Anyone else have really thirsty friends?

[Cheektronic]

So I'm 26 and live with two roommates. We have friends over regularly and still consume quite a lot of beer. Since I started brewing again, it's started to hit my wallet. 10 gallons was done in about 2 weeks.

I'm glad to have a little help drinking some of the beer so I can continue to brew new beers and experiment, but not to a pace which makes it cost-prohibitive for me.

Surely this occurs with other people. How do you guys handle thirsty friends?

 

[TheSmithsEra]

So I'm 26 and live with two roommates. We have friends over regularly and still consume quite a lot of beer. Since I started brewing again, it's start to hit my wallet. 10 gallons was done in about 2 weeks.

I'm glad to have a little help drinking some of the beer so I can continue to brew new beers and experiment, but not to a pace which makes it cost-prohibitive for me.

Surely this occurs with other people. How do you guys handle thirsty friends?

having them buy the ingredients

 

[Cheektronic]

having them buy the ingredients

That's the idea, just wanting to know how was a good way to approach that. Donation box? Take them to the LHBS with you?

 

[crispbrew]

A donation box could be a good idea. One way to approach them about this idea is just let them know that the more they donate the more often there will be a steady supply of beer.

If they are really that thirsty then a few bucks here and there is a lot better than going through dry spells where they either have no beer or have to spend more money to get store bought beer.

Just make sure to use that money only for beer ingredients. It might also be good to see if you can get your friends involved in the brewing process, as they might be more likely to spend money if they know the process and are interested in brewing.

 

[RmikeVT]

My old room mate and his girlfriend thought home brew was free brew. They were drinking my beer when I wasn't around and sharing it with their friends when they were over. Your room mate sounds a little more considerate than mine. Anyway he moved out and my gf moved in so problem solved. But now I always have friends/neighbors stopping through and having beer etc. So similar issue.

Im surprised your friends drink up all your beer and don't replace it with something, money or more beer. Seems kind of rude.

I approach it two ways, 1) If they are generous enough to ask what they can bring over, I tell them a good six pack. 2) If they don't offer anything, I am kind of blunt and say Hey, I have a keg of xyz beer you are welcome to it, just pick up a six pack so we can have some variety. If people try and freeload I make sure I give them crap about it.

I had a superbowl party and I just kegged up a porter. Half the porter is gone but I got a fridge full of random micro brews. Im fine with that.

 

[crawforc3]

I am a thirsty friend.

A friend of mine recently unleashed a batch of some fine ESB onto us for a board game night. We also brewed a zombie dust clone that night. I have his paypal info though so I will reimburse him for half the zombie dust and for the ESB batch that we decimated.

 

[jperry]

Don't be an enabler... put your foot down, man. If they don't realize that homebrew costs money, and a lot of time, just have them sit through an entire brew session. If they're even able to make it through the clean up, they might be worthy. It might sound harsh, but, so is a long brew day, with no help.

I'd also set some boundaries, and communicate exactly what you expect from them, which is not drinking all your beer, and not putting in any work. I told my good friends flat out, brewing is hard work, and its costly. They know not to expect a bunch of free booze. However, if they come over, and help brew though, they can expect to be rewarded.

 

[sumbrewindude]

While I can understand "thirsty" friends, there is no free lunch (or in this case, beer). Talk with the roommates, and make sure the guests know about the change in policy.

If you're making 10gal batches, I say put 5g in for you and 5g out for the masses. When their 5gal is done, they're done until the next brew day. If you decide you're done with your 5gal you can pass it out to the masses.

I'd put a tipbox out, and see where it goes. If it goes nowhere, I'd scale back as appropriate until the point was made.

 

[sandyeggoxj]

Here is my solution. Worked great. Actually it was a great help. I love to brew but I can never crank through the beer as fast as I can brew it. So I had sustainable funding for ingredients and fresh beer on tap at all times. Win-win!

 

[Cheektronic]

I do 5 gal batches, so we burned through 2 already.

One of my roommates always helps me on brew day, whether that be helping me do stuff that's easier with multiple sets of hands or just cleaning stuff. The other one works a lot so doesn't drink much as a result.

I think I'll try the donation box first. That way it'll be known that it does in fact cost money. I want to share with my friends, but not really be confrontational about it. I wanna brew it as bad as they wanna drink it.

 

[sandyeggoxj]

I suggested $.50 per low grav/session and $1 per imperial. By the time I include chemicals, propane, hops etc my big beers would cost around $1/pint. I also found it worked great to have people bring food over for parties and I would supply beverages. But that doesn't work as well for roommates.

 

[Cheektronic]

This is just the nerd in me thinking out loud... but it would be really cool to have a QR code with a link to donate, and somehow hack a digital photo frame or something to display one of those donation goal thermometers that would poll my paypal account for the balance.

 

[dryboroughbrewing]

I have no problem with my friends taking my beer, just gives me an excuse to brew more. The lout who downed half a bottle of my Lagavulin 16 on New Year's Eve on the other hand... well he should be happy that the ground was frozen.

 

[Cheektronic]

I have no problem with my friends taking my beer, just gives me an excuse to brew more. The lout who downed half a bottle of my Lagavulin 16 on New Year's Eve on the other hand... well he should be happy that the ground was frozen.

Was his name Ron Swanson?

 

[dryboroughbrewing]

Was his name Ron Swanson?

No, but there is a particular section of floor with a lovely peaty nose now.

 

[rocketsan]

Don't ***** foot around it - tell them to pony up some dough.


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[igotsand]

Have some kids..that stops the thirsty friends from coming by..:beer:

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[brewbama]

Like the old sayin goes: ass, gas, or grass, no one rides for free.


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[PasbitinusBluinusRibbinus]

If someone wants to have a beer, I really don't mind. But if someone wants to come drink my beer, it's $5. Everyone knows it, and I made it apparent without being an ass about it.

No one drinks my beer when im not there. My roommate gets the green light, as he brews with me and typically puts a beer on tap every once in awhile.

We also throw parties, where the keezer is filled with lighter (read: cheaper) beers and things like alpfwein. Its $5 for the night and I at least break even on ingredient costs.

 

[Hello]

Nope.

 

[eastrise15]

Good topic. I just started brewing myself and am waiting for a couple beers to condition.

The reason I got interested was when I was at my last job, a coworker did weekly brews. He would invite folks over for dinner and have $5 donations for food and a $1 for 12 ounce and $2 for 22 ounce bottles. This was known before coming over and those who showed up had to be OK with it.

He would break even to continue the brews for several months. I am thinking about starting the same thing here at my house and new job.


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[blizzard]

I agree with the donation cup. Hopefully your friends are cool and that works out. Most people don't realize that even though they are only having a couple of beers, when a bunch of people do that, it can really add up.

 

[soccerdad]

Easy answer. I have no friends 5 kids all over 25 and 2 with spouses is another matter.

 

[flars]

What is your State law on selling homebrew, or being compensated, or by some other device, the State may have in statutes?

 

[JayDubWill]

+1 for the "Sustainable Beer Fund" but you've got to be vocal about it. Tell them straight up beer doesn't grow on trees, but also tell them how much it costs you to brew. Tell them once the cup fills up to $30 or whatever then you can brew again. That's assuming your kegging. Now if your bottling 10 gallons that's a whole 'nother story. I would demand some help at that point.

 

[Cider123]

Just my wife and 2 kids. Every now and then we have some friends over for dinner. I enjoy letting visitors drink my beer. I also know they are not going to take advantage. I don't have "college friends" anymore. I'll fill some bottles for a few folks at work here and there.

So I drink most of my beer. It's a tough job but someone has to do it.

 

[sandyeggoxj]

What is your State law on selling homebrew, or being compensated, or by some other device, the State may have in statutes?

Sell homebrew? I don't know what you are talking about.... now I know people who pitch in to buy barley and hops...

 

[MaxStout]

Ask them to chip in for the ingredients, then help on brew day.

If they just want to drain your beer supply but don't want to help with the cost and labor, they are not friends, they are moochers. A hasp and padlock on the beer fridge will fix that.

 

[smccarter]

My old room mate and his girlfriend thought home brew was free brew. They were drinking my beer when I wasn't around and sharing it with their friends when they were over. Your room mate sounds a little more considerate than mine. Anyway he moved out and my gf moved in so problem solved. But now I always have friends/neighbors stopping through and having beer etc. So similar issue.

Im surprised your friends drink up all your beer and don't replace it with something, money or more beer. Seems kind of rude.

I approach it two ways, 1) If they are generous enough to ask what they can bring over, I tell them a good six pack. 2) If they don't offer anything, I am kind of blunt and say Hey, I have a keg of xyz beer you are welcome to it, just pick up a six pack so we can have some variety. If people try and freeload I make sure I give them crap about it.

I had a superbowl party and I just kegged up a porter. Half the porter is gone but I got a fridge full of random micro brews. Im fine with that.

Exactly... I have friends who drink my beer. The deal is, they buy me a six'er of a craft brew, or a really nice import. It's a good trade I think.

Fresh beer is always better, but I do like to try something different from time to time. I never would have tried Arrogant Bastard otherwise.

I absolutely prefer my beer, but I do like to try a good craft beer from time to time. The trade is a great way to get the best of both worlds.

 

[Wynne-R]

Years ago I had a small apartment where people would come to drink beer and play nickel ante poker. I had a small sign on the fridge that said “beer fund” and an arrow pointing up. People would toss a few dollars on top of the fridge and scoop up change.

It didn’t pay for all the beer, but it paid for most of it.

To the OP, I would suggest putting a collection pot near the fridge and use a magnetic opener that goes next to the sign. Leave enough money in there that people can make change.

Given the chance, most people will do the right thing. Make it easy for them.