After a few weeks forced absence i return to find i'm well impressed with the amount and quality of the members we now have. There are some great threads here. But the best thing is the real friendliness to the forum. You can completely take the **** out of someone in a fun jokey manner and people don't get all defensive or stroppy-they generally poke fun straight back. Which i love. People's opinions are taken as just opinions, not an arguement. I'm the world champion of saying the wrong thing, speaking my mind, being honest, ranting and doubting stuff. I have found that here i'm quite carefull about my daft opinions and take the time to read my posts before i post them. I think that's because i value all the members here and their input, just like you do your friends who you drink with and spend time with and i don't actually wanna **** any of you off. The members here are pretty much the group of people who have enabled me to reach a level of brewing where i can just get on with it and ask questions when i'm really stuck. Whereas on a forum with a **** load of people i don't really care who i **** off, i don't know them, they are just strangers.
The critique on our photo's is a great example. Aleman is obviously a practised photographer. His critique's on my images were great. Yet his style of photography is as far from mine as you can get in photography. No animosity or anything, just some appreciation of anothers work and constructive critisism. Much like each of our input to anothers brewing. There's no 'you gotta do it as cheap as you can' or 'if it ain't shiny your ****' attitude. Just a bunch of like minded brewers enjoying each others techniques, recipes and humour.
I also think that because the majority of brewers here brew AG it helps keep the forum as is. I'm not saying we don't welcome kit brewers, as we do. But i think we may put the real newbies off as there isn't much kit brewing going on. That's a good thing i feel. These guys will scout around till they find the answer they are after. There are many other forums full of advice for them. THBF is more like a social club than a full on brewing forum. It's more relaxed. One or two of the more established brewers take on the more challenging issues and there are some of you who are seriously good brewers with seriously good knowledge. Practical knowledge, experience knowledge. That, in my eyes is absolutely priceless for us 'young un's' in the AG world. But it's all very accesible. You don't join a club or society till you've dabbled around in something and generally decided that you like it and want to take it to the next level. That's where THBF steps in. None of us declare to be experts or pro's. Although i reckon there's a few of you who could well establish yourselves in the brewing industry given the chance. In fact if i was still in the UK i'd probably be willing to help fund you. I know how much difference a 'lifestyle' makes to a persons life compared to a 'job'.
The forum brew is another great example of how friendly and fun the forum is and is a great idea. Even those who, like me, live too far away to realistically send a few bottles of beer. We still get to try out a brew knowing others are doing the same. This must help with brewing confidence and is also great fun.
I also love the fact that as brewing and consuming beer is for ADULTS we can tell dirty jokes and use the odd swearword in our posts without fear of offending. The fact that my Av is of a pornstar with her norks out speaks volumes. Especially as the site admin perv over it more than anyone else. :lol: Oh, except me. :lol: :lol: Perhaps we should have another fancy dress party-i enjoyed the last and i got well plastered. :lol:
Probably waffling a bit now cos i'm a bit ****** and it's late and i've gotta get up early so i don't want to go to bed as i know the second i fall asleep the alarm will go off. I need an excuse to creep outside and get another pint now. Might let the dog out for a wee...
Anyway, i was trying to say-What a bloody great forum. I think Wez, AT and the big V should all be very proud of what you've done. :thumb: :drunk: :
Long may it continue. :
The critique on our photo's is a great example. Aleman is obviously a practised photographer. His critique's on my images were great. Yet his style of photography is as far from mine as you can get in photography. No animosity or anything, just some appreciation of anothers work and constructive critisism. Much like each of our input to anothers brewing. There's no 'you gotta do it as cheap as you can' or 'if it ain't shiny your ****' attitude. Just a bunch of like minded brewers enjoying each others techniques, recipes and humour.
I also think that because the majority of brewers here brew AG it helps keep the forum as is. I'm not saying we don't welcome kit brewers, as we do. But i think we may put the real newbies off as there isn't much kit brewing going on. That's a good thing i feel. These guys will scout around till they find the answer they are after. There are many other forums full of advice for them. THBF is more like a social club than a full on brewing forum. It's more relaxed. One or two of the more established brewers take on the more challenging issues and there are some of you who are seriously good brewers with seriously good knowledge. Practical knowledge, experience knowledge. That, in my eyes is absolutely priceless for us 'young un's' in the AG world. But it's all very accesible. You don't join a club or society till you've dabbled around in something and generally decided that you like it and want to take it to the next level. That's where THBF steps in. None of us declare to be experts or pro's. Although i reckon there's a few of you who could well establish yourselves in the brewing industry given the chance. In fact if i was still in the UK i'd probably be willing to help fund you. I know how much difference a 'lifestyle' makes to a persons life compared to a 'job'.
The forum brew is another great example of how friendly and fun the forum is and is a great idea. Even those who, like me, live too far away to realistically send a few bottles of beer. We still get to try out a brew knowing others are doing the same. This must help with brewing confidence and is also great fun.
I also love the fact that as brewing and consuming beer is for ADULTS we can tell dirty jokes and use the odd swearword in our posts without fear of offending. The fact that my Av is of a pornstar with her norks out speaks volumes. Especially as the site admin perv over it more than anyone else. :lol: Oh, except me. :lol: :lol: Perhaps we should have another fancy dress party-i enjoyed the last and i got well plastered. :lol:
Probably waffling a bit now cos i'm a bit ****** and it's late and i've gotta get up early so i don't want to go to bed as i know the second i fall asleep the alarm will go off. I need an excuse to creep outside and get another pint now. Might let the dog out for a wee...
Anyway, i was trying to say-What a bloody great forum. I think Wez, AT and the big V should all be very proud of what you've done. :thumb: :drunk: :
Long may it continue. :
