So I really love brewing. And I mean enjoy it to the point of obsessive addiction, and i really don’t know why. Sure i love beer (and scotch and wine), but it is more the whole process that i can’t stop thinking about. Does anyone else have this problem. In school i didn’t love chemistry, and i don’t really love to cook either, but for some reason the whole process of brewing and making such a divine final product from grain, water and yeast has grabbed hold. I troll the forums like an addict looking for a hit. I stay up late at night not being able to sleep thinking about permutations of my equipment and recipes. It’s like thinking about sex when i was a teenager (which i still do of course). The funny thing is i’ve only brewed six batches. My name is Tony and I’m an addict…
Tony, you are in good company. :cheers:
I’m brewing batch 29 today. Can’t wait to get started!
There is something so addicting about this hobby that it is scary.
I think it’s the fact that you made something that you and others enjoy, along with the endless exploration and experimentation that makes the hobby addicting.
Yep, I can’t stop thinking about brewing. I constantly look at things…any thing and wonder how to incorporate it into my system. I can’t stop thinking on how to improve the system I have and how to perfect my process.My biggest problem is I am the only one here drinking beer. SWMBO does not drink,never has. My son has his own home now and is not here to help with lowering the level of the keg. And the days I work I wouldn’t touch alcohol. So now a cornie full of brew will last sometimes 3 months. So I don’t brew near as often as I would love to. 
I was the same way when I first started brewing and while I still enjoy it I’m not as obsessed with it as much as I was, in fact sometimes I find it a hassle to drag all the gear out to brew.
Fortunately my gear is permanently set up so it’s not a hassle, but I know what you mean. I find that I’m a lot less obsessed than I was 15 years and 436 batches ago.
With time the “infatuation” may wain. Then when you pass the beer counter at the store and see the 6pk of for $9 you will remember one of the reasons you started brewing.
I can say my infatuation has waned a bit over the last couple of years, although I had quite a few life changes as well. I’ve also started (last summer) to delve into one of my other long-time-wanted-to-do hobbies; BBQ. I’m still brewing and looking at recipes and forums and such. This year I actually have a few new people who want to learn to brew and are going to be coming over for some up-coming brew days. Depending on how those go, as well as the new recipes I created, may give me that spark back that I once had.
+1 on dragging the equipment out can be a pain.
Do you randomly see objects and mentally engineer how that item could be made into a fermenter yet? My observation of new brewers is that you will go through a few stages. After becoming comfortable with the standard process you will go through experimentation of variations, recipes, etc. Then move on to the production stage where you optimize to make as much of what you like as you can. Then the obsession will wane but probably never go away completely. I also think it a pain sometimes to get out all the equipment, especially knowing that I have to clean all of that later. BUT, when I pull the handle on that tap and get the beer that I want, it was worth it.
I’m not quite as gung ho anymore although I do still enjoy the beer so I keep brewing.
[quote=“Lytnin”]I can say my infatuation has waned a bit over the last couple of years, although I had quite a few life changes as well. I’ve also started (last summer) to delve into one of my other long-time-wanted-to-do hobbies; BBQ. I’m still brewing and looking at recipes and forums and such. This year I actually have a few new people who want to learn to brew and are going to be coming over for some up-coming brew days. Depending on how those go, as well as the new recipes I created, may give me that spark back that I once had.
+1 on dragging the equipment out can be a pain.[/quote]
+2 on BBQ, 15 yrs. and still a novice. Had some big limbs trimmed off a couple of oaks, so I’ve been splitting wood for the past week for my smoker.
A guy at work has wanted to brew for awhile, past few weeks he’s been asking a lot of questions. His excitement has motivated me. Biggest problem
is convincing him to be patient.
For me, this summer it’ll be 42 years of brewing and still counting (and I expect to continue brewing for as long as I’m vertical and breathing). If anything, even though long ago brewing became part of my regular routine, the passion for (and addiction to) the process have increased for me…especially in the last 27 years.
My set up is also permanent and in a dedicated space, so it’s always ready to go, as my schedule allows.
Best part of it is, it’s great to not have any dependence at all on commercial beer (prices in the stores are getting downright stupid, for beer that, generally speaking, usually isn’t any better than homebrew).
I LOVE THIS HOBBY
:cheers:
uhh, hasn’t it technically only been legal in America for 35 years? :lol:
:cheers:
uhh, hasn’t it technically only been legal in America for 35 years? :lol:
:cheers: [/quote]
I think the statute of limitations has run on that issue…
:cheers:
Started back around 94/95 or so… my interest waned for a time, even stopped brewing all-together for a while when life/schedule got hectic. But, I would say I have been more “addicted” than ever over the past 3 -5 years.
Another +1 on the “dedicated” brew space… It sure makes brew day so much better when all you have to do is get up off the chair and start brewing.
Me, I like to make things. I’ve dabbled in and enjoyed cooking, canning, baking and bread making before trying brewing and winemaking. And I still do all of them, but brewing has a special hold. I work as an engineer, and love the feeling of bringing new concepts to reality. Brewing has that same appeal, how you can use simple ingredients and bound processes to create something unique and special. But brewing is the FAST path to satisfaction. Wine can take a couple years before you know if you hit your target, and my work projects can go for 5 years before completion.
The passions waxes and wanes as the years go by, but I don’t find myself getting bored or looking for the next hobby anytime soon.
The thing about homebrewing is that you can create a beer that is unique to no other. It’s your brew and you can do as you like. I am an addict and always looking to brew another batch of kick ass beer. Fresh ingredients = great beer, which means I get to drink better beer than I can buy, well at least close enough. At least I feel that way with my hop bombs. It’s more of an obsession than an addiction but I’m not complaining.
I just started brewing in January of this year and I guess you could say I’ve got the bug. I’ll brew my 10th batch this week, I’ve converted a freezer and have 3 kegs in it. I only seem to think about brewing when I’m awake though…OK that’s a lie…I do have brew dreams occassionally… :shock:
uhh, hasn’t it technically only been legal in America for 35 years? :lol:
:cheers: [/quote]
LOL. that’s true…but then again, it was just that…a technicality based on two words being unintentionally omitted from the statute. In any case, the feds were likely more focused on the toothless guys in the mountains making “white dog”'.
In the late 60s/early 70’s, home winemaking was all the rage and all of the Winehobby USA stores also carried malt extract and hops, so I certainly wasn’t the only one brewing and not sweating any supposed minor legal technicalities.
Besides…in 1971, I was a bit of a rebel. :mrgreen:
FWIW, even during prohibition (well before my time) it was not illegal to make beer and wine at home for personal consumption.
