Psychology of another person's homebrew

[lgtg]

I'll take it as that's a good thing?

 

[olllllo]

honestly, no offense intended. It's not something (even as a noob) that I bend my mind around trying to figure out.....

 

[olllllo]

Apologies to Damn Squirrels for going OT on this:

Read this thread about how to search.
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=29131&highlight=leveraging

I'll bust a new thread to make my pitch for integrated google search and wiki help on searching.

 

[ohiobrewtus]

My two buddies that just recently got started in brewing are the only ones that I can count on for an honest evaluation.

SWMBO isn't afraid to tell me what she thinks about a brew, but she's a BMC drinker and really doesn't have an appreciation for different styles, bodies, and flavors of different types of beers so all I get out of her is "It's really good - I could drink a couple of those", "It's ok but I probably wouldn't drink a whole one" or "this f*&$ing sucks". Although I did get a new and exciting reaction out of her when I had her try my Double IPA... have you ever tricked a small child into biting into a lemon? Ya, that's about what SWMBO thought of that Double IPA.

As for the rest of the guys that have tried my brews... they all say this is good, but it's hard to tell if they're lying to spare my feelings or if they really like it. Most of them aren't big drinkers anyway and when they do drink its BMC so kind of like SWMBO, their opinions don't really give ma a whole lot of useful information to help me with future batches.

 

[the_bird]

have you ever tricked a small child into biting into a lemon? Ya, that's about what SWMBO thought of that Double IPA.

I don't know, man... this kid keeps going back for more: http://www.devilducky.com/media/60785/

 

[boo boo]

1. I am, by nature, inclined to like my beer better than anyone else.
2. In accordance with the above nature, I am more likely to ignore or deny some of my honebrew's defects or shortcomings. (not on my own congnizence, but again, relative to others tasting it.) (IE: "c'mon!! It's not THAT
bad!!)
3. People, no matter how enthusiastic they are about beer, will never meet my standard of enthusiasm when they accpept or taste my homebrew.
4. I must remember that my perspective or "world view" of the joy of homebrewing will most likely not be shared with anyone else unless they home brew as well.
.

Hard to argue with these points.

 

[lgtg]

Hard to argue with these points.

Homebrewing could have a "rose colored glasses" effect on the brewer.

As far as his home brew is concerned, the glass is always half full....

 

[lgtg]

another point:

Some people have a natural narcisstic state of mind and when they "connect" the home brew to the home brewer, it instantly stops being about beer and whether it's good or bad and becomes a comparison of you and them.

"Since I truly believe that I am a better person than that guy, his beer cannot be good". (Even if at their core, they really do love your beer, you're not going to hear it from them.)

 

[Drunkensatyr]

Just recently had a co-worker over that had told me on many occasions that Boston Lager was too hoppy. Loved my wifes Hefe's, and I asked him if he would like to try a sip of my IIPA, telling him I am COMPLETELY cool with him spitting it out, rinsing his mouth, and or gagging. I like my beer and I don't expect anyone else to love hops the way that I do. I couldn't believe it when I opened the bottle, poured about 1 oz. into his glass and the rest in mine. He kicked it back with a look of anticipation of evil, then put his glass on the counter and walked over to me to take MY GLASS!!!! Biggest compliment I have received to date. He enjoyed it enough that he wants to come over and brew a batch of it next month.

 

[Rook]

I assisted in judging a homebrew competition a little while ago. I'm a complete amateur but I had a good time doing it and I learned a lot about how they judge beers.

I tried 13 beers, 10 I liked quite a bit, 2 I didn't care for but were well made, and 1 that sucked. I was wondering if I was going to be able to appreciate other people's homebrew, and I really was able to. Infact i'd say I was very impressed. Granted these are ones entered into a competition so I'd hope they'd be good, but I was pleasantly surprised.

 

[delboy]

I seem to have the opposite view to many others on this thread when it comes to my own home brew, i find im super critical and that i find faults that others wouldn't even begin to notice. Most people are i try it on are pleasantly surprised and show quite a bit of interest. The exception is when it comes to a heavily hopped beer, thats a turn off for a lot of people.

 

[bradsul]

I seem to have the opposite view to many others on this thread when it comes to my own home brew, i find im super critical and that i find faults that others wouldn't even begin to notice. Most people are i try it on are pleasantly surprised and show quite a bit of interest. The exception is when it comes to a heavily hopped beer, thats a turn off for a lot of people.

I'm exactly the same way. I made an oatmeal stout a while back that everyone loved but I couldn't get past a slight off-flavour caused by the fermentation temperature and it just killed my enjoyment of the beer. I have to really watch myself about that.

 

[Rook]

I seem to have the opposite view to many others on this thread when it comes to my own home brew, i find im super critical and that i find faults that others wouldn't even begin to notice. Most people are i try it on are pleasantly surprised and show quite a bit of interest. The exception is when it comes to a heavily hopped beer, thats a turn off for a lot of people.

I meant to mention this, You're exactly right. I have yet to REALLY enjoy a beer I've brewed, and I've waxed 3 batches so far (one got dumped). I am intensly critical of my own beer, and find all faults in it when others seem to like it a lot.

 

[Monster Mash]

I seem to have the opposite view to many others on this thread when it comes to my own home brew, i find im super critical and that i find faults that others wouldn't even begin to notice. Most people are i try it on are pleasantly surprised and show quite a bit of interest. The exception is when it comes to a heavily hopped beer, thats a turn off for a lot of people.

Thats the same experience I've had also. Im the first one to pick out the faults but the non brewers all like my beers. Everyone has thier own tastes though, some like dark, some like hoppy and some can only pallete light fizzy beer. I brew them all and try to keep a good variety on tap so everybody can have what they like.

If I just had one beer on tap I'm sure there would be some that wouldn't like it...

 

[the_bird]

My wife has basically begged me to let her bring some of my mocha stout to her friends, but I won't let her because I can't stand it. My ESB, for example, is too fruity and doesn't taste fresh enough, so unless dryhopping and time helsp solve the problem, no one but me will be allowed to touch it.

But, I also recognize when I have a really GOOD batch on hand, like Murder In The Red Barn and my Temptation red ale.

 

[Desert_Sky]

very rarely do I find that I am satisfied with my beer. While everyone is telling me how damn good it is, I am too busy looking for the flaws, and looking for a way i can improve it on the next batch.

that is of course until I get drunk, then I love it

 

[DeathBrewer]

srsly. when i am drunk i think i'm the greatest brewer in the world. it tastes like heaven when you're a little too drunk to see (or acknowledge) the flaws and you know you made it yourself

 

[olllllo]

Some people like the flaws. Those people are resposible for making Heineken in the bottle so popular.

BTW: Commercial execs - "I don't wish my girlfriend stank like you."

 

[ArroganceFan]

I had my first taste of home brew last night at a new friends house. He had an IPA on tap, and it was one of, if not the, best beers I have ever had. I am a big fan of stone brewing IPA, and I would pick his over stone's any day.

 

[cclloyd]

Being a lifelong devotee of the barley pop I already know if my beer is any good before anyone else tastes it. With that in mind, the guys I consume with are all good friends and if the brew in question tastes like a$$ they will let me know in no uncertain terms.

When I first told a particular one of my beersnob friends that I was making beer he replied that he had never had a homebrew that was worth drinking. He has since gotten faced on my APA, my stout, and my wheat, and is looking forward to the next two batches.

The best compliment I've gotten to date was from my neighbor (who is a big hoppy IPA fan) who upon having the first of many of my APA's stated "I would buy that".

 

[Jeepsn beer]

when I brew a style I usually go buy a couple bottles of the same style to drink while brewing and compare to mine later. I pour a commercial and a Homebrew and then ask some seasoned friends to compare and pick which glass they like best. A simple blind taste test. You get pretty straight forward answers. I've had enough of my HB picked that I feel that my results are comparable to commercial brews and I'm still improving.
I have an beer store close by that carries over 500 worldwide beers of all styles which makes it really easy to be able to compare commercials to my HB.
I think that as beer enthusiasts we are our own biggest critics. My friends don't hold their beer in their mouths feeling/tasting/smelling it for microflaws like I do.

 

[Pedro-]

Some people like the flaws. Those people are resposible for making Heineken in the bottle so popular.

That's less about seeking flaws than it is the same moronic psychology that forces a rage over a stupid laughing toy doll. That is worth about 10% of what people pay.

:cross:

 

[skeeordye11]

Those folks that say they don't like beer... My simple response to them is that they haven't yet found the right beer. My fellow homebrewing buddies make beer, and decent beer at that, but I'm not convinced they understand why. What I have learned from brewing is why I like what I like, and subsequently what other people may like according to what they typically drink, BMC or whatever else.