my most challenging obstacle

convincing my buddies that just because i brew doesn't mean they're entitled to an endless supply of free beer. i almost think it would come as a surprise to most of them that beer supplies indeed do cost money.

i live in my fraternity house where natty light (frat water) is part of a healthy diet. as you can imagine, my fraternity brothers can hear me filling up my keg from a mile away and line up at my door almost instantly: "hey bro, can i just get a sample?".

while i do enjoy the fact that my friends enjoy my beer, i'm also a broke college student. the law obviously prevents me from selling beer, but i would like to somehow get the guys who drink my beer to chip in for the next batch.

anyone else struggling with this never-ending uphill battle? any effective methods that you implore?

any advice would be appreciated!

You're right it's an uphill battle. I've found that the best way to deal with beer mongers is to invite them over to brew a batch (they buy the ingredients of course and maybe a fermenter if you don't have an extra one lying around). Tell them they can have all the beer they want, they just have to brew it.

I understand where your coming from with friends thinking you the guy that gives free beer out. Sometime i wish my buddys came over more so i went thought more beer so i can brew more lol.

But when my friends do come over someone is always bring something over for the night food, snack, what ever it is. So I am paying for the beer but they are paying for the other stuff so it works out.

Plus more people that try my beer more feedback i get and i can become a better brewer. But if your friends are just taking and not given something back you could always be frank with them by saying I love brewing and love that you guys like drinking my beer but going to school and cant keep brewing and giving free beer out all the time. Tell them ill brew all you guys want just though a couple bucks in. Its better for both parties you get to brew more, Your friend get GREAT beer for cheap then they would drinking s$ht

Donation jar

Brew a batch in a clear Demijohn and leave it in the sun in front of the window. Keg it (with a release valve) after 4 days. Invite them to taste it after 1 more day.

That should put a few off. If it doesn't try again and add chilli.

It's not illegal to ask for money to purchase supplies and ingredients. Figure out what an average glass of your homebrew costs and make it known. The hard part is making it known without being a jerk.
One benefit of raising awareness as an issue is that people could rally behind you and you could find yourself making bigger batches and buying in bulk for cheaper.

veritas524 said:

Donation jar

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THIS!

brushvalleybrewer said:

[donatation jar] THIS!

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It depends on how bad the home brew is.... if it's bad enough people might take the contents of the donation jar as compensation!

Before you give them a "sample," make sure they can answer 3 questions in a row regarding the history of Florida St. football:

"Over/Under on Charlie Ward's completion percentage in 1993 @ 67."

"Under"

"Wrong, sorry, maybe next time!"

It's illegal to sell your homebrew, but it's not illegal to ask your friends to chip in for ingredients.

I wouldn't ask them to buy you ingredients on a per drink basis, but maybe ask your friends who drink the most to cover half your ingredients as a group. Or, instead of it being "your brew", offer to brew all the beer the frat house wants as long as ingredients are purchased with frat house funds.

BBL_Brewer said:

You're right it's an uphill battle. I've found that the best way to deal with beer mongers is to invite them over to brew a batch (they buy the ingredients of course and maybe a fermenter if you don't have an extra one lying around). Tell them they can have all the beer they want, they just have to brew it.

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This+

First off, I hope you are all of legal drinking age... Second, they should help with the whole process. If they follow the process from grain (or extract) to keg, they will get a better respect for what it is you are doing. Plus they can chip in on ingredients, rent fermentor and keg time from you. Plus if a bunch of people chip in for ingredients you can go for some higher gravity or more hoppy beers without fear of spending all your cash on the ingredients.