That would be an interesting thread. Shout out the year you started.
You have me by at least 15 years.
I think there is more to rise and fall of hobbies than employment.I've watched AHA speculate about what drives the homebrewing market for several years and the biggest correlation they could make is that homebrewing is pretty much directly inverse of the employment rate. When people are employed, they don't mind spending their money on local craft beer. When they are unemployed, they don't mind spending their "vast" spare time watching a pot boil.
Someone has to clean the gutters and kill the bugsSuch is the miracle of women. They keep supporting us, oafs we are. I do not get it.
True enough. The willingness to defer gratification for weeks or months is increasingly rare these days.It takes time to go from grain to glass. That lack of instant gratification might be what keeps some people from getting into the hobby. It doesn't affect those of us already in the hobby, as we have accepted this.
When I share a hb with someone, they seem interested and ask about the process. Quite often, they are surprised to learn that, no, the beer's not ready to drink on brew day. I tell them about fermentation, aging, etc. Then the response is like, "I couldn't stand to wait that long..."
I've brewed 2 batches so far. Neither of them tasted like the craft beers I enjoy at brew pubs or even store-bought, but I will say the second tasted better than the first, so that's encouraging. And I'm also changing my expectations -- if I like the taste, who cares what it does or doesn't resemble? I can celebrate the fact that I created it, and that means something. (And the guys at my poker game say they like it, whether they mean it or not . . . )I only recently started brewing, December 2019 I believe was when I boiled my first one, from a kit someone had bought me the year before as a gift. I'd been a fan of craft beers from a visit to Seattle back in my 20's and had a few friends that brewed inconsistently, but it always seemed like something that was going to take too much time to learn and to do well. A combination of factors, someone gifting me a kit (including the beginner equipment I needed), a change in employment that eventually ended in an early retirement, and to a small extent, the time allowed during the Covid shutdowns all helped me get into the hobby and as importantly to keep going.
I did not get into it earlier because I knew it was going to take an investment of time and focus that I could not devote to it when I was working. I think that requirement may be a big barrier to entry for many people.
Brewing is a craft, as much art as science, and as such it is not something you just pick up and do exceptionally well from the start. That does not mean you can't make some nice brews, but to start getting those "oh man this is really good" beers you have to invest some time learning the details and getting the feel of the process points. If you are a lover of good beer then you know you are going to have to make a commitment of time and focus to get the end result you are looking for. It's great fun, but only for the willing.
The number of people willing to make that sort of time commitment to any craft is always going to be a relatively small percentage of the population. Maybe even smaller when access to whatever the product is, is available elsewhere so fast and easy.
Hmmm, maybe the availability of good beer is a deterrent to homebrewing...
if I like the taste, who cares what it does or doesn't resemble?
I’m close to 15 brews in and the only one I haven’t really liked was the one I had the most hope for, a triple and I probably made my most mistakes there. I can drink it but it’s not a joy. It’s five months old I think and still tastes like someone threw a shot of vodka in it|
This is very true, but there are certain flavors and taste elements that I want in my brews. It's taken a while, but I've started getting some of those results that I can just sit and savor for long while. To get there I had to learn about fermentation temps, a little about water and pH (much room for improvement here), pitching rates, hopping, mitigating oxidation... So many little things that I have improved since my first batches and will likely keep improving over the years.
I suppose I'm lucky, I have not yet made a beer I didn't like..., but I have made some that I didn't love and by brewing some of those likes 3 or 4 times, and tweaking the processes, methods, and ingredients I've turned them into loves.
That to me, is a big part of the fun of homebrewing
COVID might have affected homebrewing in a couple of ways:
-- local HB clubs stopped meeting in person and went online; less rewarding and no opportunity to swap beers
Ah that sucks. Here in south Jersey I’ve only been going to meetings the last 3 months but it seems like 30-50 people easily. Lots of brews to taste and get advice onI joined a local club as soon as I started brewing again. They’ve been around since 1997. At their peak there were about 40 active members. We’re down to less than 10 showing up to every meeting.
Schroedinger's Brew Pot.A watched pot never boils. An unwatched pot boils over…
Same here... this is me before homebrewing:In answer to the thread title.
One head only on this active homebrewer.
Marvellously put! Can I borrow the name for my own?Schroedinger's Brew Pot.
" If you can keep your head whilst all around are losing theirs" why not.Same here... this is me before homebrewing:
View attachment 820651
..And (a picture with my mentor..I'm the one on the left) After becoming a Homebrewer;
View attachment 820652
Marvellously put! Can I borrow the name for my own?
Really? Most of what I see on Craigslist is people claiming that their rusty old crap is "like new" and wanting 90% of retail for it. Of course, that doesn't mean they're getting it.I have been brewing since 08 and enjoy looking online, craigslist and now facebook, at used stuff for sale. It used to be that homebrew equipment held resale value. Now it is hard to give it away
Yes, or at least in Pennsylvania on facebook marketplace.Really? Most of what I see on Craigslist is people claiming that their rusty old crap is "like new" and wanting 90% of retail for it. Of course, that doesn't mean they're getting it.
I think some people (myself included) might be switching from bulky three tier systems to all in one electric systems and are happy to give stuff away just to get it out of the house.Another aspect is to look at used gear prices now vs in the past. I have been brewing since 08 and enjoy looking online, craigslist and now facebook, at used stuff for sale. It used to be that homebrew equipment held resale value. Now it is hard to give it away. Many people quit brewing and want the space that their gear takes. Hopefully the hobby comes back, so we have ingredient suppliers, equipment manufacturers, and places to buy both from.
Yep, my 3 tier in the picture has been replaced with an Anvil 10.5 and I love it.I think some people (myself included) might be switching from bulky three tier systems to all in one electric systems and are happy to give stuff away just to get it out of the house.
I never got to brew on one. I went from a single vessel biab to a Brewzilla 35l. Wouldn't mind going through a brew day on one just to see what it's like, but I wouldn't want to deal with the logistics of having it in my house. AiO is so convenientYep, my 3 tier in the picture has been replaced with an Anvil 10.5 and I love it.
For $999, find out, neighbor.I never got to brew on one. I went from a single vessel biab to a Brewzilla 35l. Wouldn't mind going through a brew day on one just to see what it's like, but I wouldn't want to deal with the logistics of having it in my house. AiO is so convenient
Why are you trying make me a liar? LmaoFor $999, find out, neighbor.
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/thread...ech-rims-pump-chiller-stainless-glory.726292/
Enter your email address to join: