Are You A Homebrewer Or A Craftbrewer?

[chappo1970]

....There is a big difference between Craftbrewers and Homebrewers.

Homebrewers - people who brew at home. Be it Kit and Kilo, in a bath tub, out in the open. They basically brew at home and dont care that much about the result.

Craftbrewers - people who treat the art of brewing as a craft. They take care in the production, the receipe, the equipment, the ingredients, the procedures.

The above quote comes from a forum member who I have decided to keep his/her or it's identity withdrawn from this thread. However I took offence to the above but then it got me thinking about this hobby, the history, the people I have met who homebrew and the associated label of being a "homebrewer". Labels are funny things much like being labelled a "Bogan" or a "Logan Bogan" where I live the label conjures up good and bad bias, in my case the negative. All the same I am a self confessed Bogan, I like Holden cars, meat pies, football and Torana's. I'm not fussed on fancy restaurants, flash suits and European motorcars. Althought my job requires me to dine in fancy restaurants regularly.

I class myself as a homebrewer first and foremost. I am proud to be homebrewer and when I meet people I tell them so. I would say 60% of the time I see their eye roll or that look of horror as I hand them a beer but thus far I would say i have about an 80% conversion rate to rethinking what homebrewing can produce. "Craftbrewer" just sounds like being a knob to me.

Anyway ignore the the above quoted description but rather tell me what you, yes you! prefer to be labelled?

Are you a Homebrewer?
or
Are you a Craftbrewer?

Cheers

Chappo

 

[manticle]

And the above quote was so ridiculous I didn't even think it warranted a response.

I support X's* endeavours with his nameless* things and so on but that statement was kind of ludicrous and required head pulling from certain orifices (on his behalf).

I just think maybe he shoots his mouth (and keyboard fingers) off a little quickly at times and has a touch too much arrogance to realise what he said is absolute twaddle.

By the way I'm a home brewer, atheist and decent cook. I can also draw, put on a sun hat and dance like someone who's not very good at dancing and doesn't really enjoy it and I don't really like avocado.

Can I vote all three?

* In keeping with your identity secrecy of said poster

 

[Snow]

As I said in the previous thread, IMO, people (ie amateur brewers) who find the need to call themselves "craftbrewers", are just homebrewers with an inferiority complex.

Cheers - Snow.

 

[Frank]

Homebrewer.

I thought Craft Brewers made Vegemite?? Or did we sell that to the Americans?
Craftbrewer sound like I need to cover my fermenter with a couple of doilies.

 

[cdbrown]

Never really considered myself anything other than a homebrewer considering I brew at home.

Do not agree with the quote - scoffed quite looudly when I first saw it.

 

[Fourstar]

:icon_offtopic: in before moderation! Hoorah!

on topic.

I consider myself a Homebrewer but i can see for some they might take offence to that and consider themseves craftsmen, artists, purists, brew hobbiest etc. I remember hearing on a Jamil show that the Yanks dont like being referred to as Amateur brewers where as we wouldn't take that title any different to being called a homebrewer which is infact what we are.

 

[yardy]

craftbrewer because my old man always said i'm a crafty *******..

Chappo, i love holdens, maggot bags with dead horse, footy and toranas also, thats makes us australian mate

cheers

Dave

who's the mystery poster ? , i wont say nuffink...

 

[cdbrown]

I remember hearing on a Jamil show that the Yanks dont like being referred to as Amateur brewers where as we wouldn't take that title any different to being called a homebrewer which is infact what we are.

That's crazy - do they see Amateur as being derogatory or something?? Not too long ago amateurs were the only ones allowed in the Olympics before the professional (read paid) sports people jumped in.

 

[Pollux]

I can recall listening to a BBR podcast where they were discussing the homebrewer vs craftbrewer tag and stigma attached.

It was pointed out that it is only in countries where the base level swill is relatively expensive that homebrewing has a bad tag as it tends to be a "hobby" performed by those who just want cheap booze to get loaded and are not concerned about taste, as apposed to the US where "homebrewers" are considered the artists that they are....


I found that quite interesting, but I still describe myself as a simply a "brewer", no stigma, no wankiness, I brew, therefore I am a brewer.

 

[thanme]

What makes a beer a "craft" beer?

If people ask me what my hobbies are, I'd be more inclined to say "I make beer" for some reason.

 

[Fourstar]

That's crazy - do they see Amateur as being derogatory or something?? Not too long ago amateurs were the only ones allowed in the Olympics before the professional (read paid) sports people jumped in.

Linking to what pollux has stated i think they assume amateur = apprentice = unskilled or 'lower quality'.

 

[Bribie G]

I think the 'cringe' tends to come from the semantic "loading" of the term "home brew"................ "Bilbo, have you been drinking the Gaffer's home brew again"..... (is that why you are currently sounding like a complete tool) "Well yes, Frodo, but...."

I usually announce myself as: "My big hobby is beer brewing"

 

[Effect]

after hearing a craftbrewer talk on the internet radio...I don't know if I want to call myself one...

I brew my beer at home, but despite that, I am a craftbrewer...I think it is a bit shorter than saying to people 'I am a homebrewer - but my beer isn't made with the tins you get at the supermarket, I make it all fresh like at the major breweries - but my beer tastes better than the macrobreweries, more like a microbrewery - but I make it to my own recipes - you want some?'

Cheers
Phil

 

[Online Brewing Supplies]

I like to drink beer so there fore I class my self as a Crafted Drinker that brews in the shed. So I am a crafty shed brewer (CSB).Cant get any more Aussie than a bloke a beer and a shed.
GB

 

[nathanR]

craftbrewer sounds like you should be wearing a home made sweater and have patch work quilt over your fementer

 

[Back Yard Brewer]

OK so I'm a knob , yep I like to call myself a craftbrewer h34r: I take raw ingredients and create something that is my own, and unique. Never really thought being a craftbrewer was being snobby or stuck up. My beer labels will most likely include the term "Hand Crafted" one day. "Hand Home" just doesn't sound right to me.


BYB

 

[chappo1970]

OK so I'm a knob , yep I like to call myself a craftbrewer h34r: I take raw ingredients and create something that is my own, and unique. Never really thought being a craftbrewer was being snobby or stuck up. My beer labels will most likely include the term "Hand Crafted" one day. "Hand Home" just doesn't sound right to me.


BYB

Good on you BYB. I'm glad to see some opposite opinions coming. I was hoping for some spirited debate.

BTW what's wrong with "Hand Made Home Brewed Beer"? just a thought?

Chap Chap

 

[Pete2501]

Aren't they the same thing?

I brew beer at home so I consider myself a brewhomer.

Doesn't phase me either way unless it starts making googling harder.

 

[white.grant]

OK so I'm a knob , yep I like to call myself a craftbrewer h34r: I take raw ingredients and create something that is my own, and unique. Never really thought being a craftbrewer was being snobby or stuck up. My beer labels will most likely include the term "Hand Crafted" one day. "Hand Home" just doesn't sound right to me.


BYB

You and me both BYB.

I like the idea of craft, brings to my mind the pursuits of the artisan. Working steadily with your hands, applying hard earned knowledge, exercising patience, using in many cases traditional, hand driven or at least non-commercial equipment and processes and enjoying the rewards of your efforts. Craft brewer works for me.

cheers

grant

 

[Greg Lawrence]

You could go one step further and brew in the nude