Why Brew?

[trigger]

Well, I for one am fully expecting the zombies to start popping up any minute. Are you really going to go into a super market for a 6er of Fat Tire when you might get your face eaten???

Seriously, though, I brew because I love it. I literally have been averaging 2 batches a week for a while now. It sucks, because I have to find places to get rid of all that beer. I give away as much as people will take and still get frustrated when all 5 fermenters are full and kegs just won't go dry!

I love creating recipes, then working on them until they taste how I want them to taste, then working on them until they're even better. I like building all the stuff that goes along with the process. I can't get enough of tasting a hydro sample as it goes into the fermenter, all the while thinking what would happen if I subbed in vienna for a portion of the base malt or whatever.

This may sound weird, but I like brewing more than I like drinking. Once I finish working the kinks out of my current electric rig there's a very good chance that I'm going to build a 1 gallon setup.

 

[brewew]

I'm a beginner and am 5 batches into it with pre-hopped extracts. During this month, I'm going to advance to making Lagers... fermenting at lower temps is Perfect this time of season and I can't wait..

Reason I do it is because it excites me to see the results from work in progress. I'm also saving tons of $, compared to the cost of purchasing the final product at the supermarket... and there's nothing like enjoying something you've made, if not 100%, yourself.. I take a little bit of pride from that.. feels good, don't it?

 

[Diver165]

For me it's the sense of accomplishment, the "I made that" factor if you will. Plus more important, it is about the love of beer. I wouldn't make a hobby making something I hated. LOL I brew quite a bit having only gotten into the hobby this year. But I share with friends and have had a couple of "Beer Tastings" that have been a wonderful way to enjoy the hobby. Friends are all the time asking about the next beer event at our house. LOL I tell SWMBO its the rock star effect hahahaha

 

[AngerManagement]

I enjoy BBQing on my smoker while having a nice chill brew. Now I can enjoy my own smoked creations along with beer that I brewed myself. I am the king of my own back yard!

Amen!

 

[HerotBrewer]

It gives me something to do other than work.

And for me, it's cheap. I wrote off the first 200 dollars of investment in equipment as the cost of staying sane by having a hobby. After that, it's just kits (which give me 2x as much beer for the same $$ and it's tasty beer). I'm an extract brewer, and I upgrade my equipment as I go. And I quit smoking so that's an additional source of $$ for the hobby.

 

[Valcarde]

I enjoy the hobby.

Also, for some strange double-standard, I don't feel as much of a drunk when I have 3-4 of my own home-brew concoctions then if I were to buy a 4-6 pack of something and drink half of it a night.

I suppose 'Ugh, I bought 4 of those and they're already gone!" doesn't feel as bad as 'Hmm, I drank 4, and have 36 left.'

:fro:

 

[ibbones]

I am not a DIY'er type person. I don't even change my own oil in the car or motorcycle. But when I make beer, I get to say "I made this" and really like the whole process.

 

[JorgeIsKing]

The things I enjoy about brewing:

Brew day - You are basically standing around with friends drinking beer most of the time while the wort does it thing.

Sharing my beer with friends and family.

Talking to other brewers about beer/brewing

Drinking great beer on a regular basis

The feeling of a job well done

The learning experience that comes from making mistakes, or just finding better more efficient ways to do things.

Initial investment is fairly low and you can add on to your equipment and/or level of involvement as you go.

Beer in general is an extremely interesting topic. I am really starting to enjoy reading about the history of this drink, but even the hows and whys of the brewing process are really fun to learn about.


That's all I can think of now, but I'm sure there are plenty others.

 

[MarzBock]

I do keep track of my time spent, but only because I need to balance family, work, band, and brewing.

lol... I read this too quickly and thought you were dividing your time between family, work, band, and SCREWING. I thought.. HELL YEAH!

 

[MarzBock]

It's funny for me, as I work as an organic chemist for my day job. This brewing beer hits all the same entertainment buttons in my brain that chemistry does. Chemists, as a breed, are infinitely entertained by bubbling, boiling, dripping, etc.. not to mention all the pretty colors. I can stand in my lab and watch something distill for hours.. drip.. drip.. drip.. Same for watching an airlock or blow-off tube.. bubble.. bubble.. bubble.. hours go past and my wife wonders if I'm dead in the basement.