How many make it and How many don't?

[berryman]

Was thinking of all the folks that buy or get as a present a MB or BD kit, and they think they will have instant home brewed craft beer, and sometimes go mad scientist on the first batch and not following the basics. Then they say MB or BD sucks, and toss it. Yes good drinking beer can be made with this type of brewing. I wonder what the percentage is that quit or how many go on to improve and get better? Most of us here started that way and are still making beer but have seen many quit. What helped us to get to that point?

[mashani]

I was lucky in that I had prior brewing experience, and only got the kits because they were quick and easy and made small batches - at the time that's all I could handle.

But I think people like the people here are what help folks make it.

I think some people who get the kits as gifts never use them. I got the first "Mini Cooper" fermenter I'm using here right now at a garage sale, totally unused.

[Inkleg]

Everyone here helped me get to the point I am now. Ya'll helped me on the old MrBeer forum when I first started. It was mentioned time and again to brew the base beer to get a feel and knowledge of what I was doing and looking for before going mad scientist.

I think a lot of folks get discouraged by following the 1 week ferment, 2 week condition instructions that come with most of theses kits. I understand it's a marketing gimmick, but it hurts the end user. 2-3-1 or 3-3-1 or 3-4-2 are more realistic and make better beer from these kits.

Temperature control during fermentation was the biggest game changer in the quality of my beer (along with going BIAB). I had been putting my LBKs in a cooler with ice packs, but when I went to a temperature controlled fridge the world was my oyster.

[berryman]

I think some people who get the kits as gifts never use them. I got the first "Mini Cooper" fermenter I'm using here right now at a garage sale, totally unused.

And I got my first unused 5 gal. system from a yard sale my wife got for me. A 5 gal. glass carboy, a 6.5 glass carboy, bottling bucket, bottling wand, wing capper, and some caps, a hydrometer, (already had one but more or two of them is better) and 2 kits to do 5 gal extract with grains. I was only doing MB at that time but was doing steeps and hop boils at that time also so was very easy to move up to the next level. And I always thank the people on the MB forum for helping me as I moved to the next step.

[berryman]

I guess why I posted this thread, I have seen a few new members lately that really want to up this hobby and want to take it to the next level and I would like too see them succeed and not get discouraged in the beginning.

[John Sand]

It's a good point Berry. I think there are many kits that go unused, and maybe guys who get discouraged. My belief is that I can do anything that an ordinary guy can do, if I study and practice.
My early MrBeer batches were alright, but I wanted better. So I read Palmer's How to Brew online. And I picked up some recipe books. Frankly it took me a year to make craft quality beer. But I stuck with it. I still ruin a batch a couple of times a year, but I almost never buy beer for the house, I make it all. I would give the same advice to a new guy: Study and Practice.

[RickBeer]

The dropout rate is huge, not just from the Mr. Beer and Brew Demon kits, but from those that receive (or buy on their own) starter kits at their LHBS or via online. And then of the X% that make a batch or two and quit, or those that drop out after a few. I would bet it's in the high 80% range within the first few batches, counting those that never started, maybe even higher.

The biggest thing pushing that failure is the expectation of immediate gratification that's out there today. I was unable to convince either son to take up the hobby. They both enjoy my beers, and neither wants to put in the effort to do it themselves. They also both consume significantly more than I do. Older son is big with Untappd, tracking his new beers, and striving to find more. I've pointed out, unsuccessfully, the amount of money that he would save a year is in the thousands of dollars.

[John Sand]

I think there is another factor too: serial hobbyists. Some guys change pastimes like suits, every few years it's time for a new one. My late stepfather fished and made fishing gear, painted, played guitar, canoed, and operated ham radio. Just not more than two in the same time period. Before I knew him he rode motorcycles, owned motor boats, etc. I'm not criticizing that, I think it's great to have many skills. Other than the obvious (women), I've had really only two hobbies: classic boats and now brewing.

[TonyKZ1]

Hmm, interesting topic. I'd have to agree with most of the points here. People not following directions, expecting instant beer, serial hobbyists (I have a co-worker like that).

[BlackDuck]

expecting instant beer

And it doesn't help the cause that some of these kit companies push the "instant beer" thought and come right and say that you can be drinking beer in a matter of 2 to 3 weeks. Yea, you'll be drinking beer, but it won't taste right, so you quit doing it.

[ScrewyBrewer]

Anyone interested enough in homebrewing, such as many of us here today, joined a forum early on. Getting to share brewing experiences with new and veteran homebrewers definitely encouraged me to learn more. Those of us who hung in there long enough to brew really delicious beer, also share the same passion for learning more about brewing.

Looking back at my 88 MB batches, the first dozen or so were done without owning a hydrometer or a thermometer. Through patience and determination, eventually, over time I learned how important temperature control and yeast management were to making great beer.

[FedoraDave]

Good, thoughtful, insightful comments here.

I would also add that, as RickBeer touched on, some people don't want to create something they can buy ready-made. "I'm going to spend six weeks waiting for my beer to be ready when I can go to the store and pick up good quality craft beer in just a couple of minutes?"

Same with cooking. A lot of us here on the Borg really like to cook, but others don't. Even if they enjoy good quality food, they're just not interested in preparing it themselves, for whatever reason.

The interesting thing, for my experience, was that I didn't know much about beer before I got my first MB kit. I knew I preferred Sam Adams Boston Lager to Miller or Bud, but that was as far as it went. Becoming part of the homebrewing community opened up the world of beer culture for me, and I'm still not tired of exploring it. I guess the point here is that it doesn't matter how someone approaches beer; it matters how they approach acquiring it. And the fascination I have for exploring styles and developing recipes will keep me brewing for quite a while. But not everyone can or will share that.

[RandyG]

Hey Borgalusas, I started in 1996 w/Mr.B pilot brewer. Liked the idea of small amounts of a variety. Followed the instructuions to brew,and once the airlock stopped blooping I bottled the brew.Of course you know it was swill,but I kept on going, buying 2x MrB. 6 gal. fermenters that gave you a 3.75 can of their same products to use in 5 gal. batches.Same thing only on a larger basis. Still I continued,buying a smoke colored LBK. I hit a hiatus and completely quit brewing and drinking for 8 years,mothballing my equipment.When I hit age 60 I decided that not drinking didn't make any difference in how I felt,so I got my equipment out and started brewing again.My SIL wanted to start brewing also,so I got him a MrB kit.He brewed 1 batch and decided to jump to PM,while investing in $$$ of uneeded equipment. Now he is hooked on just drinking NEIPA and not brewing at all. I still brew small batches using MrB,B/D,or formulating my own recipes. I like the simplicity of extract batches and have not set the bar too high for my brews. They are still better than what SWMBO drinks,Lite,but I even drink that on occasion.Anyway,MrB got me started and I'm glad I continued the hobby. Cheers

[berryman]

I think there is another factor too: serial hobbyists. Some guys change pastimes like suits, every few years it's time for a new one.

Good point John, I forgot about those type of people and have known a lot of them and are good people to know if you are looking for a deal, they usually buy good stuff and sell cheap when they move on to the next hobby. I probably have more hobbies then I need, but since retiring, my beer making has been number one and I have more time now to devote to it.

[mashani]

The biggest thing pushing that failure is the expectation of immediate gratification that's out there today. I was unable to convince either son to take up the hobby. They both enjoy my beers, and neither wants to put in the effort to do it themselves. They also both consume significantly more than I do. Older son is big with Untappd, tracking his new beers, and striving to find more. I've pointed out, unsuccessfully, the amount of money that he would save a year is in the thousands of dollars.

I think this mentality is what is driving Zymatic and other companies to create those "Pod" brewing devices. It turns brewing into throw in the pod you got from the company and push the freaking button. And then they can charge 2x as much for the ingredients/pod because it's 'convenient'.