homebrewdad
Well-Known Member
I was recently contacted by another homebrewer here in the Birmingham, Alabama area who had seen me here on HBT, had read my blog, and wanted to know if I would be interested in a bottle swap.
Yes. Yes, I would. We will be meeting today.
He is apparently bringing three or four different beers, even though he knows that I only have one of my own currently ready for consumption. I feel a little odd, like that's not a fair trade, but I can see where he is coming from, too - he wants honest feedback from another brewer (as opposed to from friends who are hesitant to say anything but praise in fear of losing out on free beer), and isn't worried about a trade ratio as much as he is getting that feedback.
One very cool thing about this is that he is bringing at least two styles that I am unfamiliar with (a dunkel and an altbier), so I'll get a chance to broaden my horizons with free beer!
I have to admit that I am pretty nervous. The beer I am offering (Yorkshire square brown ale) is from my very first batch. I think that it is quite good - but it's not perfect. My neighbor (a professed BMC guy who "doesn't like dark beer"... and a guy that doesn't really like me, personally) told me that he enjoyed the beer and would love to have more. A friend who is a craft brew drinker also told me that it was good... but see the above comment about friends and free beer.
Ah, well. I guess that the only thing to so is to just go with it. Enjoy this guy's beer, give him honest feedback, and try to make use of the feedback he gives me, right?
Yes. Yes, I would. We will be meeting today.
He is apparently bringing three or four different beers, even though he knows that I only have one of my own currently ready for consumption. I feel a little odd, like that's not a fair trade, but I can see where he is coming from, too - he wants honest feedback from another brewer (as opposed to from friends who are hesitant to say anything but praise in fear of losing out on free beer), and isn't worried about a trade ratio as much as he is getting that feedback.
One very cool thing about this is that he is bringing at least two styles that I am unfamiliar with (a dunkel and an altbier), so I'll get a chance to broaden my horizons with free beer!
I have to admit that I am pretty nervous. The beer I am offering (Yorkshire square brown ale) is from my very first batch. I think that it is quite good - but it's not perfect. My neighbor (a professed BMC guy who "doesn't like dark beer"... and a guy that doesn't really like me, personally) told me that he enjoyed the beer and would love to have more. A friend who is a craft brew drinker also told me that it was good... but see the above comment about friends and free beer.
Ah, well. I guess that the only thing to so is to just go with it. Enjoy this guy's beer, give him honest feedback, and try to make use of the feedback he gives me, right?