The Rest of the Century
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Beer Here
by Erika Goedrich
Reasons for Homebrewing
If at first you don't succeed, look on the bright side: round two.
"There's a personal satisfaction, sense of accomplishment, when you do something it didn't seem like you could do. You can come up with results equal or superior to a brewery. ... There's a lot of hurry up and wait, but the real excitement doesn't come until the end result."
Some people are calling homebrewing the hobby of the 21st century and homebrewer Keith Gordon is no exception. He says he likes cooking and gadgets and most of all, has an appreciation for beer. He figured he could combine these interests by brewing and started in 1991. Gordon finds this hobby appealing because he can think of "a million different ways to do the same thing." He says it's unlimited what a person can do in terms of colors, flavors, aromas, alcohol content, etc. Homebrewing allows him to customize beer to his personal preference. He says the selection at stores is really limited, especially considering there's only a minute difference in domestics. "They're all American lagers."
Homebrewer Greg Helton agrees. "I got tired of drinking Budweiser," he says. However, his reason for homebrewing goes even further. He likes darker beers, usually imports, but they have a short shelf life. Beer usually keeps its quality for a year, but by the time it reaches the U.S., only three or four months are left. He says, "It's not fresh." He says homebrewed beer that is only a few weeks old tastes a lot better than nearly year-old beer.
Cost also plays a factor for some people. A one-time investment in equipment is the major cost for homebrewers. Gordon says, even this doesn't have to be a large amount. He explained that much of the equipment people can find in their kitchens. He says people can spend as little or as much as they want. Besides the one-time equipment costs, it is cheaper to brew than to buy beer. Rob Dillon, homebrewer and former owner of a homebrewing supply store, says a case of Bud usually runs $14 to $16. A person can brew 2 1/4 cases for the same amount.
Quality and diversity are also the reasons craft breweries have gained popularity. Dillon calls the person who 'invented' brewpubs a "marketing genius." People find them appealing because they offer a diversity of beer that they can drink while eating in the restaurant. In addition, there's the education factor. Dillon says there's always been a mystique about brewing, but at brewpubs, customers can see the equipment and learn about the process.