Did you develop other tastes by homebrewing?

[cluckk]

I never liked wine or whiskey until I started homebrewing about ten years ago. Studying the history, process and profile of various fermented beverages got me interested. I found that the tastes developed through trying many styles of beer also helped me appreciate these other beverages. I have come to truly appreciate wine and whiskey. For wine I really like full, rich reds and for whiskeys I truly enjoy various Scotches and Bourbons. As I write this I'm enjoying a nice glass of Bulleit Rye whiskey.

 

[Thunder_Chicken]

I think brewing beer at home has caused me to actually taste and experience beer (homebrew and commercial) in a much more specific way. Before I homebrewed, beer was either 'good' or 'bad'. Now I am learning details about the styles; I can even pick out certain hop flavors in brews. I appreciate what it takes to make certain styles - some are much harder than others.

I am starting to explore wines now. I've thrown together several batches of Ed Wort's apfelwein because it is dirt cheap, simple, and good (really a cider I think, but wine-like). I am also experimenting with meads (my wife doesn't like many wines but she likes a moderately sweet mead). I am not a wine connoisseur by any stretch, but I do enjoy dry Reislings and Merlots and I think that may be my next big endeavor, to make a really nice grape wine.

Beer brewing rewards patience with good beer, and winemaking even more so. Starting out as an impatient newbie, a few weeks can seem like forever. When you learn that maybe a couple of months might be better, your mindset changes. When you can master the patience to be willing to make a product that may take years to mature, I think that is a good thing. We live in a world where people expect 24/7 instant gratification. It's easier to be patient with many things (even people) when you can accept that good things come to those who wait.

 

[Cyclman]

Not exactly what you're intending, but I just did my first co-brew-smoke day. I figured I'm outside for most of the day AG brewing, so why not get a smoker and make some BBQ simultaneously. Worked awesome. Aside from the time investment, it's cheaper than going out for BBQ all the time, so now I'm leveraging my brew days.

 

[HopHoarder]

Ah Bulleit Rye Whiskey; very nice. For me since homebrewing, I pay more attention to commercially made craft beer and thnik about how it is made. I'd say with homebrewing I've gravitated more towards hoppy IPAs; especially doing hop bursts and hopstands.

 

[Zuljin]

Not just booze, but other foods. Mushrooms. It used to be I would eat something with mushrooms in it. That's fine. But I wouldn't use them as an ingredient myself. Now I'll grill a portabella to eat as a side. I blame stouts and porters.

 

[Thunder_Chicken]

The food pairings forum on HBT is fabulous. People tend to get into ruts about what the put in their mouths. You can't really live on bologna sanwiches on white bread every day. There is so much to experience out there!

 

[cluckk]

I have to say my food tastes have developed as well. Though I have always been willing to try everything once, I have gotten more into picking out the flavors, and textures of what I eat. Now when I experiment with a new food I try to figure out where each part of the experience came from--ingredient or technique.

BTW, I cannot recommend the Bulleit Rye enough. It is excellent.

 

[Billy-Klubb]

I wouldn't say developed, but refined. I've always had "expensive" tastes for a kid from the trailer park, but after I started brewing they got a little more "expensive".

 

[Beernik]

It's improved my cooking. I'm better at thinking about ingredients and imagining how the flavors will blend together when cooked.

 

[PanzerBanana]

My interests deepened the more I got into beer history and traditional brews. If anything I've become more of a purist with other spirits.

Experimentation has always been par for the course with beer. With spirits I don't like a lot of fiddling about.

So I'm a single malt scotch guy. I like some blended, but they'll always lose out if I have a choice. Top two favorite Islay and Speyside.

Don't much go for whiskeys for the simple fact that "filler" grains find their way into the mash. What bugs me is the fact there was a point in time that whiskey was barley only. So I just stick with scotch because single male whiskeys cost more on average and taste like scotch. Just less peat smoke.

I did finally track down a "rye". I love rye beer so I had to try rye whiskey. It was really good. But I don't know if it was single-malt. Tried it before I dove into some research. "Rye" has to contain at least 51% rye malt so the rest can be anything. And distillers are WAY behind the increasing and renewed interest in ryes. Single-malt anyway.

 

[TxBrew]

Beards, but that's about it.

 

[cluckk]

So I'm a single malt scotch guy. I like some blended, but they'll always lose out if I have a choice. Top two favorite Islay and Speyside.

My go to varieties of Scotch are Laphraoig, Glenfiddich and Balvenie, depending on my mood.

Yet, I've also developed a taste for Bourbon.

 

[phenry]

Not sure if they're linked, but since I started homebrewing I've also moved towards eating a lot healthier.

 

[Homercidal]

I've learned to drink a little hard liquor without dying. I can appreciate a bourbon somewhat, probably from some of the bourbon stouts I've tried.

My experience with food and cooking has taken a big bump over the years and there is plenty more to try before I die.

 

[Sacdan]

I have grown to like Whiskey a lot more. I also have really gotten into Charcuterie.

 

[drainbamage]

As I started getting more experimental with drinking craft/HB beer, I sort of simultaneously developed a taste for coffee as well as stouts and other "roasty" beers. I couldn't stand either for the longest time, then all of a sudden, both started tasting good. Of course, around the same time, I was also working a stressful job with a long commute, which probably had an influence on both.

I have to say my food tastes have developed as well. Though I have always been willing to try everything once, I have gotten more into picking out the flavors, and textures of what I eat. Now when I experiment with a new food I try to figure out where each part of the experience came from--ingredient or technique.

BTW, I cannot recommend the Bulleit Rye enough. It is excellent.

I've experienced this too. I was an adventurous eater before, but now I can find myself picking out individual spices and other flavors in foods.

+1 on Bulleit Rye, and bourbon in general.

 

[hoppyhoppyhippo]

Haven't really changed my tastes too much outside of normal evolution. I"ve liked scotch for 4 years. Wine I'm working on but I just prefer beer anyway so I typically stick to beer.

 

[InLimbo]

It's sharpened my palate in general towards both food and drink. I'm not a big wine or liquor guy, but I found myself looking for flavors in the premium tequilas and/or wines that my family like to drink--automatically. Same thing with foods. Whether I'm making an omelette for my girlfriend, or making fresh hummus, and ESPECIALLY with fresh produce. It's been great, but also sad because I have little patience for anything that is not fresh, in season, or well made!

 

[nDub]

Bread and Sauerkraut. Just made my first sourdough loaf last night! I eat sauerkraut by the forkful now. I think I like making things that are a process like beer/bread/sauerkraut.

 

[cluckk]

Bread and Sauerkraut. Just made my first sourdough loaf last night! I eat sauerkraut by the forkful now. I think I like making things that are a process like beer/bread/sauerkraut.

One of my favorites is a panini with Italian bread, quality roast beef, Dijon and sauerkraut. It is wonderful! And not to overlook the fact that it causes my daughter to really make a funny face.

I've also started liking stronger cheeses--blue cheese, etc. I've come to appreciate not only the flavors but the natural processes that go into making a quality product.

Beer has also started to change my wife's tastes. She used to prefer BMC (which she'd drink with a straw) and very sweet white wines. She really loves quality beer and is starting to appreciate reds--still turns her nose up at the whiskey though, unless mixed with coke. One time I had a nice bottle of Glenfiddich that was disappearing too fast. I found out she was adding it to coke. Let's just say we had a nice long talk.