. And its a few times a week.

IrregularPulse said:

you're not selling commercial and technically you can't charge without a license.
But if it's to the point of them drinking your beer to the point you can't afford to brew for yourself, Put out a mandatory "tip" jar. Or if it's primarily 2-4 friends, then you all 4 can alternate who pays for batches.

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I wouldn't automatically assume that unless you've done your homework. While Peurto Rico is part of the United States, it does have an independent legal and taxation system.

coin operated tap? sounds like a great invention.

Why not try and get 1 or 2 of them brewing? Out of 6 people I'd find it hard to believe that at least one of them might be interested in brewing. Ask if anyone would like to attend a brew day, but let them know, there is no drinking before the boil (this is a good rule even if your friends weren't *****es). If none of them want to try it out, are they really even your friends?

Marius said:

I have a friend who has chickens, and I buy him eggs every week, another one sells records, and I buy him vinils every month.
This is what I do: When my friends come home they drink as much as they want for free, also when I go to their places I always bring them some beers. But sometimes they want to take some beers to drink at their homes, or to give them as a present to their families or whatever, then they ask me for a sixpak and they pay a reasonable price.

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Sounds great, Marius! I need a circle of friends who raise chickens, make cheese, bake bread, etc. That would be fabulous.

And your English was just fine - we got your meaning. It's great to have you and other international brewers here.

I'd let them know how much it costs to brew the beer, and keep track of how much each one is drinking. Obviously they aren't your friends if they aren't willing to pay for their fair share. Once they know what it's costing you, they should want to pitch in, either by buying ingredients, or slipping some coin.

I agree with not charging your friends, but a couple of moochers who only hang out to drink up your beer is not a friend IMO, just a ******.

If you stop offering it for free, someone will ask where the beer is, you just tell them you can't afford to make it for them all the time. Some will offer to pay to help out, and some will not. My guess is the hardcores will be the ones to stop coming.

If you made steaks on the grill, would you expect your friends to come over all the time and eat them up? Would they expect to be able to?

make a few 1 gallon batches of prison hooch, they'll be much more reluctant to drink your homebrew after that.

Add a box of crushed ex-lax to the secondary and overpitch the yeast. Give each of the 2 worst a case.