On the ethics of beer...

[Hub Brewer]

So a year into my homebrewing career and I've been feeling a slight pang of guilt lately as I hand out my homebrew to friends. All my beers to date have been either someone else's recipe or a slight modification of one. Granted, it was my own water, and no one else could have brewed it as haphazardly as I did. But it was someone else's idea. So when I tell people it's my (insert witty name here) IPA or whatever, I feel like I just renamed a dog I brought home from the pound. Is there an unwritten rule I've broken here? Have I crossed an ethical line, or am I justified calling the beer I brew my own, damn the critics?
Thoughts?

[mr x]

All beers are different.

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[GuingesRock]

I made someone else's beer once. I didn't like it, probably in part because it wasn't my own. I've made some not so good concoctions, but most are drinkable, and some are really good. As time goes on they get better and better as you learn from experience.

[jeffsmith]

All beers are different.

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Two brewers could brew the same beer, using the same water supply, same yeast, etc. and they will likely both turn out different.

[GAM]

Ever bake a cake? Start with the BH&G cook book and work up from there, or as most do just stay with what you know.

Your hand is involved and you did the work.

Sandy

[Hub Brewer]

Funny the analogy I was thinking of was that of a chef. Lots of chefs make an omelette with the same ingredients and technique but they all call it their own.
Thanks, I'm going to call this one settled.
Pete

[GuingesRock]

Funny the analogy I was thinking of was that of a chef. Lots of chefs make an omelette with the same ingredients and technique but they all call it their own.
Thanks, I'm going to call this one settled.
Pete

Are you a chef Pete?

I'd be interested in what a chef would have to say about your comment (unless of course you are a chef, then I'm happy)

[Hub Brewer]

Definitely not a chef. Ask my wife. But if I offended any real chefs here, sorry. Closest analogy I could think of.

[derek]

Two brewers could brew the same beer, using the same water supply, same yeast, etc. and they will likely both turn out different.

Too true. We did a project a few years back making a Simcoe Smash with wort brewed by Greg and the dry hops supplied by him, and they were still all different.

All of my recipes have been based on somebody else's, but by the time I've substituted for ingredients I don't have, and fucked up step 3 , there's no recognizing it!

[akr71]

Ever bake a cake? Start with the BH&G cook book and work up from there, or as most do just stay with what you know.

Your hand is involved and you did the work.

Sandy

Exactly! Just cuz I follow your cake recipe doesn't mean I when serve I say "Sandy baked us a cake!" Every time I cook or brew something I've never done before, I start with someone else's established recipe.