People sometimes ask me why I brew my own beer. Why don’t I just buy it from the store? To me the answer is pretty simple. Brewing is fun and rewarding. I like handing someone a beer and being able to say, “Yeah. I made that.” Hopefully they get the same enjoyment as I do! For me brewing is also a stress reliever. When I am brewing, it doesn’t matter what happened at work this week or anything else that is going on. I can just focus on the sweet smells coming from the kettle.
Brewing beer also scratches that creative itch while satisfying my geeky science side. The mix of science and art is something that can’t be found in many hobbies. For example, hops can give you different flavors and aromas and the timing of those hop additions will affect what you get. The science behind hop isomerization melds with the art of blending the right flavors to create a magical experience.
There are plenty of other reasons that people homebrew. Maybe they can’t get good beer near them. Maybe they discovered their new favorite beer while travelling and want to be able to drink it at home (don’t forget to ask the brewer for tips!). Some brew to have beer cheaper than they can buy it for. Others brew for the pride of making something better than they can buy at the store.
There is some aspect of brewing that will appeal to just about anyone. Here are a few examples:
Artists – brewing provides a creative outlet to make a delicious beverage to share with friends and family or selfishly enjoy on your own. You can use endless combinations of ingredients to bring together wonderful flavors and aromas.
Scientists – brewing involves thermodynamics, chemistry, and biology. Many choose to ignore the science behind brewing and still enjoy the hobby. But for others, diving deep into the processes and reactions that brewing entails is a big part of the fun.
DIYers – building homebrew equipment is a large component of the hobby for many homebrewers. There are projects large and small that can make brewing easier or just plain cooler.
Why do you brew?