Boring Friends With Homebrew Talk

[gava]

Does anyone else have this problem? I've just got into AG homebrewing and Im pumped about it and how much better the beer tastes than the kits..

I've noticed though, when someone asks me about it they very quickly go glassy eyed and don't really care.. even people that have brewed kits before.. (mind you theres soime that love it)

I think they smile and nod because they know they'll get more free good beer..

Is home brew talk a "had to be there" type thing?

 

[tcraig20]

Does anyone else have this problem? I've just got into AG homebrewing and Im pumped about it and how much better the beer tastes than the kits..

I've noticed though, when someone asks me about it they very quickly go glassy eyed and don't really care.. even people that have brewed kits before.. (mind you theres soime that love it)

I think they smile and nod because they know they'll get more free good beer..

Is home brew talk a "had to be there" type thing?

Its not just home brew talk - its beer talk generally. Most people like the odd glass, but they are lost when a beer nerd turns up.

I was asked a couple of weeks back whether stout was a beer and how they made it black. I could see I was losing them by the time I got to malt...

 

[captaincleanoff]

happens to me alll the time..

Often get asked what the beakers and test tubes i have got lying around are used for..

When I start to explain yeast starters, slurry, and slants.. you can see the boredom set in

 

[Screwtop]

Does anyone else have this problem? I've just got into AG homebrewing and Im pumped about it and how much better the beer tastes than the kits..

I've noticed though, when someone asks me about it they very quickly go glassy eyed and don't really care.. even people that have brewed kits before.. (mind you theres soime that love it)

I think they smile and nod because they know they'll get more free good beer..

Is home brew talk a "had to be there" type thing?

Say nothing, let the beer do the convincing

Screwy

 

[gava]

Great, it's not just me thought I was one of "those" guys.. instead im a beer nerd.. i can live with that..

 

[brendo]

I think we all run into this issue... a lot of my friends are interested, but I have also learnt to what level that interest runs to.

I will happily bore someone who asks questions or shows interest, but do try to reign myself in before I work up too much of a head of steam.

Now I mostly save my serious beer discussions for homebrew club meetings and brewing mates.

Brendo

 

[Katherine]

That is why you have brewing friends....

 

[RetsamHsam]

I find it easier to keep people interested by showing them around the brewery and taking them through the process start to finish.

My bar is in the garage along with all of my brewing equipment, so when I pour someone a beer and they ask me how it is made I take them over to my grain silos (black 60L garbage bins) then show them the mill, then to the mash tun, then the boiler, then the fermenter, and then show them the inside of the keg fridge.

I find by showing them all this stuff while explaining the process it keeps them engaged. In saying that some people will get bored no matter what you do.

 

[Pennywise]

I find most people aren't too interested past the point of "you made this?". That being said, my neighbour was quite supprised when he tasted my HB for the first time, now he's always asking me questions about the beer and even wants to start up HBing. Up untill just a coulpe of weeks ago he thought that all pale beers were lagers and dark beers were ales, when I started talking about the difference he was very intereted, I feel we have another convert on our hands. He turns 30 this year, guess what I'm getting him.

 

[benno1973]

If my wife ever can't sleep, she gets me talk her through my homebrew setup. From there its lights out...

 

[gava]

I must admit if they're "interested" in it then they do listen.. had a mate over who does Kits, he thought AG was this really complicated process. Once he came around for a brewday he said "I can do this!" so thats another convert..

My missus tried to listen because she wanted to be "involved" yeah that didn't last..

I need more brewer mates in benders... the only other output is the internet and its just not the same..

anyway back to boring people..

 

[petesbrew]

I have to admit I try to spare my wife the boring details, but when you turn up to parties with a bottle of your latest, people start asking questions.

 

[Pollux]

I have people at work ask the usual questions "How cheap is it?", "Does it get you pissed?" I just choose to ignore those people and move on.

The father in law grabs some bits and pieces for me as he lives in the same street as Pat's Faulconbridge store, the other day I was just cleaning up the brewery and moving some stuff around when the inlaws stopped by, complete with the dex I wanted for bulk priming....

He started to ask questions, I showed him the tubs of grain and let him smell the differences between the base malts and the spec grains. Then we went upstairs and I showed him the hops in the freezer, and my urn and then gave him a run down of how a brew day works and luckily I still had a full NC cube sitting under the table to explain the process.

I think I lost him at the point where I was showing him the malt to be honest, but he played the role of interested father in law.

 

[Renegade]

My missus tried to listen because she wanted to be "involved" yeah that didn't last..

LOL, mine is the same, and she loved coming to the homebrew shop recently, I even let her pick out some stuff (kits <_< ), because, well, I hit her up for half the cost becuase she drinks half of it ! Although Ive noticed over time that her interest wanes quite a bit when i start random discussions about an idea of a arecipe, the rate at which yeast is performing or whatever else.

On the other hand, a mate of mine claims to love hearing about it. But I think he's just humouring me, the *******. I should really get to know some other brewers (i know only one other, an aquaintance more than a mate, and he's pretty much strictly kits & bits, still we can talk for an hour easily and also borrow gear or consumables if one of us gets stuck on brew day)

 

[Renegade]

I have people at work ask the usual questions "How cheap is it?", "Does it get you pissed?" I just choose to ignore those people and move on.

Thats a bit insulting I think! I also hate the one 'oh, it must be ROCKETFUEL'. What do these people think I make moonshine out of potatoes?

 

[Katherine]

LOL, mine is the same, and she loved coming to the homebrew shop recently, I even let her pick out some stuff (kits <_< ), because, well, I hit her up for half the cost becuase she drinks half of it ! Although Ive noticed over time that her interest wanes quite a bit when i start random discussions about an idea of a arecipe, the rate at which yeast is performing or whatever else.

On the other hand, a mate of mine claims to love hearing about it. But I think he's just humouring me, the *******. I should really get to know some other brewers (i know only one other, an aquaintance more than a mate, and he's pretty much strictly kits & bits, still we can talk for an hour easily and also borrow gear or consumables if one of us gets stuck on brew day)

What is wrong with these women...

 

[brettprevans]

i dont care if I bore them. I figure im just like the jehovas witness or mormons. I'll keep talking your ear off about the same bloody thing until i convert them!

Thats a bit insulting I think! I also hate the one 'oh, it must be ROCKETFUEL'. What do these people think I make moonshine out of potatoes?

I had a similar experinace monday night. my fmily came over for dinner. that old man was almost pissed when he got there but my mum hadnt noticed. after 2 homebrews he just happens to start showing that he's pissed and my mother tells my off for givinbg him hobrew and making him pissed. I crack it and said it had nothing to do with homebrew and everything to do with the fact he'[d been drinking since 4pm! oh but homebrews stronger and bad for you isnt it. i informed her that thers nothing differant about my HB compared to a normal commercial brewery except mine tastes better!

 

[geoffi]

Tried to explain AG brewing to a group of old blue-singlet blokes who thought K&K was the extent of the hobby.

I might as well have been trying to communicate with a Martian in Swahili.

My rule is: if questions are asked, answers will be provided. But I won't seek to bash anybody's ear about it.

 

[Bribie G]

Most people are convinced that VB and Fourex are produced 'chemically' - I don't know what chemicals they are referring to - and they have no concept of malt, hops, yeast. My adult stepdaughter was under the impression that the big flat shrinks of malt I get from Ross were the hops, so I let her have a sniff through my hop hoard. It was really interesting because she was coming up with some very accurate assessments like the American hops.. Chinook etc. "Oooh, Grapefruit and citrusy stuff". She loved the aroma of melanoidin and Carared as well and like me felt that Dark Crystal would make good guinea pig food.

That famous "bitch nose" at work, hey :lol: BTW she doesn't drink so that made it the more interesting.

 

[base2aau]

happens to me alll the time..

Often get asked what the beakers and test tubes i have got lying around are used for..

When I start to explain yeast starters, slurry, and slants.. you can see the boredom set in

Just tell them you cook meth for hobbie, I am sure they will show more instrest.