Brew for yourself and not for others!!

[fritochip]

So I've been brewing for decades and I just realized something. I've been brewing too many of my batches based on what I think my friends and family will like. I guess I've been trying to impress them. I envision everyone raving about my beer and putting a big dent in the keg. But it never seems to work out that way. I don't have huge parties with lots of heavy drinking guests. If my guests do like my beer, they end up drinking a couple glasses and I end up with a whole keg (minus a few beers) of a beer that I'm not really excited about. The other times, they won't like the beer I've made for them at all and I end up with even more.

Anybody else out there been doing this? I need to brew the beers I love and share them with people that appreciate them.

 

[phyllobeddo]

I like to design and brew beers that I like and enjoy. However, it's a joy when your friends enjoy what you give them. And I only share with people who appreciate craft beer and home-brew. I've tried to convert a BMC drinker or two and that hasn't really worked out. Maybe I just don't have a lot of friends. lol

 

[Tactical-Brewer]

I honestly think it's "The Curse of the Homebrewer"!

I'll talk to people, or see them drinking something and think to myself, "I could make that, only better, knock their socks off, explain to them how much money I saved and how much fun it was to do it myself, and convert some friends to homebrewers!" lol

 

[brewbama]

I brew what I want to drink. If a friend or relative enjoys a glass or three that's cool. If not, more for me.

 

[WarmGas]

My friends love all my beer because it is free.

Probably not the most discerning crowd...

 

[Amadeo38]

I brew mostly what my wife wants, since she's paying the bills at the moment. However, I do brew what I think others would like about 25% of the time. The rest of the time I feel like I'm brewing wedding beers or birthday gifts. It's hard work, but someone has to do it .

 

[day_trippr]

Brewing for others sounds too much like a JOB.

I brew what I like, try out new recipes that interest me, and if the unwashed masses enjoy any or all of them - or not - so be it. Life it too short to worry about such things.

The one concession I made - or used to make - was to keep a lightweight wheat beer on tap for the Spousal Unit. But that was something like 13 years ago. I kept nudging up the ABV and IBUs over the years until what was once a rather insipid brew (think "Blue Moon") now is a rather robust "wheat beer" that keeps up with most of my pales wrt ABV and IBUs - and the SU still enjoys it! Score!

Cheers!

 

[MaryB]

if my friends want a particular beer I make them come over and help brew(can always use cleaning slaves) and I make them bring their own bottles and bottle it. Otherwise drink what I make for myself or bring your own yech mass market swill.

 

[mongoose33]

I've submitted one beer to a local competition (very local, very limited), and I did not win--and yet, I liked my beer better than the beer that won.

So--do I brew to win, even though I might not care for it as much, or brew for me?

Answer: me.

What I appreciate is when someone drinks one of the beers I've made for me and they want another one. It's nice to please people, but only after I've pleased my own palate.

 

[AgBrew12]

In my short time brewing, I've also come to the realization that I need to brew what I want to drink.

My miller friends have told me that my brew is "pretty good", in a way that comes off as them just being nice. I am still convinced (maybe to my own dismay) that I can bring them to the light.

That being said, I am also still not sure whether to believe other friends who say a certain brew tasted great... I tend to believe for now that they are just being nice!

 

[Sammy86]

I only have two taps on the kegerator...one is usually my house American Wheat and the other is a hoppier beer like a pale or IPA...as Brewers above have stated above my friends and family enjoy my beer because it's free and they know that we don't buy beer in this house it's homebrew or wine.

If you look at my sig I currently have a Kölsch alongside my Wheat beer...why? My best friend split the cost of the batch and brewed it with me.

Once that keg kicks it's a Two Hearted Ale clone going right on in there.

 

[brewcat]

I better brew for myself. I'm going to be drinking the majority of it. One of these days I may try a gluten free stout which wouldn't be for me. Although the flavor would have to please me first.

 

[MapleGroveAleworks]

I brew about half things I specifically want to drink and half what I think friends and family would like.

 

[eadavis80]

I've never brewed a beer I didn't want to drink, but there is something really gratifying about pouring a pint for a friend and having him/her love it. At the same time, it's kind of disappointing when you know they're just finishing the pint to be polite. From now on, if I'm happy, that's going to be my primary concern. But, I've brewed enough to know what I like.

 

[ChelisHubby]

I find that I brew what I like and if it is good is is easy to give away.

 

[ericrichards420]

I've been brewing what I like since I have started. I guess it helps I have very few friends. My take on this is if they are not chipping in on the grains, hops, yeast or at very least, the propane then its not about them. Not to mention I bet they arn't there for an 8 hour brew day nor the 3-4 week fermentation/conditioning time. With that being said they should know how lucky they are to try your beer. It they were there for most of this I'm sure they would appreciate your beer that much more...

 

[Tactical-Brewer]

I brewed a light, crisp, refreshing cherry bmc clone (basically cream of three only the rice and corn are inverted with more rice and less corn) that all my bmc friends love... Problem is, I drink them like I do bmc... 6 in a sitting easily... May not have any left to give away lol!

 

[Jaybird]

So I've been brewing for decades and I just realized something. I've been brewing too many of my batches based on what I think my friends and family will like. I guess I've been trying to impress them. I envision everyone raving about my beer and putting a big dent in the keg. But it never seems to work out that way. I don't have huge parties with lots of heavy drinking guests. If my guests do like my beer, they end up drinking a couple glasses and I end up with a whole keg (minus a few beers) of a beer that I'm not really excited about. The other times, they won't like the beer I've made for them at all and I end up with even more.

Anybody else out there been doing this? I need to brew the beers I love and share them with people that appreciate them.

Ohh man! Decades to figure this out? Well..Welcome to the "Brew what I like class" MAN I ALWAYS suggest people brew what they like. I mean it is a hobby and its YOUR hobby! Good for you on seeing the light!

Enjoy the brewdays!

Cheers
Jay

 

[worlddivides]

I always brew for myself, but I occasionally slant a brew towards my wife's tastes or towards some of my closer friends' tastes.

Now, I would never ever ever ever brew a beer that I personally would not enjoy drinking, except maybe if a friend bought all the ingredients for me, agreed to help me with it, and said they'd owe me one for it -- and even then, they'd have to be a pretty close friend to even warrant that (and it's never actually happened before).

But, that said, occasionally I'll think "What should I brew next?" and I'll lean more towards the very small range of styles that my wife likes, which coincidentally happen to be some of my favorite beer styles (APA, IPA, sour beers, etc.), or styles that my friends like and my wife also happens to like. All of which I also like.

If you want to brew a beer that you don't like for your friends... I think you really need to reconsider what you're doing... and why you're doing it. I mean, they could just go to the store and buy what they want. Why do you have to make it when you don't even like it?

 

[Egmonster]

I purposely brewed a very heavily hopped IPA specifically for myself and to keep friends/family out of it. Zombie Dust clone. Backfired. Wife loves it, and she hates beer. Inlaws like it. Some of the wife's friends even like it. Darn it!!

I did brew some Haus Pale Ale and that has been a much cheaper alternative and have hidden my Zombie Dust.

I will always have a keg of something mild around for guests and I am proud of it but I really brew for me.

 

[tracyk]

I usually brew for myself, as I am the one that I need to please in the end. Most of my friends are just curious as to what I have on tap. I usually brew for the seasons. Summertime is witbier, American Wheats, and almost always a session beer. Getting ready to brew up a "Blue Moon Clone" and some sort of session ale. Will also start brewing up my ales to age for around the holidays.

I certainly do not treat my other hobbies that way. I would not build a telescope for somebody. I do not mind them looking through my telescope at what I am seeing up in the night sky. Just as I do not mind sharing what I have brewed.

If you are just brewing for friends or relatives one has to wonder why you have taken up this hobby.....

 

[SpentBrains]

I've tried to draw a balance. Several times lately after having "the beer discussion" with one of several friends, they expressed a particular fondness for a style that they loved when they were stationed over seas, or whatever. I'll research, discuss and often brew that batch with them. In those cases I bottle more than half of the batch and give them a case of mixed bottles I'd been trying to cull from inventory anyhow.

That way I'm not stuck drinking something that's not my favorite. They now have the option of sharing "their beer" at their house, with their other friends, on their schedule, rather than having to come over to my keezer.

It's been a great way to broaden my own tastes. With a special label, the beer makes a fantastic gift and has cemented me into several social circles as the guy that does the custom brews...

I actually think that sort of brewing to a "customer's desires" could even be spun as a business. Especially if a guy had the desire to run a nano sized venture. I don't know what I'd have to charge to put up with (and maybe educate) just any walk in customer's persnickety beer demands, but for friends at no charge, I enjoy making those odd (to me) beers.

 

[kh54s10]

I brew for myself. Always! Whenever I share, my friends have raved about them. I usually have several styles so there is almost always something for everyone.

 

[FloppyKnockers]

All my friends like my beer, but when you drink from the faucet like a newborn calf it really limits who's going to ask for a second helping.





MORE BEER FOR ME!!

 

[k1ngl1ves]

I always keep at least a 12'er of Coors Light in the garage fridge for the less enlightened friends. Bottom feeders gotta drink too!





I'm practicing for EAC status. AmIdoinitright...?

 

[Hoppy2bmerry]

I brew what I enjoy, in small batches and I give some away mostly to people that like beer with flavor. I'm planning a Brithday party for my spouse and it happens to fall during Oktoberfest season so I am doing an Oktoberfest beer for that. Incidentally, the very first beer I brewed nearly a year ago was an octoberfest gallon kit, it wasn't lagered and had heavy clove flavor, (not really the style) but was very drinkable. This time I'm lagering and kegging for the first time (a fun party does not include explaining how to pour a bottle carbbed home-brew). Comercial beer will be available too for when the keg runs out

 

[dstockwell]

I brew for myself in 3G batches, usually have 4 or 5 different bottled brews I can choose from.