Why do people Quit brewing?

[Chorgey]

I need to figure out brewing software for the long term. I've been using the free-version of brewersfriend and I like it. But I want to make sure I am picking the best (for me) before paying. An issue I recently ran into is not being able to scale up a recipe, I basically had to enter my desired percentages into Excel and increase by weight that way. If someone knows how to do this in brewers friend or if the software you use easily allows that, please let me know

I quit brewing shortly after starting in early 2017. I brewed a few IPA's that quickly tasted like crap due to oxidation - I did not do any o2-free practices. I thought good tasting homebrew just was not possible and breweries had some kind of secret. I started again in late 2021 and did o2-free practices and my beers came out 100% better.

I use Brewfather. There is a free version that you can try. It has the capabilities of scaling recipes

 

[RyPA]

I use Brewfather. There is a free version that you can try. It has the capabilities of scaling recipes

Can you build a grain bill by adding percentages? If not, how do you typically build a recipe based on provided percentages? Do you just add a ballpark figure for each and then adjust weight until it hits your target %?

 

[Want2Brew]

I need to figure out brewing software for the long term. I've been using the free-version of brewersfriend and I like it. But I want to make sure I am picking the best (for me) before paying. An issue I recently ran into is not being able to scale up a recipe, I basically had to enter my desired percentages into Excel and increase by weight that way. If someone knows how to do this in brewers friend or if the software you use easily allows that, please let me know

I quit brewing shortly after starting in early 2017. I brewed a few IPA's that quickly tasted like crap due to oxidation - I did not do any o2-free practices. I thought good tasting homebrew just was not possible and breweries had some kind of secret. I started again in late 2021 and did o2-free practices and my beers came out 100% better.

I used and loved beer alchemy but due to a recent computer up grade and the fact that it is no longer supported I’ve switched to Beersmith. I’m catching on to it but there is a bit of a learning curve.

 

[Kent88]

Can you build a grain bill by adding percentages? If not, how do you typically build a recipe based on provided percentages? Do you just add a ballpark figure for each and then adjust weight until it hits your target %?

Last I saw brewers friend displayed percentages. I think there was some kind of build-by-percentage tool as well, but I really don't adjust my recipes that way.

 

[Chorgey]

Can you build a grain bill by adding percentages? If not, how do you typically build a recipe based on provided percentages? Do you just add a ballpark figure for each and then adjust weight until it hits your target %?

Yes, you can build a grain bill by adding percentages. That's how I enter my recipes from the book, "Brewing Classic Styles".

I do just that, add a ballpark figure (or what the recipe suggests) and then when all of the fermentables are entered, I click the 'set percentage" button.

 

[RyPA]

Last I saw brewers friend displayed percentages. I think there was some kind of build-by-percentage tool as well, but I really don't adjust my recipes that way.

Yes, you can build a grain bill by adding percentages. That's how I enter my recipes from the book, "Brewing Classic Styles".

I do just that, add a ballpark figure (or what the recipe suggests) and then when all of the fermentables are entered, I click the 'set percentage" button.

I figured it out in brewers friend. Step 1 is setting a recipe goal in the top-left corner of the Fermentables section (ABV % or OG), once that is done, it allows you to enter the percentages for each and it then determines weights for each.

 

[beersk]

I've had some thoughts recently about my idea to just up and quit brewing and drinking. I'm really wanting a beer today and it's got me thinking. I have this black and white mentality about it, like it's gotta be I drink or I don't drink. Now mind you, I don't usually drink until I'm stupid but I do enjoy 4-6 pints on a heavy night, mostly weekends for that kind of drinking. I guess I feel it's unrealistic to say "Never again!". I love brewing and I love beer. I just get in these stretches where I don't love it so much and it doesn't love me back.

It seems like a realistic thing to do would be to take 1 week per month off from any alcohol as a reset. That equals 3 months a year, so that's something. Typically I don't drink 1 or 2 days a week, depending on the week. There's rarely a week anymore where I drink every single day.

I can't quit you homebrewing!!!

 

[mac_1103]

Maybe you should try "damp" January.

 

[madscientist451]

Maybe you should try "damp" January.

I‘m doing a “moist” January, I think it just sounds better than dry or damp. But lately, I’ve been trying to watch my weight, trying to cut back on drinking, been working 6-7 days a week, and just decided to put brewing on the back burner for now. I am expecting to get a few brews going here in the winter months, mostly low abv. So not quitting for now.

 

[Dog House Brew]

I've had some thoughts recently about my idea to just up and quit brewing and drinking. I'm really wanting a beer today and it's got me thinking. I have this black and white mentality about it, like it's gotta be I drink or I don't drink. Now mind you, I don't usually drink until I'm stupid but I do enjoy 4-6 pints on a heavy night, mostly weekends for that kind of drinking. I guess I feel it's unrealistic to say "Never again!". I love brewing and I love beer. I just get in these stretches where I don't love it so much and it doesn't love me back.

It seems like a realistic thing to do would be to take 1 week per month off from any alcohol as a reset. That equals 3 months a year, so that's something. Typically I don't drink 1 or 2 days a week, depending on the week. There's rarely a week anymore where I drink every single day.

I can't quit you homebrewing!!!

My father n law would always quit drinking from the start of Lent, until August 15th. He would always go to Fl on that date. Once he hit the Fl state line, all bets were off. He would drink Miller Lite like a fish until Lent. Fat Tuesday would come….no more. I’ve actually thought that would be a good idea.

 

[beersk]

My father n law would always quit drinking from the start of Lent, until August 15th. He would always go to Fl on that date. Once he hit the Fl state line, all bets were off. He would drink Miller Lite like a fish until Lent. Fat Tuesday would come….no more. I’ve actually thought that would be a good idea.

Interesting. Not sure that's for me, though. LOL

 

[beersk]

I‘m doing a “moist” January, I think it just sounds better than dry or damp. But lately, I’ve been trying to watch my weight, trying to cut back on drinking, been working 6-7 days a week, and just decided to put brewing on the back burner for now. I am expecting to get a few brews going here in the winter months, mostly low abv. So not quitting for now.

LOL I was talking to a friend of mine yesterday and he suggested "moist January" too. Made me laugh. I know a lot of people have an issue with the word "moist" and I like to push that button whenever possible. It's the ONLY way to describe a good cake. You can't NOT use the word "moist".

I think the fact that I got such an intense craving to drink beer yesterday signifies to me that maybe I really do have a problem that I should take more seriously. Quitting seems unrealistic, but moderating can be hard sometimes. I'm glad I didn't give in and have any beer. I feel good. Life feels more full of color without alcohol. It's kind of amazing really. But yesterday's intense craving threw me for a loop. I couldn't pinpoint exactly why I got it or what it was I wanted to drink. I just wanted to drink beer. Not sure that's good...

 

[Dog House Brew]

Interesting. Not sure that's for me, though. LOL

I think, for me, it would be about can I quit. I think about it often, but quit is a strong word. I like soft words, like slow down and less.

 

[beersk]

I think, for me, it would be about can I quit. I think about it often, but quit is a strong word. I like soft words, like slow down and less.

I agree. It will be a break for me, not sure for how long, then less. It's a bit confusing. I'm just so used to an all-or-nothing mentality, not necessarily in the sense that I'd drink to oblivion, but I either do or I don't. I was usually happiest with about 3-5 pints. Which, on a daily basis, is a lot and very bad for health.

 

[moreb33rplz]

I want to drink beer forever. If I drink too much, get addicted, get in the habit too hard whatever, then I'll have to quit 100%. I've seen it happen to many friends and family.

So in order to always drink beer I have to drink less beer

 

[beersk]

I want to drink beer forever. If I drink too much, get addicted, get in the habit too hard whatever, then I'll have to quit 100%. I've seen it happen to many friends and family.

So in order to always drink beer I have to drink less beer

Problem is, once you cross the line from moderate to heavy/very heavy drinking, it's nearly impossible to go back to moderate drinking without emotional anguish. You're constantly having to pay attention to not have that 2nd or 3rd beer and that in itself can be very distressing to some people. Makes it not worth it...
When the beer tastes that good, you don't just want an 8oz pour of it or a pint of it. You want multiple pints. It's like cooking an amazing meal then only having a small plate of it. Seems kind of silly doesn't it? You spent all that time making this amazing meal only to have a very tiny portion of it. That's my mentality. Maybe with food it can be OK, but with damaging things like alcohol...not so much. As I've said, I never drank to oblivion - blackouts were rare, if non-existent - but if I was drinking good beer, I didn't want one, I wanted 4 or 6. On a daily basis. Zim zam?

 

[mac_1103]

There was a phenomenon in my grandparents' generation of my family where people would basically drink very heavily from 5 PM on Friday until 2 AM on Monday and then go back to work after about four hours sleep and not touch another drop until the following Friday. I have no idea how they pulled that off.

And since Lent was mentioned earlier, these folks would also give up drinking and smoking every Lent. The dining room table would be covered with cartons of cigarettes and bottles of booze on Saturday nights and they would sit around waiting for the clock to strike midnight so they could binge for the next 26 hours or so.

It was a very different time.

 

[Airborneguy]

Processed food is so much worse for us than alcohol.

 

[beersk]

Processed food is so much worse for us than alcohol.

They're definitely in the same category, scientifically...carcinogen class 1. But alcohol is probably more "fun".

 

[McMullan]

There are two reasons why people quit things. It’s killing them, financially, mentally or physically. Or it killed them. If there’s an internal battle with addiction (I had one with nicotine, one of the worst, apparently), it’s important to learn how to hate that substance causing the problem, because it is the unfriendliest enemy of all.

 

[McMullan]

Processed food is so much worse for us than alcohol.

Only when managed in moderation, to be fair. Otherwise we’re just fighting a straw man. But, yes, if people really knew what industrial toxic stuff contaminates our food chain today, they’d all quit most processed food today. It’s undeniably a bigger problem at the population level. And there’s a great replacement hobby for home brew. Home made food.

 

[beersk]

I ended my 2 week break from alcohol yesterday and decided to have 1 pint while kegging a bitter. I also decided to set a SMART goal for limiting beer consumption to 1 pint a day. I know what it feels like to go without alcohol, it feels good, and having a pint should be the perfect compromise because I get to enjoy homebrewing still at a healthy level while still prioritizing sleep and mental and physical health.

The one thing I couldn't reconcile with in reading about and tossing around the idea of sober curiosity, etc. is quitting homebrewing. I just can't reconcile with that. So this, to me, is something I can set a SMART goal for. Yes, I think a lot about this kind of stuff, as my mom pointed out to me, but I feel like this is a pretty important thing to think about.

 

[beersk]

I ended my 2 week break from alcohol yesterday and decided to have 1 pint while kegging a bitter. I also decided to set a SMART goal for limiting beer consumption to 1 pint a day. I know what it feels like to go without alcohol, it feels good, and having a pint should be the perfect compromise because I get to enjoy homebrewing still at a healthy level while still prioritizing sleep and mental and physical health.

The one thing I couldn't reconcile with in reading about and tossing around the idea of sober curiosity, etc. is quitting homebrewing. I just can't reconcile with that. So this, to me, is something I can set a SMART goal for. Yes, I think a lot about this kind of stuff, as my mom pointed out to me, but I feel like this is a pretty important thing to think about.

I did want to add to this ... I was discussing all this with a lifelong friend the other day and he quipped that taking breaks, like Dry January, is akin to dieting and tends to lead to cravings and overconsumption. I hadn't thought of it that way, and I suspect that the majority of the population who participates in it does not think of it that way. And it's true, I've experienced that myself after prolonged breaks. It's better to cut back overall consumption and be consistent with it rather than all or nothing. It's a process to try and improve that mindset, no doubt about that. I always seem to be on the self-improvement journey...

 

[mashdar]

I generally stick to one drink unless I have company, then 2-3 depending on the situation. One of the things I did to reprogram was to "know" that "I am a person who drinks 1 drink". It's not a goal, just a trait.

The other quasi-rule I have is that I generally don't drink until the kids are asleep. Having a time limit is helpful, as many nights I literally only end up with time for one drink.

(I did have a quad with dinner on Christmas, etc. Reasonable accomodations for special occasions make deviation acceptable instead of a trigger for binging.)

 

[beersk]

I generally stick to one drink unless I have company, then 2-3 depending on the situation. One of the things I did to reprogram was to "know" that "I am a person who drinks 1 drink". It's not a goal, just a trait.

The other quasi-rule I have is that I generally don't drink until the kids are asleep. Having a time limit is helpful, as many nights I literally only end up with time for one drink.

(I did have a quad with dinner on Christmas, etc. Reasonable accomodations for special occasions make deviation acceptable instead of a trigger for binging.)

Good points. I don't drink after about 8pm, so that's a time limit I have. Usually if I wait until after dinner to have a beer my cravings go way down.

 

[JAReeves]

I don't like to drink after lunch, sometimes with dinner is ok, but it does tend to affect my sleep if I drink too late in the evening. I'm an "afternoon-cap" human.

 

[Closet Fermenter]

I’m having to consider adjusting my habits. I like a beer before supper. I like a beer with supper. One more for dessert is good. I’m a slow drinker, so the effects are minimal with respect to sobriety. The problem is that I have begun to snore loudly to the point that my wife’s earplugs are no longer doing the job. (I have snored mildly for awhile.) It’s to the point that I wake up with a sore throat.
Two nights ago, I kegged the wine I made back in the fall. That took me right up to supper time and I had no time/freehands for my beer. I DID pull a small cup of the fresh wine for a taste with supper. There was a little more than would fit in the keg, so I had another little cup after supper and that’s it. Guess what; no loud snoring. Last night, I had a little wine before & after supper and no loud snoring.

No doubt; there’s a connection. Not sure it’s the amount alcohol, carbonation, timing, or some combination of the above. In any case, going to scale back/change up to find the sweet spot.

 

[bwible]

I did want to add to this ... I was discussing all this with a lifelong friend the other day and he quipped that taking breaks, like Dry January, is akin to dieting and tends to lead to cravings and overconsumption. I hadn't thought of it that way, and I suspect that the majority of the population who participates in it does not think of it that way. And it's true, I've experienced that myself after prolonged breaks. It's better to cut back overall consumption and be consistent with it rather than all or nothing. It's a process to try and improve that mindset, no doubt about that. I always seem to be on the self-improvement journey...

I’m doing dry January this year for my first time. I haven’t had any alcohol since New Year’s Eve. I’m reading beer articles and such, and I would still not say I’m really having any cravings. I like beer but I’m not exactly unable to function without it. I have 5 kegs on tap right now and plenty of bottles, I’m not feeling like I need a beer. I also have wine and mead on hand.

I’m mostly finding it boring, like what do I do with the time I was spending drinking a beer or two. And tea with dinner is not the same thing.

We like beer or wine more with food/dinner. Beer goes with tacos or pizza, etc. Wine if we’re having something specal like prime rib or crabcakes. There is a whole thing to matching food and wine, and learning all about styles of wine.

And yes, my wife says I don’t snore now when I’m not drinking.

 

[mashdar]

I’m mostly finding it boring, like what do I do with the time I was spending drinking a beer or two.

Sounds like time for a new hobby! Or get to that drywall seam you've been meaning to fix up! (I'm projecting on that last one.)

 

[bwible]

Problem is, once you cross the line from moderate to heavy/very heavy drinking, it's nearly impossible to go back to moderate drinking without emotional anguish. You're constantly having to pay attention to not have that 2nd or 3rd beer and that in itself can be very distressing to some people. Makes it not worth it...

Speaking of moderation - I got a book I wanted for Christmas, biography of Winston Churchill. I was reading some of that about him and have also seen other things online about his alcohol intake. Aside from allegedly smoking an estimated 1/2 million cigars in his lifetime (how that is possible I can’t even imagine) his alcohol intake was legendary. No moderation there. I’m looking forward to this book. There were a couple tv series, one where John Lithgow played him and I thought it was very good, made me want to learn more about this man.