Is giving pro brewers homebrew weird?

[Titan88]

So, the SWMBO and I are moving to D.C. in the next few months. I have already planned on making the trek to Rehoboth Beach to the Dogfish Head Brewpub. I got into homebrewing because of Sam's "Brew Masters" show and his beer. Also, the documentary "Beer Wars" steered me to Dogfish Head beer. My question is: is it weird to give him an aged bottle of homebrew, no strings attached? No "Can I sell you the recipe?" or "Could I brew for you?" Just, "Thanks!" Is that weird?

 

[Titan88]

Also, I don't mean I'll stroll in the pub and be like, "I'd like to meet Sam. Bring him to me!"

 

[frew]

Meeting the brewer is the fun part, larger scale operations are harder than your local small craft brewery. I worked at redhook and maybe spoke with the head brewer a handful of times but now i work at a smaller brewery i chat with the head brewer daily and have brought him samples of my product. If they have time and you get to chatting you can always ask if it would be cool if you dropped some brews off next time you were in, but don't expect feed back since they can be quite busy and might not remember drinking your beer well that is unless you make a great beer which we all do.

Cheers

 

[Titan88]

Meeting the brewer is the fun part, larger scale operations are harder than your local small craft brewery. I worked at redhook and maybe spoke with the head brewer a handful of times but now i work at a smaller brewery i chat with the head brewer daily and have brought him samples of my product. If they have time and you get to chatting you can always ask if it would be cool if you dropped some brews off next time you were in, but don't expect feed back since they can be quite busy and might not remember drinking your beer well that is unless you make a great beer which we all do.

Cheers

I agree. Plus, there's no more motivation behind it than being friendly.

 

[broadbill]

So, the SWMBO and I are moving to D.C. in the next few months. I have already planned on making the trek to Rehoboth Beach to the Dogfish Head Brewpub. I got into homebrewing because of Sam's "Brew Masters" show and his beer. Also, the documentary "Beer Wars" steered me to Dogfish Head beer. My question is: is it weird to give him an aged bottle of homebrew, no strings attached? No "Can I sell you the recipe?" or "Could I brew for you?" Just, "Thanks!" Is that weird?

You can give that bottle to the person behind the tasting bar at DFH, but they are probably about 5-6 managers removed from Sam C (at least). DFH is taking in close to $50 million in revenue...a company of that size doesn't have its CEO slopping mash tuns or pouring samples for patrons. At best the guy behind the counter would drink your beer, worst pitch it...I'd hold onto your beer.

Frankly, I was wholly underwhelmed about DFH....the tour sells out and you have to make a reservation for it and they are fairly pushy about getting you your samples so you move away from the bar and into the showroom. Our experience could be because we had our kid with us that day and we were the hip 20-somethings they are looking to attract.

But whatever, their restaurant in Rehoboth was OK and plenty of kids there.

 

[aiptasia]

It's better to trade and exchange your beers for rares from around the world through a bottle share club, then turn around and trade those whales to the staff behind the bar in your favorite brewery. Typically, they don't have time to do a lot of trading but are always on the lookout for rare and unusual beers. Your homebrew might be the shizzle, but it's not a barrel aged hunahpu or a vanilla dark lord. Grease the cogs a bit and it gets easier to move up the food chain, or at least get your hands on some choice and/or rare offerings for doing the trading. Networking is where it's at with brewers and the more people know you and your reputation as a beer wonk, the easier it is to make in roads. Become a regular at the tap room. Make friends with the staff. Trade beers. Go to beer events in the hometown. Join the local homebrew club. Join a bottle share group. Live, breathe and eat beer.

 

[temple240]

It's better to trade and exchange your beers for rares from around the world through a bottle share club, then turn around and trade those whales to the staff behind the bar in your favorite brewery. Typically, they don't have time to do a lot of trading but are always on the lookout for rare and unusual beers. Your homebrew might be the shizzle, but it's not a barrel aged hunahpu or a vanilla dark lord. Grease the cogs a bit and it gets easier to move up the food chain, or at least get your hands on some choice and/or rare offerings for doing the trading. Networking is where it's at with brewers and the more people know you and your reputation as a beer wonk, the easier it is to make in roads. Become a regular at the tap room. Make friends with the staff. Trade beers. Go to beer events in the hometown. Join the local homebrew club. Join a bottle share group. Live, breathe and eat beer.

He wanted to give the guy a beer not ask for his hand in marriage.

 

[jakenbacon]

He wanted to give the guy a beer not ask for his hand in marriage.

True dat.... I think it would be fun to have someone of that stature in the craft beer world to try my beer. It would just be..... kinda awesome for some reason....

 

[Pappers_]

I know a number of professional brewers and give them my beer - it's what friends do!