To drink while brewing or not to drink.. That is the question

[thaymond]

One for material collection. (water measuring, milling grains, hops, re-cleaning boil kettle and all brew tools.) one during mash. (90 minutes, which includes bottling the last batch) one during the boil. (also 90 minutes and includes cleaning, hops additions, and yeast prep) and one during cooling and pitching of yeast. So 4 during brew day. Maybe a brew or two after pitching. Since it goes over several hours it's more for enjoyment than results.

 

[MindenMan]

Me?, I'm still too anal about not screwing up. I have used my new burner once, my 40 qt pot once, so I am still working out the small stuff. I don't drink at all between the time I heat my mash water, and the time my wort is cool enough to pitch, after that I may have one. I seldom ever drink three beers in one day, usually between one and two per day, and that isn't everyday. I usually brew by myself, because my ADHD is bad enough to divert my focus, much less a family member asking questions, like my daughter reading over my shoulder right this minute and wanting me to mention her in this post.

Look, if you can pound beers and still brew productively, have at it. Maybe someday, I will be able to also.

 

[snowtires]

Not sure if this was mentioned but on morning brew days I always make a "hot scotchy" with the first runnings. Except I don't have scotch I use rum so I call it a "rum running" and then I have a couple beers.

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[Vigo_Carpathian]

I tell SWMBO that German law requires me to drink while brewing. Over that time span, I've fooled myself to actually believing that. If I brew and don't drink, I feel like I'm committing a sin.

 

[day_trippr]

The OP should have set up a poll - I sure as heck ain't gonna read through the whole thread to keep score

I wait 'til the mission has been accomplished, including cleaning the gear.
The risk of adverse events is significantly attenuated...and the anticipation is worth the wait...

Cheers!

 

[Zoidberg]

I tell SWMBO that German law requires me to drink while brewing. Over that time span, I've fooled myself to actually believing that. If I brew and don't drink, I feel like I'm committing a sin.

Agreed, its an unwritten rule in my home brewery. You may not mash unless you've got a beer in hand.

 

[sandyeggoxj]

IF i drink I will have a beer. But I usually refrain until I am finished. I get too distracted and start missing little things and that increases the chances of screwing up my batch. So, in general, no drinking.

 

[Tryger73]

I enjoy drinking while brewing it is part of the endless and enjoyable process of making the next batch.

 

[Zuljin]

I thought we settled this. If you ain't drinking, you ain't brewing.

 

[IPA-Hole]

I always make a To-Do List for brew day.

#1 always says Have a Home Brew.

It's a rule over here that basically puts me/us in the proper state of mind. Yeah, truth be told, it can and has impacted recipes and timing but, in over 20 years of homebrewing all of my brews have been really good! I can't imagine not partaking......

 

[moreb33rplz]

I've brewed while sick, hungover, and near death. Still had a beer.

 

[troy2000]

i

 

[captjpr]

What would be the point otherwise?

 

[Clef051]

It depends on when I brew. I usually have something, less if I start early. I generally keep the amount down till I'm towards the end though.

 

[cannman]

I usually only make it through 2 beers the entire brew day. There's so much running around, getting the next stage ready etc... I'll only drink until slightly buzzed IF that....A lot of this comes from experience too: I once started a brew day after an afternoon at the local bar for Sunday Football and forgot to mill my grains... t'was a sad day indeed...

 

[Brew_Dude41]

Always have a little something while brewing. Even during a morning brew session I add a little Bailey's to the coffee.
Never buzzed while brewing, but maybe by the end of clean up. ..

 

[RedstoneBrewing]

I usually brew in the early morning and finish around lunch time on the weekends, so that I appease SWMBO. In these situations, I am sometimes a bit hungover from the night before, but otherwise might have a pint or two during the boil or clean up if the brew went smoothly!

 

[serum]

Once I've got the main bulk of the work done I'll tend to congratulate myself with a nice brew. Depends what else is going on though.

 

[OleGoatBrewing]

IF i drink I will have a beer. But I usually refrain until I am finished. I get too distracted and start missing little things and that increases the chances of screwing up my batch. So, in general, no drinking.

Ditto here!


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[mbobhat]

See I always interpreted it as you need to have homebrew to make more homebrew, meaning that as long as your stockpile isn't out the brew gods will smile upon your sacrifice.

drinking, yes if at least one homebrew to split among the crew, is traditional.

Brewing with no homebrew anywhere in the vicinity is a mortal sin

 

[skw]

I brew on saturday mornings. Since I often have to run errands in the afternoon, I never had a drink while brewing. Coffee it is.

 

[thadeus_d3]

I usually start my brewday at 8am on a Saturday, so no drinks for me.

 

[b-boy]

I find myself drinking more when I bottle. I drink a little, but not as much as you'd think. I never drink until the boils starts. Too many ways to screw up before that. If I'm brewing with other people, that pretty much goes out the window.

Bottling is another story. That always gets a little out of hand.

 

[chewse]

I start in the morning and get through the cleaning/sanitizing, milling, heating the strike water, mashing and sparging by noon. Once I get the BK going, I'll open up a beer.

 

[MaddBaggins]

I always wait until the boil kettle is on and the mash tun cleaned out. Unless it's an evening brew, then I pretty much drink from the start.
I always have a large glass of water with me as well. I alternate between the beer and water.

 

[Rev2010]

I drink while brewing, but not a lot, just a sip here and there. I mean, I'm usually busy doing stuff so it's not like I'm sitting around chugging beer. Even during the mash I'm doing stuff like filling the kettle with my sparge water, sanitizing my fermenter, taking my burner outside and hooking it up the the propane tank, etc. So yeah I do, just slowly.


Rev.

 

[Remmy]

Generally have anywhere from 1-3 beers from the start of brew day 'til sparge is done and I get the brew kettle on the burner. Another 2-3 during the boil. And 1-2 after I've cleaned-up all of my equipment and carry my primary into the basement/ferm chamber.

I usually have a good buzz going but am never drunk or get to the point where I forget to add hops at the correct time, drop things, etc. I brewed this past Saturday and had 11 beers in total along with some Macallan 25 after everything was cleaned-up.

If you're at my house for a brew day and don't have a considerable amount of beers, well, I'll kick you out.

I love brew day.

 

[wilserbrewer]

I once started a brew day after an afternoon at the local bar for Sunday Football and forgot to mill my grains... t'was a sad day indeed...

lol
Excellent opportunity to experiment with wet milling.

 

[Reindeer]

I always have a beer or two or three while I'm brewing, preferably a commercial example of something similar to what I'm brewing.

 

[wardens355]

I don't drink in the beginning of the process to keep on point and because its typically early morning. By the end of the brew session (end of boil, cooling, cleaning), I may pop open a beer or three until I am all tidied up, then I pop open a couple more. I don't brew hungover ever because my focus is poor and I feel too prone to bonehead mistakes.

 

[mkyl428]

I usually have a beer or 2, you just have to be careful not to over do it. I usually wait till I'm well into the boil before I crack one open, that way I don't have time to drink too much

 

[Zekk]

I usually will have 1-2 during a brewday. I like to have one during the mash, then I'll have another during the boil. I won't drink while bottling because I feel like I'm always running around like a chicken with its head chopped off. Unless I'm short on bottles, then I have to have a homebrew or two

 

[BeerGrylls]

As much as I would expect to want to drink while brewing, I usually don't, or just maybe have one. I can't stand to be foggy-headed while I'm trying to concentrate on getting everything done. But, I brew alone. Maybe if I had assistance from someone who knew the ropes, I'd be more likely to crack a couple.

 

[bobeer]

If im brewing alone, which is most of the time, i will have a couple beers. Nothing crazy because im over getting hammered alone. If i'm brewing with other folks there then it turns into a tasting party and I'll get a little toasty. The only time i dont drink while brewing is when it's very early but that doesn't happen often at all.

 

[Remmy]

Three imperial stouts deep (Brooklyn, Founder's and Two Roads). Haven't sparged yet. Wish me luck.

 

[Gareth68]

I figure that the brewing gods are similar to the BBQ gods, football gods, and fishing gods.

Powerful pagan deities who demanded offerings of fermented grains to be consumed to ensure success.

I have no proof of this, mind you, but figure one can never be too careful.

 

[jfr1111]

Since most of my brewdays start at 6 AM, and a good portion of them are double brew days, I usually do not drink while brewing.

 

[nthammer]

I usually have a couple before Ive even gotten started, i drink heavily throughout, Im always wasted by the end of it. Thats how i like it. But im young, and from wisconsin

 

[fixitoscar]

i'll have one or 2 , but only after i'm in the boil process. Too much going on before that. Too many beers too soon can throw monkey wrenches into a brew day. I leaned that lesson drinking with a friend on my first few brews.

 

[number40fan]

I usually start early too. I try to keep myself from drinking before lunch. I was waiting for some hops to show up in the mail a couple of days ago, so I didn't start brewing until around 2:00 p.m. Popped a few while watching the boil.