How often do you brew?

[Buffers brewery]

I have 3 King Kegs and try to time my brewing so I’m drinking one while one is conditioning (in the same fridge) and the I’ll start a brew so the third keg is ready to condition when keg 1 runs dry. Before you ask, I don’t mind drinking 5 gallons of the same beer providing I like it As **** Emery would say

 

[Clint]

A fine reply from Terrym covering the wide aspects of the volume of beverages brewed...food for thought indeed
Except for the "giving it away" bit....which I shudder at and wish no involvement in.

 

[Gingerbrews]

I brew once a week - hot weather has been an issue - lost three beers to over carbonation due to being in a garage which got to over 30c. Now leaving my crates in a north facing room which is 10 degrees lower than the outside and garage so back in business. Next brews are a 1944 recipe for a William Youngers IPA and then maybe a Cashmer/vics secret IPA.

@Lesinge could you post a recipe for the Wm Youngers IPA please

 

[Stephen Cook]

I have something brewing more or less all the time. But, that's because I usually only brew in small amounts (1 gallon demijohns) regularly. So, I usually have one or two on the go at any one time.

I've usually got about half a dozen or so bottles ready to drink sat on the shelf in front of whatever is currently brewing.

Most of the stuff I brew comprises of:

Freeze fractionated kilju (sugar wine) at 20% abv used for fruit juice or cordial mixers.
Freeze fractionated black tea wine at 20% abv.
Freeze fractionated apple jack at 20% abv made from either supermarket juice or from apples when they are in season from my orchard allotment
Ordinary strength black tea wine at 12% abv
Other fruit tea wines at 12% abv and freeze fractionated fruit tea wine at 20% abv
Various wild fruit wines of both 12% and 20% abv ranging from rosehips to brambles whenever they are in season

I usually add raisins to all of the wines (barring kilju and apple jack) to add a bit of body.
I usually add a black-teabag or two to any of the non black-tea wines (barring kilju) to add a bit of tannin.
I usually use lemon juice if I need a bit of acid.
I don't usually wait any time to consume them and so will drink them within weeks or a month or two, at most, before drinking them myself or giving them to friends, neighbours and family.

I would say my consumption levels in my house (my wife and myself) are about 2 bottles of 12% abv wine or 1 bottle of 20% abv freeze fractionated wine per week.

In terms of sweetness, my own preference is usually for bone dry.

I suppose my main reason for freeze fractionation is for stabalising the wine to avoid spoilage. There is a bit of wastage, but it's not as much as one might think and, as can be seen from my list, most of the things I brew are dirt cheap and/or free anyway.

 

[Lesinge]

@Lesinge could you post a recipe for the Wm Youngers IPA please

This is the one for 1944 which is low hopped and low A/C - the other one I have is from 1862 and is called an Export but is hopped up to around 120IBU so I will post that too if you want. Both come from Ron Pattison's website shutupaboutbarclayperkins.

Let's Brew Wednesday - 1944 William Younger IPA Pale

​

About as unlike a modern IPA as you could imagine is the only way I could describe this Younger beer.

The 1938 iteration wasn’t exactly a hoppy beer. This is getting to levels that in England would be considered too low for a Mild Ale. What makes this an IPA then? Because that’s what the brewer called it. That’s my only criteria. With the one exception of Bass Pale Ale.

The gravity has fallen 20% since 1938. Though by 1944 you’d be a happy bunny if you stumbled across a beer this strong. The real FG would have been a few points lower, leaving it a bit over 4% ABV. Younger’s records annoyingly list the cleansing gravity rather than the racking gravity.

The recipe typical of Younger’s for the later war years. Just base malt and flaked barley. They didn’t have any choice about the latter. Everyone had to use it.

Just two types of Kent hops, both from the 1943 crop. But not very many of them. Leaving beer with just 15 (calculated) IBU. Very IPA-like bitterness, there.

1944 William Younger IPA Pale
pale malt	8.25 lb​	64.71%​
flaked barley	4.50 lb​	35.29%​
Fuggles 75 min	0.75 oz​
Fuggles 30 min	0.50 oz​
Goldings dry hops	0.25 oz​
OG	1044​
FG	1015​
ABV	3.84​
Apparent attenuation	65.91%​
IBU	15​
SRM	4​
Mash at	153º F​
Sparge at	160º F​
Boil time	75 minutes
pitching temp	60º F​
Yeast	WLP028 Edinburgh Ale

 

[Lesinge]

Isn't the answer to the OP question based on how much is consumed? I've seen folks post on here that they only drink perhaps two or three bottles a week, yet there will be some who drink most days if not every day, don't stick to just two or three, their partner drinks it too, they entertain, and they give it away as well. And some only brew 5 litre batches whilst some are almost on an industrial scale. All of which means there's a potentially a huge spread of answers.
All I'll say is I tend not to brew much in the summer (no brewfridge) I brew in batches since I re-use yeast, and I try to maintain a carbing and conditioning stock of between about 50 to 90 litres of beer.

I drink too much!

 

[Druss]

I'm averaging at about a gallon a week, I only brew in one gallon batches at a time, I've always got at least one gallon of mead on the go but since getting hugely into AG brewing these last few weeks there's always a lot bubbling away in the corner of my living room.

 

[Jim Brewster]

I've been doing once a week for the past few weeks, 5L batches no temperature control.

Started in June and with so far had a go at a kit, an all grain SMaSH, ginger beer, apple juice cider, a wheat beer and last week a partial extract, to give different things a try.

I've been bottling after 1 week in this hot weather and drink the majority of it within a few weeks although the cider needs time so I'm leaving that to one side.

If I was doing bigger batches it would be less often but I'm in a short term rental so prefer smaller as it's less to move.

 

[MmmBeer]

I usually brew about once a fortnight like many others have said. I now have 2 brew fridges, one a fermentation chamber based around a Husky tabletop fridge and a normal undercounter fridge, used for conditioning and cold crashing.

 

[Cwrw666]

Isn't the answer to the OP question based on how much is consumed? I've seen folks post on here that they only drink perhaps two or three bottles a week, yet there will be some who drink most days if not every day, don't stick to just two or three, their partner drinks it too, they entertain, and they give it away as well. And some only brew 5 litre batches whilst some are almost on an industrial scale. All of which means there's a potentially a huge spread of answers.

Good point Terry.
Almost all the wine I make is consumed by Mrs. Cwrw.
Most of the beer is for my own consumption, but since lockdown she's also been nabbing the odd bottle of beer as well (which mounts up!). Then we also occasionally have folks round for a barbie etc which hits the stocks a bit. None homebrew drinking has plummeted though with the pubs being shut and now they're open again they're full of effin' tourists who all seem to have left their brains at home - so won't be going back there again til the season is over.

 

[foxy]

Once a week usually 21 to 23 litres, my next brew is a tropical stout, but have got cold feet, for three or four days now I have been saying tomorrow, but tomorrow never comes. A 5 to 5.5% bitter/IPA/ESB no problem. After getting Brahms on 8.8% Lion stout I have lost my nerve with the stronger ales, or my right kidney has.

 

[Wherrypuzzled]

Pretty good summation again terrym.

There are so many potential answers based on as you say consumption and storage of finished product(s)

I try NOT to drink every day and like to have 3 or 4 days off but on Fridays we have a Garage party (3 of us) and I get through 9 or 10 pints between self and guests. I do give a lot away but try not to because it means pouring from PBs to Bottles and when poured at destination the beer just looks "wrong"

I have only bottled once since 1978 ish and that was for my next door neighbours upcoming big birthday. 18 Litres of Ad Res - and indeed I would brew more but cannot be a***d to Bottle as its a pain in that part of my anatomy lol

I am snookered at the mo as I have 4 full or partially full PBs and they in truth are in north facing garage but still too warm imo when drunk -I do have a fridge in there as well but after getting a chill haze I have not tried again to see if the beer clears but out of hot weather the garage is perfect

Brewing wise I have a great cupboard in kitchen which in autumn / winter is perfect for fermenting and in normal summer conditions I have a man cave (a room with a TV and a Sofa) which is great for fermenting but in hot weather it gets too hot

So I guess people will all have their foibles - needs - niggles - and consumption so it will be how long is a piece of string I guess

 

[Leon103]

I think on average I brew 6 times a year, 7 if I do a cider. Don't drink much so usually have beer stored for a long time, especially darker beers.

 

[Hazelwood Brewery]

On average one 23 litre batch each week although sometimes several beers run low at the same time because I like to drink a variety - so last week I brewed three 23 litre batches.

At the moment I’m drinking it all myself with the exception of a few bottle swaps.

When we can entertain more freely that will change and I may be brewing more. On VE Day, the last time I shared a few beers, I gave away over 60 pints to my immediate neighbours.

 

[samale]

Once a week usually 21 to 23 litres, my next brew is a tropical stout, but have got cold feet, for three or four days now I have been saying tomorrow, but tomorrow never comes. A 5 to 5.5% bitter/IPA/ESB no problem. After getting Brahms on 8.8% Lion stout I have lost my nerve with the stronger ales, or my right kidney has.

Let me know how you get on. I would be interested in seeing the recipe

 

[Merkin]

Isn't the answer to the OP question based on how much is consumed?

Yes, I agree.
Although I've not long resumed brewing, I'm currently restricted to one brew every couple of weeks due to space constraints. Ideally, this should become weekly to match my, and friends and family, consumption.
Working on it!

 

[AdeDunn]

I drink very very little (3 bottles a month maybe at the moment?) but LOVE brewing! So ideally I like to brew about twice a month, 10-14 litre batches (although 1 of my recent batches I ended up with 9.5 litres into FV...) as I prefer a little and often approach. As said elsewhere, this year I want to try to get a really good handle on paler beers, so various pale ale styles (IPA, pale ale, golden ale), maybe a Saison or two, and I'd like to give an American wheat a go too (wife hated German wheat as doesn't like banana flavour. My Belgian wit was gorgeous, but she's not a fan of yeasty beers either....). Might give smaller beers a go this year too, see if I can nail low ABV without it been watery. Last time I tried was a Grisette that was so bad (Jester hopped, tasted of a mixture of copper pennies and onions....) that it went straight down the drain....

 

[strange-steve]

I think if I brewed every week like some of you I'd quickly get sick of brewing. As it is I brew once a month and by the end of the brewday I'm usually a little fed up and glad it's over. Once a month is enough to keep me well stocked up and still enjoying the hobby.

 

[Galena]

At the moment I am brewing more than I consume by a long way, that's because I am enjoying brewing process, probably because I am only on my 7th brew, but I like the idea of doing small 10 litre batches at the moment and improving them, or brewing a SMASH to familiarise myself with a hop variety, which is what I am doing today, so all in all probably averages about once a week.
This will probably slow down as I get a few stock brews I prefer and brew them in larger batches and wait for bottles to come available. I am going to have to go out and buy some more for now though.

 

[pilgrimhudd]

Every 2 weeks usually, though I don't like to have an empty FV....