Donation jar

[BrewingTravisty]

I don't take money for my beer. It's been offered, but I've never taken it. I told someone if they wanted 5 gallons then I would merely ask them to bring me lunch/dinner while I am brewing. It isn't that I am made of money or anything, but the second thing I love about brewing is sharing it.

I have yet to accept money. I mostly do the same, if my friends come over to drink they generally bring food, or craft/import beers. I'm perfectly fine with that lol I wouldn't turn down money if offered to put towards future brews though. The way I see it is if they want to contribute in any way then I see nothing wrong with it. Though I would prefer that contribution to come in the form of helping with the clean up xD

 

[beernutz]

If you invite people over to your house you are supposed to be hospitable. I always offer visitors homebrew if the setting is appropriate and I'd never dream of asking for donations. That has been the case from the time I started homebrewing 24 years ago as a struggling grad student to today when retirement is starting to look like more than a science fiction concept. Everyone's value system is different but mine screams, 'tacky', at the prospect of begging for spare change even when I could really have used it.

My wife and I have hosted a holiday party for most of the 27 years we've been married and I've served homebrew at almost all of them and we don't charge admission or ask for tips for that either.

 

[ChelisHubby]

If someone is drinking regularly tell them to bring a pizza next time, Life is full of freeloaders how you deal with it speaks to your character.

 

[Roland_deschain]

I've had a few people request specific 'flavors' and for that I suggest they buy the ingredients and I'll brew for them. It has worked out to about a 50/50 split. I get some of the beer and they leave happy.
As a brewer I just love hearing people tell me how great my beers are and yadda, yadda, yadda....

 

[BrewingTravisty]

If you invite people over to your house your are supposed to be hospitable. I always offer visitors homebrew if the setting is appropriate and I'd never dream of asking for donations. That has been the case from the time I started homebrewing 24 years ago as a struggling grad student to today when retirement is starting to look like more than a science fiction concept. Everyone's value system is different but mine screams, 'tacky', at the prospect of begging for spare change even when I could really have used it.

My wife and I have hosted a holiday party for most of the 27 years we've been married and I've served homebrew at almost all of them and we don't charge admission or ask for tips for that either.

I think it's tacky to invite someone over and ask for money for the brew. Just the same way as I would think it's tacky to invite someone out to eat and push the bill on them. On the other hand though, I also think it's tacky to always go to someone's house and drink their beer, or eat their food and not offer something. Whether it be money towards the next brew, ingredients or just helping out on brew day.

There's a difference between inviting people over, and people being freeloaders. I think it really depends on the situation. A donation jar may be a bit on the tacky side, but asking for people to pitch in in some way or another I feel is far from it. I would rather have like a chalk board up with a list of ingredients that I need for the next brew. If someone wants to grab a pound or 2 of the grains I need then awesome. You can be hospitable, without being taken advantage of at the same time.

Any relationship, friendship or otherwise, is about keeping everything in balance.

 

[BrewingTravisty]

If someone is drinking regularly tell them to bring a pizza next time, Life is full of freeloaders how you deal with it speaks to your character.

I agree with that, that's much better than putting out a donation jar. I provide the beer, someone else provides the food. Keep everything balanced, no one person should always provide everything.

 

[slym2none]

I don't take money for my beer. It's been offered, but I've never taken it. I told someone if they wanted 5 gallons then I would merely ask them to bring me lunch/dinner while I am brewing. It isn't that I am made of money or anything, but the second thing I love about brewing is sharing it.

Now I am wondering what kind of dinner it takes to get 5 gallons of beer...

:fro:

 

[HarborTownBrewing]

Never thought about a donation thing before, but sometimes hobbies lose their fun when money is associated with them. Regardless of how much one brings in from a donation, it may or may not cover the ingredient costs but it likely won't cover the labor hours as well (unless you are super super cheap by the hour).

Just about all my friends who drink my homebrew will bring other beer and/or bring food. I have a couple friends who don't, but somehow I tend to always have fewer cold bottles in the fridge when they come over....

More than anything, I simply want honest and brutal feedback about the beer.

 

[BrewingTravisty]

Never thought about a donation thing before, but sometimes hobbies lose their fun when money is associated with them. Regardless of how much one brings in from a donation, it may or may not cover the ingredient costs but it likely won't cover the labor hours as well (unless you are super super cheap by the hour).

Just about all my friends who drink my homebrew will bring other beer and/or bring food. I have a couple friends who don't, but somehow I tend to always have fewer cold bottles in the fridge when they come over....

More than anything, I simply want honest and brutal feedback about the beer.

That's basically how I feel about it. I don't care to get money but it's nice if people pitch in with food and stuff. Also, my friends are more than willing to be brutally honest with me about my beer xD

 

[Kharnynb]

Noone's ever paid for my beers, i wouldn't want that anyway.
I hand out samples to some friends occasionally, and if someone is over, they get to drink a few with us.
Family, especially my father-in-law get a few samples of every beer, but then again, he does a lot for us, including lending his cabin and boat to me whenever i want .


I've yet to have an issue with overindulgers/freeloaders, so maybe that's just pure luck.

Have made a batch or 2 for people who supplied bottles and ingredients and helped bottling/brewing.

 

[Singletrack]

Forget the cash jar. Bring hops.

 

[mattd2]

...unless you are super super cheap by the hour...

I'm free in my free time... Bada-bing...



Sorry - lets not start a cost of homebrew debate in this thread as well

 

[Hello]

Now I am wondering what kind of dinner it takes to get 5 gallons of beer...

:fro:

I'm ridiculously simple. It's usually something I can eat while brewing. Burritos and tacos win me over quite easily.

 

[slym2none]

Dang... and here I was ready to make fried chicken, mashed potatoes, maybe some sweet corn & lima beans, & yeast rolls.

 

[Phunhog]

A friend just asked if I could fill his growler. Of course I did.....not expecting anything in return. Then being a polite friend he left a few dollars behind when I wasn't looking. Nothing unethical about that....