Over the past year my brewing experience has flourished to new heights. I went from a 2-year brewing hiatus to completely rebuilding my brewing system and process within a few months. I went from a minimally active brew club member to an Officer of Education in a new club. And I went from someone who really enjoys the hobby to someone who literally cant go a single day without having my hands involved in the hobby in some manner or another. So what changed over this short period? What stirred up such an obsession in me that made me want to be this involved? Simple, I found my place!
Custom Designed Electric Brewing System
Since I started brewing in December of 2009, I have enjoyed and immersed myself in this hobby. You either fall in love with the process and immerse yourself in the history, or you realize you enjoy good beer but dont enjoy the process of making it. I seemed to fall in the middle though. I really enjoyed the process and the history, but it didnt consume my life.
In late 2012 my wife and I bought a house. We moved in and began to unpack but didnt get far. Out of nowhere I received a job offer 600 miles south that was too good to pass up. We packed up the house and for a year tried to sell the house we just bought. The whole time my brew equipment stayed packed away. I wanted to stay involved with home brewing, but found it near impossible. My homebrew club was 45 minutes away, which made it difficult to attend meetings. Most of the activities took place in the same area, which made it difficult and frustrating to not be able to be involved. I really enjoyed the club which had a great group of guys in which I had learned quite a bit from. It just wasnt a good fit anymore.
Presentations At The HomeBrew Club Meetings
We finally sold the house May of 2014 and got settled in to our new place in June of 2014. At that point I found a new club to join that was 10 minutes from my house. I quickly became involved and was a regular at the monthly meetings and club events. At this point we learned our President and founder was resigning, and also that our BJCP certified judge was moving away so we would need a new Officer of Education as well. After a few months of getting to know the guys in the club, I was asked to step in to the position for Officer of Education. Taking on this role was huge for me since I really enjoyed this aspect of home brewing. Teaching and training is something I have always enjoyed, and this opportunity opened up a new door that I never knew existed.
My main concern was public speaking. This was definitely not a strong point for me. I never presented anything before and would now be responsible for a presentation each meeting. Luckily, it wasnt just me in this position. Another member was interested in this and we decided to tackle it together. Not all the pressure was on me anymore, which was fantastic! Over the next few months I was able to present on a few different topics which appeared to go well. I was given great feedback on my presentations which helped boost my confidence.
Homebrewers Share A Passion For Beer And Brewing
Locally, a new brewery opened up who graciously allows our club to meet there during non-business hours. This brewery has been a shot in the arm for our club and me. They have held competitions for us and allowed the winners to brew on their system and serve their beer on tap. How awesome is that?
The local homebrew store changed ownership and has gone from being marginal at best to one of the best in the area. I speak with them constantly and offer advice when asked. As a consumer with a background in retail I am able to offer a perspective some cant. The new owners have worked with my club in order to promote us and we them. It has been a great relationship!
So, where is your place? If you enjoy home brewing but feel like something is missing, then take a step back and evaluate your situation. Are you in the right place? It could be as simple as finding an online brewing community like HBT or The Beer Borg, or as difficult as establishing a new brew club. What are your strengths? Is your background chemistry or mechanical? Is your palate more refined? Can you pick out more subtle flaws in a beer? (I personally find that difficult and rely on feedback from others, which is extremely important to some!) Find your niche with this hobby, make the effort, and you will find your passion soar higher than you could ever think it would.
Custom Designed Electric Brewing System
Since I started brewing in December of 2009, I have enjoyed and immersed myself in this hobby. You either fall in love with the process and immerse yourself in the history, or you realize you enjoy good beer but dont enjoy the process of making it. I seemed to fall in the middle though. I really enjoyed the process and the history, but it didnt consume my life.
In late 2012 my wife and I bought a house. We moved in and began to unpack but didnt get far. Out of nowhere I received a job offer 600 miles south that was too good to pass up. We packed up the house and for a year tried to sell the house we just bought. The whole time my brew equipment stayed packed away. I wanted to stay involved with home brewing, but found it near impossible. My homebrew club was 45 minutes away, which made it difficult to attend meetings. Most of the activities took place in the same area, which made it difficult and frustrating to not be able to be involved. I really enjoyed the club which had a great group of guys in which I had learned quite a bit from. It just wasnt a good fit anymore.
Presentations At The HomeBrew Club Meetings
We finally sold the house May of 2014 and got settled in to our new place in June of 2014. At that point I found a new club to join that was 10 minutes from my house. I quickly became involved and was a regular at the monthly meetings and club events. At this point we learned our President and founder was resigning, and also that our BJCP certified judge was moving away so we would need a new Officer of Education as well. After a few months of getting to know the guys in the club, I was asked to step in to the position for Officer of Education. Taking on this role was huge for me since I really enjoyed this aspect of home brewing. Teaching and training is something I have always enjoyed, and this opportunity opened up a new door that I never knew existed.
My main concern was public speaking. This was definitely not a strong point for me. I never presented anything before and would now be responsible for a presentation each meeting. Luckily, it wasnt just me in this position. Another member was interested in this and we decided to tackle it together. Not all the pressure was on me anymore, which was fantastic! Over the next few months I was able to present on a few different topics which appeared to go well. I was given great feedback on my presentations which helped boost my confidence.
Homebrewers Share A Passion For Beer And Brewing
Locally, a new brewery opened up who graciously allows our club to meet there during non-business hours. This brewery has been a shot in the arm for our club and me. They have held competitions for us and allowed the winners to brew on their system and serve their beer on tap. How awesome is that?
The local homebrew store changed ownership and has gone from being marginal at best to one of the best in the area. I speak with them constantly and offer advice when asked. As a consumer with a background in retail I am able to offer a perspective some cant. The new owners have worked with my club in order to promote us and we them. It has been a great relationship!
So, where is your place? If you enjoy home brewing but feel like something is missing, then take a step back and evaluate your situation. Are you in the right place? It could be as simple as finding an online brewing community like HBT or The Beer Borg, or as difficult as establishing a new brew club. What are your strengths? Is your background chemistry or mechanical? Is your palate more refined? Can you pick out more subtle flaws in a beer? (I personally find that difficult and rely on feedback from others, which is extremely important to some!) Find your niche with this hobby, make the effort, and you will find your passion soar higher than you could ever think it would.
