Losing interest, what to do... Help!

[shacked]

Mate, I'd just park brewing for a bit. Focus on your kids and just drink commercial beer.

You'll get through the change and remember why you started brewing in the first place; and will most likely come back to it fired up!!! Beer has been around for a million years (probably) so it'll wait for you

Washing bottles and fermenters and stuff is pretty heavy when you aren't into it.

Good luck mate.

 

[LAGERFRENZY]

Wholly agree with the above. Its natural to lose interest in a hobby when you are under the pump and probably feel a bit knackered so don't punish yourself about that. Brewing will still be there if you feel like having a break from it. Just clean up that dirty fermenter first.

 

[MartinOC]

Having read everything before...

**** it - just do it.

You'll thank yourself.

 

[Stouter]

It might seem shitty now, but in a couple of years maybe, you'll think your breakup was the best thing that ever happened to you.
You'll work out the patterns and schedules with the kids, work, and all the essential things you need to keep things ticking along. Just don't stress and over think.
I've been through it too, and while everyone's different and every situation is different, there's always the constants in life.

It's important for you to hold onto things like brewing. It seems that you really enjoy it or why else would you post on here.
Ease back in, find gaps where the kids are out or asleep on the nights where you feel like staying up watching a movie inbetween hop additions. As they get older those gaps get longer. I used to involve my boys in the brew day with capping, filling, and the cleaning and rinsing of bottles. Might be frowned apon by some, but they just took it as 'Dad time', helping Dad and having fun with water.
Mothers make cupcakes and such, Dads brew!

 

[husky]

Chuck a handful of sodium perc in the fermenter, sit it in the shower and turn on the hot water. Leave it 5 mins to fill then leave it for a couple of days, practically cleans itself!
I have had plenty of down times over the years, definitely new equipment helps but usually I just wait it out until I have some great examples of craft beer and go 'oh yeah, I might start brewing again'. I wouldn't stress if your enthusiasm diminishes for a while, It will come back.

 

[manticle]

Don't worry about it. Come back to it later if you want.

Focus on the kids, don't forget about yourself in the mix.

 

[Danscraftbeer]

Fellow brewers,

Brewing has been a downward spiral of interest for me lately and I'm lost. I mostly do kits and ciders due to time constraints and love it, but lately even putting down a kit seems like an overwhelming exercise. I have one ferm with cider going but the other one is sitting there empty and ... hasn't been cleaned. It has been staring at me for a week if not more. In the morning I think hell yeah do it tonight, by the time the day is over (daycare/school/work) and kids are in bed I can't be stuffed. The SWMBO left 6 months ago without explanation and left me with the kids, which is fine as I would not have had it any other way.

Lack of time, interest and other things I mentally kick myself every time I see that fermenter and/or walk in the bottle shop. Has anyone gone through a similar phase and how did you regain interest? With the newly acquired freedom I could brew wherever, make a mess and no-one would complain, buy whatever kit etc... Meh.

I think I need help.

Without reading past this opening post: My 2 cents. Don't brew if its a hassle. Do it because you want it. If you can achieve it with the time you have. Like home cooking and food preparation. Fresher than you can buy maybe it.

What hooked me is I tried brewing Coopers to match the shelf product, but my home brew seemed so much preferable to the shelf product. Its as simple as that, with the fact that I know most of what I eat as well because I prepare it and grow a lot of what I eat.
Its home cooking compared to take away.

 

[spog]

Fellow brewers,
Brewing has been a downward spiral of interest for me lately and I'm lost. I mostly do kits and ciders due to time constraints and love it, but lately even putting down a kit seems like an overwhelming exercise. I have one ferm with cider going but the other one is sitting there empty and ... hasn't been cleaned. It has been staring at me for a week if not more. In the morning I think hell yeah do it tonight, by the time the day is over (daycare/school/work) and kids are in bed I can't be stuffed. The SWMBO left 6 months ago without explanation and left me with the kids, which is fine as I would not have had it any other way.
Lack of time, interest and other things I mentally kick myself every time I see that fermenter and/or walk in the bottle shop. Has anyone gone through a similar phase and how did you regain interest? With the newly acquired freedom I could brew wherever, make a mess and no-one would complain, buy whatever kit etc... Meh.
I think I need help.

For what it's worth.
Please standup.....make a show of firstly brushing the dust of your left sleeve,then the same for your right sleeve,repeat for each of your legs.
Then say out loud " I can and I will do better" .
Brewing takes 2nd place to family,kids check.....brew on.

 

[decr]

Thank you all for all the replies, the amount of response is overwhelming. Some good points there hitting the nail on the head (and some on the side).

I hate wasting $$$ on beer as it's ridiculously expensive, not touching spirits anymore and wine is a bit meh.

It's not really the lack of time, or not completely at least, but most free time is taken up by cleaning and cooking meals for the following week. Weekday evenings are a write off.

I think I'll rethink where to brew in the house and get a 60l jobbie or two. More for the same hassle.

Oh, and I did clean that fermenter, looks a lot happier now in the pantry. Maybe I'll end up putting down a coopers kit stout after all, got all the stuff there ready to go.

Thanks guys.