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Beer Donation or Tip Jar?

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Is it ok to ask for Donations for Brewing Costs?

  • Hell yes, They are drinking it and loving it!

  • No way, I brew cuz i like it and love sharing for free.

  • I share with Nader only.


Results are only viewable after voting.
I have a large Budweiser bottle bank sitting on my kegerator. When I would buy a keg of commercial beer, I would multiply the cost by 1.5 and then divide the total by the number of servings. Then, everytime I'd get a beer, I'd put the money in to save for more beer or equipment to start homebrewing. Imagine my suprise and horror to find my father pitching $$ in when he'd get a beer. Never told him he had to, never expected or wanted him to. Told him to knock it off, the beer is free to him. So, now when I put money in, I put the whole amount in at the beginning..... He doesn't see me do it now, so he doesn't do it either. I do the same with my new batch of homebrew... supplies times 1.5. After a few batches, I'll have a few more bucks saved up and begin to shop for new toys to brew with.
 
My eldest will be of legal drinking age in another year. I told him he could bring his buddies over for homebrew and billiards but you're damn straight the tip jar will be out. For my buddies, the brew is free.

College students are definitely a special case.
 
I think a new option to the poll should be added:

It's cool until your out of college. But once you get a real job, it's tacky.

:D.
 
Fingers said:
My eldest will be of legal drinking age in another year. I told him he could bring his buddies over for homebrew and billiards but you're damn straight the tip jar will be out. For my buddies, the brew is free.

College students are definitely a special case.

Yeah, in a case where it's not your own direct friends I might put the jar out...but for my buddies the beer is free.
 
I guess I'm lucky as my friends and neighbors have all asked about kicking in $. I told them as long as I'm in the "research and development mode" the beer is free. If I have requests on a specific recipe that some have liked then I'll do it but they have to either pay for the yeast if I don't have it propogated and stored or they have to help with some or most of the process. One of my non-brewing colleagues at work even bought a few kegs and pays for ingredients since he doesn't have time to brew. All I do is divide the 10 gallon batch between us and he covers the costs for the ingredients. Sweet deal.
 
I don't have a keggerator yet and don't have to worry about neighbors or friends coming over and helping themselves with my homebrew. But I do give some away to coworkers (select few) that have an interest in my homebrew. Some are grateful enough to give me micros in return. Others have offered to halve the cost of future batchs. So far I have no problems with this method. But I do have a problem when other coworkers who ask about "when is your beer gonna make it to my place", or "why haven't you given me any of your beer yet". These are the guys that prefer BMC, and ask me if I can make a beer that's close to a BMC. My reply to them is this: Half for Half. Half cost half beer. From there I usually don't get anything else from them. I really don't have a problem trying to educate them and to increase they're awareness and palate of better beers. But to me, it's not worth my time and effort to give away beers to someone that "thinks" they should have it. All because I have given some away to others that "DO" appreciate it more and will fork out the dough to help with costs. Right now I have a coworker that has already put money in hand because he wants more good beer. These are the kinda people that are in my circle, and the one's that are educated past BMC.
That's my opinion, it may be a little off topic. But guess what, it's my 200th post you know what that means?! Cheers!
 
I usually drink with my wife's family and they all brew.
There is usually more than plenty to go around once
we start tasting each other's new brews.
 
I think praise and compliments on a job well done is payment enough for me. If people are into my beer, then I have no problem sharing. I'm the only one in my household who drinks it, so having friends over enjoying it is payment in and of itself.:mug:
 
I'd get a really big piggy bank and set it by the taps with a "Feed the Beer Pig, You Swine!" sign. Humor works with most people.
 
Since I feel that I am still learning about the hobby, any opinion on my beer is always welcome. I've been at this for a year and a half and still learning. So, as long as I get some honest opinions about the quality of beer that they "sample", that is the price for the beer. It's amazing how "educated" my friends are getting.
Things are getting better each batch with their help.
 
Another vote for tacky.

If my friends are coming over, they're usually not coming by for just beer...dinner, etc. and they usually bring something (chips, dessert, etc). That's just good taste. When they do just stop in and have a beer, they're welcome to as much as they want. They'd do the same for me.

I do like the homebrew-barter thing though, that's pretty much how I paid my friend for welding my system. And I still pay him, give him and his wife at least a 6 pack each every time I see them.

I just like sharing my beer, enjoying good beer with my friends and enjoy them enjoying the beer. :D
 
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