Hello from San Jose, CA

Hey all, great site here! I've spent many hours lurking so I figured I'd register and say hello. I did my first batch with Mr. Beer last June and immediately upgraded to 5-gallon batches. I've read "How to Brew" and "The Complete Joy of Home Brewing" and I've been pretty active over at the MoreBeer forums. I'm up to two 7 gallon and two 3 gallon carboys, two 7.5 gallon kettles, three cornies, a ferment fridge with temp control, and a keg fridge (owned previous to brewing).

Lucky for me the wife is totally supportive (bought me the Mr. Beer kit and then quite literally made me pull the trigger on a 5-gallon starter kit) and also appreciates good craft beers and traditional pilseners. One of the things we really like about living in Cali is the easy access to lots of wonderful microbrews.

I've brewed 8 batches since I upgraded from the Mr. Beer kit, and it took me three batches to get the process dialed in with a highly rewarding product to quaff in the end. Miller Lite used to be my standby beer but I haven't bought any since October and one of my resolutions for '08 is to not buy any more BMC and also to buy far less other beer--I'll make my own, thankyouverymuch!

So hello and cheers/prost/lechiam/salud. Happy New Year!

Welcome to the site, looks like you have a great start in the obsession and even better you have a supportive SWMBO.

I live in So Cal and think you found this to be very enjoyable like me. I have brewed since 1972 off and on and now am getting the equipment for 20 gallon batches. The porblem is obvious..... my friends and family found out I make really good beer.

Supportive SWMBO? Check. Lots of friends who mooch my beer? Er, not so much. Yet. I'm a displaced Navy Vet and nearly all of my friends now live on the East coast so it's just me and the wife (and her parents in LA) who have enjoyed my brews. I have joined a local brew club so I predict that 2008 will be perhaps a little different.

WBC: Been brewing for 35+ years, eh? I bet you can do a brew session in your sleep by now! Mind if I ask what you started brewing and how your hobby/obsession has changed over the years?

Cheers~

Hi and Welcome to the forums. I got started just like you with the wife buying me the first kit and supplies. I have been at it for 2 years now. This year it was a kegging setup.