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Author Topic: Dealing With Non-Homebrewers  (Read 13794 times)

Offline klickitat jim

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Re: Dealing With Non-Homebrewers
« Reply #15 on: November 28, 2013, 12:07:29 pm »
My brew is on the verge of being something I'm proud of. I like sharing more when it's pretty stellar. Most of the folks I share with are somewhat beer savy. But I have a few that still think bmc is the only thing they can drink. Not sure I'll ever change them. Oh well

Offline ynotbrusum

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Re: Dealing With Non-Homebrewers
« Reply #16 on: November 28, 2013, 12:32:30 pm »
As to trying something new - I always say that as a kid in the candy store, I never chose just one kind of candy to buy!  Why do that with beer?
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Offline micah h

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Re: Dealing With Non-Homebrewers
« Reply #17 on: November 28, 2013, 01:44:33 pm »
I wish I had more people to drink my brew with. The jalapeno brew put me on a long halt to my brewing, I hated it. A lot of my friends said they liked it, but no one would take any from me. Finnaly my dad tried it and asked if he could have a few bottles. I gave him the whole case and now my fridge is ready for a batch to be put in.

Offline morticaixavier

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Re: Dealing With Non-Homebrewers
« Reply #18 on: November 28, 2013, 01:52:52 pm »
If I am giving it is to give. If I want something in return that is a trade, and if after a reasonable amount of time the other party doesn't get the hint, I either stop trading or Speak up.

Sounds like you don't really want to be sharing and you also don't really want to stop trading. if it's fun for you to to share the fruits of your hobby but yo uare feeling put upon you should maybe speak up. Just keep it casual and say something.

You mentioned that your town does not have the same variety as his does, perhaps an inquiry about a particular beer your interested in.

Clear up your relationship: "Hey, I'd love to trade a couple bottles of that homebrew you really liked for a sixer of goose Island", "Sure, yeah that'd be cool".

Might be all it takes.
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Offline klickitat jim

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Re: Dealing With Non-Homebrewers
« Reply #19 on: November 28, 2013, 02:14:09 pm »
Put a fancy personalized label on your homebrew including a "suggested retail price" . Maybe it won't seem so free then.

Offline dkfick

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Re: Dealing With Non-Homebrewers
« Reply #20 on: November 28, 2013, 09:44:03 pm »
I agree that I freely give away homebrew.  I usually have way way way more than I can ever drink so I give it away to any and all lol.  Most of my friends are 'beer friends' and don't show up empty handed.  Some that do I don't mind.  Honestly if it was always beer for beer I would then be stuck in the too much beer camp even further... So it's good it's usually only a bottle or 2 when people come over... and they get multiple pints in return.... or just multiple pints for free... Either way I'm good.

As for your particular situation I would probably just say something 'jokingly' about how you always give them beer and they never bring you any beers.  I think most people know there is that twinge of truth in jokes and they will get the hint... I guess if they didn't get the hint and I really cared I would just tell them... "Hey bring some craft beer when you visit."
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Offline udubdawg

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Re: Dealing With Non-Homebrewers
« Reply #21 on: November 29, 2013, 06:35:21 am »
In the past I've designated certain homebrew as "not ready" regardless of whether that was true, to keep visitors from cleaning me out. 

But that was when I had only 2-3 homebrews in the house at any one time.  These days I drink about 1 beer most days and make about 3.5 gallons a week.  The math doesn't work out unless it is being given away or dumped when it starts to get old.

I get where the OP is coming from, but I think he's created a lot of it.  "it is always up to me to serve beer"  and "they expect me to bring homebrew or store bought beer."
I doubt that the family declared that he was the only person who can bring beer and if he doesn't bring something one time maybe they'll stop expecting it.  As the "beer expert" they probably just think his choices will be better and need to be coaxed to purchase a bit of it themselves.  Show interest in what they bring, mention some other good choices, and encourage them to do it again. 

Basically, instead of being the Beer Guy, just be the Homebrew Guy, who supplements the beer others bring with homebrew if he's got any to share.

Offline corkybstewart

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Re: Dealing With Non-Homebrewers
« Reply #22 on: November 29, 2013, 10:25:05 am »
Anybody who comes to my house is welcome to as much of almost anything I have on tap as they can handle.  But before I let people pull a pint of a specialty beer like a rauchbier or something sour I give them a 4 oz taster glass.  I do get irritated at glasses half full of those beers sitting on the counter attracting flies.
I don't bottle beer so i rarely take homebrew to parties(I take my own storebought stuff to share) and I don't let people fill growlers to take home-if I'm not good enough to drink WITH my beer is too good for you.
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Offline mugwort

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Re: Dealing With Non-Homebrewers
« Reply #23 on: November 29, 2013, 03:41:41 pm »
Anybody who comes to my house is welcome to as much of almost anything I have on tap as they can handle.  But before I let people pull a pint of a specialty beer like a rauchbier or something sour I give them a 4 oz taster glass.

Here's to hooking up the right amount for the right person.  Sometimes gotta play matchmaker/cicerone to avoid waste of our precious creations.
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Offline HoosierBrew

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Re: Dealing With Non-Homebrewers
« Reply #24 on: November 29, 2013, 04:11:28 pm »
Anybody who comes to my house is welcome to as much of almost anything I have on tap as they can handle.  But before I let people pull a pint of a specialty beer like a rauchbier or something sour I give them a 4 oz taster glass.

Here's to hooking up the right amount for the right person.  Sometimes gotta play matchmaker/cicerone to avoid waste of our precious creations.

+1.  Yeah, I love to share my beer with people but I definitely try to serve the right beers to the right crowd.  I don't have too many people over who are die hard BMC drinkers, but I would try to steer them to a pale ale, cream ale or kolsch over one of my quads or a wee heavy for sure.
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Offline kramerog

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Re: Dealing With Non-Homebrewers
« Reply #25 on: November 29, 2013, 04:16:30 pm »
I try to trade stuff with them.  I got a neighbor who is always smoking meats so we like to exchange beer for meat.

Offline gmac

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Re: Dealing With Non-Homebrewers
« Reply #26 on: November 29, 2013, 04:56:30 pm »
I give to whoever wants it. 

Offline BrewArk

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Re: Dealing With Non-Homebrewers
« Reply #27 on: November 29, 2013, 05:10:56 pm »
I am happy to share w/anyone that wants to drink my HB.  I brew way more than I "should" drink.  I'm usually critical of what I brew and am continuously surprised when people lay on the praise for my brews.  Which is why I'm slow to be in clubs and such.  I'd be an awful judge, and am slow to compliment others on sometimes very good beers.

I have a buddy that works in food product development.  He always turns me on to his "expired" fermentables.  I try to make enough beer and mead to keep him stocked for sure.
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Offline yugamrap

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Re: Dealing With Non-Homebrewers
« Reply #28 on: November 30, 2013, 08:13:55 pm »
In my family we were taught that it's rude to go to someone's house as a guest without bringing something to show one's appreciation.  That can be almost anything.  When I know it would be appreciated, I bring along a growler of homebrew.  Sometimes, I bring along something unusual for others to try if they're interested.  I recently made a trip to Wisconsin and brought back some nice New Glarus fruited sours.  I took those with me to Thanksgiving dinner at my Aunt's house and shared them.  It was interesting because some of the family hadn't had a sour or fruited beer before, but really liked what I brought.

If your guests don't bring beer you find satisfying, maybe you could suggest they bring something else to go with your beers.  Maybe there is something they cook that you like and could ask them to bring.  My wife and I have a friend who almost always brings guacamole, which is fine because she makes it fresh and has a great recipe.  Sometimes she just brings the ingredients along and prepares it when she arrives.

When it comes to my guests who aren't so sure about homebrew, I have sampler trays I built that each hold four 3-oz glasses.  I usually have four beers on tap so, when someone new comes by I offer them a sampler of whatever is on tap then let them decide whether they'd like a full pour of something.
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Offline ynotbrusum

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Re: Dealing With Non-Homebrewers
« Reply #29 on: December 01, 2013, 05:45:49 am »
I do the same with growlers - a great way to show appreciation for being invited over.  I have sampler glasses and moved to 10 oz nonic style glasses for my standard house sized "full pours".  It works better than having full shaker pints or larger as the standard size.  It helps moderate some of the guzzlers - though only slightly for the zealous beer suckers. 

Either way it is of no mind of mine...I have actually now started having empty keg anxiety - waiting for a keg to empty, so I Candace a place to rack to, so I can free up a fermenter and brew again!  That is a huge change of mindset, especially when I have over 15 cornies and growing....don't tell my wife :o
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