I'm curious what rules other homebrewers have to live by, and how your brewing philosophy has evolved over time.
My few simple rules are:
-Brew for quality over quantity
-Brew things that are easy drinking so that I can brew more often. Barleywines and Fig Mocha Chocolate Vanilla Bourbon Quads are fun and all, but I don't like tying up a keg for the entire year it takes me to drink big/heavy/exotic beers. (Case in point, I brewed my current Barleywine almost a year ago and I'm ready to bottle it to free up the keg)
-Never stop learning about every aspect of the process and continually strive to improve my beer
-You gotta drink beer to make beer
I used to brew exclusively the "hard to find beers" Pliny, Barleywines, crazy extreme beers that I couldn't get more than 1 or 2 of commercially. Then I realized that I love the act of brewing, and that I was only brewing a batch every 3-4 months when I brewed those types of beers since you can't drink as many in a sitting. Since then I've focused on easy drinking, usually German style beers that allow me to improve my craft while brewing more often. Plus its easier on my waistline!
I don't expect a long winded answer like this from everyone, but I'm curious to see your rules!
My few simple rules are:
-Brew for quality over quantity
-Brew things that are easy drinking so that I can brew more often. Barleywines and Fig Mocha Chocolate Vanilla Bourbon Quads are fun and all, but I don't like tying up a keg for the entire year it takes me to drink big/heavy/exotic beers. (Case in point, I brewed my current Barleywine almost a year ago and I'm ready to bottle it to free up the keg)
-Never stop learning about every aspect of the process and continually strive to improve my beer
-You gotta drink beer to make beer
I used to brew exclusively the "hard to find beers" Pliny, Barleywines, crazy extreme beers that I couldn't get more than 1 or 2 of commercially. Then I realized that I love the act of brewing, and that I was only brewing a batch every 3-4 months when I brewed those types of beers since you can't drink as many in a sitting. Since then I've focused on easy drinking, usually German style beers that allow me to improve my craft while brewing more often. Plus its easier on my waistline!
I don't expect a long winded answer like this from everyone, but I'm curious to see your rules!