I'd say that cyclists have a more 'self reliant' attitude. Home brewing seems like a natural related hobby.

I'm curious, how many BF members out there are also Home Brewers?

not me

I used to brew a fair amount, but it's been a coupla years since I last made a batch. I can't homebrew IPA that is as good as my favorite store beer IPA, so I sort of lost interest. Plus, when I'm brewing, I'm generally drinking, and I didn't want to be drinking that much beer.

I just sold my homebrew kit this past week. Why?

1. I drank the product. 30 pounds in about a year.

2. Helped pay for a new BMC for my bride.

3. Chatoe Rogue (their hopyard and pub) is 13 miles from my house.

4. Calapooia Brewing is closer - 5 miles. And their beer is better than Rogue.

There's plenty of good beer available locally and I spend enough time on my other hobby - bicycling.

Oh noes! These are not the replies I was expecting.

You sir, with that signature, I expected more.

I do a bit of beer and cider brewing. Since each new batch I make is an 'experiment' of sorts, I tend not to make more than 10-15L at a time. In terms of beer I've not quite progressed to cracking my own grain yet (I use powdered malt extract instead) but I've started to concoct my own recipes with some good results. Currently got a gallon jug of cider that's almost ready to bottle...

Haven't in a while...got a couple tubes of yeast in the fridge and enough malt and grain downstairs to make a couple batches. Will have to see if the yeast is still useable, but I bet it is. Thanks for the reminder

WTF? Cycling and home-brewing are about as distantly related as you can get. And as far a cyclists being self-reliant, just look in these forums. I'm continually amazed how ignorant, incapable, and helpless so many are when it comes to the most basic aspects of bike maintenance and repair, not to mention being able to dress and feed themselves.

I tried homebrewing once. While trying (and failing) to adjust my rear derailleur my hand slipped, knocking the container of fermenting yeast on the floor and on my pants. I tried to change my pants in the foyer, but my feet were yeast covered and I slipped and fell on my face, breaking my jaw. I used my hands to try and break my fall and broke them too. Now my wife has to dress me and feed me through a straw and I sent the bike out to be repaired at the lbs since I failed at doing it, and it took me an hour to type this post. So you can feel superior all you want, but some of us have real problems!



The real answer is I tried home brewing once, the spigot of the container leaked, spilling sugary yeasty mess all over the closet that I stored it in, and was forbidden to try it again by my wife. Easier and I get yelled at less if I just buy it.

When I get into doing something I tend to be compulsive about it, so I had to part ways with ethyl alcohol consumption over 20 years ago having drank something equivalent to a lifetime quota for several people. Now I am compulsive about cycling instead.

Don in Austin

Hey Don you sound just like me except I parted ways just 15 months ago and found biking this June.

Brewed my firt beer in 1978. Worked my way up to full-on mashing with a bunch of homemade gear. Gave it all away a few years ago to some folks at work who were interested. Now I get my homebrew from one of them when I feel the urge to have some .

I say I ride to drink more beer, not to brew it. Drinking it is the fun part. Brewing it sounds like work.

I guess we are going to have to disagree on this one. Commuting is one of the most popular forums on this site; that right there says that cyclists take pride getting themselves where they need to go by their own will. That is self reliance to me at least. Add in living car free, utility cycling, bike mechanics, and frame building and you got a pretty serious DIY community. Just my opinion, but that seems to align pretty well with home brewing.

But fun! It only take a couple of hours and gives me time to BS on BF - I'm brewing a red ale right now!

Just like any large group IE. cyclists. There is a large cross section of folks. It feels like you are right that more commuters/touring folks would be into home brewing. I commute 30rt every day and also brew on occasion. One of the other guys at work that also rides/commutes is a big time home brewer.

Good point on the CS of people out there - I shouldn't paint with too broad a brush. Good to hear that other cyclists/homebrewers are out there though.

What do you like to brew?

I started homebrewing several months before I started cycling. I've become more or less addicted to both...

I extract brew, various styles. I've made an English brown ale, an American brown ale, an American pale ale, and a chocolate raspberry porter. Personally, I love hops, but I share my homebrew with my girlfriend, so I typically brew stuff we'd both like. But next time, I'm making a nice hoppy IPA.

I ferment hard cider... then ice brew it.

I've only done it a few times so far, but I am a pale ale guy. Have to get together with my brew buddy soon and make another batch.

I like to try a bunch of different pale ales, porters, and stouts, so if any of you local homebrewers want my opinion, just let me know.

I think it might be fun to try, but when I come home from a ride all hot, sweaty and thirsty, I'm not thinking "Now would be a great time to start the fermentation process".

Homebrewing is fun. My last batch (an amber) turned out great!

That's why you start it before your ride. Brewing is a few hours of work and a lot of waiting. Thn a lot of drinking. Plenty of time to ride Inbetween.

I homebrew. Maple ale in bottles. Cider in the fermenter. Ginger honey ale about to be brewed. I even grow my own hops.