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Author Topic: How long has it been?  (Read 2511 times)

Offline loopy

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How long has it been?
« on: May 17, 2011, 08:05:21 pm »
I have not brewed in far too long.  I still have my equipment, and could likely get back to it quickly.  I dont know why I dropped off, time, interest, money, drinking too much, whatever.  I am curious in other brewers, how long have you gone without brewing?  Did you find trouble when you got back into it?  I took a year off and when I restarted, I did a ten gallon batch that wasn't quite right.  I had some type of bacterial aceto-bacter take off.  I was seriously discouraged after that and have not attempted since. 

Anyone else ever come out of the dark and make it work out?  How long was your longest "not brewing" period, and how did you get back into it? 

Offline tonyp

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Re: How long has it been?
« Reply #1 on: May 17, 2011, 08:33:26 pm »
The short version:

Used to brew at a buddy's house (he owned all the equipment and had a perfect basement for racking) then I moved. 12 years later my wife bought me a Mr Beer kit, I got the bug again and bought all new equipment this year.
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Offline johnf

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Re: How long has it been?
« Reply #2 on: May 17, 2011, 08:49:53 pm »
Brewed for like 4 months and then moved and decided to quit then. A year and a half later I started again. Since then (2.5 years ago?) I haven't gone a month without brewing.

I brewed 3 weeks ago last and am now in Japan until early June and won't brew again until at least a week after NHC so that will be the second longest break.

Offline euge

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Re: How long has it been?
« Reply #3 on: May 17, 2011, 09:08:47 pm »
I didn't brew for several months last year.  Probably the entire summer. It was just too hot there in the garage and the brew day entirely too long. When. It cooled down I jumped back in no problem.

Then I started doing smaller batches inside the house and the enjoyment factor bumped back up. For awhile there I felt like packing it in and giving up. Especially when the 12 gallon batches didn't turn out as expected.

Brew as much or as little as you want loopy.  I still like doing quick extract batches on the stove.
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Offline corkybstewart

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Re: How long has it been?
« Reply #4 on: May 17, 2011, 09:24:42 pm »
I've had a few stretches where I didn't have time to brew, mostly when I was a wellsite consultant and never had a clue when I'd go to work, where or for how long.  But even back then I'd brew as much as possible when I was home and had time.  I've never just taken a break from homebrewing, and I started back in 1993.  Once I started I was hooked and I've never looked back.
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Offline gmac

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Re: How long has it been?
« Reply #5 on: May 17, 2011, 09:34:01 pm »
I brewed fairly frequently although only extract brews with steeped grains starting in 1989 through to about 1993.  Then I quit and started up again a few months ago.  So, about 18 years off. 

Offline weazletoe

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Re: How long has it been?
« Reply #6 on: May 17, 2011, 10:14:17 pm »
It was a year for me, after I moved here to Idaho. It really seemed to me like riding a bike. Once I got to it, it felt like only a week had passed since the last brewday. At the risk of sounded big headed, my first batch after my time off turned out just awesome. Don;t freak Loopy. You're a good guy, and from what I remember, a hell of a brewer. Infections happen sometimes, and unfortunatly, it was bad timing for you.My only infection happened on my first and only lager. Just a freak thing that it happen on that batch.  Get back to it, and it'll be just like old times. Your awesome bbq with homebrew. What a combo!
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Offline 1vertical

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Re: How long has it been?
« Reply #7 on: May 17, 2011, 11:53:44 pm »
OH yeah a thread about Abstinance  :o 
Have not had my "break" yet....I could see how it might occur however.
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Offline tygo

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Re: How long has it been?
« Reply #8 on: May 18, 2011, 04:50:27 am »
I took a three year break and got back into it about two years ago.  I stepped up to all grain when I started again so I had some work to do to get set up.  My first few brews, especially the first one back, were not great but they got better quickly.  Jump back in and brew up another batch.  I'll bet you get right back on the horse.
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Offline MrNate

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Re: How long has it been?
« Reply #9 on: May 18, 2011, 07:39:24 am »
Haven't brewed in over a year now. Between equipment failure, divorce, and other things, I just haven't had time.
“If one's actions are honest, one does not need the predated confidence of others, only their rational perception.”

Offline oscarvan

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Re: How long has it been?
« Reply #10 on: May 18, 2011, 12:17:29 pm »
How long has it been? What time is it?
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Offline dbeechum

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Re: How long has it been?
« Reply #11 on: May 18, 2011, 12:34:23 pm »
I think the longest I went without brewing was nearly 6 months and it drove me batty.

It was while I writing my book at the same time my partner and I moved into together for the first time. She wanted my help doing all the decorating, moving, unpacking,etc that one is wont to do when one moves.

My days during that period were - up at 8:30, go to work at 9:30, work until 6:30, come home, cook dinner, hang out until she went to bed at 9:30-10pm, fiddle for about an hour and then write until 4:30 in the morning.

That went on for 3 months and then afterwards I just couldn't get my butt in gear for the next few months.

Of course, the first time I brewed, it felt like a rusty set of skills, but I got the hang of it and Amy even commented after I was done: "wow, you seem much more relaxed now."

But yeah, every time I move.. yeesh.
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Offline rabid_dingo

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Re: How long has it been?
« Reply #12 on: May 18, 2011, 12:36:18 pm »
6-8 months for me. My reason was a grain mill out of commission. The drive shaft for it
was ground down by the drill I was using. I wasn't out long enough to say that I was out.

It was like riding a bike for me. I got right back into it without problems...

Loopy, get back in, the water's fine!

Ruben * Colorado :)

Offline nicneufeld

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Re: How long has it been?
« Reply #13 on: May 18, 2011, 01:21:30 pm »
I tend to take a month or two and fill my carboys...then I can go 3-4 months or so without brewing, so while I don't binge drink, I do binge brew!

Brewing all grain with my setup (not terribly efficient) takes a huge amount of time, so with a kid, its hard to block off my weekends with brewing too often.  I will say that I haven't bottled a batch in....well, a LONG time.  Even batches I brew with the express idea that they will be bottled.  I get lazy and bam, into the keg they go.

Offline Steve

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Re: How long has it been?
« Reply #14 on: May 19, 2011, 09:12:29 am »
I started in 1992 and brewed for many years. I slowed down and then stopped when I got divorced, which was not caused by either brewing or drinking.  I picked it up again for a few years and stopped when I moved three years later for a new job.  I started again when I got settled and stopped again when I moved another time.  Now I'm married again and in the same house for a while, I really cranked up my brewing  since 2006.  in 2008-9 I brewed a beer a week or every other week, mostly smaller batches. It's a pain crating up the glass carboys to move.
Steve
 
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