Why do you brew your own beer?

[terrym]

Why do you brew your own beer?
Do you (and in no particular order) do it because you
- have time on your hands and want a hobby
- want to experiment with different types of beer and their ingredients
- feel you can brew beer with a quality equal to or better than that down the pub
- want to save money
- had a dad/mum who did it years ago and want to try it for yourself
- were interested after a brewery tour
- want to experiment with a view to a career change
- like your house smelling like a brewery
There will be others.....

 

[Bigjas]

I brew because it's fun. I enjoy every aspect of it, from building boilers and mash tuns, to the actual brewing process itself. I really enjoy trying different beers and this allows me to experiment.

 

[Dads_Ale]

Why do you brew your own beer?
Do you (and in no particular order) do it because you
- have time on your hands and want a hobby: YES
- want to experiment with different types of beer and their ingredients: YES
- feel you can brew beer with a quality equal to or better than that down the pub: YES
- want to save money: NO
- had a dad/mum who did it years ago and want to try it for yourself: NO
- were interested after a brewery tour: NO
- want to experiment with a view to a career change: NO
- like your house smelling like a brewery: YES (rest of family don't though :-()
There will be others.....

 

[strange-steve]

I started because where I live it was nigh impossible to get good beer. Things are changing for the better, but now like Bigjas I love the entire process (apart from bottling) so I would never give it up.

 

[Covrich]

Good question Terry I think people have different reasons and circumstances which is why things like AG isn't always the answer.

It was actually my mum and dad got me a brew kit one xmas a few years ago, they knew I was into my beers and ales and what not and I remember my dad did it when I was an ankle biter.

- have time on your hands and want a hobby: - having free time wasn't the case as I am sure I could fill teh void with other things but yes having a new hobby was great. I do get evenings and days where its just me and or me and teh kids so I get to do AG batches
- want to experiment with different types of beer and their ingredients: Not why when I started out but has became the norm
- feel you can brew beer with a quality equal to or better than that down the pub: Absolutley
- want to save money: Not a primary reason however it certainly is a bonus
- had a dad/mum who did it years ago and want to try it for yourself: My dad did it but this was mid 80s and I cannot say I remember much about it
- were interested after a brewery tour: Never been on one
- want to experiment with a view to a career change: Nope and I never want to consider making it a job as its a hobby.
- like your house smelling like a brewery: YES (rest of family don't though )

 

[JFB]

I started as a bit of a follow on. I love jam making, chutneys using stuff grown from the garden, pickling mushrooms foraged from the forest. So making beer seemed like another string to the bow.
It dose seemed to of turned into much more though. There's just so much to learn about different styles and tastes and the best way to learn about them is to brew them.
It also seems to make you a star at any party where you bring along a crate of different home brews. People seem really interested in the process . Ive two mates who want to do a brew day with me since tasting my beer at a party. So hopefully two more brewers will be born.:thumb:

 

[BeardySi]

I love beer.

The beer I like is mostly expensive (no such thing as cheap real ale on pump in NI).

I enjoy making things, experimenting and doing my own thing.

Ergo I make beer.

The fact that the house regularly smells like a brewery is a happy side effect, as is the fact that the wife likes the smell too!

Sent from my HTC One_M8 using Tapatalk

 

[Sandimas]

I've always enjoyed my beer, and going out to pubs.

A few years ago we lost 3 out of 4 of our parents in a few short years so our options for babysitters were severely diminised, so I thought why not bring the pub to me?

I also love food and was getting fed up of every pub and restaurant turning into a burger joint with little else on offer. I'm a reasonable cook and these days rarely enjoy a pub meal more than my own food, so we now tend to "have a night out, in" so to speak, with some good home-cooked food and homebrewed beer.

 

[marlon]

Why do you brew your own beer?
Do you (and in no particular order) do it because you
- have time on your hands and want a hobby: YES
- want to experiment with different types of beer and their ingredients: YES
- feel you can brew beer with a quality equal to or better than that down the pub: YES
- want to save money: NO
- had a dad/mum who did it years ago and want to try it for yourself: NO
- were interested after a brewery tour: NO
- want to experiment with a view to a career change: NO
- like your house smelling like a brewery: YES (rest of family don't though :-()
There will be others.....

++++1 - ONE..! That's me...precisely. .! .......couldn't have answered terry's questions in any other order:thumb:

 

[Cwrw666]

Well it's rather a long time since I started - I think I was 13 or 14 at the time (I'm 61 now). My parents were near tea-total but my auntie used to make very impressive country wines.
My first attempt was when my mother was making some blueberry pies from tinned blueberries and had a load of juice left over which I nicked and fermented in a jam jar with bakers yeast. Believe it or not it was absolutely gorgeous, certainly better than any of these WOW things made from their watered down boxes of juice.
Why do I brew now? Well it's cheap, better than pub quality and I have an endless supply. I have time to do it, or can make time if needed. And it's very enjoyable work though I'm not sure I'd want to be doing it day in day out, so no microbrewery for me...

 

[Chippy_Tea]

I have added a multiple choice poll to the thread, could members who have already answered the thread please vote, thanks.

.

 

[DoctorMick]

I started because I was bought a 5l all grain starter kit as a gift. I thought it was a bit of a rubbish present at the time but made it, really enjoyed it and I've been hooked since.

 

[geetee]

I used to make kit beers and wine from fruit about 30 year ago but gave up as it had "that taste"
Saw the programme with Neil Morrisey making beer and thought "I can do that" and ever since I have been. being able to make the exact beer that you like is unbeatable.

I also saw a programme about Brian May making his own guitar and thought " I can do that" so I did except 10 years later it still needs painting, although everything else is done!

Trip to Mars ? " I can do that"!

 

[Honk]

I'm another one that used to brew kit beers 25/30 years ago but gave up. I'm not keen on bottled or canned beers at home so had become more of a wine drinker only drinking beer on the rare occasions that I was out at the pub and could get beer on pump.
I picked up some equipment and a wherry kit on a whim whilst visiting wilcos this summer having read that kits had improved but mainly intending to brew wine. It was then that I started to visit this forum and have learnt a lot from it, I have enough wine aging now to see us through the next 12 months but what has really got me excited is the discovery that brewing from grains is not that difficult and the results are as good if not better than what I could get down the pub. I love having draught beer on tap at home and am looking forward to more learning/experimenting/tasting and tweaking of recipes to get the perfect beers for my taste.

 

[LarryF]

I've always loved beer and took this hobby up on a whim, I'd never even met anyone who brewed their own beer but as I researched it I was hooked and when my first brew came in and it worked there was no turning back. Free time I don't have but I can bottle and get next brew on in about 4 1/2 hours and doing that's no hardship once a fortnight. I love tweaking my brews and I can't imagine doing a brew without some sort of addition to it or as many tweaks as I can dream up TBH. The beer I brew is not only better than pub beer but it's a tenth of the price and if I do have a good night on it I find the morning after a lot gentler with HB than it is on pub beers. I dread to think what they're putting in their beers for it to be so punishing the day after. Brewery tour? Not had one but would love to see what the big boys get up to. As for doing this professionally, I'd be worried that it all becomes about money which is strange as I currently try to brew as cheaply as possible out of principle not necessity. I find it strangely satisfying to make a very nice, very drinkable beer for 35p odd a pint. The house smelling like a brewery, yes please, means my brew's kicking off as it should and the family's not too fussed about it. SWMBO and my daughter taste test all my brews for me and they both have quite discerning pallets now, I've actually turned my 21 year old daughter into quite the beer snob.

 

[Budgie]

I first got into brewing when my brother and his wife bought me a kit a few years ago. I did a handful of kits and extract brews then I saw Clibit's famous post which got me into all grain.

I've always been a creative person and I like the idea of creating something from scratch. I also like the fact that you can keep things really simple or get mega complex/scientific. If you want to, there's always something else you can learn about brewing. Everyday's a school day as they say.

 

[Rocksaga]

I started because the thought of experimenting with flavours appealed to me, so got the missis to buy me a starter kit last Christmas. Joined the forum and have built a brew box and brew fridge, started making AG and got some mini kegs and party tap all from the advice. Like to read up and make a few things as well so it's turned out to be an expensive hobby so far - but I don't care because I love brewing. Bottling hasn't been so bad either as I think of the days it will eventually get drunk and it has been easily transported too.

 

[paulmccre]

Could someone point me.in the direction of a newbie guide to all grain please ? 35p for a bottle.of beer sounds really appealing lol

Sent from my SM-N910F using Tapatalk

 

[AlanManley]

For me it was wanting to a) make cheaper (not cheap) beer. b) create my own stamp on beers. c) have a good time.

So far I've hit all of these. Looking forward to doing more creative beers soon.

Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk

 

[MarkBowie]

I love beer. Everything about it interests me so it was a natural progression that was going to happen anyway. Although my wife bought me some kit to start with my Father as it was our retirement plan for him and eventually my plan to retire from my real job. Sadly he's passed away recently before he could try our first batch but I'll be carrying on and I've managed to get my younger brother hooked too.