Most annoying response when you tell someone you're a homebrewer?

[bleme]

Not having read through all 35 pages, I'm sure these have come up before, but the two most annoying responses I've gotten are....

"Is that safe?"

"Don't go blind!"

This made me wonder, how many of us brew with safety glasses on? Can I get a show of hands?

 

[unionrdr]

Try TSA's videos.

 

[Oldbrew75]

Can you stand a spoon up in it? i have heard that twice now!

 

[Clonefan94]

Totally agree! My rules about drinking my beer (if you don't live in my house, aka: SWMBO):

1: You can drink while we brew so long as you help with some of the heavy lifting/stirring.
2: If someone shows up unplanned/calls at my house and says hey man wanna have a drink, I say sure and meet them at the gastropub.
3: If I invite them over, you best be bringing food because I am providing a location AND awesome beer. By "awesome beer" I mean fresh, real ales, that happen to taste at least decent in comparison to their respective commercial examples and whole hell of a lot better than BMC.
4: If you ask for something BMC, I say sure. I grab an IPA and a cup of water. I hand you the water and I drink the IPA.
5: If you are a fellow home brewer then lets just sample each other's beers. Bottle for a bottle.

I'm not even quite that strict. My friends know thought that the simple rule is if you want to drink my homebrew, come to my house, I'm always willing to drink beer with someone. I have some small kegs that I will bring to a large party, but that's just because I'm at the party as well. It's kind of my "Bring a side dish" item.

 

[m3n00b]

Because we are an elitist, arrogant bunch of beer snobs. And damnit, everyone should know how important we really are : drunk: I hope the sarcasm is a obvious, but there are some out there that feel this way. I go for the grain, water, hops, yeast talk and continue if there are questions. Its too easy to ramble about this hobby... lots of details... lots of fun (for us), etc. My favorite is people at work want to come help... Ok, plan for 6 hours, lots of down time and being in my garage the whole time. What sucks is when I'm trying to persuade the" nah" response, and get the" When's the next brew day!"response.

Since I've begun home brewing this is what I've become. Now, after tasting what a fresh IPA tastes like, I only rave about truly special beers. Stone's enjoy by is just about the only IPA I've had that's better than mine.

 

[CBR250]

After my boss calculated the labour to make homebrew he decided that if my time was worth that little I'd be willing to be paid less by him! I kid you not, he was drinking a Coors Light when he was asking me about the cost and process!

 

[plumber_bob]

After my boss calculated the labour to make homebrew he decided that if my time was worth that little I'd be willing to be paid less by him! I kid you not, he was drinking a Coors Light when he was asking me about the cost and process!

What an S.O.B.!

pb

 

[m3n00b]

After my boss calculated the labour to make homebrew he decided that if my time was worth that little I'd be willing to be paid less by him! I kid you not, he was drinking a Coors Light when he was asking me about the cost and process!

Whatadik....time to start brewing 55gal batches. That should get you a raise. $600+ worth of beer for 5 hours work ain't bad.

 

[roastquake]

After my boss calculated the labour to make homebrew he decided that if my time was worth that little I'd be willing to be paid less by him! I kid you not, he was drinking a Coors Light when he was asking me about the cost and process!

Wow time to work on your résumé what a d-bag

 

[drainbamage]

After my boss calculated the labour to make homebrew he decided that if my time was worth that little I'd be willing to be paid less by him! I kid you not, he was drinking a Coors Light when he was asking me about the cost and process!

Sounds like your boss would like to try a batch of Ex-Lax pilsner.


...I kid, I kid.

 

[TangoHotel]

After my boss calculated the labour to make homebrew he decided that if my time was worth that little I'd be willing to be paid less by him! I kid you not, he was drinking a Coors Light when he was asking me about the cost and process!

You can't put a price on doing something you love. If your work is doing something you love, you'll never work another day in your life. Your boss probably works all the time.

 

[beaksnbeer]

After my boss calculated the labour to make homebrew he decided that if my time was worth that little I'd be willing to be paid less by him! I kid you not, he was drinking a Coors Light when he was asking me about the cost and process!

I'd say ok but you only need to work only as hard as Coor lite is worth so 40 hr paycheck for 5 minutes of work

 

[invictusbrew]

I haven't had any real annoying questions or comments, worse I've had are friends who admit they don't know much of anything about it but honestly want to know more, and I definitely admire that sort of response. My favorite (though not annoying in the sense that most of the previous quotes have been) was when I was just getting started in HBing and was telling my old college roommate about it. He's a really big wine connoisseur (sp?) and apparently knows his stuff on beer too, as much as I knew and had read up on it all at that point I had trouble answering some of his questions. It was probably the equivalent of telling someone about how great you were in high school football, not realizing they played in the NFL.

 

[CBR250]

You can't put a price on doing something you love. If your work is doing something you love, you'll never work another day in your life. Your boss probably works all the time.

I saw a quote here that went something like this "hobbies are supposed to cost money"......that it true and freeing! Actually he's not a bad guy just very pragmatic. Might be a little short on the passion for such a great hobby!

As far as the fifty gallons at a time...........might be out of my league at the moment!

 

[ChrisL_]

I just got this tonight when giving a friend a glass of my Leffe clone. "This taste like real beer"

Good thing, it is real beer!

 

[ThatSimpleman]

After my boss calculated the labor to make homebrew he decided that if my time was worth that little I'd be willing to be paid less by him! I kid you not, he was drinking a Coors Light when he was asking me about the cost and process!

Dang greedy management. Eat the Rich

 

[Yellowirenut]

After my boss calculated the labour to make homebrew he decided that if my time was worth that little I'd be willing to be paid less by him! I kid you not, he was drinking a Coors Light when he was asking me about the cost and process!

Does he do the same for sex?
Can he get it cheaper downtown (coors light) compared to at home?
calculating the wining and dinning and chores involved to get said sex?

What a tool. I am guessing he sees life as a game and everything you do is a move to advance your position.

 

[kingboomer]

I got this one when I made my last mead:


"You make mead?!?! Can you get two cases made and ready for my friend's wedding by next week?!?!"

 

[Fizzycist]

I got this one when I made my last mead:


"You make mead?!?! Can you get two cases made and ready for my friend's wedding by next week?!?!"

That's the same reaction I have when someone tells me they like exercising.
" Oh man, I shouldn'ta had that 4th burrito; can you do a couple extra miles for me tomorrow?"

 

[brewguyver]

Whatadik....time to start brewing 55gal batches. That should get you a raise. $600+ worth of beer for 5 hours work ain't bad.

Tell him you're makin this stuff called Pliney, Headdy Topper, or Pump King - "we'll, this stuff costs me $10/bottle at the store ... 12 bottles in a case, 4 cases per batch, it's about $80/hour ..."

 

[kombat]

I don't like how some people think that just because you homebrew, you're always willing to give some away. I brew beer that I like to drink. I certainly don't mind sharing, but you have to throw something my way every now and then.

^^^This

Early on in my brewing, I sent a few bottles in to my wife's office with her, as her co-workers found out I did homebrewing and requested to try some. I obliged, because I wanted some objective feedback on those early batches. Now, all I hear is, "My co-workers want to know when they can have some more beer."

 

[kombat]

If your work is doing something you love, you'll never work another day in your life.

That's a trite cliche parroted by inexperienced high school guidance counsellors.

The truth is if you try to make a living doing something you love, you'll end up hating it.

If you truly love something, keep it a hobby. Find a job you can tolerate, but pays really well.

 

[cluckk]

Just the other day I had what has to be the worst response I've gotten. I took some homebrew to a friend's house. I was asked about the homebrew that I brought and one guy started to "explain" how beer is made to the others at the party. It wouldn't have been so bad, but let's just say he was not exactly accurate. Here I am at someone else's house with one of his half drunk friends, whom I just met, trying to tell people how I brew beer and all of it is BS.

 

[BinghamtonEd]

Cluckk, please, share this idiot's explanation, so we can all get a good laugh!

 

[MaxStout]

That's a trite cliche parroted by inexperienced high school guidance counsellors.

The truth is if you try to make a living doing something you love, you'll end up hating it.

If you truly love something, keep it a hobby. Find a job you can tolerate, but pays really well.

This.

People often tell me that I should try to make money doing my hobbies. I know they are giving me a compliment by suggesting that I could perhaps market my creations. But I tell them that's a great way to kill a perfectly good pastime. I brew beer and do woodworking and photography for fun and enjoyment. The first time I start making things to others' specifications, it will no longer be fun and enjoyable.

My real job does bring me professional satisfaction and a good standard of living. But it's not "fun," and rarely enjoyable. Sometimes it is quite stressful. That's what jobs are. My hobbies are my "escape" from that.

 

[unionrdr]

Not to mention that with this hobby,making a business out of it is def not a cheap proposition. My family & a few others have told me I should Start a brewery. They don't realize how much money it takes to start even a small 3BBL brewery. I like the idea of a brewpub/bbq,but don't have a wheelbarrow of thousand dollar bills to start it. I enjoy my hobby enough not to try & ruin it at this point by making a job out of it....yet...

 

[JohnnyO]

Not to mention that with this hobby,making a business out of it is def not a cheap proposition. My family & a few others have told me I should Start a brewery. They don't realize how much money it takes to start even a small 3BBL brewery. I like the idea of a brewpub/bbq,but don't have a wheelbarrow of thousand dollar bills to start it. I enjoy my hobby enough not to try & ruin it at this point by making a job out of it....yet...

Oh, don't be so dramatic. I'm sure you don't need a wheelbarrow full. A sack of cash with a dollar sign on it will suffice.

 

[unionrdr]

Well,here in Ohio licensing & all costs a pretty penny. then getting a place big enough to brew in & have a bbq pit,places to sit,a bar,& all that goes with it can add up in a hurry. Not to mention,all stainless steel brewing equipment. Def not a cheap proposition to do correctly & have any hope of success.

 

[JohnnyO]

Well,here in Ohio licensing & all costs a pretty penny. then getting a place big enough to brew in & have a bbq pit,places to sit,a bar,& all that goes with it can add up in a hurry. Not to mention,all stainless steel brewing equipment. Def not a cheap proposition to do correctly & have any hope of success.

Oh I wasn't doubting you. I was just being cute.
The thought of opening a brewpub is certainly a nice dream, but the reality of it is just a headache.

 

[Malty_Dog]

Cluckk, please, share this idiot's explanation, so we can all get a good laugh!

Yes, please, by all means!

 

[unionrdr]

Yeah,I figured you were making a half serious remark. But yeah,lot's of time & headaches bringing that dream to reality. Nicer to think about than trying to do it with no money at this point. At any rate,those comments about starting a brewery are always taken as a compliment. I'm happy for now serving my beers with bbq,maybe even on spent grain pretzel buns or the like.

 

[bluelimbo]

For me it's "What are you going to do with 5 GALLONS of beer?"
My response is always the same "Piss it away I guess"

I have definitely gotten a couple of shocked looks when I say "I make 5 gallon batches" and they respond with "WOW! That... is... a lot of beer...", like I am some kind of alcoholic. I then have to tell them it is roughly "just 2-24 cases" and get the "Oh, well that isn't that much" response.

 

[unionrdr]

Yeah,I've gotten this same thing a few times. Gave the same response as well. They want a 6'r here,a 12'r there until I explain that if I brew only one batch a month,they'd be getting it all in no time. So I tell them for a special occasion I'll give up some. But not on a weekly basis. I've even tried to explain how 2 cases is about enough for me over the course of a month. I still believe that they think it's free because I brewed it myself. Which of course brings additional explainations...

 

[roastquake]

Well,here in Ohio licensing & all costs a pretty penny. then getting a place big enough to brew in & have a bbq pit,places to sit,a bar,& all that goes with it can add up in a hurry. Not to mention,all stainless steel brewing equipment. Def not a cheap proposition to do correctly & have any hope of success.

And people wonder why they have to pay $4-$5 a pint at a brewpub. This is why I just fork over the cash for a good beer without complaining about it. It also helps to think of the money I've saved by brewing my own.

And if you get a good location, market well, and keep making quality product (and GREAT service) people will flock to your brew-b-q. Hell, I wan't to go to a bbq brewpub right now at 10 am! And remember that all new businesses spend about a year in the hole before turning a profit, spend the time to make a good business plan

 

[BinghamtonEd]

This.

People often tell me that I should try to make money doing my hobbies. I know they are giving me a compliment by suggesting that I could perhaps market my creations. But I tell them that's a great way to kill a perfectly good pastime. I brew beer and do woodworking and photography for fun and enjoyment.

I also get that a lot. I'm a woodworker too (hey, are you over on the LumberJocks forum?), and have had a few people ask me if that's something I'd get into professionally. My answer is always the same "I have a family to provide for, and I'd probably take a $70k pay cut to do that. Not feasible."

 

[unionrdr]

Yup. Good business plan & good location are keys to success above & beyond quality products & service. I def think a brewbq is a great idea who's time has come. Especially around here. Not really any bars in this burg,let alone a brewpub or the like. with easy access to RT90,Quaker Steak & Lube around the corner on the other side of 90,I could make a go of it on this side of the overpass. Money & location...

 

[RmikeVT]

I don't think I've received many negative responses. But then again, I don't strike up a conversation about or offer any homebrew unless I've already established that person is of a similar philosophy when it comes to beer/food/wine/fine spirits. I find if someone likes good food, they like good beer /wine and appreciate the effort and art that goes into making good beer, food & wine. And even if the homebrew turns out not to be the best, it wasn't for lack of effort and wasn't intentionally bad.

 

[MaddBaggins]

Mostly I just get the "oh, cool. Bring me some" response.

 

[MaddBaggins]

Neighbors wife did tell me that all my glasses are horribly dirty. She's a bartender at a BMC only dive bar. She saw us drinking some home brewed stout and there was a real nice lacing on the glass. She said if there's foam sticking to the glass we need to wash them better. :smack:

 

[Hopper5000]

Try my beer, "you should sell this!", me... sigh....

Also, "doesn't that explode in the bottles?", me.... sigh...