Can we be a little more accepting of our differences?

[darkbright]

The ONLY person I would ever pay attention to when it comes to how much money I spend on my hobbies is my wife. However, she thinks the things I buy are 25% or their true cost.

 

[The-Engineer-That-Brews]

25% of their true cost.

Much like her shoes, possibly?

 

[Hazelwood Brewery]

The ONLY person I would ever pay attention to when it comes to how much money I spend on my hobbies is my wife. However, she thinks the things I buy are 25% or their true cost.

Nah, she knows that. What you don’t know is that she has 3 other husbands

 

[An Ankoù]

We all brew in different ways, on different budgets, using different equipment for reasons that suit us as individual brewers. Particularly when it comes to new brewers, I feel we have a duty not to simply imply our way is best and everyone else is silly, but to provide information which can be used by the person inquiring to make the choice that fits their requirements profile (as in, time, space, budget, desired result). I have found myself of late feeling like if I even mention I just bought a Brewzilla, that I have to justify my reason for it before someone comes back and says something along the lines of "What a waste of money, my setup cost £50 and I make great beer". The same goes for process preferences. For example, some use liquid yeast and love it, some prefer dry for different reasons. Some like to whirlpool, others don't. Some use tap water, some bottled, some RO.

I don't read all the threads and I haven't been around as some of the old boys and girls, but from the short time I've been on the forum, I have to say I don't recognise what the OP is saying. I don't recall reading about other brewer's methods being rubbished. When a newbie asks for advice, we give the best advice we can: all in one brewers give their advice, three-vessel brewers give their side of the story as do the BIAB lads and lasses chip in their advice. this will lead to conflicting suggestions on a thread and the newbie has to weigh up the pros and cons and decide which way to go. I've seen a lot of arguments against bottling in PETs recently, but no one has been rubbished for doing so. I haven't come across anyone saying buying a Brewzilla is a waste of money either- although it may be in a thread I haven't read.
Nope, I don't get it. And while we're at it, don't buy a bread machine to make your dough, get your sleeves rolled up, my lad, and get stuck in there up to the armpits. Is that rubbishing bread machines and their owners?

 

[Cheshire Cat]

Look I've brewed beer in a cardboard box on the fast lane of the M6 for 30 years and made better beer than all these so called all in one systems.

 

[devexwarrior]

Agree, but saying that this forum is better behaved than some others.

Just mentioning you have a Tilt hydrometer on some forums usually starts the ball rolling.

I had to google 'tilt hydrometer'....'OW MUCH? as my sainted Sheffield grandmother would have said.

 

[Clint]

What you need is a three vessel system that decants straight through a great big bag into your top of the range brew tools shiny stuff and brew a Woodfords Wherry with an extra 50g hop addition.
Then...pop off to Currys,buy a £1000 Miele fridge (or the best they got) bring it home and drill holes through it in your garage. Buy a load of cheap taps and stuff off Alibongo that have odd size threads,the plate comes off and leak (I told you so) and a regulator that looks exactly like the one from Malt Miller or Kegland to dispense your full bottle of food safe c02 all over your garage floor over night...
Once you've mastered all of that....post us a picture. We love pictures.

 

[Paul Roberts]

Well said OP

 

[The-Engineer-That-Brews]

What you need is a three vessel system that decants straight through a great big bag into your top of the range brew tools shiny stuff and brew a Woodfords Wherry with an extra 50g hop addition.
Then...pop off to Currys,buy a £1000 Miele fridge (or the best they got) bring it home and drill holes through it in your garage. Buy a load of cheap taps and stuff off Alibongo that have odd size threads,the plate comes off and leak (I told you so) and a regulator that looks exactly like the one from Malt Miller or Kegland to dispense your full bottle of food safe c02 all over your garage floor over night...
Once you've mastered all of that....post us a picture. We love pictures.

LoL

 

[RichardM]

I am sure that you also found a way to do so that was diplomatic.

Usually, although once I was so appalled by the quality of the work one developer had done that I spoke to his manager to say that I was halting all testing work on it because we were wasting our time testing such awful work.

 

[Rodcx500z]

Na one of these hisense inverter I wish

 

[dad_of_jon]

I have received a lot of helpful advice, both directly and indirectly, on this forum over the past 18 months or so, and I owe a lot to my fellow members for this. It really has helped me out as I have got stuck in to my homebrewing.
I am trying to not be critical of others in the way this comes across - hopefully it shall be taken as wel-meaningl and not upset anyone.

It may be that what I am seeing has always happened (in fact, I am sure it has), but I am just noticing it more. A real bugbear of mine of late has been other people dismissing the experience and preferences of others as though what they're doing is pointless, daft, or a waste of money (or indeed all three). We all brew in different ways, on different budgets, using different equipment for reasons that suit us as individual brewers. Particularly when it comes to new brewers, I feel we have a duty not to simply imply our way is best and everyone else is silly, but to provide information which can be used by the person inquiring to make the choice that fits their requirements profile (as in, time, space, budget, desired result). I have found myself of late feeling like if I even mention I just bought a Brewzilla, that I have to justify my reason for it before someone comes back and says something along the lines of "What a waste of money, my setup cost £50 and I make great beer". The same goes for process preferences. For example, some use liquid yeast and love it, some prefer dry for different reasons. Some like to whirlpool, others don't. Some use tap water, some bottled, some RO.
Some like to bottle exclusively, others like to spend more on kegging? Great, you may have bottled for 30 years and always had great beer. If someone else wants to spend £300 on a keg set-up (I know, I know, it'll always end up more than £300 by the time you've bought 10 more kegs, a maxicooler, a gold-plated beer font...), let them do it, and let them enjoy it without being dismissive of it.

When I was first trained as a software tester, the first thing to learn is that it was not my job to say "this product is not good enough" or "this cannot be released" or "it's rubbish", rather my role was to provide information so that those who needed to make the decision could do so with the information I had provided them.
Similarly in life more generally, some people tend to spend all their money on cars. To me, buying a car is like buying toilet paper - I do it because I have to and I don't get excited by it. That said, just because I am not in to cars, I can see why some poeple are, and why they like to spend their money on them. I don't poo-poo them for it just because I am happy with my £700 '07 plate Vauxhall Astra that gets me from one place to another in a way that suits me.

So in summary, can we please be understanding of our differences and not make eachother out to be weird just because we are all different? (<--Whilst I am talking there about homebrewing, perhaps apply to life too.)

Totally agree, our requirements are usually varied so that would apply to our solutions.

As for cars, I worked out that I spend most time at home (84 per week) , sleep (42 hours p.w), work (37 p.w.) but the next big time eater was driving (16 hours p.w). So I made sure the house is sorted with a good bed and a comfy decent car.

I totally get others have different views that's what makes the world interesting. I love driving and take the car abroad. Others prefer to hop on a plane. ( I do that as well) My brother in law has a new car every 3 years under pcp plans yet I buy outright and keep our cars for 7 years plus. Whilst I end up paying less for car ownership than he does (because of depreciation being greatest in the first few years*) - He gets a new car every 3 years and minimal maintenance costs..

So financially it's not the most efficient to replace every 3 years, that's what he likes - thats what counts.

* - not as much ATM due to the recent chip shortage.

it is great to hear what others are doing and I use others info/experience when it can improve my brewing setup - @Clint - tilting the bottle and touching the bottler valve to touch the side of the neck to reduce headspace is my fav tip.

 

[johncrobinson]

Not having a pop at you dad of jon. Really not but Is that what we have come to,??
Calculating milage like a company accountant.

I remember driving to take my mates and family for nice days out.
Enjoyed by everyone.

To look at the situation now
Seems like great days ahead .

 

[Rodcx500z]

I remember going to the doctors when i was younger with a bad chesty cough, first question do you smoke me yes him you must be very rich me not as rich as you him why me your merc really looks the part, end of conversation

 

[Big_Eight]

I'm new here but all I have to say is relax and have a pint and turn that frown upside down.

 

[dad_of_jon]

Not having a pop at you dad of jon. Really not but Is that what we have come to,??
Calculating milage like a company accountant.

I remember driving to take my mates and family for nice days out.
Enjoyed by everyone.

To look at the situation now
Seems like great days ahead .

No worries JCR,

I live for spreadsheets and if a calculation before a purchase saves me more money to spend of other things - like erm beer I'm up for it.
Calculations told me the truth about whether to buy or pcp a car - as having a new car was every 3 years or so was NOT my prime motivation. Having reliability was.

It also told me to buy the non-hybrid vitara as the money saved in mpg over the hybrid i'd never make back over the big discount for the last of the non-hybrid cars.
Also to buy a cheaper colour laser printer with dearer cartridges cos i'd never make the difference back buying a dearer printer with cheaper cartridges due to low volume printing.

I'd roughly estimate all of these calcs save around a £1000 a year on household expenditure. It wouldn't be so obvious you'd just have a bit less to spend each month if you didn't do the math

ps. I'm getting 1% interest on a 90 day notice account. and 1.54% on a 2 year fixed saver.
I just LOVE numbers

 

[johncrobinson]

I know what you mean about maths,
Just no hiding from hard facts is there.

 

[Little Rock Brewing]

"Lies, damned lies, and statistics"

 

[Clint]

I used to enjoy those meetings I was forced to attend where they show you a graph or chart of how things were.
When it was pay rise time mysteriously the chart went upside down...I did point this out.

 

[johncrobinson]

Well that is true
One of my most difficoult tasks was to sit on a panel deciding who should stay and who should be for the "chop".
These were men and women with families to support