Home of the BrewNosers

So I just got back into homebrewing after a few years hiatus, and I have two batches done and almost gone. I also have two batches in primary which I'll keg in a little over a week. Now I have a few questions:

1) Is it just me, or does consumption of beer go up when one brews their own?
2) How long will a batch last you once its ready to drink?
3) How many litres do you think you drink in a week?

SWMBO thought it was great that a kit only cost $35 and could yield the equivalent of 5 dozen, but now that I have two buckets bubbling away in the spare room, she wants me to slow down production. I told her I'm trying to build up an inventory so I won't have to go to the LC anymore.

I'm sure there's some out there who've experienced a similar situation, no? Advice/insight would be appreciated, both on the relationship side and on the production side.

1 - Yes, I drink more beer because I make it because I can. My beers run me as little as $0.25 each. It amazes me what people will actually spend at the liquor store.

2 - A 6 gallon batch of running beer will last me anywhere from 3 to 9 months, depending on various factors (shelf life of that style, how much I like it, the weather, etc.), but I usually have 4 - 6 on the go at any given time. Keeping beers can last for years.

3 - 4 - 5L maybe?

1) yes - self control is a must
2) a year or more - although the answer to this depends on style and packaging (this is for shelf life) it usualy only last about 3 months a keg
3) I would say between 4 and 5, most of it on weekends.

my SWMBO doesn't say a thing about production and I give thanks for that cause there' a lot of it

1) Yes, but 'Moderation in all things'
2) It depends on the style, season and how often people pop in for a pint. A lawnmower beer can disappear in weeks, but I'm quite stingy with my old ale and hope I have some 3 years from now.
3) I typically have a beer after the kids are in bed, maybe 2 if its the weekend, so 3 maybe 4 litres.

SWMBO cares more about my caloric intake from the beer than the alcohol intake.

I'd say I drink less than I used to, but significantly better. I'm too busy to be drunk all the time, lol.

mr x wrote:I'm too busy to be drunk all the time, lol.

My case as well, if I didn't work so many hours, maybe I'd drink more, lol.

1. You bet.
2. I'm only brewing 6 gal batches at the moment that I often split with my brother in law (who helps out). So they only last 6 to 8 weeks.
3. Probably in the 4 to 5L range as well. Really depends on the time of year though. I drink a lot more beer in the summer than I do in the winter mostly due to activities that require beer e.g. pool, golf, horse shoes, washer toss, sitting on the patio, etc.

In my early years of home brewing I went through multiple cycles 'how am I ever going to drink all this beer?' followed a few months later by 'how am I ever going to get another batch done before this one runs out?'. Acquiring more gear for brewing and storing allowed me to have more than one batch on the go at a time, which seemed to have allieviated the problem.

KMcK wrote:In my early years of home brewing I went through multiple cycles 'how am I ever going to drink all this beer?' followed a few months later by 'how am I ever going to get another batch done before this one runs out?'. Acquiring more gear for brewing and storing allowed me to have more than one batch on the go at a time, which seemed to have allieviated the problem.

I seem to be in that transition right now. I have run out of beer for the last time. As of this weekend I never plan on running out of beer again. I finally have my AG setup and 5 kegs to utilize.

bluenose wrote: 1) Is it just me, or does consumption of beer go up when one brews their own?
2) How long will a batch last you once its ready to drink?
3) How many litres do you think you drink in a week?

My beer consumption has certainly gone way up. I was drinking wine before I got back into brewing.
A batch lasts 4 to 6 months, but (a) I try to finish what's in most of the kegs before I brew again; and (b) I'm brewing 80 litres at a shot.
About 5 litres a week - but then, I still drink wine.

bluenose wrote: SWMBO thought it was great that a kit only cost $35 and could yield the equivalent of 5 dozen, but now that I have two buckets bubbling away in the spare room, she wants me to slow down production.

So why are you talking to my wife, anyway?

Thanks everyone for the replies so far and I hope they keep coming... I must've phrased the 2nd question wrong, b/c I was wondering how long it lasts from when you start drinking it until you finish the last drop/bottle... however, then way everyone answered it so far is probably just as good or better.

1. Naturally,
2. A keg will last me ~4-6 months before it's completely gone (depending on how many kegs/bottles I have to choose from at the time)... If I have friends over, it'll be gone in ~1 week.
3. About a glass/bottle per day... so about 4L/week.

SWMBO doesn't mind the brewing... but I don't make all that much beer currently.

I give up. What is SWMBO?

KMcK wrote:I give up. What is SWMBO?

She who must be obeyed!

1. I drink less now then I did when I was drinking crappy beer so I'd say no.
2. Depends on the beer, and how much else I have on hand at the time. Since I've started kegging I find they go faster because it's an excuse to invite people over and let them have at it.
3. Most weeks I'd say about 2.5L, almost entirely on the weekend. Some weeks significantly more though.

bluenose wrote: 1) Is it just me, or does consumption of beer go up when one brews their own?

Mine went up because I wasn't really much of a beer drinker until I started brewing it

bluenose wrote:2) How long will a batch last you once its ready to drink?

A 5g batch usually lasts me about a month/1.5 months, but that will be longer once I get some room for more kegs, as well as build up a bottle stash of each brew I make.

bluenose wrote:3) How many litres do you think you drink in a week?

I'm guessing 5-7 in a week...

Jimmy wrote:

KMcK wrote:I give up. What is SWMBO?

She who must be obeyed!

Apparently from H. Rider Haggard (She) - but widely popularized by Rumpole of the Bailey.

Ah, a literary reference.