How often are you brewing?

[kadozen]

And, what's your work life like?

Currently I brew mostly once a week, sometimes I brew back to back on my weekends, but that requires more planning and logistics than I end up doing.

For work, I'm doing 42.5 hour work weeks in State Law Enforcement, so that 42.5 sometimes turns into 85 with 0 warning. Thinking Hurricane season will cut into the pipeline, but that's what I signed up for.

I'm trying to get some friends from work to give the hobby a stab, but they all claim they don't have the time. I know I'm a little more dedicated to it than I was when I first started, but I'm trying to show em they can do it intermittently.

 

[redrocker652002]

I usually go once every couple of weeks or so. I have a 5 gallon keg and bottle a 5 gallon batch to kinda bridge the gap. I, like you, am in Law Enforcement. 911 operator and PD Dispatcher. The non glamorous end of it (But certainly the less dangerous as well, LOL). I too work 42 hours a week, but am on a 11 day run of no time off. So, my next brew day will be in a week or two when I get a fermenting bucket available, and some time to sit and spend the day doing it. Rock On!!!!!!!!!! Oh, and thank you for doing what you do. Most folks don't realise exactly what Law Enforcement really entails.

 

[kadozen]

I usually go once every couple of weeks or so. I have a 5 gallon keg and bottle a 5 gallon batch to kinda bridge the gap. I, like you, am in Law Enforcement. 911 operator and PD Dispatcher. The non glamorous end of it (But certainly the less dangerous as well, LOL). I too work 42 hours a week, but am on a 11 day run of no time off. So, my next brew day will be in a week or two when I get a fermenting bucket available, and some time to sit and spend the day doing it. Rock On!!!!!!!!!! Oh, and thank you for doing what you do. Most folks don't realise exactly what Law Enforcement really entails.

And having have had friends that work Dispatch/ 911 ops and logistics, I think I have the easier job.

I'm all packed out for the 10+ day runs doing disaster response that I sign up for every year.

The money is good and all, I love helping people, but ultimately it keeps me from being complacent about hurricane prep. Every year we get lucky in my area and I always see those stupid memes about how it was overblown media fear mongering, then I go to the areas of the state actually affected, and I have completely sworn off complacency in prep work because of it.

Cheers bud, thanks right back.

 

[kevin58]

I'm retired and the only beer drinker in the house so I only brew about once a month at best. Even when I worked there was only a couple of people in the office who drank beer so sharing didn't diminish my beer on hand much and again, once a month was pretty much the the rule. I just looked at my old brew logs and last year I did 9 batches. I'm on track to about that much this year. The most I brewed in a single year was the last year I worked and that was only 13 batches.

 

[redrocker652002]

And having have had friends that work Dispatch/ 911 ops and logistics, I think I have the easier job.

I'm all packed out for the 10+ day runs doing disaster response that I sign up for every year.

The money is good and all, I love helping people, but ultimately it keeps me from being complacent about hurricane prep. Every year we get lucky in my area and I always see those stupid memes about how it was overblown media fear mongering, then I go to the areas of the state actually affected, and I have completely sworn off complacency in prep work because of it.

Cheers bud, thanks right back.

You have the physical end of the profession. I get to deal with the emotional and mental end of it. I got started late in life and am about 2 years from retiring. I enjoy the feeling of making a difference, and that thank you at the end makes the "Screw you *******" callers a bit less stinging, if that makes sense. LOL. I get paid pretty well for what I do, and the hours allowed me spend time with my kids that I would not have been able to do with the normal 9 to 5 job. So, after 23 years, I am going to hand it off to the younger generation to carry the torch so to speak. Rock On!!!!!!!

 

[redrocker652002]

I'm retired and the only beer drinker in the house so I only brew about once a month at best. Even when I worked there was only a couple of people in the office who drank beer so sharing didn't diminish my beer on hand much and again, once a month was pretty much the the rule. I just looked at my old brew logs and last year I did 9 batches. I'm on track to about that much this year. The most I brewed in a single year was the last year I worked and that was only 13 batches.

I am the same way. My son has tried a few of my brews, but he isn't much of a beer kid. My wife and daughter hate beer, so usually it's just me and my brother and friends to enjoy HB. I give a few six packs to friends and work mates, but only if they promise to bring me the bottles back. LOL. I enjoy the process and sometime the brewing is more fun than the drinking, but not often LOL. Rock On!!!!!!!!!

 

[MaxStout]

I'm retired and the only beer drinker in the house so I only brew about once a month at best. Even when I worked there was only a couple of people in the office who drank beer so sharing didn't diminish my beer on hand much and again, once a month was pretty much the the rule. I just looked at my old brew logs and last year I did 9 batches. I'm on track to about that much this year. The most I brewed in a single year was the last year I worked and that was only 13 batches.

Same story here. Mostly for me, and a few beers when family or friends come over. I brew once a month. I'm getting better at planning ahead so the pipeline stays full. Since I'm basically the only beer drinker the math is simple. #bottles on hand ÷ number I drink each day = how many days before I need to have more beer ready.

 

[brewbama]

I brew 4% +/- .2% beers @ 5 gal batches into the fermenter every three weeks. Some days I don’t drink a beer. Some days I drink one or two beers in the evenings. Sometimes I have three to four a day during football games. After that it’s a math problem: 640 oz / 16 oz pour ≈ 40 beers. 40 / 2 per day on average ≈ 20 days.

 

[Lampy]

About 1.5 gal every 2-3 weeks. Only beer drinker in household/most of my friends.

 

[Brooothru]

And having have had friends that work Dispatch/ 911 ops and logistics, I think I have the easier job.

I'm all packed out for the 10+ day runs doing disaster response that I sign up for every year.

The money is good and all, I love helping people, but ultimately it keeps me from being complacent about hurricane prep. Every year we get lucky in my area and I always see those stupid memes about how it was overblown media fear mongering, then I go to the areas of the state actually affected, and I have completely sworn off complacency in prep work because of it.

Cheers bud, thanks right back.

The better half and I are just down the Coast from you now in St. Pete visiting grand kids; oh, and their parents too.

Don’t envy the hurricane prep. They’ve evacuated twice in the 11 years they’ve lived here on the West side, but I must admit that I’ll take the snow we get back up north over trying to reason with the hurricane season. Take care this weekend!

 

[kadozen]

The better half and I are just down the Coast from you now in St. Pete visiting grand kids; oh, and their parents too.

Don’t envy the hurricane prep. They’ve evacuated twice in the 11 years they’ve lived here on the West side, but I must admit that I’ll take the snow we get back up north over trying to reason with the hurricane season. Take care this weekend!

West coast Bay area gets lucky quite a bit. I'll admit st. Pete floods at the drop of a hat though

 

[AlexKay]

I've got fermenters and space available for 5 brews/week. If I have a vacation I sometimes actually do that, but most weeks I only have one or two brew days. Doing half-gallon batches helps keep the beer from piling up (it piles up anyway) though one-gallon batches are easier to store and serve.

 

[mac_1103]

I'm retired and I brew in spurts. For example, I did two batches a week apart last September, and then two days in a row in early December and another right after New Year's. Tried to get on a more regular-ish once a month schedule, but it only lasted two months (1/3 and 2/1). Last brew was 4/6. I mostly bottle and try to keep everything cold once it's conditioned, so I'm not letting myself do another batch until I drink enough to free up some fridge space.

 

[day_trippr]

Retired. Usually end the year with between 170 and 200 gallons under my belt in 10 gallon batches.
None of it goes to waste, I have helpers for that

Cheers!

 

[jdauria]

Not retired yet, but will be in a few years, but have a government job that I have been at for 39 years, and have used some pull to no longer work on Fridays, so I brew about every two weeks give or take week every there where I am on vacation somewhere. This started during Covid, when my office was working hybrid so I was home a lot and it has continued. So get 24-25 brews in a year give or take, a blend of 5 and 3 gallon batches, plus a few ciders and meads too. The fact that my kid is grown now, helps with that schedule, since I don't have to worry about family stuff and usually brew on Fridays while the wife is at work. I brew a lot of lagers and at the height of Covid, I would be brewing one, another would be fermenting, 2 would be lagering and 2 would be on tap...so had a nice pipeline going.

I am a competitive brewer and part of the Master Homebrewer Program, which if you are not familiar with, let's you enter scoresheets and has different ranks that you can earn based on number of scoresheets submitted over a certain score and based on a number of different varieties. It also has the Circuit of America (COA), 30+ comps around the country that you earn points for medaling in...with great prizes for those who finish in top 10 at end of year. So because of this, it helps with me brewing a lot too, and now I am brewing lot of new styles that I would never brew...those are usually my 3 gallon batches, as they are test batches since it's first time making them.

 

[jdauria]

The better half and I are just down the Coast from you now in St. Pete visiting grand kids; oh, and their parents too.

Don’t envy the hurricane prep. They’ve evacuated twice in the 11 years they’ve lived here on the West side, but I must admit that I’ll take the snow we get back up north over trying to reason with the hurricane season. Take care this weekend!

Nice Jimmy Buffet reference there...great song. It's my ring tone for my friend who lives in Naples FL.

 

[seatazzz]

I'm trying to slow down on my drinking (overweight and borderline high BP), so I've recently started brewing smaller 2.5g batches in between the 5g ones. Husband doesn't drink much of the beer I make, and co-workers aren't really interested, so 90% of the beer I make goes down my own throat; not a good thing when I mostly brew every other weekend. Doesn't help that I have a 5-tap kegerator with room for 6 kegs.

 

[AZ Maverick]

I'm retired from aerospace electronic engineering going on 11 years now.
My brew sessions are usually two 5-gallon batches at a time for my dual tap kegerator.
I'm single so my two 5-gallon kegs last me for two to two and a half months, so my brew sessions are probably every couple of months.

 

[Velnerj]

I brew once in three months, 5g batches. But I think about brewing almost every day, does that count?

 

[tracer bullet]

2.5 - 3 gallon batches in a 6.5 Anvil Foundry. I brew every 3-4 weeks.

 

[Steveruch]

Three gallon batches once a month supplies my one beer a day with supper habit.

 

[cubalz]

I brew two 5 gallon batches a month. More during the Spring and Summer when we do a lot of enertaining.

 

[jsphlynch]

I've been pretty consistently doing 10 brews per year. That keeps me in good supply as I'm the only drinker in the house and am not a real social person, and fits into my busy schedule (I work 50-70 hrs per week and have 4 kids).

 

[Panderson1]

The last 3 years on average... every 2 weeks via 12 gallon batches. I have 4 other guys drinking. I will also brew side lagers for my Dad once a month.

I used to brew every week

 

[South Arm Brew]

I am almost retired, always trying to lose weight (not doing well at it) and am the only beer drinker in the house. I usually share a pint with a neighbor and give a growler away at our once a month brew club meetings. I brew about 8 times a year. 5 gallon batches.

 

[Brooothru]

Retired. Usually end the year with between 170 and 200 gallons under my belt in 10 gallon batches.
None of it goes to waste, I have helpers for that

Cheers!

I brew about 30% of that volume, nearly 100% of which goes to my waist! Hopefully with Covid going into remission the volume will increase and the waistline will decrease.

 

[mac_1103]

But I thought COVID turned us all into exercise fiends.

 

[Brooothru]

But I thought COVID turned us all into exercise fiends.

I exercised my right to not exercise. My doctor has exercised his right to advise me to exercise. My wife (73 y.o. gym rat) has informed me that I have no rights.

 

[Dog House Brew]

I brew about 100 gallons a year. Usually they are 10 gallon batches, but some are 20. My intake is slowing the older I get.

 

[mac_1103]

I exercised my right to not exercise. My doctor has exercised his right to advise me to exercise. My wife (73 y.o. gym rat) has informed me that I have no rights.

One out of three ain't bad.

 

[passedpawn]

Drinking and brewing have been slowing down the last few years. But I just got a new all-in-one system and I'm back to frequent brewing. I'm afraid to add them up.

 

[deuc224]

If I dont go with family on the weekend i can brew every weekend. But we always get together and drink and bbq and just relax. I work in healthcare and i can make my own schedule so whats best for me is tues, wed, and half a thurs so im home for thursday night football and im off monday for monday night football. Been blessed to be put in the position im in and have the freedom to run things the way I want. So once a week but my girl loves my Kolsch, she always pushes me to make it lol.

 

[Ninoid]

2 x 5 gallons every two weeks.
All for me and few friends.

 

[Wigglebutts Brewery]

Retired and have a workshop to get out of the way. I brew About 3-five gal batches per month. During COVID I developed a group to consume product and it’s carried over to retirement!

 

[OakIslandBrewery]

I'm retired too and like most brew once a month or as the need goes. I brew ten gallon batches that supply three taps built into the bar on the opposite side of where I brew.

I'm the only one in the house that drinks my brews. Friends come by when I invite them but with spring/early summer work outside I'm too beat and want to enjoy a beer by myself. I have a couple beer garden events planned for the summer so I'll be bulking up for that.

 

[Wrendelar]

I work 40-45 hour weeks in software development and brew on a schedule of once every 3 weeks. I am lucky that my lady enjoys darker beers like porters and stouts.

So on average I brew a dark brew ever 3-5 batches. Those mostly end up bottled.

The rest are either smash beers to get on tap quick or I brew lagers and leave them for months.

I’m about to brew a Festbeir and that will lager in the kegerator until Oktoberfest and then get tapped.

 

[franknbeans]

I plunged into this hobby right when Rona happened, but had helped a buddy brew a few times before that over the years. I started out hot and heavy, but it has slowed down to maybe a couple times a year. Last year I only brewed once (I work in public safety and the schedule has been insane the last couple years). I'm trying to change that and get some use out of all this money I spent on shiny parts! Being able to package the beer in cans has make it more easily dispersed to friends and share than bottles, which helps me "need" to brew more and try new recipes.

 

[TheCache]

I average a batch every 2-4 weeks. Usually bottle the last batch and brew the next within a day or so of each other. A couple years back I switched from 5G to 3G so I brew as often now, but make less. I am the main beer lover among family and friends and I just don’t need more than a case every 2-3 weeks.

If the pipeline runs dry its a good opportunity to try some off the shelf brew at the local market… provided I can get past the sticker shock 8-|

 

[grampamark]

I’m mostly retired and still dividing my time between 2 residences and 2 breweries. The last 4-5 years I’ve averaged 120-125 gal/yr or about every 2 weeks. Last year I brewed 155 gal. So far this year I’ve only brewed 7 times (I’m brewing my 8th batch as I post this). The first 3 1/2 months of this year were a “life gets in the way” situation.

 

[Beernik]

Back when I started, I was brewing 5 gallon about every 6 weeks. Then, as I started traveling a lot more for that job, I upgraded to a 10 gallon system and started brewing 10 gallons every 2 or 3 months.

After my move to WA, I didn’t have the time for brewing or space for my equipment for a very long time.

Now I’m back to brewing but I’m also halfway through trying to lose 70lbs. A lot of my free time is spent on the treadmill. My drinking isn’t very often and it’s usually whiskeys.

My work week seems to be either insane or I’m twiddling my thumbs. 35 - 50 hours is typical.

My current brew days are 5 gallons about once a year. This year’s brew day is Monday.