Ben, alcohol is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy.Amen it don't matter what size batches your doing as long as your having fun.
Brew within your means and consumption .
Personally I can't hardly keep up on 19lt batches I need to do a double batch somehow to stay ahead of consumption
Psss don't tell my wife oh who am I kidding she already knows!
That's what I tell myself every time I'm drunk you know I really feel Gods love thenBen, alcohol is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy.
I wouldn’t say I’m “struggling” to continue brewing, but I’ve definitely decreased the frequency of my brewing - from a high of once every to months to currently maybe 4 times a year. The main reason for my own decrease I think has mostly to do with my decrease in consumption, nothing to do with cost of ingredients. I’m 69 now and just don’t drink as much as I used to, plus I’m not giving it away like I used to. I do still love to spend a good part of a day brewing as well as the lead-up preparations, so I’ve considered decreasing to have batches of 2 1/2 to 3 gallons. One thing I changed during the pandemic was to challenge myself to make styles I’d shied away from, specifically sours and lagers. I like the challenge of these more complicated processes as well as the need for patience. )Just bottled a Russian River Temptation clone that too a year to produce and am quite happy with the result.)
My biggest worry with the decline in home brewing is that my treasured local HB shop may close down. They have a warehouse sized building that stocks everything you need and they provide classes as well as advice on an informal basis. At some point, if their business doesn’t pick up, I fear they’ll just liquidate and sell the building.
It's not cheap for most anything up there. But it is a great place to live.I enjoy the "mad science" of brewing and not following any BJCP guidelines just because I can. Since I retired this year, my consumption increased (whoa). Had to dial it back. I am back to small batches (2.5 gal) and going back to beer only on the weekends (that starts on Thursdays) like when I was working. In my area, I think more people are homebrewing for the fun of it and the cost savings. It's not cheap to drink here.
A reflection of what I'm seeing here in Aus the price has just gone ridiculous.I enjoy the "mad science" of brewing and not following any BJCP guidelines just because I can. Since I retired this year, my consumption increased (whoa). Had to dial it back. I am back to small batches (2.5 gal) and going back to beer only on the weekends (that starts on Thursdays) like when I was working. In my area, I think more people are homebrewing for the fun of it and the cost savings. It's not cheap to drink here.
Probably best to be nice to them bots now for when they take over the World.So I got to listen to Marshall's podcast today and the survey brings up some very good points, interesting observations and a little too much self-inflicted guilt over the whole inclusion thing. Good grief, what's more arrogant? Thinking that everyone should want to make beer because you like to make beer or thinking that you can change someone's mind? The best way to grow the hobby is to welcome and support those that express an interest which is something that brewers on this forum do a pretty good job with...even if you're a bot!
I'm also up big time.No decline for me, in fact I’m ramping up lately. Just over a year ago I moved from SoCal to Eugene, Oregon. It took a little while to get brewing again, but I have found my groove. If I keep at it, I might get 18 batches made this year. With good water, my beers are only getting better.
An accountant will tell you that the brewing equipment is a "sunk cost" so you don't have to account for it anymore.After a 1.5 year break from brewing due to my back injury, I have been back brewing partial mash, but have brewed much less than I did before the injury. Another change in our life has also had an affect, we transitioned from towing a trailer and camping here and there to having a trailer situated at an RV park. We get there pretty much every weekend, so I just don't find the time to brew that often. We had a wedding recently, which was on a Sunday, so I took advantage and brewed a batch on the Saturday.
Come November I plan to be brewing more regularly. While I do drink less than I use to, it is truly more economical to brew my own when I don't take the equipment costs into account.
That would be cool and doable depending on the ambient trailer temperatures you could arrive back to fermented beer ready for kegging.An accountant will tell you that the brewing equipment is a "sunk cost" so you don't have to account for it anymore.
I'm only joking, but maybe brew at the trailer instead? "Fire-brewed" would be a catchy slogan. Mash on Saturday, pitch on Sunday, come back to finished beer? Drink, rinse and repeat...
One of the things I never could work out was a balance between working and brewing. I was one of those 'fly in fly out' guys, but was on call 24/7/365, and subject to being gone for weeks at a time. Wouldn't hurt for a brew to sit in the fermenter for a bit, though. I let one stay for nearly a month one time with no ill effects at all, perhaps even a good demonstration of what patience will do in this hobby.That would be cool and doable depending on the ambient trailer temperatures you could arrive back to fermented beer ready for kegging.
Actually I've seen a few Fly In Fly out Guys doing it here in Aus brew a batch Fly out WORK two weeks come home keg beer.
Exactly hey and it takes away that temptation to take gravity samples ect before its done.One of the things I never could work out was a balance between working and brewing. I was one of those 'fly in fly out' guys, but was on call 24/7/365, and subject to being gone for weeks at a time. Wouldn't hurt for a brew to sit in the fermenter for a bit, though. I let one stay for nearly a month one time with no ill effects at all, perhaps even a good demonstration of what patience will do in this hobby.
Come November I will brewing regularly. I guess I could brew here, but I would have nowhere for a fermenter. I mean I have a shed, but temperature would be all over the place. Way too much gear to cart back and forth...That would be cool and doable depending on the ambient trailer temperatures you could arrive back to fermented beer ready for kegging.
Actually I've seen a few Fly In Fly out Guys doing it here in Aus brew a batch Fly out WORK two weeks come home keg beer.