Corksniffer Posted April 30, 2016 Share Posted April 30, 2016 So I got to thinking: Everyone probably has a different reason why they brew their own beer. I personally do it because it's fun, kinda like a hobby and I enjoy the tastes I've been getting and tailoring the next brew just that Little bit more toward my perfect beer. It's also nice to save money on buying it with most going to the Government in tax. Plus, I've gotta say I've only ever found a few beers I can happily enjoy. Only one of which is even from Australia (Redback) but not even sold locally anymore. I like Hoegaarden too and a few other specialty European beers but again, they're hell expensive even IF you can find them in the first place So that's me, how bout you? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Otto Von Blotto Posted April 30, 2016 Share Posted April 30, 2016 Pretty much the same. It's fun, I enjoy the process and creating my own recipes. I also enjoy the science behind it all, from yeast to mashing grains etc. It's a pretty good feeling when you've created something yourself, and it's finally ready to drink and it turns out really nice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ben 10 Posted April 30, 2016 Share Posted April 30, 2016 I started many years ago as a cost saving measure. Last few years have moved to all grain. I like my beer significantly more than most available to buy. It is also far cheaper. $30 for 7% IPA (20 litres worth) compared to $10 for a glass of an nice IPA on tap is a no brainer. I very much enjoy making my own recipes up. The wait of around a month from idea stage to bottled and ready to drink is usually rewarded by a lovely beer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ian.taylor4 Posted April 30, 2016 Share Posted April 30, 2016 Similar reasons, fun to do, interesting to see the recipes and how they turn out, and then refine my technique accordingly. Also it's a great feeling to be able to share something with your mates that you all enjoy, and know that you have made it yourself. Good times Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Chop Posted April 30, 2016 Share Posted April 30, 2016 Tax evasion Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corksniffer Posted April 30, 2016 Author Share Posted April 30, 2016 Haha Least you're still paying GST for the ingredients Tax evasion Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CaffeinatedSentryGnome Posted April 30, 2016 Share Posted April 30, 2016 initially to try and save money in the long run. i worked out that it was costing me $5000+ per year cartons. we drink a lot in this house. but it seems that i've moved on from trying to make cheap beer to trying to make beer that is Delicious. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeremy-o Posted April 30, 2016 Share Posted April 30, 2016 I think it gives me a hell of a lot to learn and I love a challenge. Each of the four main elements in beer (water, malt, hops, yeast) is a complex science in itself, and even as a hobbyist you can go as deep into that science as you have the inclination for. Yeah, you can get a cheaper version of the beers you like, for sure: that's part of it. Mostly it's just satisfying to create something beautiful through a bit of hard work and brainpower! At least I assume so. I'll let you know when I create something beautiful. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlackSands Posted April 30, 2016 Share Posted April 30, 2016 As a newcomer to homebrewing (and this forum) initially it was about cost saving. When I started adding up my households weekly booze spend it all started to look a bit scary! After a few months 'exploring' I've now settled on a brewing philsophy and approach which is appropriate for me and my circumstances and can be summed up thus: Keep it simple Keep it affordable Make good tasting beer 'Keeping it simple' of course implies extract-based brewing (though BIAB is perhaps a viable 'simple-ish' option to consider for the future). Keeping it affordable while making good tasting beer is all about finding that ideal balance between minimising the cost of ingredients while not compromising too much on the quality of the beer produced. This is all still a work in progress and is proving to be a fun and interesting journey, and I'm closer now to finding that ideal balance I think. I'm not interested in brewing 'award-winiing' beer so I'm quite happy to settle for brews that are just a 'pleasant drink' - beer that my household and friends can happily enjoy, and also beer that I can produce at a rate that matches my consumption! I really want to avoid that undesirable situation where you find you've run out of homebrew stock and are forced to buy commercial beer! And to be honest, I find I enjoy my extract-based beer more than I do the commercial beers I used to buy. There's something about DIY beer that makes it taste better even if it doesn't! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Otto Von Blotto Posted April 30, 2016 Share Posted April 30, 2016 AG is about as simple as extract in terms of process, especially with BIAB. The big difference is time. To me the AG flavour is nicer but that's another debate. I can definitely agree with the running out of home brew stocks though. This happened recently and yeah.. it was a bit crappy. Especially since I run kegs and had to buy bottled beer to last be the 2 weeks until I had the 3 kegs on tap again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlackSands Posted April 30, 2016 Share Posted April 30, 2016 AG is about as simple as extract in terms of process' date=' especially with BIAB. The big difference is time. To me the AG flavour is nicer but that's another debate. I can definitely agree with the running out of home brew stocks though. This happened recently and yeah.. it was a bit crappy. Especially since I run kegs and had to buy bottled beer to last be the 2 weeks until I had the 3 kegs on tap again. [img']lol[/img] There's a significant up front cost involved for AG brewing though... E.g. temperature controlled tun for mashing etc. And of course the time involved clashes with my 'keep it simple' philosophy, though it could actually work out to be cheaper. I haven't done the maths but the grain bill could actually work out to be less than extract... ? Either way, a homebrew beer drought is to be avoided at all costs! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ben 10 Posted April 30, 2016 Share Posted April 30, 2016 There's a significant up front cost involved for AG brewing though... http://nationalhomebrew.com.au/beer/brewing-equipment-pots-and-hardware/crown-urn-40l-with-concealed-element $270. I made a Saison today, minimal time as I know when to enter the shed - can go shopping, do many other things in the waiting time - the beer cost $12.70. 23 litres OG 1050. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Otto Von Blotto Posted April 30, 2016 Share Posted April 30, 2016 Yeah, the grain bills for me are a little more than Ben's but still cheaper than extract. I can usually provide the entire grain bill for a 25 litre batch for the cost of one 1.5kg tin of unhopped extract. I harvest and re-use yeast as well which negates that cost. I also grow my own hops although they don't form the majority of what I use. My last batch cost $16.66 for 24/25 litres. A temp controlled tun isn't a necessity; I use the same urn that Ben linked to with a false bottom in it so I can apply heat if needed. There is a bit of cost involved of course, as there is in any hobby for setting up equipment, but I reckon when you can brew batches for $20 ish instead of $35-$40 or more, it pays for itself in the end. Those urns are good quality too, I've had mine for 3.5 years now and it hasn't skipped a beat. Having said that, extract is definitely a good starting point for getting the basics down pat and learning about hops and stuff like that. I did it for about a year (if you include kits and bits), while I saved money to buy the AG equipment. I can echo Ben's sentiment about the time too; an AG brew day is a lot of waiting around, which does give the opportunity to get other things done while those processes happen. I usually use it to clean up equipment no longer needed or mow the lawn or whatever. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corksniffer Posted April 30, 2016 Author Share Posted April 30, 2016 Now that you guys mention it, I was spending $5k a year on booze prior to this too.. pinched[/img. If I add it up now the total comes to around $ 1,500 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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