Objectionable Reactions to Homebrewing

[jwalk4]

I just saw a Buffalo Wilds Wings commercial that took a real shot at homebrewing, and homebrewers in general. I'll post it if I can find it. Not that it's a big deal, but it got me thinking. What's been the most objectionable reaction that you've experienced after telling people that you brew your own beer? Have you ever had anyone refuse to try some?

 

[nickmv]

That commercial is completely a joke, and nothing more. A playful jab, if you will. It was over the top and that was obvious to anyone.

 

[dallasdb]

There were a few threads discussing the BWW commercial.

As far as objections, I haven't had anyone not want to try it. I have had people not like my beer. I brewed a Kolsch once and it wasn't fantastic and a few buddies had a pint and said it was good but they preferred hoppier beers.

My one brother in law is staying at my house for a wedding this weekend and he didn't like my Coffee Stout or my Centennial/2 row SMaSH beer. But other people really liked those two. I haven't had any flat out rejections but most of my In Laws drink BMC so I'm not offended.

 

[suicider]

my wife refuses to try anything i made in the basement. not so much an anti-homebrew thing as she is just kinda snobby about food. looking at the bucket my porter is blowing off into i can't say she is completely without merit, but it smells goooood! she's a bmc girl if she drinks at all so...

 

[suicider]

...i did let her try an old rasputin i was drinking once just to see her reaction...it was priceless.

 

[robertus]

To be fair, a friend of mine dresses exactly like that when he brews. Personally, I think it's a hoot .

Haven't had anyone not try my beers, have had some mixed reactions, etc. The wife, who is paranoid about food safety, hasn't cared for the beers, but less because of the "I have a bucket in the basement" thing and more because of the "not my style" thing. With any luck, the Mocktoberfest (bottle conditioning) and California Common (in the primary) will strike her fancy.

 

[jwalk4]

That commercial is completely a joke, and nothing more. A playful jab, if you will. It was over the top and that was obvious to anyone.

I agree that it was harmless, but the commercial resonated with similar reactions that I have seen when my friends and I talk homebrew at work.

I probably wouldn't have thought much about it either if it wasn't for an article I read in a cottage magazine promoting guests to bring wine to dinner when they are invited. The author had a point that, yeah of course you should bring the wine, but he also made a particular point of noting that you should never bring homemade wine (or a brew on premise wine either) because its never any good, and that if your hosts ever complement your wine making abilities they are really just trying to be nice.

I'm not a "letter to the editor" kind of guy, but I've had plenty of crap wines that have been bought at a store too. So that, coupled with the commercial, got me thinking what other people have thought about homebrew out there.

 

[PapsD]

No one's had an objectionable reaction.

My stepmom. She doesn't drink. But she's been supportive of my brewing. She asks if I'm still brewing whenever I talk to her.

My dad, one of my grandfathers and a few friends refused to try it. But they're bmc drinkers.

My grandma on the other hand is really interested in my brewing she always asks to try some. She even drinks craft beer and saves me the bottles!

 

[jfr1111]

I have a neighbour who is an hardcore Labatt drinker and overall curmudgeon. He really disliked the cream ale I gave to him. He said it tasted "off". A few weeks later, I gave him a Labatt in a glass after he had finished mowing his lawn and told him it was a new brew of mine. He said it was even worse than the first. He didn't even finish it.

I didn't have the nerve to go get the bottle, but to some people, anything you make yourself is bound to suck. The contrary is also true, so I always try to have people taste my stuff blind against one or two commercial options if I want an honest opinion.

 

[Nightshade]

Is that Zach Galifinakus (sp?)?

I wasn't offended at all, seemss they were taking a jab at homebrewers who subject their friends to horrible brewing experiments more than anything else.

but then I have a pretty good sense of humor and don't take myself all that seriously especially since at least a few of us have known "that guy" at some point or another.

 

[captwalt]

Is that what people really think of my homebrew. I was always just trying to be hospitable but this has me reconsidering a lot about who I am and how I express and share it with others.

 

[Nightshade]

Is that what people really think of my homebrew. I was always just trying to be hospitable but this has me reconsidering a lot about who I am and how I express and share it with others.

It's probably because you are trying to serve the bratwurst beer to vegans

 

[Phyrst]

I thought the commercial was funny. I'm sure somebody somewhere tried to brew up a bratwurst beer that had chunks floating around in it.

There are a few stigmas about homebrewers I don't like, though.

1. "Am I going to get E-coli?" No, my homebrew will not make you sick. There is nastier stuff living in your refrigerator than in that glass of homebrew.

2. "Wow, you must get drunk a lot." Hey, I see you're grilling a cheeseburger. I bet you weigh 400 lbs? Well, you're cooking food, so you must eat until your buttons pop at every meal, right?

3. "Why would you make beer when you can just buy it at the store?" I don't know. Why would you grill a 16 oz. porterhouse steak when you can just go to McDonalds?

4. "I would offer you a beer, but I bought it at the store so you probably wouldn't like it." Yes, because no brewery anywhere ever made a good beer. Just because I homebrew doesn't make me a beer snob.

 

[ReverseApacheMaster]

If people don't want to drink my beer then that's more for me.

 

[moscoeb]

I have gotten the, "You made this?! Wow, that's not bad!!"
And I personally think I have a long ways to go with my homebrews. I think people expect crap and are surprised when they taste decent or good beer.

 

[Jakeintoledo]

I just watched it....I didn't really take offense to the commercial.

BWW's food....that, I find objectionable.

 

[govner1]

Face it - we all know that guy!

 

[swackattack]

Look one post down....beef beer.

 

[FATC1TY]

I think it just shows how popular homebrewing has become... Nothing more or less.

Sure it's funny about how people think we're all some secret beer chemists in our basements. But we aren't.

Most people that know I homebrew want to try it. Or think I drink alot. I wouldn't say that they are far off, but I tend to enjoy the process more than I do the drinking some days.

 

[kh54s10]

I took the commercial for what it was. A bit of nonsense. I have never even seen one of their restaurants.

As to my beer. I brew a lot of styles. I have liked them all, some, more than others. I have shared a lot of them. Some people have found some they didn't like and others they really enjoyed.

Most people that I tell about my brewing say "That's cool". Most of my friends ask when I am going to be giving some more to try. If someone doesn't like them I would not get upset, they just wouldn't get any more.

 

[ktblunden]

BWW's food....that, I find objectionable.

This. I've been there once and won't return. The food was mediocre at best and the beer selection was basically a list of BMC. I've heard that some locations carry craft beers, but ours doesn't.

As for that particular attitude, I've never gotten that from anyone. If I did I would be sure not to offer that person beer (or anything else, really) in the future.

 

[annoyingrob]

I thought that commercial was pretty funny.

 

[Slipgate]

I've never had any friend or guest not at least try it. Over 1/2 didn't finish it because they were BMC drinkers or just not beer drinkers. I've had a few that were not beer drinkers who told me they liked my beer and would drink it. Had a couple who can't get enough of it. One of my friends swears that my Farmhouse Ale is better than "desert" to him. No one ever refused to try it due to health concerns.

 

[Jukas]

I thought that commercial was really funny personally.. "this one's ready in <sniff> two minutes". Anyone know what he whispered to the guy about the secret beer?

I get mostly curiosity & interest from people who know I homebrew.. in fact I had to move from brewing in the driveway to brewing in my side yard because I'd get some many people walking by who would stop and ask question and inevitably ask for a beer. Unfortunately it was mostly people I had no idea who they were, and I got tired of giving out free beers to random strangers and started to worry about what would happen if I ever gave one to someone underage.

 

[BlackNotch]

BWW's food....that, I find objectionable.

Yep, those wings are nasty, I'll go to drink beer and watch a game, not eat.

The commercial was funny, get a sense of humor.

 

[Tenspeed]

All my friends and acquaintances either appreciate craft and homebrew or don't appreciate beer at all. I know maybe three BMC diehards and they know enough to bring their own beer to gatherings if they plan on drinking.

Having never been to a Buffalo Wild Wings, I can honestly say I have no interest in going. In my experience chain restaurants get worse the more locations they have, because the people working there care less and less about the work they're doing. I far prefer to support local business anyway.

 

[Whattawort]

I love the commercial! My wife even looked to me and asked when I was going to make the brat beer. If people want to see me and my hobby in that light, then that's more beer I don't have to share. But when I invite friends over for brew day they all "get it" by the time the boil is over. I don't think any of them had a clue how much science is involved. They'll see me quickly writing something down in my notebook or taking a sample of the beer in its various stages for a hydro test and they think I've gone all mad scientist. Love it! They also tend to appreciate the finished product more.

 

[bigdaddybrew]

I have a rule for trying my homebrew. Have a small sample. If you like it, get a glass. If you don't, pour it out, I explain it doesn't hurt my feelings. If you think good beer is ____________light my beer is probably gonna have too much flavor for your Sissy taste buds anyway. I like to have parties and don't want people to avoid me cause I force them to drink weird beer. The cream ale I just brewed went fast. Most people are polite and say its good but others grab a glass. That's how you know they really like it.

 

[bigdaddybrew]

I have a neighbour who is an hardcore Labatt drinker and overall curmudgeon. He really disliked the cream ale I gave to him. He said it tasted "off". A few weeks later, I gave him a Labatt in a glass after he had finished mowing his lawn and told him it was a new brew of mine. He said it was even worse than the first. He didn't even finish it.

I didn't have the nerve to go get the bottle, but to some people, anything you make yourself is bound to suck. The contrary is also true, so I always try to have people taste my stuff blind against one or two commercial options if I want an honest opinion.

My father in law is a miller lite or nothing guy. Might try this just to see if he honestly doesnt like my beer or just negative. Brewed a light ale 60/40 barley/corn and used just a touch of hops, quite chuggable if I do say so. Still didn't like it but my BMC friends said, "You brewed this?" and drank it fast.


How about this comparison...Kraft cheese slices vs arstisan cheese from the local dairy?
Or grandma's fresh strawberry jam vs store bought?

 

[Double_D]

The commercial was funny. The other side of the coin is there's a national chain restaurant running a commercial that talks about homebrewing. And we do all know someone who's tried to make some off the wall stuff. I make fun of the "brat beer" guy too.

 

[ludomonster]

If my beer doesn't taste good, I don't let anyone drink it. On the other hand, if my beer is really good, nobody else gets to drink it either.

 

[bigdaddybrew]

I like my brats cooked in a beer....hmmm brats in my beer? 4 taps through the walll? Okay maybe I'm not the guy in the commercial but we are gonna hang out!

 

[HopSpunge]

If my beer doesn't taste good, I don't let anyone drink it. On the other hand, if my beer is really good, nobody else gets to drink it either.

Amen.

 

[guldalian]

They are just pissed cuz we can make great beer for like 50 cents a bottle so we dont have to go there and spend $9 for a pint of guinness. And yes the commercial is hilarious.

 

[emjay]

The commercial was kind of funny, but the commenters on YouTube getting their panties in a twist are hilarious.

 

[PeckerWood]

So...Bratwurst in the mash or secondary? ;-D

 

[emjay]

Bratwurst in the mash or secondary?

Cooked bratwurst filling in the randall :rockin:

 

[willness33]

I thought the commercial was pretty funny. I've not had any negative reaction from anyone except my girlfriend when I took the lid off the bucket on her Hefe. After racking it to the keg, carbing and letting her take a drink, she changed her mind. The krausen still grosses her out, but she'll drink it up later. Now my friends, on the other hand, will drink my kegs dry if I turn my back on them. Even the BMC drinkers will go back for thirds on my lighter session beers.

 

[Zamial]

What I do not like about this commercial is that homebrewers have had to overcome LOTS of obstacles, stereotypes and misinformation; some of this as far back as prohibition!

Was it cheeky fun intended to lightly amuse a niche crowd or more? Do you think BWW sells more BMC products or craft beer? I just see this as another attack on homebrewers from a corporation.

I would say I will just boycott BWW but the last time I ate there was the last time because their prices are stupid high. We have MUCH better places than BWW to get food for "The Game".

 

[broadbill]

my wife refuses to try anything i made in the basement. not so much an anti-homebrew thing as she is just kinda snobby about food. looking at the bucket my porter is blowing off into i can't say she is completely without merit, but it smells goooood! she's a bmc girl if she drinks at all so...

Its obvious your wife has never to a farm and seen where food is actually grown (not that I'm picking on her or anything, most people haven't). She'd be looking at your beer in a whole different light after coming home from your local factory farm!

Another thing to think about: Our vegetables are grown in big open fields and are picked by migrant workers. You know what aren't in those big open fields? Bathrooms. Think about it.