Others "trying" your homebrew

[TheMan]

This is pretty much just a rant, but I wanted to see if others had the same experiences...I have coworkers that know I brew and are always asking to try one of my brews. I have happily given them a bottle and requested an honest review of it in return. I will ask them the following Monday how the brew was and the response is almost always, "Oh, I forgot to try it, I was really busy this weekend." Months can go by without them trying the beer. I gave someone a brew on xmas and they didn't try it till February. I gave one guy an applewine and he let it sit inside his car for months...throughout the summer! Needless to say when he finally tried it he said it was horrible. I told him sun exposure and heat like that for months on end would do that.

I find this unacceptable. The least they could do if they are going to request one of my beers is drink it. I recently made a batch that myself and others have said is fantastic (Jamil's Evil Twin). The batch came up short so I was reluctant to give one out, but a coworker asked and I obliged. It has been over a month and he's forgotten to try it every time I ask (and I don't ask often). So I have now decided that no one gets to take home samples of my beer. They can sample it with me, but I'm not giving it out anymore.
*End Rant*

Anyone else have similar experiences?

 

[mosquitocontrol]

I gave some people 6 packs on July 4th last year. They JUST drank them <1 month ago. They were "saving" them. I just don't understand.

 

[nebben]

If I am letting someone try one of my homebrews, it is after I open the cap of the bottle they are holding

Seriously though, if they are interested enough, I have them come over while I'm brewing, racking, or bottling or something. More to see than just "hey, try this beer [that wont likely taste like anything you've ever had] and let me know what you think." I figure, if someone is an acquaintance that I wouldn't have over at my house, then I don't care what they think about my beer.

 

[TheMan]

If I am letting someone try one of my homebrews, it is after I open the cap of the bottle they are holding

This is my new policy lol.

I just don't understand why a person would ask to try one of my beers and then not try it for months on end. It's ridiculous. I put hard work and thought into creating and brewing recipes, I don't do this so that the beer can be unappreciated. I'm glad others have had similar things happen. Still doesn't make it right though.

 

[Cpt_Kirks]

I hand them a full glass to try. Kind of hard to let that sit for 6 months.

 

[jlpred55]

I only give my HB to people I know well and who I know respect beer and understand styles. Trying to explain to someone who has no clue that the beer is supposed to taste like bitter grapefruit juice or thick coffee and cream is pointless. When someone who I know is a die hard piss water drinker and turns there noses up at everything else asks for one. I usually tell them that it doesn't take like BMC and they say "oh" and that is it.

Funny thing is, most the time you give a person your HB and they understand styles etc they will be impressed. I often get the "you made this, I can't believe it? This is great" comment. Though I do brew a few that BMC drinkers seem to love, no idea why either. LOL

 

[azscoob]

I keg, so when a co-worker asks to try my beer I tell them to swing by my house... 40 miles away, to try a brew. More beer for me, and no scab co-workers at my house!

 

[Coastarine]

Solution: keg. If you want my beer you'll have to come to my house and drink it from a glass whilst socializing.

azscoob just beat me to it. But I have good friends as neighbors, so I share often and enjoy it.

 

[BendBrewer]

The only beers that I have shared are opened by me as well.

2 of the 4 of us in the office brew and we have 'tasting' sessions a couple of times a week in the office. Lucky us huh? We do try to wait until noon.

 

[wyzazz]

If I am letting someone try one of my homebrews, it is after I open the cap of the bottle they are holding

Seriously though, if they are interested enough, I have them come over while I'm brewing, racking, or bottling or something. More to see than just "hey, try this beer [that wont likely taste like anything you've ever had] and let me know what you think." I figure, if someone is an acquaintance that I wouldn't have over at my house, then I don't care what they think about my beer.

Same thing I do!

 

[TheMan]

I do keg lol. I try to find out what types of beer the person likes first. I ask if they like bitter or sweet and if they say they only really drink BMC then I tell them I only keg my beer so I can't bring them a bottle. But if they say they like bitters or stouts or wits then I have had no problem bringing them one. Till lately at least lol. When they finally try the beer they usually give the same expression as jlpred says, and they ask for more. But by then it's been so long that I have no more of that batch left and have no desire to give them more beer since it took so long for them to drink it.

Also, if I really just don't like the person or dont know them well I tell them I keg my beer and can't bring it to them. This is my default answer if the person has taken forever to try beer I've given them, "sorry, I kegged the last few batches."

P.S. Said coworker that is holding my precious Evil Twin hostage just walked by my desk and I asked him if he'd gotten a chance to try the beer..."Oh, I was really busy and just forgot about it. I'll hopefully try it this weekend."

Seriously? What is so hard about drinking a beer with dinner?

 

[Homercidal]

I gave some homebrew to the friend who actually got me started in this hobby. He drinks BMC on occasion, while making his own wine. About a year or 2 after I gave him the beer, they stopped by for a visit and he mentioned that he should try that beer. ARGH!! It's too late NOW!

Well, it probably wasn't that great anyway, I was still learning stuff. I should brew another batch of lighter stuff and send him some. Maybe this time I'll include drinking instructions!

 

[Coastarine]

What you are doing is analogous to watching a pot boil. You can't expect these people to care a tenth as much as you do and by wanting it, you are guaranteeing disappointment.

 

[TheMan]

You could be right coastarine haha. Still...when someone asks for a beer I expect that they want to drink it, not set it aside to find months later.

 

[remilard]

I'd recommend not giving gifts with strings attached as a general guiding principal for life.

 

[frolickingmonkey]

I always brew 10 gallons to bottle and give away as Christmas gifts (this is also a Christmas gift to myself, because it reminds me why I keg everything else I brew). People seem to save them for months before drinking. I'd prefer they get consumed within a few weeks, when they are fresh and I try my best to instill that idea in the recipients. Ultimately, like others have said, it's out of our hands once we hand off the bottles to someone else, and some people are too sentimental about receiving gifts. I do have one friend whose first order of business when he receives my Christmas gift is to get out the bottle opener and a couple of pint glasses. He also provides the best feedback, much more than, "This is good!"

 

[snevey]

Not only do I expect my samplers to drink my beer, but I also expect them to bring my bottles back, rinsed only...

 

[BendBrewer]

Here's an idea. Start giving these people fresh fish as gifts.

Problem solved.

 

[TheMan]

I hardly see it as giving a gift with strings attached...Say you paid for someone to take a trip to Vegas (or wherever) and they did not go, thus your hard earned bucks were wasted. Would that not annoy you?

 

[ReverseApacheMaster]

My boss told her boss about my homebrewing and he wants to try it out. I'm suspect about giving him anything, because his preferred beer is miller lite with water added (in his words, "I get more beer that way.")

 

[NorCalAngler]

There are great tips in this thread. I've quickly learned that only people that appreciate craft brew and know an IPA from an ESB get to try my home brew outside my house. It helps if the others are at least interested in home brewing so they can appreciate the difficulty in controlling all aspects of brewing to create a beer without off flavors.

 

[NorCalAngler]

My boss told her boss about my homebrewing and he wants to try it out. I'm suspect about giving him anything, because his preferred beer is miller lite with water added (in his words, "I get more beer that way.")

That is quite a predicament. If your Harp clone is close enough then I would suggest he buy a six pack of Harp and then offer your clone so he can appreciate the style of beer you made. You obviously can't outright refuse to give him your beer because he's two levels above you.

 

[BendBrewer]

My boss told her boss about my homebrewing and he wants to try it out. I'm suspect about giving him anything, because his preferred beer is miller lite with water added (in his words, "I get more beer that way.")

Bring a cooler to work with 3 beers. Suggest that the 3 of you 'sample' the beer and the end of a work day.

 

[Sigafoos]

his preferred beer is miller lite with water added (in his words, "I get more beer that way.")

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaahahahahahaha.

Best quote ever.

 

[Grimm]

I haven't experienced that, everyone i have given a brew too has tried it usually that evening or at least the next weekend. my only pet peeve is they don't return my bottles

 

[Monty420th]

I only give away to one person, to a fellow homebrewer who actually appreciates it. I actually never have to give them away to him because he comes over to try out the new ones or he is helping me make it and he has every right to drink 20% of it (I bought it, the rest is MINE).

everyone else comes over to try the kegs, some like it (people who don't drink BMC), and some love it (those that don't drink BMC).

don't give it away, let them come over and try it. Now the other person I will eventually give some to is the owner of the LHBS, I just keep forgetting to bottle a few of them before I transfer into the keg

 

[steinsato]

I've kind of given up letting coworkers try my beer. 90% of the time they come back saying "yeah, that was good" or "yeesh, I don't know about that one". I never get constructive critiques so I decided I'd rather just drink it myself or give it to freinds that will actually enjoy it.

 

[KYB]

I had the same experience at my work (big Liquor Store). Those who don't get back with me about the beer don't get anymore, those who drink it soon and comment on it get more.

 

[jonaconda]

I only give away bottles to my friendly neighborhood bartender who hooks me up with bottles and empty kegs and the like, and he definitely is an avid craft beer drinker.

When it comes to my friends who have just been drinking swill for the past 5+ years i always got the same response "Wow...this one is hoppy" even if it was a stout aged for months, or just a simply blond. Which just proves the only word they know other than give throw me another one is the word "hops" So i got tired of them not really appreciating the flavor, and i just bring them swill.

my homebrew goes to deserving beer drinkers haha

 

[Frank99]

My boss has been bugging me about bringing him some samples and I've been a little apprehensive. I like the idea of bringing a cooler and pouring some samples. This way you know they'll drink it and you can be sure it's not served at 34 degrees. "Gee, this IPA has no flavor." "Try not to drink it at freezing temps right out of the bottle you idiot." My brother in-law/father in-law are always at my house and they wouldn't know a good beer if it bit them in the ass...