My friends don't care for my homebrew

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Soc

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I just recently moved back to my hometown. Where I used to live my buddies used to down my homebrew like it was their job. They all LOVED it and would help me brew whenever I needed help because they knew the more they helped the more they would get. Well after moving back home, I have noticed that none of my friends really seem to care for my brew. I still think it tastes GREAT and when my friends that used to drink my homebrew come to visit they still love it, so I know it's not that it hasn't gotten worse. At first I hated that they didn't like it but now I am starting to not care as much, since I have noticed lately that my kegs are staying full a lot longer and I am able to drink a lot more of my own brew!

My question to you guys is how would you feel if no one but yourself liked your brew? Would you feel insulted that they didn't like it or would you just be happy to be able to drink more of it yourself?
 
yeah, here in SA,TX most of my friends only drink BMC. To me , my homebrew taste like beer, but I guess Ales have some distinguishing characteristics they are not used to . Sometimes I dont even bother offering. My brother loves my stouts, but that's it. Even when we go to the Yard House, which has like 200 taps, most of the folks there are drinking BMC.:(

I am making progress though, swmbo really like my Orphy's Mild.
 
I'm in a similar boat as you guys. Everyone always says "Oh, its good." But they always say it with a face of "It actually sucks, I'm just being nice." I don't really mind since I think it's pretty good, and each batch improves significantly! :mug:
 
My answer to this recurring issue tends to be more global. In a mass society, with mass media, and a mass food and beverage industry, the tastes of those masses tend to be conditioned to a rather bland, non-distinctive common denominator. Therefore, anything with what is perceived as a "strong," (read = distinctive) taste automatically repels many people.

We just returned from a trip to China. It's amazing how many people recoiled from some Chinese dish, whether they labeled it "spicy" (the usual indictment) or just different. I found the food both appetizing and flavorful, and never once ran into a dish I would regard as "hot spicy." It's conditioning, pure and simple; if what you know is bland, be it food, beer or entertainment, then that's what you expect and what you "want."
 
rico567 said:
My answer to this recurring issue tends to be more global. In a mass society, with mass media, and a mass food and beverage industry, the tastes of those masses tend to be conditioned to a rather bland, non-distinctive common denominator. Therefore, anything with what is perceived as a "strong," (read = distinctive) taste automatically repels many people.

We just returned from a trip to China. It's amazing how many people recoiled from some Chinese dish, whether they labeled it "spicy" (the usual indictment) or just different. I found the food both appetizing and flavorful, and never once ran into a dish I would regard as "hot spicy." It's conditioning, pure and simple; if what you know is bland, be it food, beer or entertainment, then that's what you expect and what you "want."
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This is an excellent analysis. I find myself lumped in "the masses". There is just something I can't get around about the taste of most light ales and all belgian beer. I call it "that funky taste". Please don't miss-interpret. I'm not in any way saying anything disparaging toward ales. I know the taste derives from the esters, and they must be great, but for the above taste problem I have, I brew Pilsners mostly. I believe if the OP offered lagers to his friends, perhaps the responce would be different. My 2 pecos
 
My friends HATE anything other than BMC Light. Occasionally they'll have a Yeungling. I wouldn't even let them try it, unless they really wanted to, because it would just be a waste of beer.
 
The only 3-4 friends that I have that normally drink micro's have like all my brews so far.

It's nice, because i can split batches (cost and actual beers).. this allows me to brew more, and not have to drink 50 beers by myself.. i like variety, so this helps me brew more often.
 
Everyone has that happen. Look, its kind of like having kids - you cook a fabulous meal for them and they look at you like you're trying to poison them, because its not like McDonalds. Same with beer - you make something fabulous and 80% of the people will turn up their noses at it because its not like Bud Light, which is what they are used to and like (I'm not slamming BMC at all, btw).

Its rough, though, if you don't have anyone around who likes to drink your beer - brewing for yourself is great, but its nice to share sometimes!

One approach is to brew a batch that is aimed at the BMC crowd - those who are not used to ales or craft beers. My goal isn't to recreate a BMC, but rather to brew a handmade, flavorful beer that BMC-folk will enjoy.

I've got a batch of cream ale in primary right now - its gonna be light and balanced. First time I've made this recipe (with Pils and rice) so I'm not sharing the recipe yet, until I know how it turned out. But there are a number of good recipes in the HBT database that fit the bill. Here are two:

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f62/cream-three-crops-cream-ale-66503/
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f62/miller-lite-really-triple-hopped-123937/

I've made the Cream of Three Crops recipe and can attest that its good and appealed to BMCers :)

These are both all grain recipes, if you brew extract, you can look in the hbt recipe database under Light Hybrid and find some extract recipes.

Keep your head up!
 
It's been said, but You are Lucky!

It os nice to have people appreciate your brew, but it is also good to have half or more of your batch left after your buddies hang out to watch a game.
 
For the most part, I am the only person who drinks my beer. My brother will drink anything and always tells me he likes my beers. Other than that, there is no one else that regularly drinks my beers. They are all BMC drinkers and can't get around it. I don't take it personally because they all tell me that it "tastes like the nasty sh*t" I drink at bars, which I guess is what I am going for :p

However, I do like to include these people too, so I brew at least a couple crowd pleasers a year. I have a blond on tap right now that is nothing but Pilsner malt mashed at 149 with an ounce or two of crystal hops at 30 minutes and S-05. That got drank quite a bit at our Thanksgiving party a couple of weeks ago. I'm kind of thinking about bottling the rest though because I don't see myself drinking too much of it. I also brew up a Peach Wheat beer every spring. Everybody likes that one.
 
cubbies said:
For the most part, I am the only person who drinks my beer. My brother will drink anything and always tells me he likes my beers. Other than that, there is no one else that regularly drinks my beers. They are all BMC drinkers and can't get around it. I don't take it personally because they all tell me that it "tastes like the nasty sh*t" I drink at bars, which I guess is what I am going for :p
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I can definitely relate to that. A friend told me a while back that my beer was awful because it tasted just like Sam Adams. I didn't personally think it tasted anything like Sam Adams, it wasn't even a lager it was an ale, but I took it as a compliment.
 
It would depend on who you brew for. I brew for my wife and my self. I make Hefeweizen for her and Bock for me. Some of my friends like it and want more. Some of them drink it because, well, I gave it to them. When i ask them what they think of it they tell me it is "great" and they want more. I believe this mainly to do with the fact most of my friends do not have enough experience to tell if it is bad or good.

Most of my friends drink Shiner. And when I give them the Bock I make they say "hey, this tastes like Shiner". I think to myself it tastes nothing at all like Shiner, but I bite my tongue and let them drink it.

I have one friend in particular who I consider to be very knowledgeable about beer. Like everyone else he tells me my stuff is "great" (really I want them to tell me it sucks and why it sucks, so I can change it). One time I stopped him and said I expected this response from everyone else but him. I asked why he insisted that everything I make (even stuff I know I screwed up) to be "great". He said because it was "free".

I do know if I leave beer at my friends I come back and the bottles are empty. I assume they drank it (they tell me as much). I pick up the bottles, clean and sanitize and refill them. I tell them if it is the most terrible thing they ever drank they can still use it to marinate meat. They all assure me they are drinking it, and want to know when I am bringing more.
 
Everyone wants reassurance, but in the end, oh well. Some people just don't like beer (not BMC). It doesn't mean yours is bad. My beer is consumed by me, swmbo, and my sister in law primarily. Everyone is welcome, but they are happy with their BMC. I am serving 15G of HB at a new years party. This will be my first party serving my HB to a lot of people. It'll be a different than usual crowd though with a more beer respected crowd.
 
I've gotten most of my friends into brewing and those who don't always seem to enjoy my beers. I wouldn't read too much into it if I were you. Some people just like BMC. Anything else is a 'dark' beer that they just can't get past.
 
Lets say you brew an APA and none of your friends like it..

If they love commercial APAs, your beer is probably worse than commercial APAs (not necessarily a horrible thing, I find a lot of commercial beer to be excellent, contrary to homebrew mythology). If they only drink Coors Light, they probably just don't like APA (which is fine) and the fact that they don't like your APA doesn't inform you about the quality of your beer at all.
 
People's tastes change. If you want their approval try seeing what they drink when they aren't drinking your beer and make something similar to that.
 
Soc said:
I just recently moved back to my hometown. Where I used to live my buddies used to down my homebrew like it was their job. They all LOVED it and would help me brew whenever I needed help because they knew the more they helped the more they would get. Well after moving back home, I have noticed that none of my friends really seem to care for my brew. I still think it tastes GREAT and when my friends that used to drink my homebrew come to visit they still love it, so I know it's not that it hasn't gotten worse. At first I hated that they didn't like it but now I am starting to not care as much, since I have noticed lately that my kegs are staying full a lot longer and I am able to drink a lot more of my own brew!

My question to you guys is how would you feel if no one but yourself liked your brew? Would you feel insulted that they didn't like it or would you just be happy to be able to drink more of it yourself?
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They are at a different point in their lives. In all likelihood they are not taking the time (or don't have the time) to enjoy the good moments in life.

We are all ambassadors of good beer and food. It sounds like you are a bit more experienced than you friends. Some will never come around and some never change. I still have a friend from high school (I am 40) "back home" who has had the same life guarding job since he was 15. He makes about 15,000 a year, still smokes his bong every night, etc. Some peopel are just happy being who they are.
 
Yeah, I guess alot of you are making good points, its not that they dont like homebrew, but more so that they dont like these other styles and just prefer light lagers. I dont get offended, but I stop offering. I let my wife taste, but that's it. YOu just have to accept the fact that most folks think beer is light lagers. Most have never even tasted other styles.

Its like coffee, I like a rich espresso. But most folks cant stand it. 10 years ago Starbucks made good coffee, you go in there now and its all watered down coffee from automated espresso machines. They went through the same thing we are going through. The masses didn't care for there coffe, so they adapted and now serve crappy coffee. I refuse to adapt and serve crappy beer. So I brew for myself.L:)
 
Boerderij_Kabouter said:
Don't be insulted. Brew better beer.
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+1 Too often these threads blame the friends. People know what they like and to call them out as wrong or ignorant for that preference could be wrong.

But Remilard makes a good point that some people just cannot be pleased.

I think the best thing to do is take the criticism as an opportunity to possibly improve your beer. If you can find a homebrew style that the non-believer can enjoy then you are being a good diplomat for home brewing. If you can't please them no big deal. Getting offended would be like getting upset with someone for not liking spicy food.

Just keep in mind that your beer might stand for improvement. When I go to Homebrew club meetings I dislike quite a bit of what is served to me. There is only so much IIIIIPA or RIIIIIS I can stomach. What is really funny is watching the HBS owner when someone tells him he is about to try an "Imperial Hoppy Maarzen." I think he would throw it over his shoulder if he thought he could get away with it.
 
dontman said:
What is really funny is watching the HBS owner when someone tells him he is about to try an "Imperial Hoppy Maarzen." I think he would throw it over his shoulder if he thought he could get away with it.
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So you're saying that my BMC drinking friends might not appreciate my 125 IBU, 12% abv, oak-aged special brew? WTF?



:ban::ban::ban:
 
I have one friend that doesn't like commercial or even drink that much but he enjoys tasting my beer. Two weeks ago my Brother told me that the DIPA that I made was like drinking dirt but my Dad likes it a lot. On the other hand though, last night my Brother told me he is really starting to like the stouts. I'm happy with sharing my brew and even the SWMBO likes most of them. Her tastebuds do seem a little duller than mine though.
 
It goes like this:
Friend: "Hey man what do you have on tap?"
me: "rye ipa, the other kegs are empty"
Friend: "Dude you know I don't like ipa's"
me: "sorry brody"
Friend: <Starts to look sad>
me: "Oh wait I have an English brown back here that I forgot about"
Friend: <Eyes start to twinkle>

People's tastes differ. If your friends tell you legitimately that they just don't like x style beer then why sweat it?
My brother is a vegetable farmer and sometimes he grows things with his sweat, heart and soul that I just don't like the taste of...
 
I'm not going to lie, I'm still in a place in my life where I go out and pound BMC's just to get tanked, and my friends do as well. That is starting to fade a bit, but it is still a part of our lives.

At the same time I know I can go to the same friends and get an honest opinion. If they don't like it they will say why. We go to a local pub that has a ton of imports on tap and we all love it and love trying out new stuff.
 
I got like 5 out of all the people I know who care for it, the ones that havn't tried it just assume its going to be bad. They also drink keystone light everyday.
 
I got friends that so far just do not like my beer. Now I try not to take it personally, because a) They are not beer Connie Sewers, and b) I'm still learning.

But I REALLY want to be able to make a beer that others like. OTOH - I had some family over this summer and I had some Centennial Blonde on tap. I just pointed to the tap and said help yourself. I got a few compliments from people and my wife's cousin had more than his share.

I think some people are just not going to like anything because a) it's too dark, or b) homemade beer cannot be any good.

I'm just not going to brew a light lager for my buddies, because I personally do not want to have to drink 5 gallons of light lager, even if it turns out fantastic. I much prefer ales of nearly any sort.
 
Doesn't matter to me as I brew mainly for myself. As far as close friends go, one is a wine drinker and the other doesn't drink at all.

My wife might drink six beers in a year, so no sense brewing anything for her. ;)
 
JVD_X said:
They are at a different point in their lives. In all likelihood they are not taking the time (or don't have the time) to enjoy the good moments in life.
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Of, they just don't like that type of beer. Why do people always try to make this about being "classy" or "sophisticated" or "mature"? Its not. Some people just happen to like light lagers. Its not because they're cavemen.
 
We do push the idea of not liking beer as ignorance around here, I think it's the natural defense to being jumped on as snobs every time we order a non BMC. I'd like to be out with friends and not feel weird ordering a good beer, but I know as soon as I order it, there will be at least one comment from someone about, oohhh the fancy stuff, or Can't just drink the normal can you, or something along those lines.

This is not an excuse to push the ignorance label though. Some people just don't think of beer in the same way. They don't see it as a beverage, they see it as alcohol.
 
IrregularPulse said:
We do push the idea of not liking beer as ignorance around here, I think it's the natural defense to being jumped on as snobs every time we order a non BMC. I'd like to be out with friends and not feel weird ordering a good beer, but I know as soon as I order it, there will be at least one comment from someone about, oohhh the fancy stuff, or Can't just drink the normal can you, or something along those lines.

This is not an excuse to push the ignorance label though. Some people just don't think of beer in the same way. They don't see it as a beverage, they see it as alcohol.
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Yeah, I think it's pretty funny cus you dont really know who's looking down at who? Are they looking down at you for being a snob....or are you looking down at them for not appreciating/being ignorant of other beers/styles.?
 
IrregularPulse said:
We do push the idea of not liking beer as ignorance around here, I think it's the natural defense to being jumped on as snobs every time we order a non BMC. I'd like to be out with friends and not feel weird ordering a good beer, but I know as soon as I order it, there will be at least one comment from someone about, oohhh the fancy stuff, or Can't just drink the normal can you, or something along those lines.

This is not an excuse to push the ignorance label though. Some people just don't think of beer in the same way. They don't see it as a beverage, they see it as alcohol.
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I can't say I've ever caught flack for ordering what I would call a good beer. I think a lot of people around here should find new people to drink with. :p
 
Most of my friends are craft beer drinkers or home brewers but I have a few BMC drinking friends. I have found with some of them that when I brewed something that was more to their taste like a blond they were more open to the rest of my beers.

One of my friends that is a BMC drinker and always dismissed my beer as gross tried my blond and wit recently at a party and now is interested in trying the rest. He actually tried some others that he turned down before and like them. A couple other of my friends have warmed up to my home brew in the same manner and are now drinking the porter I have on tap.
 
thirdedition said:
I'm not going to lie, I'm still in a place in my life where I go out and pound BMC's just to get tanked, and my friends do as well. That is starting to fade a bit, but it is still a part of our lives.

At the same time I know I can go to the same friends and get an honest opinion. If they don't like it they will say why. We go to a local pub that has a ton of imports on tap and we all love it and love trying out new stuff.
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Never understand "pounding" beer to get tanked. Just drink liquor. It's cheaper, stronger, and has less calories. Drink beer to keep it mild and wild. I can't even imagine being physically able to consume enough beer to get "tanked" and for me that would be 4 or 5 of them.
 

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