# Dry July



## Waratah67 (24/6/14)

So July is coming up and I was getting pressure to do it this year. Its for a good cause and all (assisting adults living with cancer) so I have agreed. :unsure:

Whilst I'm REALLY going to miss my beers for a month, I'm hoping I will enjoy each one even more afterwards.

Any other brave souls here going to do it?


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## Lord Raja Goomba I (24/6/14)

I've sorted of got a head start on it and started last week (Monday). I've been meaning to lose some weight and use the lost weight as motivation to get fit again. That way I can have the odd beer without looking preggers.

So yeah, I'll be doing it this year.


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## Hippy (24/6/14)

Yep I'm doing it this year.A month off is a good way to restore the brain to factory settings.


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## Online Brewing Supplies (24/6/14)

If it wasnt for the WA case swap on the 19th I may partake.
Nope cant do it . :chug:
Nev


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## sponge (24/6/14)

Hippy said:


> Yep I'm doing it this year.A month off is a good way to restore the brain to factory settings.


Isn't that what milds are for? :lol:


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## Ducatiboy stu (24/6/14)

July = winter = Stout.

Good luck guys.


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## Lord Raja Goomba I (24/6/14)

I'm kinda lucky I got caught on the hop and didn't get my stouts brewed in time for July. So I'll be okay. Getting good beer locally is difficult here (other than my own) so should be all good.

I actually end up making more beer when I'm dry for some reason? h34r: :lol:


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## mje1980 (24/6/14)

I always imagine that I could do dry July, only to make up for it in the first week of August, making the achievement worthless, except for raising money for charity that is.


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## Steve (24/6/14)

Lord Raja Goomba I said:


> I'm kinda lucky I got caught on the hop


I see what you did there...hop, as in hop.


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## Yob (24/6/14)

What Nev said...


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## mofox1 (24/6/14)

Good luck, fairly sure the only dry July I'd see comes courtesy of a kg of dex in the bill.


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## Nullnvoid (24/6/14)

It's sounds like a good idea because then my reserves might have a chance to build up. But then as the others have said, there is the swap to take into consideration . Maybe next year.


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## Wilkensone (24/6/14)

I like it in theory, but I'm in Europe for all of July so it's never going to happen! :beerbang: :beerbang: :beerbang:


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## indica86 (24/6/14)

no, just no.


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## Waratah67 (26/6/14)

Good to see a bit of support and reasons for doing it (or not). I really think this might be one of the harder challenges I have set myself in a while.


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## Mutaneer (26/6/14)

I've sponsored a mate who's doing it.
$1 for every beer I drink during the month.

I get 2 benefits out of it.
Warm and fuzzy because I've donated
Warm and Fuzzy because i'm half-cut


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## Dave70 (26/6/14)

Mutaneer said:


> Warm and Fuzzy because i'm half-cut


Posted Today, *11:25 AM*


Nice work if you can get it.


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## Topher (26/6/14)

I did it a few years ago, it's cool that you can buy yourself a 'golden ticket' if you want a night on the beers. More money for charity! 

Gets expensive if ya do buy the ticket too many times though.....


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## Mattwa (26/6/14)

Yeah I'm out as I'll be in Germany for half of July drinking delicious German beer.


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## Nullnvoid (26/6/14)

Maybe the guys that are doing it can post up their details so that the less brave of us can donate to the cause?


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## Lord Raja Goomba I (26/6/14)

Here's mine https://au.dryjuly.com/profile/goomba

I wonder if we could do an "AHB Group" thing? dunno how it works.


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## mje1980 (26/6/14)

Know what?, apart from a case swap, which I'll drive to anyway, I've got no real plans on for July. Itd probably be good for my rehab, and health in general so I might do this. Not officially but still. 

Might convince the mrs, though she barely drinks so she'll breeze it in.


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## Waratah67 (26/6/14)

I created a team for us here, people can join and donate direct to the charity.

https://au.dryjuly.com/team/aussiehomebrewersforum


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## Hippy (26/6/14)

Nullnvoid said:


> Maybe the guys that are doing it can post up their details so that the less brave of us can donate to the cause?


Great idea.
http://au.dryjuly.com/profile/shaunohare
In the meantime I've got a few more days of drinking :chug:


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## mofox1 (26/6/14)

Waratah67 said:


> I created a team for us here, people can join and donate direct to the charity.
> 
> https://au.dryjuly.com/team/aussiehomebrewersforum


Link doesn't work... Managed to find it regardless. (Ching!)

Mick


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## Lodan (26/6/14)

I'm in it this year too. swmbo doesn't think I can last a month without beer. I intend to prove her right h34r:


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## GABBA110360 (26/6/14)

I think i'd rather donate a redback and keep the dream alive having afternoon sips


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## thebigwilk (26/6/14)

I've been trying to explain to the missus for the last three weeks I am partaking in Monsoon June as a bit of a lead up to dry July (She's not buying it).


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## Topher (26/6/14)

I just signed up! 

Bloody hell.


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## SJW (26/6/14)

No good can come from a dry July. About 10 years ago I started the "dry July". I made it 28 days and then was diagnosed with sinus cancer. Was told that there was nothing that could be done and the surgeon said all he could do was pray for me. Well God came through, two operations later and my life being turned upside down........no more cancer, and I have not missed a beer day since.
I thank God everyday........for beer
Steve


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## Topher (26/6/14)

Jeez. SJW, ya serious? 

Dry July has only been going since 2008, so I'm a little dubious....but I do know that sinus cancer is actually a thing so Im confused.


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## SJW (26/6/14)

I've been a member since 2004. Believe me it's a real thing. First operation they went in through my gum under my top lip. The second operation went in through my nose. There was cancerous shit right up behind my left eye. Obviously it had nothing to do with dry July but its a good excuse to brew.


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## Topher (26/6/14)

Ha. Wow, Glad you are going good now. I'll be thinking about your story when I am stinging for a beer next week.


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## Helles (26/6/14)

I havent had a smoke for 6 weeks so there no way way in Hell im going without beer too


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## SJW (26/6/14)

Everything in moderation, except smoking. I can't see anything good coming from that


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## menoetes (27/6/14)

Good on you guys for doing Dry July for charity, it's a great cause. I did dry January earlier this year (for health, not charity I'm afraid) and it was damn tough month.

I don't think I've been so dull or bored in my whole adult life. Though I did have a lot of homebrew ready & waiting for me at the end of it.

Also I can't seem to find the AHB team page to donate...


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## Topher (27/6/14)

Yeah, I can't find the team to join either.


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## n87 (27/6/14)

... do hydrometer samples count?


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## Waratah67 (27/6/14)

I'll post the link up properly this time :unsure:

Aussie Home Brewers Forum

Or:

It you get yourself to the Dry July site You can search for "Aussie Home Brewers Forum" manually.


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## 2much2spend (27/6/14)

n87 said:


> ... do hydrometer samples count?


FG or OG?
;-)


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## n87 (27/6/14)

2much2spend said:


> FG or OG?
> ;-)


from my understanding, you have to test it daily until you get a stable reading for 2... 5 days


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## Forever Wort (27/6/14)

Well done and best of luck to everyone making the commitment in this thread.

Looking at my commitments and social life over the next few weeks I find it very unlikely I would be able to keep to such an abstinence, but Dry July is something I would consider doing properly in the future.

As it stands I will take inspiration from you all and cut down on the drinks in July to some degree. Maybe no "big nights" or something ...


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## Wolfman1 (29/6/14)

I'm doing it. Good chance to build up the stores and hopefully slow down the weight gain
I did 6 weeks last year as punishment for getting a $750 speeding ticket, but I wasn't brewing back then. 
I wonder if I can lock myself out of the beer shed for July??


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## smokenmirraz (30/6/14)

I'm in again this year. More of an informal thing for me, not raising money for anything. A month off the booze will help with my training for the age fun run on July 27.

Going to drink my last pint tonight till August... hold me


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## Waratah67 (1/7/14)

Good luck to everyone here starting this today, and remember you can donate via our Aussie Home Brewers Forum team. It's to raise money to support adults living with cancer.


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## Lord Raja Goomba I (1/7/14)

Seems like everyone who has joined so far is a "Chris".


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## Waratah67 (1/7/14)

LOL, Whats with that hey?


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## Pogierob (1/7/14)

Mattwa said:


> Yeah I'm out as I'll be in Germany for half of July drinking delicious German beer.


It's only valid for July in Australia, July in Germany isn't synced with us, so it does count. 

He he. 







(Yes I know) but I'm trying to give an excuse!!!


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## mje1980 (6/7/14)

Nearly caved last night. Grabbed a peated porter and a oude beersel Kriek off the shelf to put in freezer to chill. Was stinging for it, but ended up getting them back out and putting them back on the shelf. I'm gunna drink the **** out of them come August


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## Hippy (6/7/14)

Whinging kids are testing my resolve. Just went to make another coffee after realizing there are no tea bags left to find all the mugs are in the dishwasher. All my whiskey and beer glasses are nice and clean though.
Is it August yet?


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## Lord Raja Goomba I (6/7/14)

It helps to move all your stuff that makes you want a drink (scotch glasses, whiskey, turn off beer fridge) to somewhere you can't see.

And figure out the times and habits that get you instinctively wanting a drink (kids are one, kids going to bed and watching my shows on telly) and change the habit.


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## wide eyed and legless (6/7/14)

Having recently been diagnosed with stomach cancer I will not be having any beer until I have completed my chemotherapy I also know of another member who has bladder cancer. I think it is a good cause for members of this site to donate to as the latest figures for males who will be diagnosed with cancer is now 1 in every 2, females 1 in every 3.
Alcohol is a proven carcinogen so all things in moderation. Easy to say hard to do.


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## DU99 (6/7/14)

Whats pleasures do we have left..all things in moderation is my motto.including s##


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## Waratah67 (7/7/14)

Really sad to hear that WEL, and I hope you have a speedy recovery. Thanks for you donation too!

I just got through my first weekend without a beer in years. It is so hard to break the habit! I even went to a footy game with my mates. I found this easier than wanting one of my own brews at about 4 or 5 pm after you have been wrangling the kids all day. I started replacing the beer with soda water in my fave beer glass and that has helped, I find once 7 or 8pm comes around I'm ok again. Bloody glad its winter too, don't think I could do this in summer.


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## mje1980 (7/7/14)

I normally grab some bundaberg ginger beer. Helps in the arvo when you want something with a bit of bite.


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## bryce.p (7/7/14)

The weihenstephaner non-alcoholic beer is actually pretty good, actually tastes like a weizen without that weird non-fermented malt taste. Also it's fun to drink while driving in the car or walking the dog haha.


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## Wolfman1 (7/7/14)

Tomato juice is my non beer replacement. The hot and spicy v8 is perfect and gives that savoury bitter sort of feeling that helps to bridge the gap. Three weekends to go
Certainly can't do this in the summer, and I did a BBQ on Saturday that was very odd without a beer. 
I'll be bottling one night this week as well which will need a mind adjustment. 
I did cheat on Sunday as I had a little taste from the gravity sample to help decide on the dry hopping requirements of the latest brew. I'd made my decision halfway through the 2nd pint...


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## Lord Raja Goomba I (7/7/14)

Mineral water is my fizz fix.


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## pedleyr (7/7/14)

wide eyed and legless said:


> Having recently been diagnosed with stomach cancer I will not be having any beer until I have completed my chemotherapy I also know of another member who has bladder cancer. I think it is a good cause for members of this site to donate to as the latest figures for males who will be diagnosed with cancer is now 1 in every 2, females 1 in every 3.
> Alcohol is a proven carcinogen so all things in moderation. Easy to say hard to do.


Jesus mate sorry to hear. 

I had no intention of doing dry July (and already filled up over the weekend), and I don't know you, but reading that made me decide to put my beer down and commit to no more booze for the rest of July plus a week of August. 

All the best, hopefully you beat it.


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## mje1980 (8/7/14)

Everyone else doing alright?


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## wide eyed and legless (9/7/14)

The surgeon and oncologist agreed that it was the beer consumption that caused me to get cancer at a fit 34 years of age, reading about cancer I can now refute their claims stomach cancer is caused generally by eating smoked meat, lots of salt in the diet, and processed meats, cancer caused by alcohol is generally in the mouth, liver and oesophagus.
I don't like salt, never ever put extra salt on my meals and occasionally have smoked ham, I could say for all AHB members to go and get checked out but as there are so many different types of cancer it is impossible to get everything checked.
I had no symptoms just thought I would go and have a gastroscopy as I hadn't had one for a number of years, the tumour is the size of a cricket ball, it is a silent assassin Daryl Cotton in 2012 was diagnosed with liver cancer and died 4 weeks later thats how advanced his was. So all you fellow brewers keep an eye on your health, give your liver a break and have a look at this Horizon documentary Ghost in your genes I feel a lot better knowing it probably wasn't anything I did that caused my cancer.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fMxgkSgZoJs


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## Lord Raja Goomba I (9/7/14)

All the best wide eyed - scared the hell out of me because I'm 34 next week.

There's no explaining how some abuse their body and live to tell the tale, and others do nothing bad and get everything.

I'll have to donate before the month is out in honour of you.


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## wide eyed and legless (9/7/14)

Thanks LRG, I have only made regular donations to Save the Children and White Ribbon Stop violence against Women, also the Salvos when they are collecting but I think that the young kids who are getting over treatment should be the recipients of the Dry July, the oncology nurse was telling me that the number of young children getting cancer is increasing as is the number of brain tumours in young adults.


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## Vini2ton (9/7/14)

Wolfman1 said:


> Tomato juice is my non beer replacement. The hot and spicy v8 is perfect and gives that savoury bitter sort of feeling that helps to bridge the gap. Three weekends to go
> Certainly can't do this in the summer, and I did a BBQ on Saturday that was very odd without a beer.
> I'll be bottling one night this week as well which will need a mind adjustment.
> I did cheat on Sunday as I had a little taste from the gravity sample to help decide on the dry hopping requirements of the latest brew. I'd made my decision halfway through the 2nd pint...


Tomato juice! If I did that I'd be slamming vodka into it and eating 3 dozen oysters.Not a solution for me.Now I want oysters and vodka bugger it.


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## Wolfman1 (9/7/14)

Hadn't thought of vodka. 
I came home tonight and eh missus has opened a nice bottle to put a cup into dinner. 
I swear the bottle is whispering to me. I was supposed to be bottling a brew tonight as well.


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## Wolfman1 (14/7/14)

How did people go with weekend no 2?


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## Hippy (14/7/14)

Still in tact. A lot easier than the first weekend.


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## Waratah67 (15/7/14)

Yeah I agree. Weekend two was easier. I went camping and must have been the first time in a couple of decades I didn't have a drink around a campfire.


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## Forever Wort (15/7/14)

Well done to everyone who has stayed on the wagon.



I've looked at my efforts to cut down during July and realised I have had a drink six out of the fifteen days. My new target is to limit the drinks to ten days for the whole of the month!


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## Lord Raja Goomba I (15/7/14)

The first week is always the hardest - just breaking the habit of going to the fridge or wanting a beer at 6pm.

Mind you, I was hanging for one last night - not often that happens, but it did.


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## mje1980 (15/7/14)

Yeah 2nd week is easier I reckon.


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## Wolfman1 (15/7/14)

I'm finding a little harder, but that's due to what I'm doing. 
Away for work last night and went out with 4 colleagues and managed to stay away from the very tasty smelling wine they were quaffing. Tonight I got home and had a shocker moving the caravan so was fair gasping after dinner. Half way through


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## Lord Raja Goomba I (16/7/14)

I had that. I was out on the weekend for a dinner with friends.

They had hop thief 6 on tap. In Tasmania. And others around me were drinking it.

I stuck to water.

The szechuan pepper and lime squid was rubbish and overpriced too - not a good night on the food and bev front.


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## Waratah67 (17/7/14)

Yeah I'm really understanding now how much harder it is to do the whole complete month. It's like every opportunity to drink is going to come across your life in that time - dinner parties, sport, mates parties, camping etc. However, the longer you go at saying "no" the easier it gets. Its a paradox. :blink:


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## mje1980 (17/7/14)

Yep, it does get easier. I have a brew club do this weekend. I'm driving, so can only have a few. I'll enjoy them a lot


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## Topher (17/7/14)

Dry July is THE WORST month to build a kegerater. It would be so so so easy to just pull the handle, I wouldn't even bother with the glass.


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## smokenmirraz (18/7/14)

Over two weeks in, gents. We're almost done!


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## mondestrunken (20/7/14)

tonic & bitters
peppermint tea
hot chocolate
tim tams

I'm laying down a batch this morning though! Keep it up guys.


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## WitWonder (21/7/14)

Anyone tried the non-alcoholic beers? There's a few that are < 0.5% which I don't think you can consume and still consider yourself as doing dry july but there are a couple that are no alcohol - any feedback?


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## Waratah67 (21/7/14)

WitWonder said:


> Anyone tried the non-alcoholic beers? There's a few that are < 0.5% which I don't think you can consume and still consider yourself as doing dry july but there are a couple that are no alcohol - any feedback?


I have, and they are MUCH better than they used to be. Though I;m not drinking them during dry july as I'm pretty sure they would weaken my resolve. Last weekend was hardest yet, came so close to cracking on saturday night, but managed to hold strong.


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## Wolfman1 (21/7/14)

Wait till next weekend...

I'm being both parents from Friday which is going to be tough for the final stretch.


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## Wolfman1 (31/7/14)

Is everyone still intact?


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## GrumpyPaul (31/7/14)

What a way for LRG to finish dry july.....winning the lotto. And I know myself and a few others have expressed post our beers to him today.

Imagine finishing a month without beer and getting beer in the mail on the first day of the next month.


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## mondestrunken (31/7/14)

Wolfman1 said:


> Is everyone still intact?


Yeah. That's coz I finished up early tonight...


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## Topher (1/8/14)

Piece of piss really.

Must admit I had a few small lapses, carbed up a 350ml 'sample' of a beer that was cold crashing the other night, I had a small glass when testing the new perlick tap, and when testing the old tap....then there was the incident involving the takeaway thai dinner and a longneck of coopers (but the wife was away so that doesn't count does it?).


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## Lord Raja Goomba I (1/8/14)

I'm happy with that Paul, I thought the same thing. And 1st August is international beer day and a Friday.

I'll be happy and testing tonight.


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## smokenmirraz (1/8/14)

I survived. Looking forward to a glass of something tonight.


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## Hippy (1/8/14)

Going to be a long day at work today


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## Waratah67 (1/8/14)

Beer again !!!!!!
:chug: :chug: :chug:


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## Josh (4/8/14)

I did Dry July to support Nepean Cancer Care Centre.

Sadly, Mum passed away from Pancreatic Cancer on July 19. So I used one Golden Ticket for her wake. I'm sure she would have approved.

If you'd like to make a donation, you still can.

https://au.dryjuly.com/profile/joshbutton

Cheers
:beer:


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