[quote=“Old Guy”]If you want to see just how much Greg Muller loves brewing, check out his website. Greg’s got a mini micro brewery at his place. He could set up a pub there, but maybe he’s like me, it might ruin a perfectly good HOBBY! Great pics Greg.[/quote]Thanks Old Guy. I do have a pub where all local friends gather to enjoy a few beers and good times and then walk home so as to not have to worry about driving. It works out great.
My pub is in progress right now me and some pals just sit around the basement amongst the tools and the fermenters. The workbench is plywood now but I have some leftover hardwood that I plan on putting down on it to dress it up. Behind the bench is a peg board with tools on it. I plan on hinging it to swing up and open to another part of the basement which will have a tv an couch and more stools. But if I know my pals we will just sit in our comfort zone amongs the tools and sawdust. :cheers:
Any homes for sale near you Greg? 
Rarely does a home around me take long to sell. My buddy behind me retired this year and his house sold in 4 days.
Too cold there anyway.
I enjoy the process or I wouldn’t do it.
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Only the ones who enjoy the process can do actual brewing. If you don’t enjoy it, It’s useless to do it.
So I guess I’m not actually brewing then? That’s news to me. There’s plenty of things people do that have a benefit and purpose but may not be enjoyable to actually do. I don’t really like running, but I do it because the outcome of running is worth the effort and work of running. Same with any sort of household chore. I hate cleaning, but the work is worth it to not live in filth. I brew because the outcome of the process is worth the work I have to put into it.
I don’t follow your logic. If you don’t like running then you could choose a type of exercise you like. Cleaning your house is more about sanitation. Brewing only because you like the beer doesn’t make sense either you could just buy beer unless you live somewhere where there are no stores then it would make sense.
Streamlining some of the process helps make it more enjoyable. Get ready what you can ahead of time. I line up any hop additions, clarifying agents, sugars etc. on a table all labeled for when to add. Milling the grain the day before and sanitizing anything possible also helps.
To me it’s not the process that is tedious, it is the time involved in one day. Up to the clean up that is. I really need an apprentice to help with that. 
Ok, the cleaning is a bad analogy, but my logic is that something doesn’t have to be a perfect and exhilarating experience from end to end to be worthwhile and enjoyable as a whole. The act of running isn’t my favorite way to get exercise, but the entire experience of running- the ease and convenience, the low cost, being able to go faster and farther over time- makes running a net positive experience. And it’s not like I hate actually running, it’s just not my favorite. I’d rather play basketball, but that comes with its own drawbacks on needing to rely on other people, being less flexible, etc, so I choose running as the best overall option. Same with brewing. I’d consider the actual brewing aspect to be a rather small part of the whole brewing experience and to say that one should quit if they don’t thoroughly enjoy every piece of the experience all the time seems crazy to me. Under that criteria, I don’t think I’d have any hobbies at all. And again, it’s not like I hate brewing. It is more the time suck that can make it a mild chore sometimes. If I had all day to brew, I’d probably love it.
For someone like me who loves hunting, fishing and now brewing. The process is a major part of enjoyment. Theres nothing like taking the time and effort to smoke the perfect salmon or make the best deer jerky. The end result tastes much better when you really thoroughly enjoy every step along the way. Just the other day the lady and I had smoked salmon with Mule deer stew and a good bottle of home-brew to go along with it. WAY better than just going to the store and buying smoked salmon and paying an arm and a leg for farmed deer meat (if you can even get it here) Something about creating things you love helps you enjoy everything about it. Not to mention the endless possibilities and recipes.
It is a yes and no answer. Been brewing long enough to know that after the brewing is the waiting. I don’t really like the waiting which reflects on the brewing.
The waiting is the worst part. I’m fairly new to brewing (only about 10) batches in and the waiting time is filled with learning time.
The waiting is the hardest part. That’s why I usually brew again before the last one is ready. It makes waiting easier. Plus you have a lot of beer first to process then to drink.
The brew day, depending on the day, can be a challenge. I try to brew on days that the wife isn’t around, because I feel rushed when she is. Either that or, as someone else mentioned, I am up early. I recall one Saturday I got up at 4:30am just so I could have most of it done and cleaned up by 10:00. I enjoy the prep…getting the yeast and grains ready, but the cleanup is a pain. The other part that I don’t like is the chilling process. I get so worried about getting the temp down fast enough, although I have become more and more accustomed to getting it down as far as I can (usually 80-85 degrees), transferring to my primary and letting it sit for a few more hours sealed up so it can drop to where I want to pitch.
Brewed alot of batches but I’m mostly interested in the fermentation aspect at this point in my brewing hobby career - that has changed throughout the past 12 years - I think you have to change your focus now and again to stay interested.
That being said if I could purchase 5 gallons of say 100% pils wort to make a belgian beer I would do it and spend my brew time on the ferm process - but extract doesn’t interest me either.
I’m in the process of building a brewery/ pub in my basement now. I sure hope I don’t loose the fever I’d have to remodel again:beer:
I’ve found that I enjoy brew days more when there is someone else around to enjoy it with. Like when my brother (who is responsible for getting me started in this adventure) is home and we can do a brew day. I don’t mind doing it by myself though, but time is often an issue. With adding partial mash into things and having to share kitchen space and all, it becomes a long process. I’ve put a bit of thought into it though, and now that I got an outdoor burner for Christmas (also from my brother), I think it’s time to get a bigger brew kettle and a chiller (still trying to decide between a counterflow or a plate chiller). With scaling up my brewing like that, I should be able to complete a 10 gallon batch in less time than it currently takes me to do a 5 gallon batch, which means that I can pick some of the brews that I’ve got where I want them and crank out a ready supply quickly when I need to refill my shelves with that precious substance.
But like has been said, the part I really loathe is the clean-up… especially because of back and hip problems, by the time I’m done brewing, I just want to go rest somewhere and have a brew.
This is very true, and to some extent is why I typically recommend new brewers to start with extract - it allows someone to brew good beer before having to tackle the complexities of crush, mash, sparge and water chemistry.
I’ve spent time focusing on pretty much every step of the process over the years I’ve been brewing, and going off into the weeds at times trying alternative ways (often historical methods) of handling things. It keeps things interesting.
I’ve gotten lazy on fermentation lately, and I think I need to focus on that one again.
