Case Swaps - Philosophy Better Than The Mechanics

[Fatgodzilla]

Somewhere on the drive home from Sydney, between Ulladulla and Batemans Bay, just after 9.30pm, I had an quick insight into why I was driving on a dark highway instead of being pleasantly pissed somewhere. Why I left a day of beer drinking sober, why I had spent 9 hours driving that day with an hour still to go. I like case swap day. Not just case swaps, but the day itself.

The mechanics of case swapping is simple. You brew a beer, trying your best (but often failing) just to give it away to any number of people in exchange for a similiar undertakings.

But the philosophy of case swaps is not about the beer. It's much more important than that.

We brewers are slightly different from the rest of humanity. We share a passion in what we do that links us. That's why we do it. Not because we like beer, not because we drink beer. It's because we make beer and like talking about it.

A case swap is quite simply one reason for brewers to get together and share our passion. Look at the reasons I gather with brewers.

1. Club activities - with the Illawarra Brewers Union on our now regular Real Ale Festival days, or the brilliant Ray's Big Brew Day.
2. Club activity - monthly meetings of the Canberra Brewers Club (when I can get there).
3. Gate crashing other groups - such as the Inner Sydney Brewers brew days, the 2009 Queensland Xmas party and case swap.
4. State and National Championships, as well as club comps such as the recent Extra Special Brewers World Cup Challenge.
4. Sydney Pub Crawl.
5. The 2008 ANHC and this year's event.
6. The NSW case swap season.

Many of you do your own local versions of these types of events in your own states.

But it is the philosophy of the last mentioned activity that is important in this message. I make an effort to go to these events for my own enjoyment. I don't particularly brew just to make others happy nor to celebrate any endorsements my fellow brewers bestow (much of which is just polite banter than a glowing endorsement of my brewing abilities). I go to be with fellow travellers. We have a great time talking beer. Much bullshit is spoken, nothing is taken seriously. But we forge links with these days. We meet people whom we come to trust, people we would not ordinarily know. We look forward to seeing them again in the future, or communicating with them in forums such as this. And when it comes time to gather for more formal reasons such as competitions we can more happily volunteer to participate because we are with mates.

There are quite a few people who don't participate in case swaps because they don't need a(nother) reason to gather with fellow travellers. And there are a few who don't want to be in case swaps. And a few who just couldn't be bothered. Nothing wrong there.

There are a few who are scared to participate in case swaps as they worry about criticism of their brewing. Or are just shy. In my opinion, it is these that are missing out on something good. The day of the case swap is about being there and sharing.

At most case swaps a few people cancel at the last minute or simply can't be there and therefore missed the swap. Don't sweat it. I don't care whether a few less beers were swapped.I am sad you guys couldn't be there, but you have your reasons and no one can fault you for them. Hopefully next time.

But to those I share days with at case swap past and those to come, that is the reason I make a effort to be there.

Now, it's about time I started brewing and drinking .. :icon_chickcheers:

 

[daemon]

Nice words of wisdom there Fatz, I certainly agree. I enjoy swaps for a few reasons, the first is to get feedback on my beer. I'm always very critical of my beer (in a good way) so it's always interesting to see if my thoughts lineup with what others are thinking as well. The second is to try a number of beers with different styles and brewing methods. Unlike drinking commercial craft beer to taste different styles, these ones are brewed on a small scale system using equipment and ingredients that I can get myself. Many also share their recipe as well, making it much easier to try and replicate.

The friendly banter is always funny too, I commented at the recent QLD swap that if it was a niteclub there would already be 10 different punchups. There were a number of "discussions" about NRL vs AFL, Chappo vs goats etc and everybody was still laughing afterwards. This is why I like drinking with other brewers, people can drink until they fall over but you never see violence.

 

[FNQ Bunyip]

Well writen Fatz, I have had cause and time too reflect on this philosophy , and also look forwad too swap days near and far .. Unfortunatly I had too pull out of the first little swap up here in the north only this weekend.
Thanks for putting it into words so well..

Cheers Ned

 

[Muggus]

Getting all soppy and emotional about case swaps again Fatz?

You do raise a good point though.
As much as I, among other people, got into homebrewing for myself at first, somewhere along the line there's a point where you want to compare notes, so to speak, and try some different brews made by different people.

For me, case swaps are what got me trying to brew a wider range of beer styles, getting into AG brewing, kegs and competitions.
3 years, hundreds of beers, dozens of new acquaintances, a couple of awards, hundreds of kilometres, and thousands of dollars since my first swap, i'd have say it's a rewarding experience in many ways.
Nothing beats coming home with 42 odd litres of beer from around the state in a weekend...

Cheers Fatz...excuse me while I have a moment to myself...

 

[manticle]

I find the opposite.

Last weekend I had to drag myself out of bed early on a Saturday morning to catch a bus and train and go to a complete stranger's house. There I was forced to brew (with assistance) around 140 litres of beer, eat goat and spit roasted lamb while people I'd never met kept giving me different beers, all the while talking about beer and drinking all the beer that I'd brought along while telling me they liked it.

Beer, beer, beer - is that all these people think about? I had such a bad time I had to catch a cab home by myself at about 2:30 am.

Never again.

 

[Fatgodzilla]

Beer, beer, beer - is that all these people think about? I had such a bad time I had to catch a cab home by myself at about 2:30 am.

Never again

 

[white.grant]

In hindsight we should have camped in Barls' backyard! Come christmas I'm packing the tent.

But I agree with you fatz, swaps are wonderful and I did enjoy myself yesterday, and am looking forward to the beers and the feedback.

cheers

grant

 

[Gulpa]

Love the case swaps as well.

Great getting together with fellow brewers and having a chat, drinking some HB. Also love the swap beer as well. Love the fact that I can drink someone else's beer for a few weeks rather than my own. Ive learnt so much from drinking other brewers beer (the good, bad and the weird shit some people make :lol: ).

Cheers
Andrew.

 

[winkle]

I enjoy feeling like crap for three days after one, maybe I should just learn to go to bed at a sensible time.
Seriously the people, the beers, the bagpipes, the food (and the goats) are hard to beat. It isn't often you'll find a group as diverse as turns up to a swap - and they all get along together. The swap beers are a bonus (the QLD July ones are bloody good).