Damn, I love homebrew

[Spicemon1972]

So I've got four extract batches (3 kits and 1 original recipe) under my belt and I don't see myself ever going back to buying beer as opposed to brewing beer. Each time I crack open my IPW or my 6 Malt Amber or my most recent original recipe IPA, I'm blown away by the flavor and freshness. Not to mention the satisfaction in knowing that I made it, cared for it, bottled it and enjoy every part of the process. I know that the next step is AG but at this point, I'm having such fun with extract that I think I will play around with that kind of brewing for a while before going all in with all grain.
I want to say thanks to everyone on HBT for your help, advice and free sharing of experience and knowledge. As a relative rookie, between Palmer, Papazian and HBT, I have all the resources I could ever want to make great homebrew.
Time to open up Beersmith and work up my next recipe.
Thanks again!

 

[iambeer]

So I've got four extract batches (3 kits and 1 original recipe) under my belt and I don't see myself ever going back to buying beer as opposed to brewing beer. Each time I crack open my IPW or my 6 Malt Amber or my most recent original recipe IPA, I'm blown away by the flavor and freshness. Not to mention the satisfaction in knowing that I made it, cared for it, bottled it and enjoy every part of the process. I know that the next step is AG but at this point, I'm having such fun with extract that I think I will play around with that kind of brewing for a while before going all in with all grain.
I want to say thanks to everyone on HBT for your help, advice and free sharing of experience and knowledge. As a relative rookie, between Palmer, Papazian and HBT, I have all the resources I could ever want to make great homebrew.
Time to open up Beersmith and work up my next recipe.
Thanks again!

I think you are lucky.. and probably really smart. I have done more than 4 batches and I'm still quaffing expensive beer. I don't see my beer getting nearly as good anytime soon (well maybe by 2013).... By the way, love the milk and cheese graphic.

 

[Revvy]

*Laughs uproarioulsy* Ah, the naivety of the new brewer...

I probably spend MORE on commercial micros of an expensive nature since I started homebrewing....it's called research.

Especially hanging out on here, you read about so many interesting beers that you just have to try. You want to brew a new style, so you have to try a bunch of different versions. You want to make a clone of something so you have to keep buying to try to nail it. You have a full pipeling, with 3-4 beers drinkable, but you just happen to be in the mood for a double chocolate bourbon jalapeno porter, so you drop 12 bucks for a bomber of it.

When you start brewing your beery horizons broaden so much, you really can't escape buying beer.

 

[iambeer]

I probably spend MORE on commercial micros of an expensive nature since I started homebrewing....it's called research.

...

When you start brewing your beery horizons broaden so much, you really can't escape buying beer.

Thanks for writing that. Homebrewing has given me a sky-higher appreciation of craft breweries. It has so far been the highest expense of my homebrewing hobby. And I love to research. :cross:

 

[CadillacAndy]

*Laughs uproarioulsy* Ah, the naivety of the new brewer...

I probably spend MORE on commercial micros of an expensive nature since I started homebrewing....it's called research.

...

When you start brewing your beery horizons broaden so much, you really can't escape buying beer.

Amen to that Revvy. I'm in Western Pennsylvania, so I'm limited to the few and far between bars that have lots of bottles and beer distributors where I have to buy a full case. I easily spend as much on commercial as I do on homebrew.

 

[KettleCorn]

I like my brew too, very fun and of my havorite hobbies.
Try a partial before an AG... I like the partial and can do it in a 16Q pot - on the kitchen stove...
I sparge in a 9qt. Its tight but very do-able... Mayeb you already do all this... Ha!
Fun Stuff

+1 on the research

My next item on the "research agenda" is a Malhuer 12, it's $12 for ~22oz or so... Dang... for 2x the cost of that I can homebrew ~20x the beer.
But, RESEARCH!!! .. All in the name of science

Cheers

 

[Spicemon1972]

Don't get me wrong, I love doing research - been doing it for a long time. :smiling sheepishly: however I find myself reaching for mine and my neighbor's homebrews much more often than commercial brews.
I also have a greater appreciation for well done craft brews but on the flip side I am also much more critical of beer than I was in the past.
Either way, and whether Benjamin Franklin said it or not is inconsequential, Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy.
That and my wife's sausage gumbo.

Cheers!

 

[LazyEye]

I agree with you on homebrew training the taste buds. I even became more critical with food. Home brew keeps me from buying high volumes of commercial brews. Nowadays I buy less, but more expensive bottles to get a feel for what new styles I brew should taste like. I remember my first bittle of chimay and karmelite, and recently Russian River consecration

 

[Silentnoiz]

Right on! I love my homebrew, and knowing that I made it. I also love buying and cellaring beer too. So basically, I'm screwed.

I've always been able to convince SWMBO to "let" me buy certain beers I run across (such as 4 bottles of Samuel Adams Utopias vintage 2003, in Ireland of all places) because I could sell them for more than I bought them for. But SWMBO is smart, and has caught on to my scheme, likely because I have never sold any of the beers I've bought.

 

[passedpawn]

I remember ... and recently Russian River consecration

I've always been able to convince SWMBO to "let" me buy certain beers I run across ... because I could sell them for more than I bought them for

That's funny. My wife freaked when I bought a case of consecration in Philly a couple of years ago. I told her I would sell them at my homebrew club. Truth, I gave one away in the club raffle, and most of them are still in my house. I'm sure she's on to my BS. That's why I love my wife.

 

[Peppers16]

I probably spend MORE on commercial micros of an expensive nature since I started homebrewing....it's called research.

I home brew with the aim of providing as much of my own drink as possible. But what actually seems to happen is I spend a lot more on bottles of nice ale instead of multipack cans of cheap lager!

Love the post though spice, I agree. Wish I'd discovered HB much earlier!

 

[user 115818]

Funny thing, I buy more beer since I started brewing my own. Seriously, I need the bottles!