hombrew stigma

rwh · Post by **rwh** » Thursday Sep 14, 2006 12:00 pm

Hi All,

I was talking about beer with a bunch of people the other day, and mentioned homebrew to which one of the people pulled a face of disgust. I've noticed that there is a bit of a stigma associated with the "homebrew" term, possibly thanks to Coopers recommending sucrose in their homebrew kits for so many years.

Now, I reckon things have changed a bit, and I'm personally doing partial mashes and stuff, and will be moving on to full mashes once I've got the equipment. Thing is, I don't think my beer deserves the stigma attached to the "homebrew" term, so I think we need to coin a new term for our special hand-crafted magicness.

How about "nano-brewery beer"? Or "hand-crafted-with-love-and-utmost-skill-nano-brewery-beer-that-is-awesome"?

Just throwing this one out to the floor now...

gregb · Post by **gregb** » Thursday Sep 14, 2006 12:07 pm

Try 'Craft brew'.

As for any stigma of other peoples preconceptions, ... guess how much I care what they think.

It is fun to show them a Crown or Hahn Prem bottle and say 'This alright?' then serve it to them poured clear in a glass, let them tell you how good it is before you let them know that it is actually your latest lager.

How many times have you heard: "No, that can't be homebrew."

Cheers,
Greg

rwh · Post by **rwh** » Thursday Sep 14, 2006 12:17 pm

Yeah, that's a good idea. Maybe I'll do less talking and more serving

Boonie · Post by **Boonie** » Thursday Sep 14, 2006 12:27 pm

rwh wrote:Yeah, that's a good idea. Maybe I'll do less talking and more serving

Do what I do.....put some in a stubbie, take the lid off and let them decide if it is Homebrew

I fooled my brother and his mate into believing they were drinking a Coopers Sparkling Ale

muddy · Post by **muddy** » Thursday Sep 14, 2006 2:47 pm

The average beer ignorant person can be fooled pretty easily. Some people however are just plain stubborn (and stupid).

I recently got an elderly bloke onto my HB by using some trickery as described in earlier posts. He thought 'Clarries Special' was Tooheys Old. He drank maybe three glasses before I told him it was HB. Did not have another. Said it was making him feel crook. 50 years of Resch's must do something to your brain...

muddy

lethaldog · Post by **lethaldog** » Thursday Sep 14, 2006 2:51 pm

guess how much I care what they think

.
I would guess it would be about as much as i do, SWEET F%$K ALL

I brew my beer cos i really enjoy it and if other people dont like it because you made it then thats their loss, i actually find that no matter what opinions people have of home brew, once they taste a good one they soon change their mind, ive even turned some people into brewers who were complete scheptics, saying that though there are still the ones that you cant reach but who cares, let em go and pay $40 -50 a slab

scblack · Post by **scblack** » Thursday Sep 14, 2006 4:43 pm

lethaldog wrote:
guess how much I care what they think
.
I would guess it would be about as much as i do, SWEET F%$K ALL I brew my beer cos i really enjoy it and if other people dont like it because you made it then thats their loss, i actually find that no matter what opinions people have of home brew, once they taste a good one they soon change their mind, ive even turned some people into brewers who were complete scheptics, saying that though there are still the ones that you cant reach but who cares, let em go and pay $40 -50 a slab

I agree totally. I have converted one work-mate to home brew.

I have a feeling the sceptics have never drunk a decent home brewed beer. They would have heard stories of their uncles mate, who was always pissed, or drank the beers too early. Or some other old tale.

Dogger Dan · Post by **Dogger Dan** » Friday Sep 15, 2006 2:52 am

They would have heard stories of their uncles mate, who was always pissed,

Sorry, is there something wrong with that?

And really, the more people who think my beer sucks means there is more for me.

Dogger

drtom · Post by **drtom** » Friday Sep 15, 2006 8:46 am

Maybe it's because my table already has a good reputation, but on the strength of the fact that I made it, I've had several non-beer-drinkers try my homebrew and decide that beer isn't as bad as they thought, indeed, a couple have acquired a taste for wheat beers.

So it can cut both ways.

I like nothing more than sharing my beer with friends, so the "all the more for me" argument isn't an issue.

T.

Dogger Dan · Post by **Dogger Dan** » Friday Sep 15, 2006 8:48 am

Ahh,

There in lies my problem drtom

I have no friends

Dogger

drtom · Post by **drtom** » Friday Sep 15, 2006 8:49 am

Oh well, I guess you win some, you lose some.

T.

Dogger Dan · Post by **Dogger Dan** » Friday Sep 15, 2006 8:51 am

When I grow up I would like to be a lighthouse keeper.

Dogger

scblack · Post by **scblack** » Friday Sep 15, 2006 8:51 am

Dogger Dan wrote:
They would have heard stories of their uncles mate, who was always pissed,
Sorry, is there something wrong with that?

Dogger

Hahahahaha, having a few is good.

Emo · Post by **Emo** » Friday Sep 15, 2006 11:11 am

Alot of people see homebrewing as a way of making very average beer cheaply and associate it with people that don't have all their own teeth, are unshaven and always have a cigarette hanging out the side of their mouth.

I think that it's better to keep the art of brewing a decent drop cheaply at home a secret or everyone will want to do it.

drtom · Post by **drtom** » Friday Sep 15, 2006 11:15 am

As others have suggested, I refer to it as craft or artisnal beer, rather than homebrew, and people think either I'm really clever, or a wanker. The former is the truth of course.

T.

Dogger Dan · Post by **Dogger Dan** » Friday Sep 15, 2006 11:44 am

and associate it with people that don't have all their own teeth, are unshaven and always have a cigarette hanging out the side of their mouth.

You described me to a T,

Except I gave up on the cigs 3 years ago because I could no longer aford them

Schooner · Post by **Schooner** » Saturday Sep 16, 2006 6:06 pm

sadly i must admit even though i do my own brewing i have only ever had one other person beer that will gladly drink without pulling a face first ( he does full mashes)

FOF · Post by **FOF** » Saturday Sep 16, 2006 6:32 pm

Dogger
Ahh,

There in lies my problem drtom

I have no friends
Dogger you're a bloody legend

I have had some hardened drinkers stay on that extra hour drinking my standard (K & K) brew .... Times have changed friends

yardglass · Post by **yardglass** » Saturday Sep 16, 2006 6:45 pm

when you've got a freshly poured HB in your hand, watching the sunset/rise, who gives a rat's ring what any other bugger thinks.

i know i don't.

AlcoMoo · Post by **AlcoMoo** » Sunday Sep 17, 2006 2:10 pm

I mentioned to a few of my hubbie's mates last night that I was getting into homebrews and had one lot in bottles maturing and a Corona type in the fermenter atm. All the responses were rather lukewarm. I was a bit deflated actually. Thought I might get a better response. BUT, I'll bet anything, that when Xmas time comes around and the silly season is upon us, that NONE of them will knock back free beer at our house based on it being homebrew. (Because, I already know that it will be drinking superbly!

- I am that confident in my brews!! Ha ha ha).

But I agree, a more high falutent term is warranted. I think home brew tends to bring to mind those early homebrews that potentially we grew up with that did have a considerable varying quality.