Homebrew Fatigue

[madscientist451]

I roll in and out of home brewing all the time, I don't brew in the summer, too stinkin' hot. In the Fall, I'm busy with cider, wine and other things. Just put the brewing stuff in the attic and forget about it for a while. Bottle the saison when you feel like it, its not going anywhere. The kids are only young once, make the most of it.

 

[TexasDroughtBrewery]

I am about to have a baby and I really hope that I don't run into this same issue. For me I like to brew b/c it gets me in the garage with the guys drinking beer and making beer while the girls..and soon baby can do whatever it is they do inside. So make it more of a getaway and get some friends over to enjoy some guy time.

 

[Braufessor]

I started brewing in 1995(ish). From 2000-2009 my life got more and more hectic with teaching/coaching/step kids in HS/Grad school classes. I brewed less and less, put less and less focus on it, brewed some bad batches...... gradually, I just stopped altogether - it was more hassle and "work" and less fun and enjoyment. I probably went close to 5 years without brewing at all - just bought a keg of something good from time to time if I wanted beer on tap in my house. Around 2008-2010..... grad school was done, kids were on their own, had more time on my hands. One day out of the blue I decided to clean my brew room, clean my equipment, organize and replace any equipment that needed it, etc.
Spent 2 full days just cleaning stuff, organizing, etc. Placed an order for a couple ingredient kits to keep things simple and was brewing the next weekend. 50 batches a year since then and enjoying it more now that at any point in the last 20 years.
When it isn't fun, when it becomes a "chore" - take some time off and come back to it when you can enjoy it as hobbies are meant to be enjoyed.

 

[schematix]

I'm not a huge fan of doing all the labor of brewing. It's a helluva lot of work and time consuming.

There are two aspects I really enjoy:
1. Buildling and tweaking my system. This is where I show my creativity (art and music are not me!). It's good hobby time.

2. Consumption. Gallon after gallon after gallon of beer that is better than what I can buy in the store. This is the most rewarding aspect, but can sometimes start to feel like a job when you really need to finish off a keg so you have a place to rack a beer that is currently fermenting. Hard work but someone has to do it!

The family balance is difficult though. I try to spread a lot of the work out into short sessions over the weeks prior to brewing. E.g. weigh grains out one day, mill them the next day. Step the brewery up the next day. Make water the next... etc. That way brewing day is just a matter of turning on pumps and controllers and walking away. Fortunately now that my son is older now I can have him join me without worry he's going to try to pick up and eat something he shouldn't.

 

[MattHollingsworth]

I had to take 7 years off when I lived in places where it wasn't possible to brew.

And when my son was born, I took a few months off. That time when babies are so young is pretty exhausting.

Like others have said, it's a hobby. Enjoy it, but without pressure. If you wanna take a break, take a break. You'll remember why you love it and come back. I did. More than once.

 

[tim_c7]

Hey mag357,

Bouts of fatigue and depression can happen to anyone. It can take the joy out of the things we love the most. For me what really helps is getting outside in nature and getting my heart pumping so I can feel living again. That and having some quality time with the wife. Try that for awhile and see if it gets you back on the homebrew wagon.

 

[gspot]

I've gotta lend support to those who said don't sell the equipment EVER. I sold some stuff during a break, and boy did I ever regret it when I started again.

 

[RevA]

I have been all grain brewing for 4 years. Within the last year I have had a baby and more stress at work. It seems that more than anything it is daunting to take on a 5 hour brewing session with everything else going on in life.

I currently have two beers in fermentors. I have a lambic that has about 9 months go go, and a saison that should have been bottled a month ago. My plan was to bottle the saison and brew a Belgian strong ale and put it on the yeast cake. It seems that I just cannot commit to bottling and brewing.

It used to be that I would start brewing around 6PM and be done before midnight. I still have time to do that. I just don't seem to have the motivation. There have been several evenings where I plan to brew but when it comes time to actually make it happen I decide I would rather just relax.


Is this common for anyone else? Do you eventually get past it? Do I just need need to pull my stuff together and get it done? or should I just sell all my equipment now? I never imagined that I would turn in to "this guy"

Thanks in advance for the support/advice.

I started brewing small batches every two weeks. I now have a 10 month old son. I brew when I have time and feel like it.What helps is having everything preped for the day you want to brew, so you can just brew I also brew bigger batches so I have something to drink on days when HE is exhausing.
From friends who also have kids I've learned this will pass as the kids grow older and your time becomes your own again.
Good luck in the meantime. You will survive itm

 

[betarhoalphadelta]

@bwarbiany:
I've switched to RO water this past year also. Started going to Kroger for ten gallons of their RO/DI in the refillable 5 gallon jugs with a screw on top. Pretty cheap that way. Then hooked up an old RO unit, used to keep reef tanks, to my filter rack. Now I just use about 8 gallons per brew so after I fill my HLT with the RO water I just let the unit refill my two jugs while I'm brewing. Then they are ready for the next brew session, whenever that may be.

I brew 10 gallon batches, so I'm typically making ~20 gallons of RO water per batch. It's not hard, I just let the unit fill up a bucket in the garage sink. It's just annoying.

I am about to have a baby and I really hope that I don't run into this same issue. For me I like to brew b/c it gets me in the garage with the guys drinking beer and making beer while the girls..and soon baby can do whatever it is they do inside. So make it more of a getaway and get some friends over to enjoy some guy time.

Honestly, baby #1 is easy. Especially when they're newborns. They basically don't do anything, they're immobile and can't cause trouble, and a father is largely useless to them at that age since they get fed by mom. I'm an involved parent, but a newborn didn't affect my brewing all that much.

It's when they get older--old enough to cause trouble but not old enough to be left alone--that it's hard.