Do you only drink what you brew??

I don't make enough beer to get away with that. Besides, I like variety and I've only got about 5 of my own beers to choose from at the moment. Since I'm a rookie in the homebrewing business, I like to try new beers and get ideas on what I'd like to brew next. Homebrewing has actually increased the amount of commercial beers I've bought. And I thought I'd actually save money homebrewing...

I think this varies quite a bit but I think most probably still drink others besides their own. It's fun to critique them as you knowledge (and palate) grow.

PBR, loud and proud!

i couldn't tell you the last time i bought beer - it's been years.

I only buy commercial if I'm eating out or if I want to try something new/do research. I recently picked up a bunch of Belgians at Costco to try. Been sitting in the fridge for a couple of weeks now. Maybe I'll get around to them someday soon. In the mean time, I'll keep drinking what I make.

It sounds like the majority enjoy sampling at least the occasional fine craft brew.

I'm no different. Now that I have a decent stock of homebrew, I can really experiment with what I buy in stores.

Every couple of weeks or so, I swing by the local bottle shop or BevMo and pick up 3 or 4 bombers of stuff I have not had before. It's fun, and helps open my eyes to new styles.

11/17/07 My party of went to the new location opening of Founder Brewing Company of Grand Rapids Michigan. Can you imagine 500 people SRO drinking and not a rice beer in the place? It was insane. And another new brew to clone,
'Backwoods Bastard', a cross between their scotish "Dirty Bastard' and "Kentucky Bourbon Stout"(These are the published names,okay). Earlier that day, in a pub bar they had a vanilla something. It was a good attempt by AB to make a statement. It was okay. However, if you like drink it. I buy a case of Grolsch swing tops every spring. It taste great on a hot summer day and gives me a case of replacements for those who don't return my swing tops. I also don't think it is worth the time and the money to clone grolsch or warsteiner or any of the great beers you can buy in the store. It also gives me a great beer to start somebody off the fast food beers into the relm of taste!!!

It called research
There are so many beers and styles out there I have not tried yet. And some I have had in the past and want to resample to see how my perception has changed. When I find something I really like I look to make a similar beer at home. I'd say about 25% of the beer I drink is commercial beer. However most of those are beers are new to me (at least less than a 6 pack)
Craig

I drink every night.. 1 - 3 pints. I'd say I buy 1 or 2 commercial bombers or a sixpack maybe twice a month. I just drink so much that's economical for me to make the beer I drink. I'm not rich enough to buy commercial brews all the time. And, I make good beer, never had to dump a batch.

To echo David_42, there is just too much good beer around up here in the PNW not to drink a large share of commercial examples. I also drink more commercial beer than homebrew.



...but not this weekend :rockin:

I pick up a 6'er of a good micro once in a while but I brew 90-95% of the beer that gets consumed in my house.

I don't think I'll ever reach a point brewing where I'll completely stop buying commercial brew. There's always new breweries popping up and my curiousity makes me buy their beer. Plus I recently found a local liquor store that stocks an immense amount of domestic and imported beers. Several hundred different beers from about a dozen or more countries. It's going to take me YEARS to get through their stock of beer. :cross:

I don't always have commercial beer in my fridge, but the local store has 500-600 different beers and I try to pick up a sixer or two every month. If I had not I would never have found that I love Scottish ales.