Homebrewing too popular???

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bierhaus15

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//RANT//

Maybe I'm just an unfriendly jackass, but I sorta miss the days when I could tell a group of people I was a homebrewer and get nothing but a bunch of half disgusted stares. Now it seems like every fratboy and hipster either homebrews or claims to know enough about it to tout himself as an authority on the topic. When did homebrewing become soo trendy all of a sudden? It's not that I want homebrewing to be some type of selective club, I just don't want it to become some meaningless, blase activity that is associated solely with the likes of those ****** canoes who care to blog about their new ipad or Ray-Bans.

It's like food. It used to be fine to cook nice things and enjoy them in anonymity. Now some a**hole makes a pot roast and feels impelled to blog it all over the freaking interwebs and provide snide commentary on how special it is; as if the world never saw a pot roast before. Beer is not wine, it is not cigars, or fancy cars. It's worth as a product and hobby should not be determined by how unique it is, or how many ****** line up to buy a bottle of it, or how many ****** use it as a launching pad for their own pitiful egos.

Homebrewing doesn't need tv shows with cheerleader sam calagione telling everyone how cool beer is, or magazines telling you your beer sucks because it wasn't made by monks or touched by vestal virgins; or organic hops that will help save the whales, and other nonsense. I brew beer because I want to and enjoy doing it, not because I care about the latest fad or how cool it will make me look. I brew beer, I drink beer, and I think our hobby's future would be better off it's popularity rested in brewing beer rather than allowing some **** to live their life "vicariously" through it.

(and If I offended you... too freaking bad!) :D

//End Rant//
 
You didn't offend me, but I do strongly disagree with you. More people enjoying better beer means a more competitive market which means better beer overall for everyone.
 
It doesn't happen in my neck of the woods. I'm lucky to get three to five to show for club meetings, even when I bring the beer!! Everyone I talk to is astonished that I brew my own beer and ask if it is legal!!:eek:
 
Yea, when I say I homebrew, people look at me like I have two heads, then ask how I get the alcohol in there.
 
Although I agree with gnome most of the time, I completely understand what you're saying in the OP. For some reason, I've come across a couple of people who claim that they actually know a few things about the brewing process when in fact, they don't.

Me like a lot of you, have almost (lol "almost", ask swmbo what she thinks) become obsessed with this hobby. I can't help but brew more styles and buy more equipment to take my brewing to another level. I have books, and I buy more books all the time to learn about this seemingly simple process these newbs call brewing. I am intrigued by the different processes people everywhere use to make this beverage that we all love so much.

I'm bored, so I stopped, but I think you catch my drift,
J
 
I can understand what you mean/where you're coming from, but I don't let other brewers comments or attitudes get to me. The proof is in the brew.

Some people can talk a good game. I've known one brewer going on 16 years and he's only ever had "beer ready" twice in that whole time period.

Just ask them if they have any to share...most of the time that'll shut them up.

I remember when I first started sharing. (I felt like) most guys would tell me exactly what's good and bad about my brew and how to improve them. Whether or not I felt the same is another matter. ;)

In my experience I found that, in the beginning, I didn't like other people's brews. The all grain had a sour taste in the fringe, but I've since learned that it was the hops that I was tasting.

I've since retired (3 June), but at work people would come up to me and ask "what's brewing?" because they knew I always brewed. We have an office party coming up and they know I'll be bringing some brews with me...usually a keg. There have been several parties I've attended where the kegs were empty when I left. Now that's a sign of a good brew. :mug:

As for the people who are in it for "fad" reasons, I say "go for it!!!" :ban:The reason is that in 6 months you'll be able to buy their equipment for less than 1/2 price because it's too much work or they don't have the time... :mug:
 
Sounds to me like you read things you shouldn't read because you let what other people say bother you. I think you allude to bigger issues than the ones you specifically point out.
 
homebrewer_99 said:
I can understand what you mean/where you're coming from, but I don't let other brewers comments or attitudes get to me. The proof is in the brew.

Some people can talk a good game. I've known one brewer going on 16 years and he's only ever had "beer ready" twice in that whole time period.

Just ask them if they have any to share...most of the time that'll shut them up.

I remember when I first started sharing. (I felt like) most guys would tell me exactly what's good and bad about my brew and how to improve them. Whether or not I felt the same is another matter. ;)

In my experience I found that, in the beginning, I didn't like other people's brews. The all grain had a sour taste in the fringe, but I've since learned that it was the hops that I was tasting.

I've since retired (3 June), but at work people would come up to me and ask "what's brewing?" because they knew I always brewed. We have an office party coming up and they know I'll be bringing some brews with me...usually a keg. There have been several parties I've attended where the kegs were empty when I left. Now that's a sign of a good brew. :mug:

As for the people who are in it for "fad" reasons, I say "go for it!!!" :ban:The reason is that in 6 months you'll be able to buy their equipment for less than 1/2 price because it's too much work or they don't have the time... :mug:
Click to expand...

Or 40 people had one beer that they threw out.

Lol, lol, j/k.
 
The internet has made everyone a genius. I'm the only guy I know that homebrews but, everybody seems to know a lot more about it than me around here. I think most people are too lazy to homebrew. It's a lot easier to go to a specialty beer/wine shop and buy some obscure elderberry, french oak, chocolate ale and talk about how much better it is than Budweiser around here than to brew a good beer. But you're still a brewmaster if you can mix a coopers kit with 5 gallons of water around here. (i'm not ragging on coopers kits, I've got one in a primary right now.)
 
homebrewer_99 said:
As for the people who are in it for "fad" reasons, I say "go for it!!!" The reason is that in 6 months you'll be able to buy their equipment for less than 1/2 price because it's too much work or they don't have the time...
Click to expand...

Yeah, definitely true. What better way to stick it to them than to buy up all their stuff! :cross:

Dunerunner said:
It doesn't happen in my neck of the woods. I'm lucky to get three to five to show for club meetings, even when I bring the beer!!
Click to expand...

I think a lot of it is where you live. I spend most of my time in NYC nowadays and there everyone is an self proclaimed expert and fads pretty much run popular culture. I know this may not be the best representation of America, but I bet most urban centers are moving this way. I just don't want the homebrewing community to become inundated with people more concerned about the image of brewing, rather than the integrity of the product. We don't need celebrity or designer beers.
 
Too popular? The more the merrier as far as I'm concerned.

If somebody wants to talk about brewing I'm all for it. I might just learn something.
 
arturo7 said:
Too popular? The more the merrier as far as I'm concerned.

If somebody wants to talk about brewing I'm all for it. I might just learn something.
Click to expand...

Yep, me too. It's amazing how much I learn from chatting with other brewers. There aren't too many people in the area where I live, and that means few homebrewers, too. I met a fairly local person here on HBT, and we've become friends and we talk about brewing all the time. Having others around to try your brew and give constructive feedback is awesome.
 
Yeah ... lame rant. Why do you care whether folks blog about it or if it's "hip"? Just do your thing. Otherwise you're as bad as "them" (whoever they are) or worse ...

-BigCask
 
While I don't agree, I see what he is getting at. Rant away, that's what this place is for!
 
Homebrewing ebbs and flows with craft beer.....if you remember the early 90's there were an explosion of microbreweries (many poor quality) and that was about the time I got into brewing....then a lot of the breweries went away and the best ones thrived. A lot of homebrewers went away too (and perhaps the better ones thrived).

I feel all ranty about extract brewing myself, but don't let it out much....really, the more the merrier. I laugh when I run into new brewers, not because they are stupid, but I remember being that ignorant about what I was saying and what I was doing (and what I was making and drinking, too). God, I won't even repeat some of the stupid things that came out of my mouth in front of people who knew I was full of it. Today, there are many more choices, many more avenues for information, much more equipment, much more to the hobby than way back when. New brewers have the chance to learn and grow so much faster than before (but the info doesn't replace actually brewing a lot).
 
This same phenomenon happened with poker a few years ago after Chris Moneymaker won the world series main event. All of a sudden everyone was a poker player. There were people, pros, actually complaining that there were too many of these johnny-come-lately poker players at their tables, both in the casinos and online. Except, the entire poker industry grew like crazy and all of a sudden, there was more money than anyone could believe to be made at poker. So, the good players made tons of money and the crappy ones either improved their game or went busto. Now, even though there's been this huge recession and the action at the tables has decreased significantly, it's STILL better than it was 10 years ago.

My feeling is that the more people get into homebrewing, the more ways brewing can improve as an industry and make things better for everyone all around. Better beer, better processes, better and cheaper equipment, etc.
 
Are you sure it's not just a few hipsters who you overheard puffing themselves up in a local HBS? I think there's a difference between science/food/beer geeks like myself who don't even want to get NEAR a brew kettle unless they have absorbed as much knowledge as they can ... and a hipster who thinks he/she can drop $500 on equipment and brew a perfect Piraat AG clone on their first attempt. ;)

New people in any hobby, can inject some new life and new ideas into it as well as support the local businesses (a local HBS that has a brisk business can stay in business). With any hobby, you're going to get a bunch of self-important asshats who think they know everything because they've read 1 book, or talked to this guy or that guy who told them x, y, or z and "That's that".

Those casual hobbyists come and go pretty quickly - they give up when it's no longer cool, becomes too much work, or something else brighter and shinier takes it's place. (I've seen this happen in the aquarium hobby - which I was much more active in a few years back).

It's also a bit like being the fan of a band that "nobody" has heard of, that suddenly gets signed to a major label and now "everybody" is talking about them like they've been fans for YEARS.
 
arturo7 said:
Too popular? The more the merrier as far as I'm concerned.

If somebody wants to talk about brewing I'm all for it. I might just learn something.
Click to expand...

Me too, I like meeting new folks who brew. Or folks who want to learn to brew. Or beer geeks in general.

I really haven't met any poseurs; pseudo beer geeks, or "fratboy and hipster either homebrews or claims to know enough about it to tout himself as an authority on the topic. " Or even "****** canoes who care to blog about their new ipad or Ray-Bans." (Evan, is that you?!?)



I've just met a bunch of men and women, who, at various levels of knowledge, and/or experience, are passionate about beer and/or brewing, who want to learn more, taste more or experience more, and never stop delighting in talking about it with me.

I think it's pretty cool, actually.
 
Given the high levels of craft beer, homebrewers AND hipsters in the Portland area, I frequently see (at meetings) the hipsters shot down in flames as soon as they open their mouths. Locally, I don't know of anyone else who brews, although the hardware store does sell an occasional Mr. Beer.
 
I've been working part-time at my LHBS and have been involved in clubs and other brewing activities for years...I'm currently starting a commercial brewery. I talk continuously to a lot of brewers and I think there is a difference between a dedicated homebrewer and the guys the OP is complaining about.

Homebrewers will discuss beer-making, will enter competitions, will come to meetings, will participate in events, will research continuously, will ask questions as well as answer them, etc.

Inexperienced homebrewers are cool, too. I don't have a problem with someone that makes kits because they have fun and want their own beer around the house. I encourage these people to move forward, to experiment, to make their own recipes, to go beyond extract, etc. Some people are happy with the kits...hell, I still make an extract batch every now and then...some people are just different.

Then there are the *****enozzle homebrewers. They already think they have it all figured out, they won't accept any feedback, and then they'll complain about their beer being bad. They love to brag about their beer, to discuss it like it is a magnificent work of art, but they've barely read anything and they don't even know what a carboy is. They're in it for appearance, not to make quality beer and not to participate in the homebrewing community. They're leeches, and they are prevalent in every sub-culture...not just homebrew.

That being said, I've given some *****enozzle homebrewers very rough times, calling them on their **** and shooting down their high status with brewing knowledge. Three, specifically, seem to have been humbled by someone that challenged them and have actually came back to contribute to the community, not to mention finally make some good brew and sharing it.

So, yes...there are lots of ******** out there. I think it's just important to distinguish between the guy that simply wants to be "cool" and the guy that simply wants to enjoy making beer.
 
david_42 said:
Given the high levels of craft beer, homebrewers AND hipsters in the Portland area, I frequently see (at meetings) the hipsters shot down in flames as soon as they open their mouths. Locally, I don't know of anyone else who brews, although the hardware store does sell an occasional Mr. Beer.
Click to expand...

Hipsters...that's it. Isn't that the definition of "trying to be cool"?
 
Mermaid said:
Those casual hobbyists come and go pretty quickly - they give up when it's no longer cool, becomes too much work, or something else brighter and shinier takes it's place. (I've seen this happen in the aquarium hobby - which I was much more active in a few years back).
Click to expand...

What happened? The aquarium fad not shiny enough for you anymore?

(j/k...couldn't help it after I read that :p)
 
DeathBrewer said:
Hipsters...that's it. Isn't that the definition of "trying to be cool"?
Click to expand...

That's me! I'm so not cool. But maybe I'm trying to be. The problem is that I'm always late for all the cool stuff. By the time I realize it would be cool to ____________, the fad is over.

I totally missed out on Birkenstocks, 8-track players, pot smoking, and cell phones. By the time I tried any of those things, it was no longer "cool" and everybody was onto other things. I still don't have a cell phone, besides a pay-as-you-go tracfone.

Or, maybe I'm not trying to be cool. I really don't care what people think so I have no one to impress.

I'm so uncool that maybe I'm cool. Um, no. I'd say not.

I LOVE that more people are interested in brewing. That's a great thing for all of us. There are some sneaky ways that our legislators are trying to increase revenue- sometimes adding taxes to brewpubs or microbreweries. Since more of us are brewing and aware of craft brewers now, we can help support them. I think commercial breweries are beginning to love homebrewers, realizing that we still buy way more beer from them than non-craft beer drinkers. Homebrewing doesn't really decrease their sales- but we actually raise awareness of great beers.

I say that we should start a movement to get everyone to brew! Whether it's Mr. Beer, all-grain, an all electric HERMS, a micro, or a macrobrewery, it's all beer. And that's a good thing.
 
Wait, is the rant about not being "special"?

It reminds me of a friend who prefers to do the things that others can't. As soon as someone else does it as well, he drops the hobby and moves on to something else.

Thankfully, homebrewing is still challenging to me. And there is still some equipment that I have not bought or built yet. I don't see this ending anytime soon!
 
i'm surprised with how many people homebrew in my area.

we moved in October, i had my one neighbor over and showed him the keezer.

"oh, you homebrew? so do I!"

other neighbor:
"what are you drinking?"
"well, I make my own beer"
"oh, my brother does that."

other two neighbors have either friends or family that homebrew. not that i wanted to be special or have a problem with it, I just didn't think it was as big as it is.
 
Whatev. I don't think anyone should show up to brew meetings unless their beer was transported via fixed-gear bicycles. While wearing flannel and tight pant. And Ray-Bans. At night.
 
YooperBrew said:
That's me! I'm so not cool. But maybe I'm trying to be. The problem is that I'm always late for all the cool stuff. By the time I realize it would be cool to ____________, the fad is over.

I totally missed out on Birkenstocks, 8-track players, pot smoking, and cell phones. By the time I tried any of those things, it was no longer "cool" and everybody was onto other things. I still don't have a cell phone, besides a pay-as-you-go tracfone.

Or, maybe I'm not trying to be cool. I really don't care what people think so I have no one to impress.

I'm so uncool that maybe I'm cool. Um, no. I'd say not.

QUOTE]


It's alright. you're cool by association. and those who are truly cool buy into a fad only after it has gone completely dead. you have to be lame and not give a crap to be punk rock. :rockin:

that being said. i think the increasing popularity of homebrewing is great. sure there may be a few thousand 'brew temps' out there, but the demand for brewing supplies that they create are making it easier/cheaper for all of us to get supplies/equiptment closer to home. i just found a new source for grain/yeast/etc two minutes from my job. thats a win all day long.

No matter what you're into, there will always be someone that rubs you the wrong way. just wait em out, they'll be gone soon enough. :eek:
Click to expand...
 
bierhaus15 said:
//RANT//

Maybe I'm just an unfriendly jackass, but I sorta miss the days when I could tell a group of people I was a homebrewer and get nothing but a bunch of half disgusted stares. Now it seems like every fratboy and hipster either homebrews or claims to know enough about it to tout himself as an authority on the topic. When did homebrewing become soo trendy all of a sudden? It's not that I want homebrewing to be some type of selective club, I just don't want it to become some meaningless, blase activity that is associated solely with the likes of those ****** canoes who care to blog about their new ipad or Ray-Bans.

It's like food. It used to be fine to cook nice things and enjoy them in anonymity. Now some a**hole makes a pot roast and feels impelled to blog it all over the freaking interwebs and provide snide commentary on how special it is; as if the world never saw a pot roast before. Beer is not wine, it is not cigars, or fancy cars. It's worth as a product and hobby should not be determined by how unique it is, or how many ****** line up to buy a bottle of it, or how many ****** use it as a launching pad for their own pitiful egos.

Homebrewing doesn't need tv shows with cheerleader sam calagione telling everyone how cool beer is, or magazines telling you your beer sucks because it wasn't made by monks or touched by vestal virgins; or organic hops that will help save the whales, and other nonsense. I brew beer because I want to and enjoy doing it, not because I care about the latest fad or how cool it will make me look. I brew beer, I drink beer, and I think our hobby's future would be better off it's popularity rested in brewing beer rather than allowing some **** to live their life "vicariously" through it.

(and If I offended you... too freaking bad!) :D

//End Rant//
Click to expand...




It's alright. you're cool by association. and those who are truly cool buy into a fad only after it has gone completely dead. you have to be lame and not give a crap to be punk rock. :rockin:

that being said. i think the increasing popularity of homebrewing is great. sure there may be a few thousand 'brew temps' out there, but the demand for brewing supplies that they create are making it easier/cheaper for all of us to get supplies/equiptment closer to home. i just found a new source for grain/yeast/etc two minutes from my job. thats a win all day long.

No matter what you're into, there will always be someone that rubs you the wrong way. just wait em out, they'll be gone soon enough. :eek:[/QUOTE]

I usually hate when stuff get's too trendy that I am into, but I have to realize it was far less popular before I got into it as well at some point. More popularity means more businesses which helps us all. If you don't like all the blogs and stuff, why are you hanging out on blogging sites to be reading them? There is the good side of the internet that gives us access to so much info, then there is the good side of personal freedom that gives us the choice to not look at something that bothers us.
The good thing about the DB's that you speak of homebrewing is that most will do it for a while, then jump to the next trendy activity and the hobby will be left with a few that are really interested in the hobby and maybe 1 less person for you to complain about ordering BMC in the bar the next time.

:mug:
 
I got to disagree too. If you love a hobby and you are in mixed company then bring it up and there are people to have a good discussion about then how is that bad. I find it worse when I bring up a subject and no one knows anything or has any interest and it dies immediately.
 
I agree with the OP.

Any of you f*ckers that joined the forum after 2006 need to pack up your stuff and get the hell out of here. ;)
 
Airborneguy said:
Sounds to me like you read things you shouldn't read because you let what other people say bother you. I think you allude to bigger issues than the ones you specifically point out.
Click to expand...

I agree with this statement.

OP: Why is it you are hanging out with hipsters and fratboys? Why are you reading their blogs and then getting mad about it?
 

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