As you can see, hops take priority over lawn care...
Decline in Hombrewing.
- Thread starter GFHomebrew
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So you think we're in for some better times Ward?
I just feel like we ain't reached the bottom of the curve yet my man!
Hey as long as we swing with it
I do...it's just a new equilibrium as the global economy continues to emerge out of the pandemic and tries not to get into a third world war!
Well let's hope not!
Enough countries already at it.
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That's EXACTLY how you do it! Take note kids. I quit back in 1995, and the secret is to simply NOT talk about it. People like to boast that they've quit, but end up having hour long gab sessions with other smokers about how "hard" it is to quit, how much you enjoy a smoke after coffee, beer, sex, meals, etc... eventually you talk yourself back into smoking again by dwelling on it for so long.
Oh Oh! Wrong thread; maybe screen name is accurate….
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Quote was from the same thread....but won't argue the second part of your comment...lol.Oh Oh! Wrong thread; maybe screen name is accurate….
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There may be a current decline in homebrewing. But as a professionally trained chef, who doesn't work in a restaurant of any knod, I feel that there may be a gnereational thing going on. Many of the members here are a little older and we have gained our mileage. A few of us might be finding that mileage requires a few more oil changes and system resets. Wiht the younger generations, we are seeing immediate gratification needs or wants, whicheever comes first.
I have two kids, 8 and 9, who are starting to learn to cook with my wife and I. But, I do find that they are excited about the cooking process , until there is the wait as the food smokes or simmers. The attention span wanders at that time and they get grumpy waiting for the final result. I can appreciate their attitudes in regards to this, as when I am cooking, I am also hungry during the process. I don't want to wait if I don't have too.
With beer brewing, the process is fairly intense and there is a long wait for the final product. It makes me wonder if the generation that could be helping to continue the growth of homebrewing could be turning down the process as too time consuming. I hate to see this happening if it is, although I do feel, and this is nothing more than my opinion, everything goes through cycles, and hopefuly a cycle that will only increase a down- this is nothing more than a short downturn in a societal weirdness.
I have two kids, 8 and 9, who are starting to learn to cook with my wife and I. But, I do find that they are excited about the cooking process , until there is the wait as the food smokes or simmers. The attention span wanders at that time and they get grumpy waiting for the final result. I can appreciate their attitudes in regards to this, as when I am cooking, I am also hungry during the process. I don't want to wait if I don't have too.
With beer brewing, the process is fairly intense and there is a long wait for the final product. It makes me wonder if the generation that could be helping to continue the growth of homebrewing could be turning down the process as too time consuming. I hate to see this happening if it is, although I do feel, and this is nothing more than my opinion, everything goes through cycles, and hopefuly a cycle that will only increase a down- this is nothing more than a short downturn in a societal weirdness.
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my daughter is the worst for this. if She is not instantly good at something she gives up. really annoying. she is 15
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Indeed! For instance my step son was an instant gratification kind of guy as a teen, had no patience at all.
Now he will stand in a river fishing for hours, and or lie in wait for the perfect wildlife photo opportunity.
He then smokes the fish, and spends hours touching up photos of owls, and pine martens...
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I'm like that and I'm 42. I have to set timers or I forget to finish brewing.
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Some more thought fodder to ruminate..
https://allaboutbeer.com/the-2023-state-of-homebrewing/
https://allaboutbeer.com/the-2023-state-of-homebrewing/
If i can share my experience, i have certainly felt a change in the hobby. I started brewing around 2000 and back then there were some small clubs but most normal people had no idea about homebrew. I brewed for 20 years on a turkey fryer in my michigan basement. I was extremely clean and everyone loved my beer. I almost had celebrity status because of it. Compared to what most people drank, my stuff would mess you up pronto and it was tasty! Fastforward 20 some years and I'm divorced, i have a lot less friends drinking my beer (***whispering***"none"), and i have given up the propane burner for a custom electric set up i built. I have new bro-in-laws who are great and one of them is a beer snob. He has the app. He travels the globe and has drank everything just about and rated it in said app. So now i feel like im brewing for him. Lol. He doesn't realize it, but the one or twice he's in town I'm giddy with excitement thinking about him trying my latest. It's all bittersweet because im not sure he appreciates what goes into it. There's so many good craft breweries out there. That's what I'm competing with. I don't get that satisfaction when someone tries my beer for the first time anymore. It's not new and exciting. These kids have tried it all by now. That is the change I've experienced and honestly it's made me question why i still do it.
As for Covid, i always laugh a little inside when people wax nostalgic about it. I never had any extra time. I definitely never had any extra cash because of it. I didn't take the layoff and was part of the proud few who kept working. So when people talk about the effects of covid I just have to laugh. Not all of us had the luxury of sitting on our asses needing a new hobby to do.
Homebrewing will go on despite its lack of popularity. We literally just recently experienced a surge mainly due to the relaxation of laws regarding alcohol production that occurred decades ago. Being Italian i hear stories all the time of great uncles and aunts who had beer and more importantly wine in their basements that was hauled out every good meal. Every house had their own way. Just because a bunch of people who had nothing better to do for awhile temporarily boosted the hobby for a bit, and now it's seems in decline doesn't mean anything. As long as we need an escape from life, there will inevitably be a brewer nearby. But it won't be these trendy bastards that keep it going. I promise you that.
As for Covid, i always laugh a little inside when people wax nostalgic about it. I never had any extra time. I definitely never had any extra cash because of it. I didn't take the layoff and was part of the proud few who kept working. So when people talk about the effects of covid I just have to laugh. Not all of us had the luxury of sitting on our asses needing a new hobby to do.
Homebrewing will go on despite its lack of popularity. We literally just recently experienced a surge mainly due to the relaxation of laws regarding alcohol production that occurred decades ago. Being Italian i hear stories all the time of great uncles and aunts who had beer and more importantly wine in their basements that was hauled out every good meal. Every house had their own way. Just because a bunch of people who had nothing better to do for awhile temporarily boosted the hobby for a bit, and now it's seems in decline doesn't mean anything. As long as we need an escape from life, there will inevitably be a brewer nearby. But it won't be these trendy bastards that keep it going. I promise you that.
Thank you for your honesty man!
Wow you've brewed beer for a Looonnng time!
You nailed one of the reasons in the decline people can access whatever beer they want from around thr world at the local bottle shop.
Awesome your still in the Hobby.
Looks like you've made some changes moving to electric.
Cheers
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Meh with climate change, the circumstances will start to be even more noticeable with grain and hops yield/quality. Brewers will get priced out of ingredients or the quality be highly degraded. I’m enjoying it while I can. Soon it will be mad max beer
I don’t think homebrewing will be a thing in 10 years
I don’t think homebrewing will be a thing in 10 years
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Y
Hey remember as long as there are starches to convert there will be brewers. Lol
You been listening to the latest brulab podcast lol.
Hey remember as long as there are starches to convert there will be brewers. Lol
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Here here on the pride and happiness that we get when others enjoy our efforts....I think that's a normal human's response as well as a dog's, but it does get tempered by the oblivious-ness of what's involved....ya know... beer and milk come from the same place....the store!
Beer has been a thing for a while now and sure there's been a blip in our ranks, the decline is relative to the blip is the take that I've arrive at now.
Homebrewing will go on and while resources may become less available and options increase ( booze, weed legalization, misguided sobriety, other passions and hobbies....), but just like pretzels...beer and brewing are not going anywhere....it will be over there when you want it.
Beer has been a thing for a while now and sure there's been a blip in our ranks, the decline is relative to the blip is the take that I've arrive at now.
Homebrewing will go on and while resources may become less available and options increase ( booze, weed legalization, misguided sobriety, other passions and hobbies....), but just like pretzels...beer and brewing are not going anywhere....it will be over there when you want it.
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I've been watching a lot of brewing YouTube lately, and one comment I liked was from Mike of the Brew Dudes who pointed out that the hobby is a great way to keep beer styles alive that are otherwise falling out of favor (like my fav amber ales) commercially. I know just being able to brew decent beers that I know I'm going to like was a motivator for me to get back into the hobby. That and learning about BIAB as a technique. Also the cost of entry at my level (2-3 gallon batches and bottling) was relatively low (200-250$). Maybe I'm an exception, but there are factors in the current environment that could be bringing in new (or new-ish - ahem) folks into the hobby.
