Confession time: would you buy the beer(s) you have brewed in a bar?

[Braumeise]

I very rarely brew the same thing twice. For me, playing with recipes is the best part of homebrewing. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't.

That said, I've dumped homebrew and I've dumped commercial beer that I paid good money for.

Between the time and money, we all already do pay for our homebrew. If the majority of it wasn't worth that investment, I'd stop brewing.

I strongly agree to this view!

Since I brew the same thing over and over again, I expect mine to become better and me to become better at mastering the process. Just hope I wont look back in a couple of years thinking, Boy - what a waste of time and resources

 

[esteiner16]

Wow, great thread. I certainly wouldn't order all of them, because like many others on thus forum I love experimenting...but sometimes that will lead to a Frankenbeer. I think that most importantly, I'm seeing a pattern of success with more and more of my brews, where I drink them and think "yeah...yeah I'd order that at a bar."

 

[Braumeise]

All of my beers in the past year..yes I would pay for them at a bar. In fact 4 of our beers were made commercially and we did pay for them at bars (we won a couple beer comps that allowed us to brew the winning beer at a brewery).
And then you sit there and say...as cool as it is to have your beer available in bars....I have this for free at home lol. Still very cool.
For those on untapped our beers that were made commercially are; Brathair Eric, Jac The Sipa, Czech Out Eric, & He Don't Know Jac.

That's awesome!
Congratulations... I'll take you for an Example now everytime I am disappointed that I did not make the progress I was hoping for!

 

[Braumeise]

List of beers that I wouldn't purchase at a bar or brew again:

Blueberry Hef (just can't stand that combo)

Strawberry Hef (maybe I just can't make them)

Edworts Robust Porter that I put way too much coffee in.

Tried Hoegarden clone but couldn't get the right ingredients at the time, it was miserable.


Now for the positive:

I've made several beers that if I found on tap somewhere I would be inquiring with server as to where they were made and who made them.

Northern Moss - Kitchen sink beer from everything I had left in my basement which was a very smoky and malt forward beer with a bunch of honey malt.

I make an IPA with mostly Amarillo that's very popular

Not my recipes but I've made Yoopers House Ale and the Three Floyds Zombie Dust clone that i would put up against all but one brewery here.

tbh: blueberry and wheat beer sounds terrible to me

 

[Braumeise]

At a bar I tend to order:
1. Something that I know that I like
2. Something that I've heard is good
3. A style I've not had before but want to try.

It's not often that I would see, for instance, an IPA I've never heard of & give it a shot if there are IPAs there that I know I like.

I'd buy a few of the beers I've brewed because they were styles I wanted to try but had not seen them around commercially (category 3).

If the question presupposes I was already familiar with my brews and asks whether I would choose them over something else (category 1), then yes for many but not all. A couple of my beers that fit category 3, above, I would not buy if I was already familiar with them. I've also bought many commercial beers that I now know better than to buy again.

I don't share my brews with many and the only one whose opinion I really put much stock in is my son. He also gets out a lot more than me and tries far more beers than I do. There have been a few of my beers that he likes more than commercial versions of the same variety and I would likely buy them based on his recommendation. (category 2)

Thank you!

Side question: how often are you disappointed with category 2?
I am most of the time btw. and ask myself how do poeple find that to be a good beer?

 

[Braumeise]

Wow, great thread. I certainly wouldn't order all of them, because like many others on thus forum I love experimenting...but sometimes that will lead to a Frankenbeer. I think that most importantly, I'm seeing a pattern of success with more and more of my brews, where I drink them and think "yeah...yeah I'd order that at a bar."

I was questioning my self very honsetly if I only like my beer because I have made it or if I would really prefere it over something on tab...

if Kronenbourg blanc or Einstök was on Tab I would not order any of mine - however... if no 1664 blanc or Einstök was available I would indeed order 5 out of my 6 brews so far... guess I might be on a good track here.

I was actually hoping, my talent for cooking, baking and mixing the most awesome cocktail would apply to brewing... guess I'll have to brew much more to figure out if that is in fact the case

Thank you all so much for sharing your thoughts and experience

 

[JohnSand]

If I wouldn't pay for it, I dump it. That's not to say that I would always choose my own beer over every craft brew. There are some Outstanding beers out there. And I have certainly had failed batches, but I dump them. It took me a year to produce any commercial quality brew, but now my standard is summarized in my first sentence, and I very rarely buy and craft beer to bring home.

 

[bransona]

I would order and reorder about 75% of my beers to date. The house porter is about perfect, and I've got an amazing imperial Belgian porter aging now. Frequently, I actually like my beer more than commercial. I hate piney ipas and am F
frequently not thrilled with the one-trick-pony aspect of many American commercial stouts and porter. I really prefer a complex, robust beer---no matter the style. That's really why I got into brewing. To make bolder beer. I finally nailed a great ipa, but it was a sort of kitchen sink endeavor. As of now, I've had the least success with pale ales, but that's because I recently started fixing my mash ph. It made my pale ales really start to shine.

 

[Braumeise]

I ask myself those questions often. As I'm tasting the beer, would I be happy with it if I was served it at a bar? I was drinking a Session IPA I made, the recipe found here on line:
https://www.brewtoad.com/recipes/love-you-long-time-ipa
and I was thinking if it would be something others would buy. More malty than most IPA's interesting hop flavor and bitterness, but balanced.
As I pondered this, I drank two bottles in a very short time and wanted another. So I suppose it passed the would you pay for it test.
I've brewed many clones from the can-u-brew it series and then done side by side taste tests with the commercial examples and so far, my beer has come out on top 100% of the time. I suppose if there is a difference in taste, its not really cloned, but that's not the point, the question is which is the preferred beer. Its not really a fair comparison to the commercial example, mine is fresh and hasn't been transported around, theirs has been sitting around in who knows what temperature for a while.
Some of my experimental recipes I would not buy, although I haven't had to do any drain pours (yet). I started out all-grain, but did try a few "quick" extract brews that I would not buy, but I drank every drop.
I've become much more picky since I've been a home brewer. Many commercial "craft" beers are just mediocre. Better than drinking BudLight, but for what they are are charging, I just don't think they are all that good.
I think I've made a few "great beers", a Rye Saison, A Czech dark lager and a Belgian Quad that aged for a year. Most of my "average" beers are just as good or better than what I get at the local pubs.

Thanks!

I am very picky by genetic disposition *lol...

did you do blind tastings when comparing your clone to the commercial one?
I am wondering if our pride of making something good at home all by ourselfs plays into the evaluation...

and I totally agree that many of the "craft brews" are just mediocre if not bad with a tendency towards terrible!

 

[Hamaki]

Thank you!

Side question: how often are you disappointed with category 2?
I am most of the time btw. and ask myself how do poeple find that to be a good beer?

When my son makes a recommendation I almost always like it/love it. He knows my tastes. His preferences are a bit different than mine so we won't always rank them the same.

One of the brewers at a brewpub I used to go to routinely gave me some good tips. Recommendations from most friends, bartenders, etc. I take with a grain of salt. Generally the harder they push the more confident I am that I won't enjoy it.

 

[Braumeise]

I would order and reorder about 75% of my beers to date. The house porter is about perfect, and I've got an amazing imperial Belgian porter aging now. Frequently, I actually like my beer more than commercial. I hate piney ipas and am F
frequently not thrilled with the one-trick-pony aspect of many American commercial stouts and porter. I really prefer a complex, robust beer---no matter the style. That's really why I got into brewing. To make bolder beer. I finally nailed a great ipa, but it was a sort of kitchen sink endeavor. As of now, I've had the least success with pale ales, but that's because I recently started fixing my mash ph. It made my pale ales really start to shine.

I am with you on the complexity issue, however I want my beer complex but it has to be a balanced homogeneously taste.

Augustiner Helles for instance... or Kronenbourg blanc, Einstök white Ale ...


For my taste many of the Craftbrews are a terrible mixture of ingredients leading to a total failure in terms of "real beer"...

 

[Braumeise]

Of the 80 plus brews I have done, 20 or so I feel were better than anything you would get in a bar. 40 were good enough, and 9 were good but I would be disappointed if I got them served in a bar and one has been used mostly for making beer bread.

So, definitely yes, yes, no and definitely no......

Thanks... looks like a pretty solid output

 

[Braumeise]

If I wouldn't pay for it, I dump it. That's not to say that I would always choose my own beer over every craft brew. There are some Outstanding beers out there. And I have certainly had failed batches, but I dump them. It took me a year to produce any commercial quality brew, but now my standard is summarized in my first sentence, and I very rarely buy and craft beer to bring home.

I am like that, I rather dump stuff, than forcing myself to eat/drink something I don't like!

Thanks for all the honesty here...

 

[Braumeise]

Certainly ... but less of them. When I buy beer in bars I lie to myself about the calories. When I make my own I know how many calories are in them and therefore I drink less.

lol... I am on a low carb "diet" carbs in my nutrition come from beer, wine or whyskey only

easy fix to counting

 

[Braumeise]

I'd say the majority of my beers I would definately pay good money for at a bar. I've messed up a couple with infection. And there's a couple that at if I were at a bar I might not go back for a second, but I like to try new things.

I prefer my house APA to any of the pale ales readily available. My Kolsch and my alt, I think are closer to style and "better" than any available locally. There's some stouts and wits here that I haven't been able to compete with, but I bet if I spent my time and figured out what I like in those styles and what I don't I could make one I prefer.

I knew this crazy old man that used to say "you know who makes the best bloody marry? Me! 'Cause I know how I like it!" I kind of feel the same way about beer. It's all about knowing what you like.

your last sentence just struck me! yes! I guess that is true for everything I can make myself...

I still have to figure out though how to apply that to brewing

 

[Braumeise]

I have a Pale Ale I just brewed that would be a big seller. The Irish Red Ale I just kicked would probably not sell as well. I have high hopes for the Vienna Lager that is still lagering now. And the Belgian Blonde I brewed yesterday will be the best I ever brewed. In other words -- there's always that next beer.

haha.. I am nowhere to predict what my brew will come out like
I am still and probably will be for many years in the stage of figuring out what I messed up

 

[Braumeise]

I brew the styles of beers I like to drink. So yes I would buy them in a bar. The question is would I buy a second round of the same thing. Some yes some no. But the same goes for commercial brews I have bought. I've only had one batch I had to choke down/dump. And another expirimental I use for cooking.

my testrun #2 mostly served for rinsing my hair and cooking and some I drank but I would not have payed money to get it.

 

[jbb3]

That's like saying you have a favorite child!? You really do but you'd never admit it...

I love all my children!

 

[Braumeise]

I can definately see that. But what if you were in Germany and you really wanted an American Pale Ale or an IPA?

almost zero chance for that to happen... when in Germany I get Augustiner and the world is perfect

I am very "simple" - If I determine something to be awesome, I do not need to experiment any further...

or quoting Oscar Wilde: my taste is simple, I am always satisfied with the best

 

[Braumeise]

That's like saying you have a favorite child!? You really do but you'd never admit it...

I love all my children!

I admit it! I don't tell the "others" though... no... I do not have children but Cats

 

[Braumeise]

When my son makes a recommendation I almost always like it/love it. He knows my tastes. His preferences are a bit different than mine so we won't always rank them the same.

One of the brewers at a brewpub I used to go to routinely gave me some good tips. Recommendations from most friends, bartenders, etc. I take with a grain of salt. Generally the harder they push the more confident I am that I won't enjoy it.

lol!

I find the general "taste" to be different from where I come from, so that is probably why I dislike most of the "recommended" brews

 

[TimmyWit]

that applies for my dwelling in the USoA only! If I was still in Munich I would order Augstiner!

On the flip of that, I would have been more likely to purchase my beer in a bar during the 4 years I spent in Germany. I actually ramped up my homebrewing due to the poor selection in the area I was in. I did travel a bit and got my fill of beers from different regions. But, in the Rheinland-Pfals area, 9 times out of 10 when you ordered a beer, your options were "Pils oder Weizen".

 

[Braumeise]

On the flip of that, I would have been more likely to purchase my beer in a bar during the 4 years I spent in Germany. I actually ramped up my homebrewing due to the poor selection in the area I was in. I did travel a bit and got my fill of beers from different regions. But, in the Rheinland-Pfals area, 9 times out of 10 when you ordered a beer, your options were "Pils oder Weizen".

Bischhoff is the only beer you drink when in Rheinland-Pfalz.

I really do appreciate the variety of beers and beer styles in the US and I have exposed myself to beers I would never have taken notice of other wise - so yes, there is an upside to "No-Augustiner-Country" and thus far I do really have fun brewing and figuring stuff out.

I guess I would have never found my passion for wit beer in Germany since I do not like German Hefeweizen or Kristallweizen at all, however I happen to really like Kronenbourg Blanc and Einstök white Ale.

Boring German that I am, I would have been stuck with my Augustiner

 

[Braumeise]

Thank you all so much for sharing your thoughts and experience!

<3

 

[brewcat]

Why would I pay for it again when it is already on tap at the house?

Most of what I brew isn't readily available where I live. The recipes I like and have perfected I would order. The early trials, maybe not.

 

[CJ-3]

My Stout is finally at a level where yes, I would pay for it in a bar and buy a second in the same sitting.
My latest Pale Ale I would probably ask for a refund, so I don't pass that one out to friends. It's going to sit for a month or 2 and I will see if it gets better.

But I prefer a good Stout, so I have invested a lot more energy in getting it right.

 

[bransona]

I am with you on the complexity issue, however I want my beer complex but it has to be a balanced homogeneously taste.

Augustiner Helles for instance... or Kronenbourg blanc, Einstök white Ale ...


For my taste many of the Craftbrews are a terrible mixture of ingredients leading to a total failure in terms of "real beer"...

I've had a few of those conundrums. The bacon and toast ale is just horrendous, but I'm letting it age... just in case. However, a few other weird combinations have been great! A hopfenweisse made with lots of hull melon and goldings tastes like strawberry banana heaven. I'm especially proud of the dark ones though. My take on the 888 RIS is one of the best beers I've had. 10% without even a hint of alcohol flavor. Super rich and complex malt profile. I think of it like a picasso. Sometimes the best things take a little thought and understanding. I hate picking up an American stout and feeling like I've tasted everything it has to offer after two sips. English stouts don't have this problem as frequently.

All that said, there are still so so so many brewers that make beautiful masterpieces that I'm envious of. Devil's Backbone is just an hour from my place. They're some incredibly skilled fellas. Danzig Baltic porter is unbelievable.

 

[NoIguanaForZ]

That's like saying you have a favorite child!? You really do but you'd never admit it...

Don't worry, they figure it out.

One advantage of beer in that regard...

 

[philipCT]

I would order and reorder about 75% of my beers to date. The house porter is about perfect, and I've got an amazing imperial Belgian porter aging now. Frequently, I actually like my beer more than commercial. I hate piney ipas and am F
frequently not thrilled with the one-trick-pony aspect of many American commercial stouts and porter. I really prefer a complex, robust beer---no matter the style. That's really why I got into brewing. To make bolder beer. I finally nailed a great ipa, but it was a sort of kitchen sink endeavor. As of now, I've had the least success with pale ales, but that's because I recently started fixing my mash ph. It made my pale ales really start to shine.

I think it's interesting that you've come around the the lowly Pale Ale for your reckoning. I always pay attention to the Pale Ale when I'm visiting a new brewery. It often presents the brewers clearest statement about his craft.

 

[Kee]

If served my Belgian dark strong or brett beer in a bar I would be very happy. Those are the kind of beers I like and I brew them over and over. And I am usually very pleased with the way the turn out.

But if I wanted a Belgian golden strong (non-brett), I would not pick mine if some of my favorite commercial brands were available (at the same price, I am a little cheap).