How much do you brew??

[nanomicrohomebrewer]

So I need your help... My GF and i are having this debating/conversation about whether or not I might be brewing to often or to much. So I would like to know how often do you brew, and if your brewing larger than 5 gal batches, you should mention that. Just for the record I am under the 200 gallon legal limit for 2 adults in one home.

 

[Beer_is_good_for_you]

Once every 4 or 5 weeks on average, though it goes in spurts. I've done 3 batches in the last 4 weeks, but it was 3 months before that to the last one.

 

[evrose]

I do a two gallon batch about every 3-4 weeks. My wife doesn't drink beer, and I'm a casual drinker... any more than that would be too much.

 

[rpg]

I think I'm averaging one 2.5 gallon batch every month or so. Sometimes more often, and sometimes I go through a 3 month dry spell.

 

[BrewingRugger]

I try to brew at least one batch every 2 weeks, but sometimes I brew more.

 

[amandabab]

That 200 gallon federal limit, lets just say I brewed a small batch late last december and leave it at that.

its october now, I'll have a few carboys breathing room this year.

 

[andycr]

I've only been brewing for about 2 months. I usually brew 2.5 gallons once a week, with a 1 gallon batch thrown in occasionally for good measure. The bottles disappear strangely quickly; friends seem to love beer, who knew... Luckily I just got set up for 5 gallon batches I can dedicate to 'house beer', and keep the 2.5's going for the experimental stuff.

 

[kylevester]

In the last year, I'm well over that limit and I live alone. A decent amount of this goes to friends, homebrew meetings/events, tailgates, etc. Some has been poured because I don't consume/give it way before it's no longer good. Some has been just terrible and was dumped (only one batch was unsalvageable). Some has been dumped cause I just didn't like it all that much and needed a keg (less than 1 gallon in each case was dumped) for something good.

Anyway, I'd say I average 2-3 batches a month overall since I got really serious about brewing.

 

[snaps10]

My wife used to complain about it, until I made her my brew partner. We brew an 11 gallon batch every other week. Don't add it up...

 

[Piratwolf]

Anyway, I'd say I average 2-3 batches a month overall since I got really serious about brewing.

This. Mostly 5gal batches in order to try out a lot of recipes, but some 10gal brews as well. Like Kylevester, I give away or share a lot.

 

[Obliviousbrew]

I brew once or twice a week I´ve only stopped for almost three weeks because I had friends over and tons of work. I brew 6 gallons or 12 gallons batches. An average of 30 gallons a month. I share a lot of it with my friends that contribute with grain hops or labor to my brewing.

 

[Calichusetts]

1 Gallon batches...often double batch brew days. Before the kid, I was brewing once maybe twice a week. Now its more like once or twice a month. Every once in a while I'll get a nice opening and do as many as I can. I did 5 batches in three days once.

 

[cookstownbrewer]

Being a freelancer I have a bit of an odd schedule. I just brewed 62 gallons in the last 4 weeks, 60 of which were 10 gallon batches. I brewed only 2 10 gallon batches in the 3 months leading up to that. I'm probably hovering around 150 gallons on the year.

 

[mjdonnelly68]

I try to brew twice a month (5 gallon batches).

I was brewing more often than that but I ended up with more beer than I could drink. Don't have cold storage for bottles (not 250 anyway) - and it don't keep forever do it.

Moderation in all things (including moderation).

 

[nukebrewer]

I've been brewing two 5 gallon batches a month pretty consistently up until this month. This month got real busy real quick. Folks in town two weekends ago, GABF this past weekend and a wedding to go to this weekend. At least I have a couple months worth of ready to drink homebrew plus 5 gallons that still need to be bottled, so there's no danger of running out before I get another batch ready.

 

[allenH]

I try to brew twice a month (5gal batches), sometimes it's more and sometimes it's less. This month it will be 3 times, trying to catch up from a birthday party.

 

[dfess1]

I try to brew 2-3 times a month. As others, I give a bunch away, be it tailgates, parties, homebrew club meetings, etc. I brew 10 gal batches of the house pale ale, mostly 5 gal batches of other styles until I find one that I want two kegs of. Currently at 150 gal for the year, with 2 months to go.

 

[TNGabe]

At least recently, more than everyone else in the thread put together, :cross:. I brew 5 gallons about twice a week, but it's a new hobby (well, it's a new hobby that supplies an old 'hobby' ) and I'll be lucky to have time to brew once a month in the warmer months. We're not drinking 10-15 gallons a week, but I am building up that beer cellar!

 

[dryboroughbrewing]

probably about once a month. A mixture of 10's and 5's I hit about 100 gallons a year.

 

[Xpertskir]

2-3 5 g batches a month. I need to find more people who drink good beer so I can brew more.

 

[Cpt_Kirks]

10 gallon batches, every three to four weeks.

 

[Slowfro]

I do a mix of 5 and 10 gallon batches. The wife seems to book up most of my weekends, and when I'm not booked in fall I'm hunting so brewing can get tough this time of year. I try to brew at least 1 batch per month regardless of batch size. Speaking to the total volume last year was the most I've done with somewhere between 115 and 120 gallons (don't worry, there are 2 of us in the house!). I wanted to surpass that this year but I'm not sure if it'll happen...I'm at 80 right now.

 

[JJL]

I usually try to do a 5 gal batch once a month as time permits. Occasionally, I'll do a 1 gal or 2.5 gal test batches in between if there's something I just want to try.

 

[BrewinHooligan]

Just started brewing last Christmas and have averaged about one 5.5 gal batch per month with a couple small batches of wine thrown in, currently at 63 gallons for the year. I'm the only one at home that really drinks it so I can't really increase production as much as I would love to brew more. I suppose I could make smaller batches to brew more often, but that's not too appealing with the time my AG brewdays take.

 

[JordanThomas]

We brew as a collective (4 people, pitch in and take your cut of whatever batch you want) and brew every 2 weeks or so. Usually each person gets 16-17 beers a batch, so we brew often.

 

[dstranger99]

Once a month for me / 5 gallon batches.

 

[Cpt_Kirks]

We brew as a collective (4 people, pitch in and take your cut of whatever batch you want) and brew every 2 weeks or so. Usually each person gets 16-17 beers a batch, so we brew often.

Do you assimilate new brewers?

 

[alestateyall]

I average about one 5 gallon batch per month. I drink most of it myself. Maybe I give away 0.5-1 gallon per batch.

 

[JordanThomas]

Do you assimilate new brewers?

Ha, I wouldn't mind it, but I think Tennessee is a bit of a hike to make it cost-effective :cross:

 

[Golddiggie]

Before moving, I was doing about one batch (of beer) a month. I would get 6 gallons out (into two 3 gallon kegs) so I was good. Now that I've moved to a place where I can brew on my own schedule, I'm going to do just that. I suspect there will be a couple of months, during the deep cold of winter (if it comes this year) where I won't brew. Otherwise, I'll try to keep to brewing every 2-4 weeks. A lot will depend on fermenter availability and if I have kegs available to receive what needs to come out of fermenter. I'm planning a total of three brew days/batches for this month. One of them is going to be a big barley wine, so that won't be on tap for many months.

 

[theDeutscher]

For me, it's all according if I have empty kegs. If I only have bottles, maybe every 3-4 weeks, but if I have empty kegs, I could brew twice a week. I think I hit major demand this fall. I ended up brewing 6 times in the past 3 weeks.

 

[Joe13]

I just started this January and I am at 26 gallons brewed. I use Mr Beer setups and have four 2 gallon fermenters. I brew all four at the same time, but probably go two-three months between brewing. I should have 8 more gallons fermented and bottled before the end of the year. My big sticking point is enough bottles to brew and then bottle without having to drink the previous set. i am getting the bottle count up there though.

 

[DromJohn]

To the question asked by the OP: The new beer is brewed one week after the first taste of the previous. Usually every six weeks, but the Abt 12 bottled conditioned for three months. 5 gallons all.

To the question asked by the GF of the OP: You are brewing too much if the GF thinks you are not spending enough time with the GF. It's time to negotiate.

 

[ryno84]

I brew a five gallon batch every 6-8 weeks. I am the only one drinking it so it is fairly easy to keep the pipeline going. Except when I throw in a lager. Then I make sure I beef up the pipeline to account for the lagering time and loss of my fermentation chamber.

I have to brew when my wife is working, its my only time. Oh, and I also am under my 200 gallons/year limit.

 

[wkaidy]

as much as humanly possible, which for me isn't enough

 

[Mojzis]

I started in jan and at around 55 gal so far. I usually brew 2.75 g batches and lately ive been brewing every week or two. I imagine ill hit 100 or so gallons for the year (jan).

 

[drainbamage]

I do a 5-gallon batch every 3 months or so. It's more of a supplement to my purchased craft beer supply rather than a primary source of beer, not to mention I have to go by my supply of bottles. If and when I make the upgrade to kegging I imagine I will brew quite a bit more.

 

[Subsailor]

It varies upon what else is going on. Here in Alaska, I tend to be very seasonal with my activities, Fishing when the fish are running, Hunting while the season is open and brewing and repairing the rest of the outdoor equipment, mostly in the winter.

 

[45_70sharps]

I do a 5-gallon batch every 3 months or so. It's more of a supplement to my purchased craft beer supply rather than a primary source of beer, not to mention I have to go by my supply of bottles. If and when I make the upgrade to kegging I imagine I will brew quite a bit more.

If you are buying beer as well, your bottle supply should be growing.
That plus having one or two buddies save brown glass bottles and before you know it you are telling people just to save the cardboard six pack holders, you have the bottles to fill them.

Kegging does make it better though! Saves a bunch of time.
As a working single dad, the time spent filling bottles is time I would rather have for something else.

 

[daksin]

Full disclosure: I have not read a single post (including OP) of this thread. Just truth (re: answering OP's question).

I brew probably 1 5 gallon batch per week, which means five gallons into a keg every seven days. My batches are more like 6 gallon batches formulated for 80% efficiency, which means 5.5 gallons of finished beer, for an easy 5 gallons into the keg. The timetable is somewhat different, more like 4 5 gallon batches in one week, per month. Fermentor space is an issue in my 580 sqft condo.