I've come to a realization

[wilson42203]

I came to the realization today that I like brewing beer more than I like drinking it. I mean a LOT more. I think it must be the satisfaction of making something from scratch, but if I make anything bigger than a 3-gallon batch, I start to get a lot of excess supply. That's a problem when SWMBO puts a limit on the number of empty bottles around the house.

Don't get me wrong, I love a refreshing brew after work, but the making of the beverages is outpacing the consumption.

Does anyone else have this problem?

 

[wardens355]

Yup. I have people over whenever I can and am going to start having a happy hour for some folks at work. Also trying to get a poker game going one night a week to spread the homebrew around.

 

[kev211]

Luckily I have two things going for me... Friends and coworkers who love to drink, and a SWMBO who is very understanding and forgiving (and also loves beer). I love brewing as much as drinking it, but I just think that the amount I brew, I can't possibly consume all of it in a timely manner. So I totally see where you're coming from. You could always send your beers that you're trying to off to friendly hbt member s

 

[b-boy]

yup. Find some thirsty friends. I throw a big party every summer for about 45 people. I generally burn through about 5 cornys.

 

[kev211]

yup. Find some thirsty friends. I throw a big party every summer for about 45 people. I generally burn through about 5 cornys.

That's my kind of party. When I got engaged our friends threw us an engagement party and we killed a half barrel keg of lagunitas IPA, ballast point sculpin, and some other keg I can't remember haha. Only for about 100 people. So I agree, thirsty friends is good

 

[donovanlambright]

I still like drinking beer as much as making it but my drinking has gone way down of late. Partly because the cold weather cuts down the "hanging out in the garage with the neighborhood homebrewers" drinking. Also because I'm on a new diet/exercise program and beer is a lot of calories.

There are four other homebrewers in the neighborhood and one at work. I share some brew with all of them, which helps cut the supply down. Of course, they reciprocate with their own brews, which doesn't help with the too much beer problem. It's a good problem to have.

 

[bobeer]

I wish i had this issue. I enjoy making beer as much as i like drinking it. If I run into an oversupply i bring a few growlers over to friends houses or have a spades night and it all usually gets drunk. The cold weather calls for higher gravity beers so they last for a bit longer but i rarely have oversupply problems.

 

[bford]

Well I have to lose some weight.... so my consumption is going to go down for the next three to four months...


I'm going to give a lot of my bottles away at Christmas to friends and family who like beer......


So that will help for a little while.

 

[sompls]

I came to the realization today that I like brewing beer more than I like drinking it. I mean a LOT more. I think it must be the satisfaction of making something from scratch, but if I make anything bigger than a 3-gallon batch, I start to get a lot of excess supply. That's a problem when SWMBO puts a limit on the number of empty bottles around the house.

Don't get me wrong, I love a refreshing brew after work, but the making of the beverages is outpacing the consumption.

Does anyone else have this problem?

That's me to a "T"...started with your basic 5 gal set up(extract and then partial mash) and after a year or so discovered I like brewing way more than drinking! Made the switch to 2 1/2 -3 gal BIAB and end up getting about a case per batch. I've really focused on my process and making the best beer I can rather than just banging out something to drink...and I can experiment more, my beer is way better and it works for me. I often look at upgrading or adding but honestly, I couldn't be happier with my setup don't see changing anytime soon.

 

[Bassman2003]

This is why I have always brewed 5 gallon batches. I have three kegs so I have variety and it usually takes me 2-3 months to drain them down. So I brew about 6-8 times a year. It is just me drinking most of the time and I usually only have one a night. Very rewarding hobby imho.

 

[SupervisingChildren]

I sometimes struggle to keep up with the demand. Trying to brew more frequently to build up a good pipeline. Since you have the opposite problem, why not try doing some stlyes that age well or need time to develop, like a RIS, brett or sour?

 

[chawn]

I came to the realization today that I like brewing beer more than I like drinking it. I mean a LOT more. I think it must be the satisfaction of making something from scratch, but if I make anything bigger than a 3-gallon batch, I start to get a lot of excess supply. That's a problem when SWMBO puts a limit on the number of empty bottles around the house.

Don't get me wrong, I love a refreshing brew after work, but the making of the beverages is outpacing the consumption.

Does anyone else have this problem?

I have the opposite problem. I really enjoy the entire brewing process. Strangely enough, I raised 3 kids without cooking at all. A few years ago I was given a meat smoker and got good at it. Natural evolution was to start brewing. I'm still perfecting the process, but the beer I make is a big hit with friends and associates. I drink 4-6 beers a week and can't keep up with demand.

 

[Wrangled13]

I have never had a "too much beer" problem. I honestly didn't know such a problem existed

 

[beersk]

I think about going back to smaller batches sometimes. I used to brew 4 gallon batches, but recently stepped up to 6-7 gallons. I get a full keg and a 12 pack or so of bottles out of each batch for the archive. But it's really the same amount of work for 3 gallons more beer and I can give offer pints whenever and not feel like I have to ration what's on tap. I brew every 2 weeks, which isn't quite enough, but it's been good enough. I guess if I had smaller kegs, I could brew 3-4 times a month, but I like what I'm doing now, so don't really want to change it up.

 

[b-boy]

I sometimes struggle to keep up with the demand. Trying to brew more frequently to build up a good pipeline. Since you have the opposite problem, why not try doing some stlyes that age well or need time to develop, like a RIS, brett or sour?

I've been doing this lately. I've got some RIS and Belgians aging right now.
won't be ready till April/May.

 

[b-boy]

I brew with 2 other people and this helps out with this problem.

They go through their beer a lot faster than I do, so I scale my recipes and they take most of the beer. We split the cost per gallon based on how much you take. If we do 12 gallons, I generally take 3 and they split the rest. It works pretty well.

It allows me to brew more, while still keeping my beer inventories under control.

 

[SupervisingChildren]

I brew with 2 other people and this helps out with this problem.

They go through their beer a lot faster than I do, so I scale my recipes and they take most of the beer. We split the cost per gallon based on how much you take. If we do 12 gallons, I generally take 3 and they split the rest. It works pretty well.

It allows me to brew more, while still keeping my beer inventories under control.

Seems like a good operation.
One of my buddies here splits batches with 2 other guys too, which works when you all have the same beer preferences. I'm sure others like my fiancee's dad would not want to split batches with me based on my preferences though.

 

[grathan]

I've got no time to drink. By the time I can afford to hang out on a beach watching sunsets and sleep in as late as I want I probably will drink even less than I do now given the definite declining consumption rate that seems to have come with age.

I do love to brew. It seems like a lot of work though for just the few beers that I enjoy off the tap before the keg gets old. Wish there was a way to have like fresh 1 gallon batch every week, but with much less effort than I think it would take to have fresh beer every week.

 

[day_trippr]

I have achieved a balance between brew days and consumption - both of which I totally enjoy.

I just did the math, and singly account for 154 gallons per annum.
The Spousal Unit, family, friends and visitors account for the rest of the <cough> 200 gallons.

Gotta love the math...

Cheers!

 

[Fedora]

I came to the realization today that I like brewing beer more than I like drinking it. I mean a LOT more. I think it must be the satisfaction of making something from scratch, but if I make anything bigger than a 3-gallon batch, I start to get a lot of excess supply. That's a problem when SWMBO puts a limit on the number of empty bottles around the house.

Don't get me wrong, I love a refreshing brew after work, but the making of the beverages is outpacing the consumption.

Does anyone else have this problem?

Uh, no. I brew beer because I like to drink beer. I have a hard time keeping up with consumption. I generally work seven days a week. So brewing has to be scheduled in to the evenings. Just kicked a keg of Best Bitter. Brown Ale gets kegged tomorrow. It won't last long. Cheers!

 

[grathan]

Age has to be a consideration. The OP doesn't mention, but pretty sure I can drink anyone my age under the table.

 

[Fedora]

Age has to be a consideration. The OP doesn't mention, but pretty sure I can drink anyone my age under the table.

Strong words my friend. How old are you?

 

[wardens355]

Strong words my friend. How old are you?

Maybe he is just short, hence drinking under a table.

 

[wilson42203]

I sometimes struggle to keep up with the demand. Trying to brew more frequently to build up a good pipeline. Since you have the opposite problem, why not try doing some stlyes that age well or need time to develop, like a RIS, brett or sour?

I have been reading up a bit more on sours, since I really do enjoy a good one. I am still trying to get my biab process dialed in tight in my favorite recipes. Once I do that, I will probably jump into sours and bretts. I'm just not sure I trust myself with those yet.

 

[wilson42203]

I am 38, for those who are asking. Yes, it is tougher to put them away than it was ten years ago.

 

[donovanlambright]

Getting older and having kids will certainly curb excessive drinking. It's been years since I've gotten really drunk. And that was on a work trip when my only responsibility was to attend conference sessions for a few days.

 

[HB_in_Subic]

I rarely have an issue with having available bottles. I have a pipeline of 6 batches ready to drink at any given time with 3 in the fermenters. It works out great as I can keep them in the fermenter longer (2-6 weeks) depending on my consumption (and my Aussie, Belgian, Nordic, German, Brit friends). I generally brew now whenever I have enough bottles available. I try to have a Saison always on as it gets better with the longer ferment and doesn't require a Fermentation Chamber (on my back porch in ambient temps of 68F-87F everyday).

Having the pipeline consumption under relative control is a great feeling. No compelling need or rush to bottle and get another batch going. I enjoy the brew days much better as it is a relaxing taking my time type of day. I too have fine tuned my brewing process and the beer has improved. I just did my 32nd batch since March last night.

 

[grathan]

Haha, kinda funny what I posted while drinking last night.. Please disregard.

 

[Yooper]

I drink more beer than I can brew, I think! I brew 10 gallon batches.

I'm getting to where brewing is more of a chore than I'd like it to be. It's one more thing I feel that I "have" to do, to keep us in good beer. I don't enjoy it as much as I used to, but I LOVE making the recipes and calculating the water additions. I just don't like the actual work of brewing all that much anymore.

 

[Black Island Brewer]

Haha, kinda funny what I posted while drinking last night.. Please disregard.

Sounds like you need an alcohol interlock on your keyboard... I'm in the same boat

OP, I'm with you on this one: I love brewing, but can't keep up on the consumption side of things. I can't drink the excess, as I'm required by my work to maintain a healthy weight. I have 1 to 2 beers a day, sometimes 3 if it's a day off, and I like to brew 10-15 gallons a month. So, I give away a good amount, and we throw parties and have small gatherings, often centered around a particular beer. And of course, some gets consumed at my brew club, some is sent into competition, and taken to other social events we attend.

 

[Black Island Brewer]

I drink more beer than I can brew, I think! I brew 10 gallon batches.

I'm getting to where brewing is more of a chore than I'd like it to be. It's one more thing I feel that I "have" to do, to keep us in good beer. I don't enjoy it as much as I used to, but I LOVE making the recipes and calculating the water additions. I just don't like the actual work of brewing all that much anymore.

Sounds like it's time to step up your game to bigger batches, so you can brew less often! Or get the PicoBrew Zymatic...

 

[Yooper]

Sounds like it's time to step up your game to bigger batches, so you can brew less often! Or get the PicoBrew Zymatic...

Ha- I think it's more than the stuff is getting heavier every year. Even with a tippy dump, and now using a bag, 25 pounds of wet grain (which holds another 25 pounds of water) is HEAVY to deal with to the compost. The pumps are a huge help for moving wort and water, at least. If I did 15 or 20 gallon batches, I wouldn't be able to haul the grain. I'm old, darn it!

 

[dyqik]

The love of the process can be expanded to other things - see the cheese subforum, coffee roasting, bread baking, etc...

I brew just about to demand, I only have a couple of batches worth of bottles, and three kegs, with two taps.