You must really like beer to spend that much on brewing.

[LAHammer]

I dont even drink that much, I just love to brew. ... I enjoy the brewing part of it so much that I just brew and give it away for free.

Won't you be my neighbor?:fro:

 

[Sailingeric]

I would guess I sail 60+ days a year and still spend more money on beer than sailing. But if I had all my drinking money back I would buy my dream boat and be able to keep in a slip for about 6 months before declaring bankruptcy then would have to take up drinking.

What kind of 45 footer does your friend have?

It is Beneteau 456. Here is an article about it http://sailingmagazine.net/article-permalink-532.html The boat I sail on when I go offshore is the boat in the article, owned by Steve Maseda.

 

[Jim311]

It seems to me that home brewing can be as inexpensive as you'd like it to be. Hell you could ferment in one gallon batches in an old wine jar using a brew pot that just about anybody would have around the house right on their stove top. Or use a 5 gallon bucket you got from Lowes for 4 dollars. Some of the kits are economical too. You can brew solid beers pretty cheaply once you get some basic supplies. I'd liken it to people who like to cook. You can go out and get a pretty good steak for a lot of money, but you could make something just as good if not better with a little skill and a trip to the grocery store and it won't cost you nearly as much either.

 

[radishthegreat]

Simply put they don't see the entire process and community as a hobby. The view the end result: beer in a glass. To many this is the only reason to brew, achieving beer.

I'm new to homebrewing, but I've been a quiltmaker for...many...years, and it's the same thing: "Why would I spend $100 on fabric and cut it into tiny pieces and then sew them back together when I can get a blanket at WalMart for $10?" Well, as you said, the process and the community. Working at making something(s), broadening your knowledge, mastering new skills/techniques, learning to make adjustments to customize the end product, meeting new people who share your interest, visiting new shops/breweries...those are all more fun than sitting around watching TV with your factory blanket and your case of Bug Light.

tl;dr: Some people (us) are makers. Some people are sitters.

 

[SnakeRidge]

I enjoy many time consuming hobbies; gardening, woodworking, brewing etc. I've gotten that comment on every single one. "Why would I make anything for myself? I don't have time for that!" Then they go on to tell me in exhausting detail all about the TV shows they are into. Yep, hurry through life, take all the shortcuts, get that behind on that sofa in front of the TV. That's livin'

 

[Brettomomyces]

I enjoy many time consuming hobbies; gardening, woodworking, brewing etc. I've gotten that comment on every single one. "Why would I make anything for myself? I don't have time for that!" Then they go on to tell me in exhausting detail all about the TV shows they are into. Yep, hurry through life, take all the shortcuts, get that behind on that sofa in front of the TV. That's livin'

This

 

[estricklin]

Hmm.. Just a sampling of my hobbies, I have many more to my wife's annoyance.

Ham Radio - Around $3k in startup costs, upwards of $200 - $1000 a year in new hardware and parts.

Music Composition - Around $6k in startup costs, upwards of $600 - $2000 a year in new gear and software.

Jeep - Around $30k in startup costs, upwards of $4000 - $6000 a year in maintenance, parts, and modification.

Powerkite - Around $1k in startup costs, upwards of $200 - $1000 a year in maintenance, kites, and park permits.

Gaming - Around $3k in startup for the bleeding edge computer and a few games. Up to $600 a year in games, and another $1000 in peripherals and monthly fees.

Homebrew - Around $200 in startup costs, upwards of $2000 a year if I brew my max allowance of 200 gallons (state law) in ingredient kits and add ons (if I don't go nuts).

Oh, and that's not counting that Homebrew actually saves me money as I don't buy hardly anywhere near the amount of "craft brews" from the local store.

Homebrewing is actually one of my cheaper hobbies to start. It can even be cheaper than that if I start buying ingredients separately instead of fashioned kits.

(Values are estimates of what I have spent over the years in each hobbies. Not all hobbies have a yearly outlay because I may not have worked with it that year.)

KF5WHN, hope to work your station one day!

73s.

 

[govner1]

"You must really like beer to spend that much on brewing."

Has anyone else heard similar statements?

I'm building a Brew Pub in my garage and when I talk to friends, acquaintances, people at work, eventually I get the "wow you must really..." and there is a little bit of incredulousness to the statement. meaning why would anyone spend $6000+ on brewing.

Really?? I can hand out any of the following responses:

"How much was your 4x4 truck? Almost all 4x4 are recreational vehicles and not necessary for a family. (I've owned 2x Land Cruisers, 1x CJ7, and still have a 42' Willy's)."

What about your gun collection?
How many quads do you have?
Got a bass boat?
You golf every weekend?

Us brewers are not even in the same dollar league as some hobbies, but we still get "you spent how much, you must really like beer ?"

I'm not condemning their hobbies, how come they condemn mine?

The answer is"Yes, I do!"

 

[MaddBaggins]

I spent way more on my Landcruiser than I've ever spent on my beer.

We need to get together Grossy.

 

[Teromous]

Don't worry, that response is not unique to homebrewing. Anytime a person doesn't understand why another person does anything, there is a chance that they will be one of "those people" who inadvertently vocalize their misunderstanding in an attempt to either rationalize with you or convert you to believe what they feel is normal. It's almost as embarrassing to watch as an adult who is undergoing the childlike discovery of jealousy. By the time they realize that they've been wearing the emotion on their sleeve, they are in a hurried scramble to backtrack and defend their position. Do what you enjoy and don't worry about other people.

 

[Tryger73]

Heard it a few times myself but like others on here, I believe other people don't get it. The trip to LHBS, getting the ingredients, going home to sterilized equipment, brewing, pitching, seeing first bubbles in the airlock, anticipating what this ones gonna taste like! It's all just exciting! Then there is the sharing of your creation. (Which in my mind is second only to enjoying it myself). They simply do not get the fact that yes, I do love beer that much!:rockin:

 

[Wolfbayte]

My expenditures on equipment is an indicator of how much I like to mess around with equipment, not how much I like beer.

Word

 

[SteveH aka shetc]

My brother used to give me that crap. Now we live in South Florida and he likes to bass fish from his bass boat. I asked him why he spends all that money catching fish that he can't eat cuz the poison in 'em will kill him. Now he drinks my beer comment-free 😁

 

[PackerfaninSanDiego]

what reputable hobby is not cheap?

 

[Singletrack]

I'm new to homebrewing, but I've been a quiltmaker for...many...years, and it's the same thing: "Why would I spend $100 on fabric and cut it into tiny pieces and then sew them back together when I can get a blanket at WalMart for $10?" Well, as you said, the process and the community. Working at making something(s), broadening your knowledge, mastering new skills/techniques, learning to make adjustments to customize the end product, meeting new people who share your interest, visiting new shops/breweries...those are all more fun than sitting around watching TV with your factory blanket and your case of Bug Light.

tl;dr: Some people (we) are makers. Some people are sitters.

Hey hey! Congratulations on your first post, and welcome!

Your post helped me understand why people make such stupid comments about brewing. Other people's hobbies do not make any sense.

...but of course they do to you. Quilt on!

 

[sportpak]

When I get that kind of reaction I usually try to divert from the time and money aspect and emphasize the technique, science, and details involved. It blows peoples mind how deep this hobby can get and what really separates good beer from great beer.

 

[khawk95]

Any time somebody scoffs at the money I spent, I just reiterate the average cost per beer: about $1.50 after capital investments and ingredients. That usually gets them more excited than judgemental...

 

[Cyclman]

Unfortunately, we have become a nation of crap purchasers. Need furniture, go to Wallyworld and buy sawdust based crap for $100. Wanna get drunk, BMC on sale $30 a suitcase. Dinner, McCrap's pink slime burgers are "value menu" discounted deals!

If you want to buy art, quality, craftsmanship, you must be an idiot.

So, I am an idiot. I brew my own (wonderful, I must say) beer. If you can't understand the passion of crafting something great, enjoy your trip to McWallyMicroDisCrap world.

Rant over.

 

[sportpak]

Unfortunately, we have become a nation of crap purchasers. Need furniture, go to Wallyworld and buy sawdust based crap for $100. Wanna get drunk, BMC on sale $30 a suitcase. Dinner, McCrap's pink slime burgers are "value menu" discounted deals!

If you want to buy art, quality, craftsmanship, you must be an idiot.

So, I am an idiot. I brew my own (wonderful, I must say) beer. If you can't understand the passion of crafting something great, enjoy your trip to McWallyMicroDisCrap world.

Rant over.

Totally agree, BUT I must say I love a Big Mac and the resulting hot farts about once a year.

 

[Fionnbharr]

It's not like brewing is my only hobby.

I don't think I could calculate the number of dollars I've spent collecting slide rules. All that adding and multiplying and dividing and stuff.

Nope.

 

[ArkotRamathorn]

I probably haven't spent more money on any other hobby, being only 29 years old I don't necessarily have that long view to suggest I won't pick up some hardcore gardening or wood working hobby. But this is the longest I've stuck with anything. And first hobby I've felt truly passionate about. I spend at least 2-4 hours a day reading something or listening to something brewing related to try and absorb additional information.

I have friends who say "wow that's expensive" when I've maybe spent 600$ on equipment not including stuff I've gotten as gifts. I don't think they take stock of the amount they spend every year on BMC, they go fishing and slam a 30 pack of keystone, I brew beer. We both have our weekend rituals. Fishing is fun, but I'm not creating future glasses of delicious beer while fishing.

I usually reply, "I love beer, I love the artistic ritual of creating it because I can pour myself into it and never feel lost, I like my job but I don't love it, no one will ever critique or test my work at my job but I can submit my beer or gift some beer to someone and they will be experiencing a small part of my being, my personality, even drinking my own creations I can taste the entire experience of creating this.
Other people have kids, I make beer, at least my beer doesn't make ****ty diapers for me to change".

 

[sanguine]

Unfortunately, we have become a nation of crap purchasers. Need furniture, go to Wallyworld and buy sawdust based crap for $100. Wanna get drunk, BMC on sale $30 a suitcase. Dinner, McCrap's pink slime burgers are "value menu" discounted deals!

If you want to buy art, quality, craftsmanship, you must be an idiot.

So, I am an idiot. I brew my own (wonderful, I must say) beer. If you can't understand the passion of crafting something great, enjoy your trip to McWallyMicroDisCrap world.

Rant over.

I've never understood why some people derive enjoyment from buying and consuming prepackaged rubbish. Now, some people genuinely lack the free time necessary to make things themselves, but since I'm lucky enough to not be one of those people I'm sure as hell not going to spend my life eating microwave pizza rolls and drinking BMC. Nobody ever dies wishing they'd watched more TV shows.

 

[Zepth]

It's not like brewing is my only hobby.

I don't think I could calculate the number of dollars I've spent collecting slide rules. All that adding and multiplying and dividing and stuff.

Nope.

Aren't those things supposed to help with calculations?

 

[Fionnbharr]

Nobody ever dies wishing they'd watched more TV shows.

I had a very dear friend who passed away -- young; in her forties -- who passed away before they resolved a couple of her favorite shows' story lines. Just sayin'.

On the flip side of your statement -- George R. R. Martin is not in the greatest of health; they've been expecting his death for a while now. I know a lot of people who wish he makes more TV shows before he dies.

 

[JonM]

Equally applicable to being a beer geek.

 

[1977Brewer]

I get all kinds of flack for preferring craft beer. Then, just to address the economic aspect, a I calculate the ABV per dollar spent. I'm usually just a couple cents higher per fl. Oz. of ethanol. Not that that even matters, I only drink 1-2 beers per day on average. I spend less on beer than any of my BMC drinking friends.

 

[HB_in_Subic]

I like your project. It is really awesome!

For me it was a matter of just getting a better variety and quality of beer that is being locally produced (about the same price as the cost of me to brew it). Also the imports here are usually skunked by poor shipping temperatures.

The hobby is more about doing something with instant rewards.

My bike however... spent at least $20,000 in the last 5 years for it plus all of the mods that I have done to it. The beer, maybe $1000 per year so far.

 

[Billy-Klubb]

"You must really like beer to spend that much on brewing."

Has anyone else heard similar statements?

I'm building a Brew Pub in my garage and when I talk to friends, acquaintances, people at work, eventually I get the "wow you must really..." and there is a little bit of incredulousness to the statement. meaning why would anyone spend $6000+ on brewing.

Really?? I can hand out any of the following responses:

"How much was your 4x4 truck? Almost all 4x4 are recreational vehicles and not necessary for a family. (I've owned 2x Land Cruisers, 1x CJ7, and still have a 42' Willy's)."

What about your gun collection?
How many quads do you have?
Got a bass boat?
You golf every weekend?

Us brewers are not even in the same dollar league as some hobbies, but we still get "you spent how much, you must really like beer ?"

I'm not condemning their hobbies, how come they condemn mine?

I used to hear that all the time and also in regards to the quantity (usually 5 gallons) made at a time. and I'd usually drop down on their hobbies. where we used to live in WY, Campbell/Crook counties, there was a lot of oil/coal/methane money. far too many people were payment poor from all the toys and such. jet-skis, quads, big red Fords, guns (at least 3 in every cal.), cowboy hat & boot collections, boats, snowmobiles, etc. and not just the moderately priced range either, but the most expensive stuff they could find. and then the "man cave" garage built next to their run down '72 single wide trailer with all the fancy beer signs and bar stools. standing there in their $1,000 boots (jeans tucked into the top), $200 belt buckle they didn't win, and the $1,500 cowboy hat slurping down their BMC Light of choice saying crap like, "I just don't see how you can spend EIGHT DOLLARS on a six pack of beer." to which I liked to reply, "I just don't see how you can spend $2,500 just to look like a floccin' moron."

 

[SteveH aka shetc]

I usually respond with a question like "What do you think about someone who likes to bake for a hobby?"

 

[1977Brewer]

You must really love cake. Are you sure you're not Jim Gaffigan?