Homebrewing ascension?

[Caveman3141]

So I'm pretty green as far as brewing goes, though I've been having a blast so far. My first 2 batches were strictly kit brews. Brewer's Best RIS and Holiday Ale - both turned out really well and are currently conditioning. The RIS is drinkable now (left primary about 6 weeks ago) but the holiday ale has a while left.

I stepped up my game for my third batch by coming up with my own recipe (very simple Bavarian weissbier recipe - 66% Bavarian wheat, 33% Munich malt, 1% love and 1oz Hersbrucker hops - very simple but something I can call my own).

I'm stepping up again for my 4 batch - a Belgian tripel - my own recipe plus pitching it with a liquid yeast starter (WLP500).

Now this all seems like an innocent kaizen approach to homebrewing but I can't help but to wonder if I'm wandering blindly down a road towards damnation. I can already kind of feel it. It's just a matter of time before I shell out the money for an AG setup. Then kegs. Then a kegerator. Where will it end? Oh, the humanity! Is there any hope for me?

 

[tre9er]

It never ends. I've told myself countless times (in the whole 9 months I've been brewing) that I needed to completely curb my spending on brewing stuffs...Let's just say I'm glad my wife doesn't know the total dollars I've spent and I have more kettles, fittings, tubing, kegging, etc. equipment than you'd think in this short bit of time. It's nearly all I think about (except sex and football). If you've ever golfed, it's similar. You can't wait to tee off again and make changes, try to better the last "round", etc. It simply never, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever............ends

 

[sweed]

I've done 5 brews, 4 of them I 'made up' my recipes. I say made up, because I looked and searched around at different recipes and formed one that fit in the style. If you go that route, and keep it within the style, you should be fine. I find making my recipes are more fun that trying a kit. I dont see going AG until I get a house, which could be years away from now. Extract still produces some good beers, and that's all I need for now. I def would like to go AG, but that will have to wait as I need to take care of other priorities first.... and other hobbies. Guns can be a costly hobby as well, lol

 

[billl]

Honestly, there is no hope.

The only bit of advice I have is to not go crazy all at once. Pick on thing that would make your brew better/easier/faster etc and try that for a while before adding anything else. That way, you won't waste as much money buying a bunch of shiny stuff you don't use.

 

[tre9er]

And ALWAYS think about scalability. Don't get "just what you need for now" because you'll wish you had skipped that step and went straight to a larger one. You can usually use a larger pot, for instance, for less volume, but can't do the other way around.

 

[Matt3989]

Craigslist had some decent deals on things like kegs and chest freezers.

And we all know brewers tend to be DIYers, so at least you cab always save money (and keep yourself occupied) that way.

After i put my car back together and make some room in the garage, I'll be starting an ebrew AG set up, i figured i can easily occupy myself for 6 months with minimum spending that way.

 

[menerdari]

I can quit brewing any time I want, i really can, I swear I can

 

[grem135]

I can quit brewing any time I want, i really can, I swear I can

Sure you can. The hard part (or impossible part) is convincing yourself you WANT to quit.

 

[ronsky]

It never ends. I've told myself countless times (in the whole 9 months I've been brewing) that I needed to completely curb my spending on brewing stuffs...Let's just say I'm glad my wife doesn't know the total dollars I've spent and I have more kettles, fittings, tubing, kegging, etc. equipment than you'd think in this short bit of time. It's nearly all I think about (except sex and football). If you've ever golfed, it's similar. You can't wait to tee off again and make changes, try to better the last "round", etc. It simply never, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever............ends

I liken it to when I fly fished... I spent oodles on equipment, rods, reels, waders, fly tying equipment, etc... I did the math, and my cost/trout was high. But home brewing my cost/case/bottle is getting closer to a break even point than my fly fishing *ever* did. ::slainté::

 

[JLem]

Just wait until you start start seeing mash tuns and fermentation vessels wherever you go. Sort of like that old tootsie roll commercial ("whatever it is I think I see becomes a tootsie roll to me).

 

[phuff7129]

When will it end? That is the question my SWMBO keeps asking. I am just finishing my second full year of brewing and I now have an all grain set up, got my own grain mill, and I just got my first keg set up. I have a keg that I am converting to a keggle which will be my HLT, and a chest freezer I am converting to a keezer.

Next on the list is working on my water chemistry. Probably need an RO system and a carbon filter. Then on the list is a fermentation chamber. I am also looking for some stainless steel work tables and then one of these days a single tier electric brewing system. Soooo, no end in sight so far.

 

[dadshomebrewing]

It never ends. I've told myself countless times (in the whole 9 months I've been brewing) that I needed to completely curb my spending on brewing stuffs...Let's just say I'm glad my wife doesn't know the total dollars I've spent and I have more kettles, fittings, tubing, kegging, etc. equipment than you'd think in this short bit of time. It's nearly all I think about (except sex and football). If you've ever golfed, it's similar. You can't wait to tee off again and make changes, try to better the last "round", etc. It simply never, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever............ends

i keep telling myself (and my wife) that brewing is cheaper than golf, plus i stay home when i do it.

which only works up to the time when i go golfing, and then come home and brew a batch of beer.

 

[BeerMeThatBeer]

i keep telling myself (and my wife) that brewing is cheaper than golf, plus i stay home when i do it.

I have an all grain brewday coming up. 10 lbs grain, 2 oz hop,1 pack US05. Im thinking $30 or so, for 2 cases of killer homebrew is an unbeatable sales pitch!
Best hobby in the world, by far!
-- beermethatbeer

 

[dadshomebrewing]

I have an all grain brewday coming up. 10 lbs grain, 2 oz hop,1 pack US05. Im thinking $30 or so, for 2 cases of killer homebrew is an unbeatable sales pitch!
Best hobby in the world, by far!
-- beermethatbeer

i'm new yet, but i've brewed a small batch every saturday for 6 weeks, and have them mapped out through thanksgiving.

my sales pitch is that at least she knows where i am.

course, we've been married 34 years, so maybe she would prefer i disappear for a few hours to the golf course