How do you choose?

[Yellowirenut]

Your next beer to brew, how do you go about choosing?

I currently have a cow spots on tap and my chocolate rye just dried up last night. An altbier is resting in the closet awaiting its time in the keg.

so here is my list:
Cottage house saison
Cream of three crops
Andes milk stout
Honey orange wheat

The Andes I will probably do late sept. early oct. so its ready for the holidays, but the rest is a tie on what to do next. Between on call for work and spending time with the GF I only get about one brew a month in.

How do you finally decide what to brew?

 

[Homercidal]

I guess nobody know how they decide! I know it's always a tough call for me. I don't get to brew that often and don't really need to that often, so I have to choose carefully. It's usually something for the upcoming season, or a particular style I want to try my hand at. Up next is a pale ale, and/or a chocolate porter recipe that's become popular with some people, but I'm thinking about adding some cherries this time. The bourbon version I made last time wasn't as good IMO.

Witbier is always a possibility. IPA usually requires some consideration (Maybe another RYEPA). It's about time to plan a RIS or similar.

 

[Zuljin]

Lately I've been influenced by the bad influences in the TR. Sometimes I read a book or HBT and brew whatever strikes me at the time. Maybe I drink something and decide to make it or something similar. And once I asked the forum to pick for me. I wound up getting a few black beer suggestions. So I made buckwheat honey black beer again.

But up next is a barley wine.

 

[inflictor-of-grimness]

So many factors. How many carboys are free, what kinds of beers I have in bottles at the moment, what beers family members enjoy and are likely to go quickly, etc.
Taking these into account I cycle through some different kinds.
Big beers that age for a few months (I have an imperial stout and a Belgian tripel in bottles now,) quick beers (session saisons, hoppy beers, and berliners are my favorites to do,) wild/sour long term beers that go into a couple of specific carboys I have lined up. At the end of the day I brew whatever I feel like brewing and always have a dozen other beer ideas lined up.

 

[Qhrumphf]

It used to be "what have I not brewed before". I still do some of that, as I haven't tried my hand at every style I want to brew (although I'm getting close after brewing more or less two or three times a month for a few years), but once I started buying ingredients in bulk, it's more of "what can I brew without having to buy anything additional".

 

[kh54s10]

I have about 10 - 15 recipes started. When it comes time for the next one it depends on 1) what strikes my fancy at the time. 2) what ingredients I have on hand, 3) what I need to obtain for a brew. And recently what temperature the fermentation chamber is set to.

 

[gratus fermentatio]

Mostly I brew what I like, then I'll start tweaking recipes trying to "improve" on them. They're not usually to style, like my 8.7ABV brown ale, but I like 'em & that's what counts. If others like 'em too, then I did something right.

I'm limited to ales due to lack of temp ctl, but I make up for that with ciders, wines, meads & melomels. When I can afford to upgrade my equipment, I'll start off with a doppelbock, cuz I loves me some doppelbock!
Regards, GF.