Why Do You Do Home Brew?

[Darren Andrews (Daza)]

hey guys many of you may not know me yet but I am just embarking on this new challenging journey and right at the starting blocks. I have purchased 'How To Brew' book considered the bible around these parts. I am looking at seriously jumping in the deep end with both feet. I think I am going to start with a BIAB concept as this looks do-able. I have know other idea on how any other process in done anyway, so to my current knowledge the BIAB idea is the only way I have even looked at, and wanting to brew my own beer from All-Grain. I am learning a lot everyday, and it is starting to sink in. back to my opening question...Why do you home brew? Is it a cost saver a hobby or something else? I can tell you for me I am wanting, like many, many others start my own Micro-Brewery or work in one for more experience first and thought I'd start buy doing it myself first. a dream for many and with no current experience I have a long way to go but am driven. please enlighten me to why you do what you do?

Cheers

Daza. 

[Peter Smith]

In case prohibition comes back in ?

[NZHomebrewer]

Hi daza, 

I brew(ed) because when we came from Germany to NZ I was shocked. I almost didn't unpack my suitcase and went straight back home. Sorry that's exaggerated - slightly. But seriously, in the beginning we were never really happy with what was available. That was in the beginning of 2000. There wasn't much available in the craft beer area back then. And we weren't exactly "affluent" very much. So spending our money on Montheith and Macs didn't make us very happy either. Our first landlord in NZ brought me into home brewing. His brews were "drinkable", his spirits were "uurgghh". From kit brewing I got into all grain and never looked back. 

But I want to tell you another story which might interest you. As Germans we also suffered under those things they describe as "breads" here in New Zealand. It is just a different culture. We made our own bread back in Germany and I had many friends - and still have who were professional bakers. Here in NZ we make most of our bread at home. Now I am originally an IT professional. Worked as a developer in Germany and NZ. I moved to Kaitaia and worked home office. Great! But then in 2013 I lost my job. They made 29,000 redundant world wide. Now anyone who ever set foot into Kaitaia knows that there are no IT jobs up here. Nada, zip, null. We have several other incomes but needed some on top of it. I had a commercial kitchen from another venture available so - what the heck - I started baking and selling bread at the farmer's market. I used our trusted old smeg oven and bought a dough mixer on TradeMe. The rest is history as they say. I was sold out from day one. The bakery now provides the biggest part of our income. And I was never happier in my work.  

Of course this isn't representative or anything. The lessons it taught me were:

• There is always a way, you just have to make the first step. 
• People love good quality products. 
• Farmer's markets are a great way to sell. We have a guy who sells Belgium beer at the market where I am now. The market provides the most direct contact to your customers. 
• Follow your dreams. But wake up every now and then and check reality. 
• Work WITH the authorities. Don't see them as "the others". They usually are a great help. But contact them as early as possible.
• and remember you have to pay taxes ;)

Sorry if I sound like my own grandfather. Seriously, when I started the bakery I thought "Why don't other people do something like this?" There are so many people with skills and maybe some product others want to have and are willing to pay for. On the other side you also need to be willing to give up on your adventure should you find out it just wouldn't work. Hold on to your dreams but let go of them if they prove to be impossible. The worst thing is to hold on to them for too long. Be realistic. Or get someone in who can be realistic. 

Hope that helps (or at least was entertaining)

Cheers

Peter

[Darren Andrews (Daza)]

Thanks Peter yeah if nothing eventuates at least I'll have a heap of nice craft beer to drink!! Cheers

[Grant R Baker]

Too easy... back in the 90's my favourite beer of the time, Macs, sold out and the beer turned to shet... then it happened again many years later with Monteiths... and the wife went oh feck this (I'm not listening to him bitching about it again) and brought me my first homebrew kit.

Been 7 years of brewing a slow improving since....

[Mark Meyburg]

Well it all began back in the late 80's. Kit beers that were ok with a bit of pepper sprinkled on top - or maybe it was the second or the third bottle that tasted ok. It was cheap and easy to brew. But back in those day's my favorite brew was Old Thumper" made by Onehunga Micro Brewery - they also made extract. So then to make something similar I used two cans and a bit of malted gain. After dabbling for a few years with hops and extracts I must have come across some info about all grain brewing (this is before the internet). Fast forward to 1994 I bought a plastic brew kettle (sort of BIAB) 3 x 50 kg sacks of malted barley from Canterbury Malt (50 kgs was crystal !!). It was hit and miss for years - a note book of recipes. 

After a while I upgraded to the chilly bin , pot etc but soon that was to small next step 40 l then 60 l . For years I persevered with lager strains until I meet Joe from Liberty. Holly smoke - Ales and ales with hops and truck loads of hops.

Have just upgraded the brew pot - now pumps, camlocks extra but still use the hot water cylinder parts as my mash tun and hlt. Kegging for the last 3-4 years - bottling 120 bottles was a real pain. Really enjoying the brewing and the drinking.

It is great to see loads of people enthusiastic about craft beer - for a long time I thought it was just me and one or two others. Happy brewing

[Nathan]

Kegging was by far the best thing I have ever done and prob the worst....Beer on tap is not good when you have zero self control.....Great story reminds me of when we did it years ago to make beer to get pissed I still claim it used to move in your mouth but it did get you pissed as F&*k

[Mark Meyburg]

Hmm do you notice the second half last way less time than the first half.

Hey you are in the Naki eh Nathan - we will need to organise a catch up one day :)

[Nathan]

Yeah man for sure 021 356 139......Nothing worse then the old gurggle of a kicked keg

[Darren Andrews (Daza)]

Cool story I see it can be very addictive brewing, and it can evolve as you get more experience. Can't wait

[Matthew Vincent]

For me it's just really satisfying drinking (and sharing!) a delicious beer that you've made yourself.
There's a lot of excellent information in this forum so read as much as you can.
Make sure your wife/partner enjoys drinking it from the start - they can't complain about the mess you make if they enjoy the end product!

[IPeeAye]

I brew because I finally became sick of of commercial green and brown bottle 'lagers' and 'commercial-craft beers' - my pallet was more 'refined' one could say - so brewing tasty beers was a must (unless I wanted to spend $75 a doz on Panhead or Hallertau 6 packs.... it is now a hobby/beer geek thing.

Does it save money? depends on how blinged up you decide to make your brew kit... you could spend $100-10,000 and produce a similar beer.  

I now have pumps and stainless and plate chillers, a conical fermenter and kegs and CO2 and taps and refractometers and Ph meters and a nice looking mash tun.... but did I NEED all of this..... nope of course!!

Hey it is over to you, some buy a morris minor, some buy an audi and some just take the bus - OTY - Just Brew and Enjoy!

Beer doesn't make you FAT, it makes you LEAN, on walls, bars, fences and fat people!

[Darren Andrews (Daza)]

Nice post. Gives me plenty to think about.......ahhhh Stainlessssss.