If you brew beer, you're an alcoholic. If you make wine, you're intriguing

[Yooper]

Pics please!!!

+1

No one wants to see my old kegs. Trust me.

 

[zoebisch01]

What's with people?

I think most people have the inability to grasp the world outside of their own experience.

Wine has traditionally been viewed as the complement to an elegant meal. The gauntlet has been thrown down on tradition.

 

[Revvy]

I find in my area, people are genuinely intrigued when they find out I am a homebrewer. I also think it has a lot to do with presentation... if you are wearing a stained wife beater and drinking a 40 oz of Mickeys and note that you brew your own beer, people will have a different impression than a guy in a sport coat passionately describing their hobby and enthusiasm about beer.

Yes, definitely! Appearance or marketing is everything.

This is a great BB podcast,

September 6, 2007 - "Marketing" Homebrews
Creative consultants Bob Corscadden and James Gardner of jimbob give us tips on "selling" the idea of drinking homebrew and other good beers in this day of mass-marketed big-boy beers.

Listen

 

[MrNate]

...I just accept the fact that some people are dicks.

Amen, brother.

 

[njnear76]

And the problem is.............






JK. I have a sister-in-law who thinks I'm an alcoholic because I drink a beer at every family outing. Little does she know that she's the reason why. LOL. People are stupid. You're only an alcoholic if you can't drink responsibly.

 

[homebrewer_99]

Really?

I thought if you brewed you were a brewer. :rockin:

If you drank you could be a druck.

If you go to meetings you are an alcoholic.

Next homebrew meeting is scheduled for, DOH!!!

 

[olllllo]

Deus is $29, Utiopias ~$100. There's 2.
How many 1000's of wines can you buy in that price range?

BTW: I said pretentious. I don't consider either of them pretentious.

 

[Brewer3401]

I heard that a few times: "You must be an alcoholic if you make your own beer".

Total ignorance.

My reply is: "It takes at least a month before it's ready to drink - lot quicker to go to the store and just buy some"

Hey, we all can't be smart (well, the world needs ditch diggers too)

 

[summersolstice]

And the problem is.............

JK. I have a sister-in-law who thinks I'm an alcoholic because I drink a beer at every family outing. Little does she know that she's the reason why.

That reminds me of the song by Hank Williams III called, "My Drinking Problem Left Today"!

 

[GilaMinumBeer]

No one wants to see my old kegs. Trust me.

Yoop, Yoop, Yoop.

Honestly, it doesn't matter if your kegs are "sixtels" or half barrels. It's doesn't matter if they are new or old. It doesn;t matter if you hae a gorgeous rack or if they just sit on the floor.

The majority of men are just happy to see a "keg".

Which raises the question. If you don't actually see the "tap", have you really seen the "keg"?

 

[mysteryberto]

I've heard the whole if you brew your own beer you must be an alcoholic thing before. If we follow that train of thought how about if you cook your own food you're obese?

Oh wait neither of those make any sense...

 

[Boerderij_Kabouter]

Deus is $29, Utiopias ~$100. There's 2.
How many 1000's of wines can you buy in that price range?

BTW: I said pretentious. I don't consider either of them pretentious.

Good point... I am not complaining though, I am happy with the small mark-up on beer.

 

[HBHoss]

A few things as I see it:

In a few weeks, you’ll be able to walk into virtually any retail store and see the “beer in a box” kits for the Christmas season. In a few months, Christmas wrappings will be waiting at the curbside while hundreds of thousands of “new brewers” are boiling away their new home made beer. The sheer availability of homebrew kits compared to wine kits lends itself to a sh!tload more beginner homebrew being brewed in neighborhoods and shared with friends and family.

There is a vast difference between beer that comes out of a Mr. Beer kit from a first time brewer and an all grain batch that has just been brewed by someone who has 30+ batches under their belt. In the last three decades (since Homebrewing was re-legalized back in 1978), most Homebrewing has been done in the form of kits and liquid extract…and a vast portion was brewed by new brewers who dabbled in the hobby, shared their product, then got out of the hobby.

I consider my beer servable to any audience…but it wasn’t always that way.

Certainly high quality homebrew has been the exception rather than the rule the last 30 years.

Plus, there is just a different public perception between beer drinkers and wine drinkers. (Wrong though it may be)

I live in a very small town (pop. 1700). It takes .8 miles to drive from one end to the other. Big hoopla lately was the opening of a chain retail drug store (Rite Aide). I finally decided to check it out and went down the first isle and there were 2 Mr. Beer kits there. I was shocked. We don't have a LHBS. It's definitely getting more recognition.

 

[olllllo]

Good point... I am not complaining though, I am happy with the small mark-up on beer.

And you sir, make a fine Beer Ambassador.

 

[Homercidal]

Strange. I've seen this subject come up a few times before, and I honestly have never gotten any comments about it. I know a guy at work who brews a bit with a friend, and we chat about beermaking, but generally I find that people aren't that interested one way or the other. Or maybe they are scared I'll push some nasty homebrew on them and expect compliments about it.

At this point in my game, I'm quite happy to hear all the negativity, and hopefully it's constructive. I think people's perceptions are changing, and a Mr. Beer kits isn't necessarily going to do it on it's own, but maybe a few of those that try it will enjoy the process enough to look into it more and become full-fledged homebrewers.

 

[njnear76]

It used to annoy me when people would be condescending, elitist, or all out jerkish. Now I just find it amusing and somewhat sad.

It's a big world, and I think it pays to be intellectually curious in both people and new ideas. Unfortunately most people like to drown in their ignorance. Their loss, not mine.

 

[homebrewer_99]

No one wants to see my old kegs. Trust me.

You know, if you attached some quick disconnects to them then added say maybe 30-40 psi I bet those girls would just perk right on up there...

Then you can post the pics...:rockin:

 

[TexLaw]

I don't know if it's the change in the times or my age, but I get far more positive comments about brewing than I used to.


TL

 

[cheeseshark]

people are stupid... generally.

Truer words have never been spoken.

 

[loopmd]

No one wants to see my old kegs. Trust me.

Yes, we do.





Loop

 

[Homercidal]

Yes, we do.





Loop

Cannot access...

Really, this is a dead end street. I've played this game before in other forums, and I can honestly say that unless you get them drunk, these ladies will never show you their goodies.

 

[rabidgerbil]

Plus, there is just a different public perception between beer drinkers and wine drinkers. (Wrong though it may be)

This from the guy who turned a garbage can into a kegerator

sorry, couldn't help myself on the cheap shot...

Seriously though, I don't think that I have ever run into anyone that looks down on me for brewing, but I think that part of it has to do with the passion that I show about beer in general. I am not some college kid running around screaming "BEER!!! WHOO HOOO!!!". I show them a knowledge of the history, the science, and the art of brewing.

The fact that they like the taste of my beer only helps the situation that much more.

 

[TexLaw]

Seriously though, I don't think that I have ever run into anyone that looks down on me for brewing, but I think that part of it has to do with the passion that I show about beer in general. I am not some college kid running around screaming "BEER!!! WHOO HOOO!!!". I show them a knowledge of the history, the science, and the art of brewing.

I agree, but you have to get them to that point and then hope it takes. I've met a number of folks who just have their minds made up and could not care less about beer or brewing. I don't worry about those people too much, although they are part of the problem for biased treatment under the law (e.g., vineyards and wineries can do direct sales in Texas, but breweries cannot (except for brewpubs, which may sell only on premises); brewing licenses cost far more than winemaking licenses; etc.) Yes, mega-breweries lobbying have much to do with it, too, but their lobbying efforts would not succeed if the voters cared enough about the issue.

Times are changing. In fact, they are snowballing, but we aren't there, yet.


TL

 

[GreenwoodRover]

I was recently out to dinner at an Indian food place entertaining a client with our CEO, SVP of Acquisitions, and SVP of Asset Management. Me I'm just the lowly Construction/Development guy. As the red vs white discussion was starting regarding a wine for the table, and I boldly mentioned that the Avery IPA they have would probably complement the food better than any wine on the list, and that if bitterness wasn't their thing the London Pride would go well too. Client was very impressed and mentioned that he and his son just started dabbling in homebrew, needless to say I ran the conversation for the rest of the dinner and drink orders pre-meal looked like this: 3 averys, 1 london pride, 1 club soda.
The next day people that were not at the dinner mentioned that they heard I was into making my own beer....
Yes perceptions are changing, and for the better.

 

[Saccharomyces]

Hmm, everybody who finds out I make beer suddenly wants to be my friend.

 

[fat x nub]

I get it sometimes...but most of the time its, "how the f*ck do you make beer?" Almost as if they think its like water you just pull out of a lake. But then they are interested after i explain

 

[cclloyd]

I get mixed reactions or the most part - until they taste it. Then it's usually "you made this?" Feels good every time.

 

[cshort]

Living in a dry country, surrounded by dry counties, home brewing generally doesn't come up for discussion in most social circles. I remember when I bought my house our new neighbors where talking about how it was so wrong that the previous owners had converted the garage into a game room with a bar while I just stood there thinking that's half the reason I bought the house.

 

[Homercidal]

Living in a dry country, surrounded by dry counties, home brewing generally doesn't come up for discussion in most social circles. I remember when I bought my house our new neighbors where talking about how it was so wrong that the previous owners had converted the garage into a game room with a bar while I just stood there thinking that's half the reason I bought the house.

Sorry for you. While the others here are brewing and sharing right out in the open, you have to hide yourself and pretend you are a 1920's ridgerunner, hooch brewing, law-breaker.

I wonder how you are going to find others who want to drink your beer.

 

[cshort]

Sorry for you. While the others here are brewing and sharing right out in the open, you have to hide yourself and pretend you are a 1920's ridgerunner, hooch brewing, law-breaker.

I wonder how you are going to find others who want to drink your beer.

Who says I want to share my beer?

Seriously though, I have a few friends and my wife's extended family are happy to partake in anything I make. No one except SWMBO wants to help make it though. The biggest pain is having to drive over an hour to get to the closest HBS or paying shipping to have supplies delivered.