[Mikey]

I want to make good beer for less money.

[Mark G]

Try to make the best beer possible with the highest quality ingredients available... While I do try to emulate commercial examples from time to time, I'm more concerned about brewing what I like, regardless of what style it fits in.

[1vertical]

I want to make good beer for less money.

That would be akin to brewing the max allowable by the ATF since most of the cost of beer at the store is TAX.
LOL but good motivation as well Mikey

[bonjour]

Every now and then I think about #6

you can't make "session" beers all the time.

[jaybeerman]

I haven't made a clone beer since going all grain.  My second batch ever was an EG clone kit of Pete's Wicked Ale from "the Beer Nut." Then I went to all grain brewing.  Sometimes when fomulating a recipe I will think of my fav commercial offering and I will check to see if there's any ingredient info on the brewers website but that's it.  Otherwise brewing, for me, is like a chef standing in front of a spice rack dreaming up new combinations.

best beer possible with the highest quality ingredients available!

[Mikey]

I want to make good beer for less money.

That would be akin to brewing the max allowable by the ATF since most of the cost of beer at the store is TAX.
LOL but good motivation as well Mikey

The tax free aspect of it is also a big incentive.

[jeffy]

Whenever I'm planning a brew I always have this crazy vision of winning best of show with it at the next competition. I try to formulate the recipe from my viewpoint as a judge, to nail the bjcp guidelines and be as accurate to what I think the style should be.  I rarely have a specific commercial example in mind, but I always buy some calibration beers to taste the evening before and as I'm brewing.
I think this has made me a better brewer and even though my best of show trophies are few and far between, I make beers that are generally considered to be close to what the styles should taste like.
I also make some original beers for which there are no known examples and find that the creative part of the process is pretty important, too.
What was the question?  No to cloning brands, yes to cloning styles, yes to making the very best beer I can.

[BrewingRover]

I brew beer that I (and my wife) like to drink

It could be that I'm trying to emulate a particular beer or it could be that I'm brewing in a broad style. I often try to capture the essence of beers I've had while traveling that I can't get when I'm home. Mostly I try to have fun and brew beers that don't suck

[Wheat_Brewer]

I have to admit I haven't gotten into the imitation of commercial brews yet...I'm certainly inspired by some that I drink, but I want to take that idea, twist it, and make it something unique.  Hence I voted for making my own style. 

[kgs]

I like to brew a beer that teaches me something. Maybe a little lesson about fermentation, or temperature, or mashing. Or maybe about the difference a hop can make. Brewing something not easily available is a plus, too. I look for a beer I'm going to enjoy drinking, and also, one I'll enjoy sharing. My take on Denny's Rye IPA, shared at a summer block party, got me invited back to a neighbor's house for a holiday beer-tasting where people stood around saying "mmmm" as they sipped it. I'm not a competition-caliber brewer, but it's nice to brew something interesting and do it well enough that I feel proud sharing with the people I see every day in the 'hood.

[1vertical]

Good discussion, thanks everyone this is the kind of stuff I was wanting to know...
and I must say, seems like I have experienced all these things at sometime or
another in my brewing evolution.

[uthristy]

 Whats this ->ATF max allowable quantity people are talking about?

[akr71]

For me, it starts with what style of beer I want to brew/drink.  Not necessarily BJCP style guidlines, but do I want a hoppy beer, malty beer, something for the wife...

then I try to brew the best possible beer I can, with the ingredients I have at my disposal.

[1vertical]

 Whats this ->ATF max allowable quantity people are talking about?

Pursuant to § 5053(e) any adult may, without payment of tax, produce beer for personal or family use and not for sale. The aggregate amount of beer exempt from tax under this subsection with respect to any household shall not exceed–

(1) 200 gallons per calendar year if there are 2 or more adults in such household, or
(2) 100 gallons per calendar year if there is only 1 adult in such household.

http://codes.lp.findlaw.com/uscode/26/E/51/A/I/D/5053
Pretty plain english for a legal statute...

[tumarkin]

 Whats this ->ATF max allowable quantity people are talking about?

Pursuant to § 5053(e) any adult may, without payment of tax, produce beer for personal or family use and not for sale. The aggregate amount of beer exempt from tax under this subsection with respect to any household shall not exceed–

(1) 200 gallons per calendar year if there are 2 or more adults in such household, or
(2) 100 gallons per calendar year if there is only 1 adult in such household.

http://codes.lp.findlaw.com/uscode/26/E/51/A/I/D/5053
Pretty plain english for a legal statute...

and we ALL keep a log that closely tracks the number of gallons we've made, and stop when we reach the limit. well, for me, I've been brewing way less than the allowable limit these last few years. gotta step that up in 2011