Why do you brew?

[Rick_R]

I was thinking about this and realize it's probably been covered before, though a quick search didn't turn it up specifically. Question being, what are the various reasons to brew? What got me thinking was that some folks post about brewing to save money and I suppose with enough volume you could pull it off, but I've spent more in the last four months than I would have in five or ten years buying beer at my previous clip. I didn't get started brewing for the beer; my beer intake was under one per week prior to starting this hobby (it has risen considerably). I was much more likely to have a glass of wine with dinner, or a shot of Gentleman Jack & a cigar after dinner than to have a beer -- heck, my overall consumption of alcohol drinks was in the range of one per week. I made a beer run about every six months in conjunction with some other reason for being somewhere that had reasonable selection, and picked up various stouts and porters that would last me ages.

My reason for making my own is simply the process; it looked interesting (and is) and I enjoy planning it out, sorting through the different ingredients to try and determine what might come out, etc., trying to improve over the last one, looking at all the options and narrowing it down to which one or two will be next. The beer is just a nice side-affect.

I started to do a poll, but knew I'd leave some out, so I'll just ask: What's your reason for brewing?

Rick

 

[Orfy]

I like beer.
I like Brewing.
I like making things
I like having control of the beer recipe
I like saving money
I like beer
I like having beer on tap
I like offering good beer to guests
I like experimenting with recipes
I like beer

 

[Cheeto]

I like beer.
I like Brewing.
I like making things
I like having control of the beer recipe
I like saving money
I like beer
I like having beer on tap
I like offering good beer to guests
I like experimenting with recipes
I like beer

+1
plus I am no longer supporting BMC

 

[Petey]

I like beer.
I like Brewing.
I like making things
I like having control of the beer recipe
I like saving money
I like beer
I like having beer on tap
I like offering good beer to guests
I like experimenting with recipes
I like beer

Couldn't have said it better myself. Most of it for me is the brewing itself....I tell my friends "it's like science that you can drink" They tend to usually understand a little better after that.

 

[Kai]

Nice orfy. You can see the time zone difference.

Initially I actually had a reasonable possibility of saving money, as beer here is always more than $10/sixer, and that's for domestic macros. We pay $12 for the microbrewery down the street from us, and imports push $3 per bottle.

I don't think I have saved money, but it gives me a way within my student means to always have copious amounts of delicious beer on hand (or on draught), and the process, science, deliciousness, always offers new avenues of interest.

 

[Fingers]

Well, having massive quantities of high quality brew on hand is number one, I think. I also like the coolness factor of having massive amounts of high quality brew on tap.

 

[skeeordye11]

As most people on this forum, I like beer. A LOT! Initially, I just thought it would be cool to be able to make beer at home. I then realized that by brewing beer, I now have a much better understanding of why I like certain types of beer and what gives those types their individual flavors. Now that I have more limited funds, it has become more of a way to have good beer on hand without a huge price tag of buying 2 cases of buying good commercial beer at the store.

 

[beta pleated sheet]

I love beer, I love science, I love to think of myself as a mad scientist. Brewing just seems perfect for someone like me. I find anything that blends art and science or creativity and logic very appealing (I also do film photography and development). You know, it lends itself to all kinds of crazy experiments, perfect for us mad scientists!

 

[PeteOz77]

I like beer.
I like Brewing.
I like making things
I like having control of the beer recipe
I like saving money
I like beer
I like having beer on tap
I like offering good beer to guests
I like experimenting with recipes
I like beer

+2

Not that the cost of beer is that much of a factor for me, but it IS nice to know that I am saving HEAPS of money every time I brew. A "Premium" beer where I live (import or domestic) costs around $50 for a case of 24 X 375ML bottles. I can make better beer for around $13 per case, and that's just from extract. I know the quality of the beer and the savings will both be better when I go AG (soon!) I reckon Home Brewing is saving me at least $150 a month.... of course I have spent a LOT so far getting started, but I should be pretty close to breaking even in less than 5 months.

The other major issue for me is that I just CAN'T buy great beers here in AUS. the BMC is very good, but that's all I can get most places, with the exception of Stella, Peroni and Heineken. If I had access to all of the great beers that seem readily available in USA... I would still home brew :rockin:

 

[bigjohnmilford]

I like beer I like cooking the two seem to intertwine. I feel the best food I eat is food I cook. The beer is getting there.

 

[John Beere]

Cost has never been a driving factor for me... I'm a tinkerer - an arm chair engineer - who likes building the equipment and tools necessary for all my interests. I've always been interested in brewing and found it interesting and challenging enough to stick with it - although I did stop for around 11 years as life got in the way for awhile.

 

[Bedlam]

I live in a dry county.

Any other questions?

 

[doubleb]

I like the complexities and variables of brewing. Keeps my brain tinkering so I don't feel like my mind is going dumb. Lots of info and contrasting views. Beer is good too. I only wish I had found homebrewing earlier in my life.

 

[Bernie Brewer]

Because it's fun.

 

[bradsul]

Buying good beer at Canadian prices is kind of rough as Kai mentioned. I like that it's a great combination of both science and art. I love to tinker and build things and I love the feeling of historical connection that I get from brewing all-grain beer. Most of all I love coming up with recipes of my own and sharing them with my friends.

Oh and I love beer, so it just fits as a hobby.

 

[Pugilist]

Brewing is really an ancient art. I have been a student of military history for years and have always been curious of "how they did it" in whatever time period I study. Obviously I dont brew in a monks robes, etc. but I love beer and brewing is such a hands on intense process to do it right, you get alot of satisfaction when finished.

Also have brewing in my family history with Hensler beer and my great uncles who were brewmasters always talked about the good old days before the brewery burned down.

 

[PeteOz77]

before the brewery burned down.

A brewery burned down?

OH THE HUMANITY!!

IS THERE NO GOD?

Sorry, I'm sure it was a long time ago, and other breweries have burned down/ been closed / Demolished, but EVERY brewery has a special place in my heart.

I'm going to go have a sit down and a minute's silence for the brewery... while drinking my IPA that has finally conditioned.

 

[Judd]

To have something that I know and care about. For the thrill of taking something from the research stage through the end. A little bit, to show off. To push my own limits, and the limits of biology and chemistry. To create new things.

 

[zoebisch01]

My love of fermented foods led me to beer. I am shocked it took me so long! I think part of the turn off was the prior lack of availability of ingredients, equipment, knowledge... Places like HBT changed some of that!

I love to brew. (just haven't had terribly much time lately! Although today was a DunkelWeizen and then my NutBrown) But then again I love to garden, cook, make dry cured Salami, ferment this and that, raise ducks and chickens, raise the family. I guess you could say I have a lot of interests (and there are loads more like Mycology, Mycophagy, Alternative energy, Permaculture...etc..etc, most are related to the earth and conservation I think)

 

[sudsmonkey]

I brew because I really dig it. Because money is an object. Because It pisses me off that the local grocery charges $10 per six pack for beer that can't hold a candle to mine. I brew because nobody else makes the beer that I really like( an amber hopped with chinook). I do it because I like doing things myself.
I can sit in a house I built with my own hands and have a meal that I grew/killed/brewed myself. Life is good!



I think I'm having a testosterone overload. Gonna go lie down.

 

[somecallmetim]

+1
plus I am no longer supporting BMC

Not to mention no longer having to pay all the taxes on beer...

 

[McKBrew]

I haven't saved any money, so that's not it.
I've only made a couple batches of truly good beer, so that's not it.

I think it's the fact that I've never had a real hobby before brewing, and I am starting to learn enough that I am passionate about it. In the last few years I've met some really cool people, tried some great beers that I never knew existed, and finally have something I can sit down with people and talk about.

I'm not much into sports, don't know alot about car engines but I can can talk about beer. Sharing my love for beer, as well as helping people who are starting out are probably the two big things that keep me going at it.

 

[Willy Boner]

I've loved the microbrews for at least 25 years. Looked into brewing,brewed my first batch a Terminator Stout clone, that was on par with the original. Got 26 22oz. bottles for about 28$ worth of ingredients,since then I've brewed about 2 batches per month (upgraded to 7.5gal. batches). Doubt I've saved a whole lot of money, but the fine ales I've made have made the hobby well worth the time and cash. Not to mention it keeps me out of trouble for at least a few hours a month.

 

[Thirdeye]

I just like to know how to do things. I take pride in being self-sufficient, enjoy broadening my horizons, etc, etc.

Other things I do myself:

Car repairs
Home projects
Lawn projects
Taxes
Load my own ammo

Im sure there are others that I dont recall at the moment.

I figure the more sh#% I know how to do myself, the better off I will be.

 

[BuffaloSabresBrewer]

The gods told me to brew.

 

[Jared311]

One day my friend introduced me to a real IPA. I knocked it down and said damn! Why have I been drinking crap this whole time? From that point on I was addicted to good beers. I suddenly was able to justify spending money on beer that I actually enjoyed similar to how you would for food. As I tried more beers, I would think why I liked or disliked them. So in the end, it had nothing to do with saving money. It was simply for the enjoyment of crafting a beer and tasting the results.

 

[Silviakitty]

I'm a geek and I have a mild obsession with knowing how to do things.

I'm a fishkeeper as much for the interesting chemistry as for the beautiful fish. I homeroast coffee not to save money, but because of the control I get over each batch. I just like to know how things work. *shrug*

Plus, it's helping me learn more about beer and beer styles, and I get adoring looks when I mention things like: "I have five gallons of Irish Stout in my apartment." "five....GALLONS???" The word gallon seems to strike a chord in the hearts of beer lovers.

 

[Jaybird]

are you kidding me!!! WHY BREW???
I dont think I have enough time to discuss this topic indepth. But in short. I cant even describe what I have gotten out of brewing the science and the experiences and the people I have met and the places I have gone just for the sake of a beer is just unreal to me and I have only been into this silly HOBBY ( ya right) for what 4 years or less. Damn what a killer thing to do brew your own BEER. and the coolness factor. Like my quote I love watching peoples eyes light up when I tell them I brew my own beer.
*wheuuuuuu*
I am glad I got that off my chest
JJ

 

[arturo7]

I just want to be prepared for life after the apocalypse...

 

[Kevin Dean]

I'm a bit of a control freak. Prior to picking up homebrewing I spent 99% of my waking time with computers and being active in the Free Software community. The ideas behind the Free Softwware movement is to return control to the user, to do this the user must have the source code, the rights to edit it and share it.

Homebrewing is pretty similar to Free Software in that regard: There's a huge passionate community around it, freely sharable recipies and lots of aspects that can be tweaked to meet the needs or wants of the brewer.

It also feels damn good to craft something. Even if that something really sucks it suck LESS knowing you made it.

 

[aliu630]

It's just plain fun. I enjoy reading up and learning as much as I can about the brewing process and beer culture. I like trying to formulate my own recipes. Also, it's great tasting what I made after a month+ of waiting. I like the anticipation.