45 replies to this topic

[Recklessdeck]

Read gnef's post over in another topic about needing three sets of hands and it made me realize how much I prefer to brew when my brewing buddy/apprentice can make it over. My system is no-pump so all liquid transfers are gravity-fed, so doing ten gallon batches I always need a hand lifting something or opening a door, etc. Also helps that my buddy is 7'3".So what do you guys usually do? I imagine you all with the automated rigs probably do it all yourself, but I dunno...

[jammer]

Also helps that my buddy is 7'3".

holy crap! how much beer can that monster drink? LOLI used to brew with my 26 yr old son, but i think he got bored with it. After a year of brewing, he just stopped coming by for brew day. He still like to come by and drink the end product though. Anyway so now im the lone brewer in my brewery. Its lots more work now.

[stellarbrew]

I can only hit my Zen in brewing when I am alone, and thus do not have explain my actions and strategies. Whenever I have had a buddy over for brewing, I find I miss the mark, or forget something more often, because talking about what I'm doing is a distraction to me.

[Recklessdeck]

Anyway so now im the lone brewer in my brewery. Its lots more work now.

Cleanup is so much easier w/two people! We can knock all the cleaning out as we go, so once yeast is pitched, its like, put everything away and we're done. That's a great feeling at the end of a 4-hour brewday.The other big thing is because we're both students, we don't have the same financial resources as some, so being able to split costs means we can brew more often.

[HVB]

Most of the time it is me alone or me and my dad. We talk aboutr ways to improve on the system. It always seems that when I have friends come over to help it ends up being a nightmare. Like the stuck sparge on a Kolsch or the pumpkin porter all over my shoes. Having people to help with chores is nice, but I also like to just brew alone and enjoy the time.

[ncbeerbrewer]

I voted for me/myself/IPA. I think due to the fact that I brew many times on friday and sat nights that I brew by myself most of the time. I brew 5 gallon batches each time as well. I have a buddy that I brew with very couple of months but most of the time its just me. My wife really does not drink beer and she has no interest in brewing as well. My kids are both 3 and too young to help I do say. Its cool I still have friends drink what I make and I try to give away as much as I can. I am just a Rubbermaid cooler and brew kettle kinda brewer, gravity fed here as well. Its all good the making is what I enjoy the most too. I think though that I wish I found someone near me with the same passion and interest in brewing. If I had a buddy I would try and make a run at the next level.

[Deerslyr]

I voted for me/myself/IPA. I think due to the fact that I brew many times on friday and sat nights that I brew by myself most of the time. I brew 5 gallon batches each time as well. I have a buddy that I brew with very couple of months but most of the time its just me. My wife really does not drink beer and she has no interest in brewing as well. My kids are both 3 and too young to help I do say. Its cool I still have friends drink what I make and I try to give away as much as I can. I am just a Rubbermaid cooler and brew kettle kinda brewer, gravity fed here as well. Its all good the making is what I enjoy the most too. I think though that I wish I found someone near me with the same passion and interest in brewing. If I had a buddy I would try and make a run at the next level.

+1. Dang near the same situation, although my buddy is more avid than I am.

[3rd party JKor]

just me. every once in a great while i'll have a friend over. i have a few friends who are moderately interested in brewing. i actually built a herms system with one of them about 5-6 years ago, but he moved on to other hobbies.

[EWW]

most of the time it is just me and the dogs ... will brew with someone else about once a quarter

[Slainte]

Usually it's just myself, but occasionally I'll have a brewing buddy come over. Sometimes friends that aren't homebrewers stop by as well.

[MyaCullen]

SWMBO helps some, measuring, cleaning etc.., mostly just when I ask for help though.

[NWPines]

I usually brew solo and kind of like it that way. It's very relaxing and theraputic for me. I have a friend/neighbor that stops by every now and then, but more to just BS than to help. SWMBO usually brings lunch and snacks out to me, that's a huge help!

[Dave]

Always just me....my friends like to drink my beer but never show up to help. I don't invite them but it would be nice if some would show some interest in it.However, they would likely get in the way and I'm used to going it alone anyway so no worries here!

[MoreAmmoPlz]

Definitely by my lonesome here. Occasionally a buddy will show up and help out with a batch but even then I end up doing most of the work because I know the system and what needs to be done, how it needs to be done, and when it needs to be done. It's just faster for me to do it rather than try and articulate what needs to be done. Although it is nice for clean up because those things can easily be dictated. Maybe that makes me a homebrew dictator?

[ThroatwobblerMangrove]

Mrs. Zymological is around. Sometimes she's doing other stuff while I brew but is at least partially involved. She usually does inside clean-up (washing items in the sink after I've rinsed them outside) while I do post cooling stuff like pitching yeast, moving the fermenter to it's final location, outside clean-up, hosing things down, cleaning out mash tun, putting stuff away.Every once in a while one of my friends will stand around and drink beer while I brew.

[BuxomBrewster]

I'm mostly alone. I do all the work up to getting the fermentor downstairs. Scott carries it. He did do the racking up to last time, but now I do that too. He makes the mead and cider, I make the beer.

[LowcountryBrewer]

I'm solo.I like to brew in the a.m. When I brew at night, I feel rushed.Also, when I brew in the morning, I only have one beer to salute the beer gods...When I brew at night, I tend to drink a lot. More than once, after my head has hit the pillow, I've realized I forgot to pitch the yeast.

[djinkc]

Just me. I think I can count on one hand how many times there has been someone else and my son had been that person most times.

[Sidney Porter]

most of the time by myself. I like to be doughing in around 5:30am so that discourages most people from helping. I use to brew with another guy but it was more of him coming over and brewing with his equipement and me with mine. At the time there was a lot of lifting so it worked out well. When he moved I ended up bilding a scupture which has eliminated all of the 2 man lifting.I find that I brew better and quiker when I am by myself

[DubbelEntendre]

I do all of the work and WIT (wife in training) holds the funnel for me when I'm dumping the wort into the fermenting vessel. I have a brew buddy maybe once a year, but that is more of a beer drinking observer as opposed to actual help.