How do you drink all the beer you brew?

[TandemTails]

I've been making cider and mead for a few months (small batches mostly) and just brewed my first beer (Orange American Wheat recipe from the recipe DB here). The ciders and meads need a long time to sit and age so it hasn't really been a problem letting them sit in the bottles, plus the batches have been really small.

I have a lot of fun brewing but in reality I probably only have 2-3 alcoholic drinks in an average week. At the rate I've been brewing, I'm going to have what seems like a lifetime supply of beer, cider and mead on my hands.

Aside from the obvious of giving it to friends, how do you all go through so much beer? Do you have a bottle or two a night or just bring it to huge events and offload several gallons at a time that way?

 

[slym2none]

I drink it out of a glass. It is surprising how fast it goes that way...



I might not drink every night, but when I do, I will have 2-3 beers. Brewing small batches, that means I buy more than I want, still. I call that "getting more empty bottles".

 

[mattv21]

Christmas is just around the corner, great chance to offload a decent chunk if you need. The wife's family is having a weeklong gathering in TN the week after Christmas, I plan on taking 3-4 cases with me. Will probably take one to share with the in-laws, too...

 

[unionrdr]

Put a bunch in the fridge, let'em sit a week & drink as you may. They'll keep for a good amount of time.

 

[mattv21]

Brewing small batches, that means I buy more than I want, still. I call that "getting more empty bottles".

This is how I justify going to the store and bringing home a sixer when I have 200+ bottles of home brew in the spare bedroom.

 

[fosaisu]

I have a kegerator but pretty much anytime we visit friends I'll bring a growler or two to share, more if it's a party. You could also use excess beer on hand as an excuse to throw a party at your place!

Alternately, you could consider brewing smaller batches. Downside is it's basically the same time and effort to make 2 gallons of beer as 5. But if you're only drinking 2-3 a week this will save you from pipeline backup and allow you to brew more of the beers you want to try.

 

[drainbamage]

One bottle at a time.....

I share with friends, trade with other people that brew, bring to family get-togethers, SWMBO drinks some, set the high-ABV stuff aside for aging. It goes faster than you think.

 

[MrFancyPlants]

On the rocks?

 

[Venari]

By the time i get to drinking the beer I brew, there's only about 10% of it left after the rest have walked away on their own.

 

[cilestiok]

Find a friend that likes beer and split the cost of a batch. The friend gets beer for cheaper than they can buy it and you get to enjoy your hobby more often without having too much beer accumulate.

 

[1977Brewer]

I open the bottles and pour them in a glass. Then, and thus is the important part, I dump the glass in my face.

 

[1977Brewer]

I open the bottles and pour them in a glass. Then, and thus is the important part, I dump the glass in my face.

Repeat this process often enough, and you'll forget to share it too.

 

[TheMadKing]

I run out before my next batch usually. But 1977Brewer beat me to the sarcastic reply. One glass at a time my friend. One at a time. Maybe 2 on a good day.

 

[Twins_Dad]

I didn't really think that this was a problem that actually existed, but since the question was asked...... I have (almost) 4-year old twin boys that drive up the number of beers that my wife and I consume on a regular basis, as well as limit the number of brew days that I get. They are showing more of an interest in the brewing process though, so brew days are starting to double as time spent with the boys!!

 

[bobeer]

Between family
Co workers, and friends, then my daily 2-3, 5 gallons goes pretty quickly around here.
I had a coconut porter on tap for over a month... only 2.5 gallons too. I just bottled 14 off the keg last night. I'll give them away/drink them in time too!

 

[Sammy86]

Inviting family over helps me...my brother "tests" everything I brew by trying 3 or 4 pints...my brother in law and uncle enjoy growlers as gifts...and Sunday football takes care of the rest!

 

[Natdavis777]

I drink on Fri/Sat nights. Amounts vary. I brew 10 gal at a time, but usually split it with my brother who helps sometimes. My supply line is 90% of what I drink anymore, so it keeps me busy brewing

 

[Dixon9717]

Working night shift it's difficult to socialize during the week but easy to drink enough to sleep during the day. For that reason I don't have a huge pipeline but when I do get overloaded I get with family and friends on weekends and let them go at it.

 

[KVANTAN]

One 22oz bomber a day and a few for friends on a weekend means i go through a 5 gallon batch in about 3 weeks.

 

[Jsamp]

Keg stands.

 

[C-Rider]

Switch to smaller batches. I do 2 gallon batches in 2 gallon buckets from HD. That gives me 3 sis packs per brew and sincE I drink most of my beer alone it's just fine.

 

[jwalk4]

I don't think I have trouble drinking the beer I brew, but I do get bored of it sometimes.

I switched to kegs so I wouldn't have cases of empties lying around, and I enjoy the general ease of cleaning them. But for the first time in a while I have 2 full five gallon corneys in my kegerator: An IPA a buddy brewed as a gift for lending him my kegs for a party, and Bm's blonde.

There's probably 20 pints left to be pulled between the two of them, but I am ready for something different, more seasonal.

 

[Darwin18]

I love brewing and entering competitions, but I can't drink most of the beer I brew since I'm working on losing weight. I've been giving away growlers to my softball team each week. It's better than dumping it or having it go bad. Plus, it keeps my pipeline moving.

 

[SeraW]

I brew 2.5 gal size. I do have a few beers hang around for months, but none ever go bad during that time. So, I guess my answer is, "eventually."

 

[pricelessbrewing]

I don't

Moved a little ways away, and ended up having to leave behind 1 full keg, and 3 half filled kegs

Now I'm doing small batches which I'm hoping will help fulfill my want for variety.

 

[Billy-Klubb]

I open the bottles and pour them in a glass. Then, and thus is the important part, I dump the glass in my face.

this is the way I do as well. it's even easier when all you have to do is pull a lever to get beer in your glass. also, I open my mouth before I pour the beer in my face. I tried it the other way once and it didn't work out so well.

 

[Firewalker11]

find a friend that likes beer and split the cost of a batch. The friend gets beer for cheaper than they can buy it and you get to enjoy your hobby more often without having too much beer accumulate.

+1!

 

[Sailingeric]

Pipeline management. I will brew batches back to back weekends and once I have too much on hand I won't brew for a few weeks. And I also give about 1/3 away.

 

[SippinSudz]

Im still drinking some stouts that were marked as "finished" with 3 months bottle conditioning as of May 2015.
They seem to be better and better as I slowly make my way through all my surplus.

I drink 2-4 a week as well. I brew 1x a month/ month and half

 

[soccerdad]

I can't figger it out .. most of the fam and friends drink commercial beers ... but there never seems to be enough homebrew at 10 gallons a month. I guess I should brew more

 

[Brewernaut51]

One or two a night usually. I share a lot too. Friends, neighbors, family...strangers. Gave some to the night nurse at the hospital when my first son was born, took a sixer to my doctor (he seemed interested when I explained my drinking habit), etc.

You'd be surprised at how much people perk up at the mention of free beer.