Good magazine for home brewers

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Gunshowgreg

Gunshowgreg

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Took me a minute to figure out where to post this.

So I've already done a little research and found that Zymurgy and brew your own to be a bit popular. But I was wanting to know what others thought and their opinions. I'm basically looking for a fun to read magazine that offers tips, and recipes and some things I may want to purchase later for my homebrew hobby. Something beginner level. I'm not looking to open a business or anything. Just plain old beginner/amateur home brew magazine.

Thanks
 
PADave said:
I get BYO and Zymurgy. I seem to like BYO a little more, but both have what you are looking for.
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Zymurgy seems a bit steep for only 6 issues for the year at $43 for print copy (I prefer print on a magazine, gets me off the screens) if I'm reading correctly I'll get 10 issues for 30$ a year with BYO is that correct?
 
In my "subscriptions and memberships" budget, the first dollars go towards an AHA membership. Zymurgy is a magazine that I open within a day or so when it becomes available. Back issues to 2000 (in magazine format on my tablet) is useful to me. The recipe database is interesting when learning/reviewing a style. Access to HomeBrewCon presentations is also a great benefit.

BYO's approach to providing online content isn't working for me. Historically, they have been a good resource and I have a number of the paper special issues that are a great resource. I'll likely let this subscription lapse and use the money to support a number of podcasts and web sites.

Craft Beer & Brewing Magazine is currently the magazine that I open "immediately" when it becomes available. The magazine reads well on my tablet (and in print). And I find the current set of authors to be interesting and enjoyable.
 
BrewnWKopperKat said:
In my "subscriptions and memberships" budget, the first dollars go towards an AHA membership. Zymurgy is a magazine that I open within a day or so when it becomes available. Back issues to 2000 (in magazine format on my tablet) is useful to me. The recipe database is interesting when learning/reviewing a style. Access to HomeBrewCon presentations is also a great benefit.

BYO's approach to providing online content isn't working for me. Historically, they have been a good resource and I have a number of the paper special issues that are a great resource. I'll likely let this subscription lapse and use the money to support a number of podcasts and web sites.

Craft Beer & Brewing Magazine is currently the magazine that I open "immediately" when it becomes available. The magazine reads well on my tablet (and in print). And I find the current set of authors to be interesting and enjoyable.
Click to expand...
Thank you for your input. AHA was offering a bunch of stuff that i wasn't sure if i would use. I guess it wasn't "basic" enough for me if that makes sense. And I'll also check out "craft beer and brewing magazine".
 
I have gotten byo for almost 6 years now, and I used to love it. When I first got it, I purchased a few issues at bookstore, and then a friend of mine offered me a half off subscription. Basically, Oct to Dec they offer a buy a subscription, give one free deal so we always would split the cost. I started upgrading to a print and digital deal so I could have the issues available in case of fire, loan an issue out and never get it back etc. Additionally I could view the past articles online from past issues etc. This past Christmas, I signed up for the deal, and noticed in Feb that I could no longer access the issue digitally. Emailed to question why, and was told that I didn't purchase the digital issues, even tho I sent them screen shot of my subscription information, and now they have gone to digital subscription only online articles where before if you picked up a back issue, which they still sell, you would see a link in the magazine to a beer line cleaning article. You could then go on to their website and view that article. Now if you do not have a digital subscription, you cannot access theses articles.
I really do not know what their digital subscription gets you, as I refuse to pay them more money for what I thought I purchased from them in the first place. So to make a long reply a little longer, I would recommend the print version of the magazine, and if you can find a friend and if they offer the get one free for Christmas, i would do that route.
I have purchased a few zymergy issues, but I do not find it very useful. I like reading about different styles of beer with lots of recipes, which BYO provides, plus diy projects. Zymergy seems to be very lite on recipes and more on reporting on brewing competitions etc. Upside to Zymergy is some homebrew shops offer a discount if you belong to Zymergy, but the cost of the membership does not offset the savings to me since I really don't spend enough on qualifying purchases.

I guess the bottom line is which magazine over a 3 issue trial period offer you the most of what you are looking for.
 
tieflyer said:
I have gotten byo for almost 6 years now, and I used to love it. When I first got it, I purchased a few issues at bookstore, and then a friend of mine offered me a half off subscription. Basically, Oct to Dec they offer a buy a subscription, give one free deal so we always would split the cost. I started upgrading to a print and digital deal so I could have the issues available in case of fire, loan an issue out and never get it back etc. Additionally I could view the past articles online from past issues etc. This past Christmas, I signed up for the deal, and noticed in Feb that I could no longer access the issue digitally. Emailed to question why, and was told that I didn't purchase the digital issues, even tho I sent them screen shot of my subscription information, and now they have gone to digital subscription only online articles where before if you picked up a back issue, which they still sell, you would see a link in the magazine to a beer line cleaning article. You could then go on to their website and view that article. Now if you do not have a digital subscription, you cannot access theses articles.
I really do not know what their digital subscription gets you, as I refuse to pay them more money for what I thought I purchased from them in the first place. So to make a long reply a little longer, I would recommend the print version of the magazine, and if you can find a friend and if they offer the get one free for Christmas, i would do that route.
I have purchased a few zymergy issues, but I do not find it very useful. I like reading about different styles of beer with lots of recipes, which BYO provides, plus diy projects. Zymergy seems to be very lite on recipes and more on reporting on brewing competitions etc. Upside to Zymergy is some homebrew shops offer a discount if you belong to Zymergy, but the cost of the membership does not offset the savings to me since I really don't spend enough on qualifying purchases.

I guess the bottom line is which magazine over a 3 issue trial period offer you the most of what you are looking for.
Click to expand...
Thanks boss. I pretty much have it narrowed down to "craft beer and brewing magazine" and "BYO" like you I wanted the recipes and stuff. The nice thing about craft beer and brewing is that they give you both digital and hard copy if you buy the hard copy subscription. But they only give you 7 issues for the year. I think BYO does 8. Thanks for your input. I really want to do hard copy.
 
This has been discussed many times, but I think BYO is very good for any kind of basic information and guidelines but as you progress, it may become a bit boring and some articles stay on too general level. Craft beer and brewing has some better more detailed articles and the web site at braumagazin.de contains some nice and detailed stuff as well. After all, internet is your best bet, just find out the most suitable blogs, free magazine articles etc. that deal with the topics that you are interested in. And then there are great beer brewing books that you can order/buy, too.
 
tieflyer said:
I have purchased a few zymergy issues, but I do not find it very useful. I like reading about different styles of beer with lots of recipes, which BYO provides, plus diy projects. Zymergy seems to be very lite on recipes and more on reporting on brewing competitions etc. Upside to Zymergy is some homebrew shops offer a discount if you belong to Zymergy, but the cost of the membership does not offset the savings to me since I really don't spend enough on qualifying purchases.
Click to expand...

Gunshowgreg said:
Thanks boss. I pretty much have it narrowed down to "craft beer and brewing magazine" and "BYO" like you I wanted the recipes and stuff. The nice thing about craft beer and brewing is that they give you both digital and hard copy if you buy the hard copy subscription. But they only give you 7 issues for the year. I think BYO does 8. Thanks for your input. I really want to do hard copy.
Click to expand...

Zymurgy doesn't have a subscription persae. The cost is for membership to the Amer. Homebrewers Assoc. Zymurgy is one of the member perks for being a member. Even if I didn't find the magazine helpful (I do though), I'd still keep my membership to support AHA's other activities.

I've also been a bit disappointed with BYO's move to the digital model. From what I can tell the digital subscription give you all the same content as the magazine plus their "digital subscriber exclusives" just in a webpage format. It seems to me that to have both the print and digital subscription would be redundant. I wonder if they are trying to kill their print magazine and move fully digital.

When my BYO subscription is over, I'll be trying out Craft Beer and Brewing. They also have a podcast that I've found interesting.
 
lump42 said:
Zymurgy doesn't have a subscription persae. The cost is for membership to the Amer. Homebrewers Assoc. Zymurgy is one of the member perks for being a member. Even if I didn't find the magazine helpful (I do though), I'd still keep my membership to support AHA's other activities.

I've also been a bit disappointed with BYO's move to the digital model. From what I can tell the digital subscription give you all the same content as the magazine plus their "digital subscriber exclusives" just in a webpage format. It seems to me that to have both the print and digital subscription would be redundant. I wonder if they are trying to kill their print magazine and move fully digital.

When my BYO subscription is over, I'll be trying out Craft Beer and Brewing. They also have a podcast that I've found interesting.
Click to expand...
I agree with you. I feel if I bought the hard copy the digital.should be free. It doesn't cost anything for them to distribute that. And I don't like the internet only access feature about that either. But for 10$ off I gave BYO a try. I might try craft beer and brewing after. They actually have 7 issues for the year for 30$ but you get both digital and hard copy. Not bad.
 
The AHA membership which includes the zymurgy magazine, also includes discounts to breweries/restaurants which has single handedly paid for itself. Also, the AHA offers promotions to signup/renew. My last renewal they offered 8oz of Amarillo for free. Mic drop for me
 

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