Freeloaders

Discussion in 'Homebrewing' started by ElPadrone, Dec 18, 2012.

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  1. ElPadrone

    ElPadrone Initiate (0) Oct 20, 2009 Texas

    My Buddy and I have been brewing for some time now and have been inviting people to come and learn to brew on our system. We have a single tier dual pump RIMS system with 4 tap kegerator. Well we have noticed that when people come over and "learn" to brew all they end up doing is pulling beers off the tap and never clean shit. I love teaching and getting people interested in this great hobby but what I dont like is freeloaders knowing if they show up they get free craft brew. We are not a club yet but thinking about starting an official one. We are thinking about asking for $10 from people that wanna come over, drink beer and learn how to brew. Do others have any ideas about this and do others ever get the free loading beer drinkers over on brew day.
     
  2. rocdoc1

    rocdoc1 Savant (1,191) Jan 13, 2006 New Mexico

    I make them do all the work, and I have a pretty strict rule that no beer gets poured until the wort is in the fermentor. If you want to learn that's fine, if you just want to show up and drink bring your own beer stay out of the way.
     
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  3. hopfenunmaltz

    hopfenunmaltz Pooh-Bah (2,611) Jun 8, 2005 Michigan
    Pooh-Bah Society

    This, but I don't pull the first one until the clean up is all done and all is put away.
     
  4. ElPadrone

    ElPadrone Initiate (0) Oct 20, 2009 Texas

    Well cleaning is a must for newbies but I have to say I am one of the few that do have a few pints during the brew day. I know its probably not the best practice but I just cant control myself while I am brewing. I am just tired of people asking to come over and watch us brew on our system and they sit there and do nothing and drink all day. I have had to ask a few people to leave or help. I am just trying to see if its acceptable to ask for $10 if you wanna join the brew day.
     
  5. telejunkie

    telejunkie Savant (1,107) Sep 14, 2007 Vermont

    yeah that shit wouldn't fly...either they help out in a legit way or they're not invited back. Simple as that.
    I'm also one who will have a few during brewing, usually because it's a weekend evening practice. If you want to make them pay for the beer, then yeah, a contribution to the brewday fund would be all good in my book. I have friends who want to contribute even though they are helping as well.
     
  6. bgjohnston

    bgjohnston Initiate (0) Jan 14, 2009 Connecticut

    While I will share beer while I am demonstrating how I do things, when I'm brewing I'm not hosting a party. I like to focus on following best practices, and I simply won't have anybody over who is just there to hang out.

    That said, it is probably eventually going to happen that somebody wants to just hang out and drink. It will happen once and once only for that person.
     
  7. rocdoc1

    rocdoc1 Savant (1,191) Jan 13, 2006 New Mexico

    Cleanup is much more enjoyable with a pint in hand.
     
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  8. premierpro

    premierpro Savant (1,060) Mar 21, 2009 Michigan

    Only the wind blows for free!
     
  9. mattbk

    mattbk Savant (1,099) Dec 12, 2011 New York

    maybe im alone here - but i think brewing is fun, drinking a few beers is fun, and anyone that wants to do a little of both with me is pretty fun too. if youre trying to make a business out of it though - i guess thats a different story.
     
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  10. rocdoc1

    rocdoc1 Savant (1,191) Jan 13, 2006 New Mexico

    For me it's a safety issue. I've got 12 gallons of boiling syrup on a stand about waist high, hoses and electric cords on the floor so I'm going to be sober and intact when I finish brewing. I don't need the distraction of people asking where the glasses are, what kind of beer is this etc. If you want to learn brewing learn brewing and later we'll relax and have a beer. And also I don't really like people very much so my brewing time is a period of solitude and peacefulness, I don't want a bunch of drunken jabbering going on.
     
    hopfenunmaltz likes this.
  11. ElPadrone

    ElPadrone Initiate (0) Oct 20, 2009 Texas

    I agree with you, brewing and drinking your hard work is fun, however when we brew 3 times a month and have spent more than 5K on equipment and ingredients it gets tuff to just give it away. Think of it like this, 4-6 guys "brewing" and I use that term loosely and our normal brew day from start to finish is about 9 hours and those 4-6 people are steadily drinking, you can go through 2 kegs in no time. At that pace I cannot brew fast enough and all that money is coming out of my pocket, and again this is my house and brewery and I enjoy to have a few cold ones on my days off. I am not trying to be selfish or anal I am just trying to weed out the people that only wanna come over for the beer. I am like the rest of the guys on here who love to brew and love to share that brew but I wanna be able to afford to continue that process. After reading the great comments on here my fellow brewer and I have decided to charge a $10 fee for anyone wanting to come over and brew. I guess its like paying dues. Thanks for the advice Forum members
     
  12. mattbk

    mattbk Savant (1,099) Dec 12, 2011 New York

    Agreed. If you don't like people, why have them around you for the things you like to do most!

    Agreed, drinking for 9 hours is not the same as brewing. Another thing you can do is limit their consumption: small 3 oz tastes of a few different beers, or anything beyond ask them to bring their own. All the times I've brewed with others we will enjoy maybe 3 beers tops, not more than about 2 people at a time, and the focus is on the beer and brewing. Best of luck.
     
  13. VikeMan

    VikeMan Grand Pooh-Bah (3,043) Jul 12, 2009 Pennsylvania
    Pooh-Bah Society

    You can't sell homebrew. It's illegal.
     
  14. bgjohnston

    bgjohnston Initiate (0) Jan 14, 2009 Connecticut

    The $10 is for the brewing lesson, if I follow his intentions correctly.

    He can still have people over for free beer at other times, when he is not brewing.
     
  15. mikehartigan

    mikehartigan Maven (1,397) Apr 9, 2007 Illinois

    I don't have any expectations of, nor do i place any demands on anybody I invite into my home. The faucets are open to everybody. Particularly when I invited them over for a beer themed event (brewing qualifies). That said, common courtesy dictates that they help out. Those who don't will likely get kicked off my list eventually. $10??? Wouldn't think of it. I'm sure there are enough people who already think I'm an a$$hole. No need to prove it.
     
  16. bgjohnston

    bgjohnston Initiate (0) Jan 14, 2009 Connecticut

    Personally, this is how I would deal with it myself. An invited guest is an invited guest, and if I have beer to share I share it freely. But if I feel the hospitality is abused, repeat invitations are not forthcoming.
     
  17. mikehartigan

    mikehartigan Maven (1,397) Apr 9, 2007 Illinois

    I have a good assortment of small glasses, maybe 4-6 oz, collected from various festivals over the years. These are the glasses that are usually out during 'serve your own' events at my house. Someone who thinks nothing of pouring himself four pints might be disinclined to pour himself 16 small glasses, lest he begin to feel like a freeloader.
     
  18. ElPadrone

    ElPadrone Initiate (0) Oct 20, 2009 Texas

    My brew days tend to be large social gatherings where not everyone is there to actually brew. Most are, but there are friends, neighbors and the like. And I am not saying we all drink for 9 hours or for the whole brew day but lets just say a fair amount of cold pops get drunk. Not interested in selling it just trying to watch my cost and have people over who enjoy the hobby! I think its interesting how different people brew and do things in so many different ways. I dont wanna have to watch everyones intake cause that means it would take away from the time I am brewing.
     
  19. VikeMan

    VikeMan Grand Pooh-Bah (3,043) Jul 12, 2009 Pennsylvania
    Pooh-Bah Society

    I believe you would have a very hard time convincing the authorities that recovering costs of homebrewing by collecting money from people who drink it is not selling. I'm not saying it wouldn't be ethically fair to do it, just that it would be illegal.

    Excerpt from United States Code of Federal Regulations Title 27, Part 25, Subpart L, Section 25.205...
    "§ 25.205 Production.
    (a) Any adult may produce beer, without payment of tax, for personal or family use and not for sale."
     
  20. sarcastro

    sarcastro Savant (1,097) Sep 20, 2006 Michigan

    He isnt selling homebrew, he is selling an experience, or whatever else he can make up to get people to pay him to drink his beer.
     
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