What metaphor do you use to describe homebrewing to your friends?

We, as homebrewers, understand our art and the meaning of it. Simply, we get the "why" behind it. Sometimes we may have friends, relative, or coworkers who will ask you why or the reasoning to your homebrewing. To some people, we can fully describe the passion, however to others we have to... dumb it down a bit. I have found with the homebrewers that I have spoken with, we all have a specific metaphor we like to use to characterize what we do.

What is that metaphor and why do you use it?

I specifically compare brewing beer, and beer in general, to sauce. There are a ton of commercial varieties out there such as the garbage sauces, prego and ragu (bmc), that the american pallet has become accustomed to. There are also widely distrubuted commercial varieties that are actually fairly decent. It's also come to the point where there are some smaller local places that are marketing their sauce and it is absolutely wonderful, albeit expensive.

Then I get into the homemade sauce. There are a number of ways you can make it like buying canned tomatoes, which there are a variety of both good and bad, dried spices, and other ingredients that are prepackaged that will work well. You can mix and match and experiment and make your own personal sauce that works for you.

And then we get to the point where you are using fresh tomatoes all the way, using your own homegrown fresh spices, and adding the best meat or other vegetables that you can find. You still experiment around but you work on perfecting your recipes and take full delight in a days work on your signature sauce.

btw, i grew up in a very italian family and i feel that this metaphor is one of the best ways that I can describe what it means to the average joe who doesn't share the passion, but you want them to understand what it means to YOU.

I'm from Wisconsin. I usually give this analogy: 'I make beer'. The people I am telling are convinced it is awesome at 'beer'. I do however, analogize the process as making a big batch of oatmeal, then draining off the liquid, then boiling that with spices (hops).

On the occasion someone asks why I like it so much, I say because it allows me to read science text books and put the knowledge to use while building cool stuff and at the end of the day I have beer.

pure magic.

"it's like making beer"

I usually say if you can make Mac & Cheese you can make beer.

yum

i compare it to rocket science and tell them that it is a very complex process and start to talk about enzyme functions and water chemistry spitting out terms like brettanomyces bruxellensis and 4-vinyl guiacol. just kidding i dont compare it to anything. i just tell the process in the most simplistic way that i can.

Homebrewing is like an ex-wife. Takes all your money, gives great head to anyone but you, and drives you to drink.

Haven't been asked 'why' yet, but when that day comes, I doubt I'll waste much time trying to explain myself. Even my non-drinking friends think it's cool as hell because most of them share some semblence of a self-sufficient mindset.

GilaMinumBeer said:

Homebrewing is like an ex-wife. Takes all your money, gives great head to anyone but you, and drives you to drink.

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LOL

Mad science! I say if you like science, art, and beer, then you would love homebrewing.

Typically I go with the cooking analogy. Ingredients, careful preparation, timing, etc plus you can throw in the fresh chili vs can chili line when comparing BMC to craft.

At this stage of my life I don't think I have any friends who don't homebrew...Or at least are beersnobs or foodies, and they pretty much understand the process and like it. But I guess when I talk it up to people who ask I talk about it from my interest in cooking, and recipe creation, and then the sort of science, meets art, meets the DIY aspect of it.

I use the spaghetti sauce analogy to describe the difference between extract and AG.

On a related note I finally shut my father-in-law up about how Budweiser is #1. I said that Bud is the best selling beer in a country where hip-hop/pop is the best selling music.

Quantity /= Quality

weirdboy said:

"it's like making beer"

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That's a simile, not a metaphor

I usually describe it by talking about steaks... like, you can go to the world's best steakhouse (think Ruth's Chris, Morton's, etc) and pay $50 for a 16oz New York Strip, and it will be awesome. But, you can buy just as good a cut of meat at your local butcher for $15-$20, and grill it yourself... saving half the cost, and getting it exactly how YOU like it. Sure, it may not be perfect the first few times, but the thrill is in the pursuit.

Not really a metaphor, but I just tell them that I know exactly what is in the beer I am drinking, do you?

I've never been asked why, it's usually more like "oh that's cool, when can I have some?" Trying to explain to people why I study statistics is another matter...

nicadrick said:

Not really a metaphor, but I just tell them that I know exactly what is in the beer I am drinking, do you?

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Ain't no shame in my game, ain't no rice in my beer.

beerisgood said:

Ain't no shame in my game, ain't no rice in my beer.

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And yet, we aspire to get corny.

most of the people who know me know that I was already a beer geek prior to starting homebrewing...it was pretty much just a natural progression.

For those that don't, or think that it's too involved a process to be worth it, I like to make the analogy about cookies.

Sure, you can spend all day in the kitchen baking a bunch of cookies...but why waste the time when you can just buy some chips ahoy?

It's just like any other cooking....just because we have to wait 6 weeks before we can enjoy it doesn't make it any different in my book! :rockin:


I've gotta say...I don't try to be a snob...but I try hard not to mumble "philistine" under my breath when people balk at my hobby

I say its like making home made chocolate truffles (other hobby). You work for a 2-3 hours on one day (making the tuffle fillings or mashing+boil) another hour a few days later (forming the centers or racking) and 1-2 hours another day (hand dip the centers in chocolate or bottle the brew). Although clean up from making beer is generally easier than clean up from candy making.

Either way, you end up with something that most people think is really hard to make, and almost everyone wants to try some.

I like the sauce analogy but use cookies myself.

You can buy the mass produced OREO's the mass produced chocolate chip, the ones made in the instore bakery or ones from a specialty bakery. Lots of people like the OREOs but once you go to the premium bakery you usually don't go back.

Also like the sauce their are several levels of cookies. You can buy the pre-shaped ones and bake them (brewhouse kit), you can buy the mix that requires you add an egg, stir and bake (extract) or you can buy all the ingredients and bake from scratch (all-grain).

Brewing is like washing the dishes, and then boiling some water, and adding some stuff, and then putting it in a Hinkley bottle, and then washing the dishes, and then waiting a month, and then washing the dishes, and then filling bottles, and then washing the dishes.

you forgot sanitizing.

Brewing is like sex - fun by yourself but way better when a naked woman is involved.

My standard answer is just try it.

The usual response is you made this?!

Well yeah. (fast forward an hour I am waxing poetic about the role temperature plays on yeast)

I get blank stares of longing to let them have another.

I give over half of it away, so for me it is like grandma's jelly. It's not the best thing you'll taste, but I enjoy it, it helps me learn about what I sell (I'm a bartender), and I always have GOOD beer to drink at home. It's like grandma insisting on you having a jar of jelly. You take it because it is something she is proud to have done.

I just say it's fun. If they want to know more, they'll ask

You can think of yeast in action as:

Yeast fart CO2 and piss alcohol. Go enjoy your beer!

Everybody has a hobby; fishing, hiking, painting. I like my hobby because it is a hobby you can drink.

Them: "Isn't it easier and quicker to just buy beer?"
Me: "It's much easier and quicker to go buy a burger from McDonald's too, but I'd rather make a better burger at home my way."

I explain cake making... sure, you can go to your supermarket (or high end baker) and buy one off the rack, but you can buy a mix for cheaper, or get the flour and cocoa and do it from scratch. But doesn't the homemade cakes just taste better? <VBEG>