70 replies to this topic

[positiveContact]

Yup

I brew for a living but I still homebrew a few batches a year. I get to do it at work and brew what I want so I just get my creative brewing juice there. Homebrew batches are generally me teaching someone else.

Even if I didn’t brew for work, I’d still brew less than I used to. I started Brewing when I was 16 just so I could have beer. Then I learned more about beer and wanted to make styles that I couldn’t purchase. Then I started getting creative. Now that there is so much commercially available beer of so many styles, I don’t need to brew it. I hear about a lot of questionable quality but I really don’t see that around here. Some aren’t good. For sure. But most of the beer I have around NYS is pretty good. Maybe I’m selecting places that are just good but I do think the quality is generally there.
So that just leaves brewing for creativity. I guess I would still brew for that if I wasn’t pro.
I was at my LHBC meeting on Tuesday and it was maybe a quarter of the size that it was when I was President of the club a few years back.

 

so where do you think they went?

[HVB]

so where do you think they went?

I will not answer for Ted but in my case I went to club meetings for a long time and then I got kids and other things.  Now I think about the 3-4 hours the meetings take with drive time and I would rather use that time to actually brew or do house/family things.  So while I do not go to a club meeting I still brew.

[Genesee Ted]

I think they go to the bottle shop or the bar. Or just not to the meetings. I went to this club religiously for probably 10 years. It was always super fun, but the commitment, even just that one night a month, was sometimes annoying. As drez mentioned, there are often other things to do.

[jayb151]

That's where I'm at as well. I was brewing a ton during my early college years, then with graduation, real world work, starting a family, job loss, etc, Brewing just wasn't justifiable. 

 

My wife and I have been back on our feet for a little bit now, and I'm just starting to get back to brewing...That said, it's been cold lol.

 

 

I look at trends in beer, and I'm so tired of pastry stout, NEIPA on every tap and whatnot. I just want some good drinking beer on tap, so that's where I'm focusing my brewing for now.

[Big Nake]

I look at trends in beer, and I'm so tired of pastry stout, NEIPA on every tap and whatnot. I just want some good drinking beer on tap, so that's where I'm focusing my brewing for now.

OMG, so much this.  Sometimes I end up at brewpubs and drink things that I wouldn't ordinarily make but I always look forward to drinking my own "drinkable" stuff.  "Good drinking beer" as JB says.  I have some things on tap right now that are very much that... Heh, who am I kidding... almost all of my beers are easy-drinkers. 

[positiveContact]

I often come back to pils to give my taste buds a breather.

[Bklmt2000]

Similar to jayb and Ken, I've found myself returning to simpler, easier-drinking beers, much like when I first started brewing years ago.

 

Simpler grain bills, more old-school hops, and sticking mainly with 2 yeasts, US-05 for my ales and 34/70 for lagers.  More of "I know what I like, and that's what I'm using" type of thinking.

 

Also noticed that I'm trending towards lower ABVs in my beers; instead of an 8% IPA, I find 7% to be easier to enjoy, and in more moderation.

 

Or maybe i'm starting to grow up.  Yikes.

[HVB]

Similar to jayb and Ken, I've found myself returning to simpler, easier-drinking beers, much like when I first started brewing years ago.

 

Simpler grain bills, more old-school hops, and sticking mainly with 2 yeasts, US-05 for my ales and 34/70 for lagers.  More of "I know what I like, and that's what I'm using" type of thinking.

 

Also noticed that I'm trending towards lower ABVs in my beers; instead of an 8% IPA, I find 7% to be easier to enjoy, and in more moderation.

 

Or maybe i'm starting to grow up.  Yikes.

 

Most started homebrewing to brew big "extreme" beers.  It may have been big on hops or alcohol but it seems, to me at least, that many are coming back to brew the beers they were trying to get away from when they started.  I know I am, I try and stay around 1.055 for most of my beers of late.

[SchwanzBrewer]

I've brewed 4 beers so far this year so I'm trying to bring it back. Bringing the beer to a big party this weekend. Camping, drinking, fishing, canoeing, drinking, BBQ, its all good.

 

So far as clubs are concerned, I have my own little group that I really like.

[Bklmt2000]

Most started homebrewing to brew big "extreme" beers.  It may have been big on hops or alcohol but it seems, to me at least, that many are coming back to brew the beers they were trying to get away from when they started.  I know I am, I try and stay around 1.055 for most of my beers of late.

 

Agreed.

[LeftyMPfrmDE]

Most started homebrewing to brew big "extreme" beers. It may have been big on hops or alcohol but it seems, to me at least, that many are coming back to brew the beers they were trying to get away from when they started. I know I am, I try and stay around 1.055 for most of my beers of late.

While I do love to make a good 8% percent hop bomb or a 10% big ole barleywine or stout, im making more in the 4-5% range. Several factors would be cost, caloric intake concerns and, well, being into good/craft beer for a decade+, Im tired of drinking/making white whale beers all the time. Sometimes I want simple. And low ABV.

Been on a helles kick lately. Bready, a fair amount of hops, and the abv is right so you cant have a few and not fall over.

I recall a few times heading out with some buddies, they have a couple 9% DIPAs, and their sloppy in about 90 minutes. Rather just drink more, lower abv beers at this point.

[Genesee Ted]

From the commercial end, at least around here, I have to cater to the trendy, social media loudmouths. I don’t necessarily mean that in a bad way, but the guys who come in and drink my Czech dark lager to the tune of two kegs a week don’t go online and tell everyone what they should be drinking. It’s frustrating sometimes, but at least it allows for some creativity and lots of new releases.

I’m doing my best to appeal to both sides and we have enough lines to accommodate it all. If any of you are near Rochester, let me know. I’ll hook it up

[positiveContact]

From the commercial end, at least around here, I have to cater to the trendy, social media loudmouths. I don’t necessarily mean that in a bad way, but the guys who come in and drink my Czech dark lager to the tune of two kegs a week don’t go online and tell everyone what they should be drinking. It’s frustrating sometimes, but at least it allows for some creativity and lots of new releases.

I’m doing my best to appeal to both sides and we have enough lines to accommodate it all. If any of you are near Rochester, let me know. I’ll hook it up

 

is social media really that big of a deal?  Not questioning you, I just really don't know since I'm not on social media (unless you count this forum as social media).  That czech lager sounds great.  I'd at least start out with one of those

[Big Nake]

From the commercial end, at least around here, I have to cater to the trendy, social media loudmouths. I don’t necessarily mean that in a bad way, but the guys who come in and drink my Czech dark lager to the tune of two kegs a week don’t go online and tell everyone what they should be drinking. It’s frustrating sometimes, but at least it allows for some creativity and lots of new releases.

I’m doing my best to appeal to both sides and we have enough lines to accommodate it all. If any of you are near Rochester, let me know. I’ll hook it up

Btw, how did that Dark Czech Lager with the Loral hops come out?  Sounds like a winner to me.  

[HVB]

is social media really that big of a deal?  Not questioning you, I just really don't know since I'm not on social media (unless you count this forum as social media).  That czech lager sounds great.  I'd at least start out with one of those

Yes it is huge.  Instagram beer culture is a thing to behold but also apps like Untappd are very popular.  Most popular breweries have subgroups on facebook where people will prop them up or slam them down.  It seems one wrong move these days can really put a new brewery in a bad spot.

[Genesee Ted]

It came out awesome.

Social media is a big deal. I don’t necessarily need to get worked up about it, but some people do. I know beer well enough and have been brewing long enough that I’m familiar with what is an objectively good beer. BJCP certified. Shit, I was asked to judge the NYS Brewer’s Association Comp next weekend, which is an industry thing.

[positiveContact]

Yes it is huge.  Instagram beer culture is a thing to behold but also apps like Untappd are very popular.  Most popular breweries have subgroups on facebook where people will prop them up or slam them down.  It seems one wrong move these days can really put a new brewery in a bad spot.

 

the few times I have looked at untappd online it seemed nearly useless.  is the mobile app a lot better?

[Big Nake]

It came out awesome.

Glad to hear.  

[Genesee Ted]

the few times I have looked at untappd online it seemed nearly useless. is the mobile app a lot better?

I didn’t know there was a non app version lol

[denny]

OMG, so much this.  Sometimes I end up at brewpubs and drink things that I wouldn't ordinarily make but I always look forward to drinking my own "drinkable" stuff.  "Good drinking beer" as JB says.  I have some things on tap right now that are very much that... Heh, who am I kidding... almost all of my beers are easy-drinkers. 

 

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