Homebrewing as a stress reliever

See, your first problem was getting involved in something with the word "enterprise" in it.

Brewing's definitely a de-stressing tool; largely because it also involves drinking a lot of beer as well.

 

Crazy. Just kidding. I look forward to it too. Good chance to hang out with the kids outside, personally.

 

I find brewing very relaxing. I like the process, the smell of brewing beer, and the amazingness of the hops to be therapeutic. Turn off your phone, have a homebrew, and brew a batch!

BTW I don't answer the phone during a brew session unless I WANT to talk to you and I know you won't interrupt me.

 

The hops aroma are well known to relax the spirit, the molted barley helps calm down your soul. If its all false so brewing very relaxing.

 

I find brewing to be fairly stressful, actually. It probably has a lot to do with my lack of preparation, but there's ALWAYS at least one catastrophe on brew day for me. Actually, things usually only get stressful after the boil when I'm on the infection time crunch.

Everything else related to home brewing is a definite stress reliever, though. Making recipes, buying the ingredients, kegging, drinking the beer, sharing it with others... Keeps me sane. Plus there's nothing like that moment when you taste your carbonated beer for the first time and you think "Yes, this is what I wanted to make". Good for the soul.

 

Managed to get brew days pretty relaxed on both the 5- and the 30-gallon setup. Except, that is, for chilling the wort on the 30-gallon system. That aspect remains anything but "chilling." Doesn't help that I brew almost exclusively lagers...and that I live in South Carolina.

 

I am a sys admin for a ERP, so I feel your pain. My week wasnt great, but not nearly as bad as yours. I had to push back my brew day do to an issue. I do agree it is a nice way to forget your problem.

 

I agree. Everything leading up to the actual brew day is easy going, but once I start brewing I get a bit anxious. I'm starting to get into a regular routine though, so it's gotten better recently. I find listening to music helps a great deal.

 

It's all good. Totally constructive and gratifying hobby. I'd say if you went home and DRANK your stress away, then you'd probably be approaching something bad!

 

Totally relaxing if you are used to the system you are brewing on. Definitely relieves stress for me. Also, there is drinking beer involved.

 

I find parts of it stressful but mostly relaxing. My stress has to do with not having a lot of freeboard on my boil pot (6.5 gallons @ start in a 7.5 gallon pot) so I have to worry about a boil over at the start. After it evaporates down all is good until I try to chill my wort. It usually takes me about 45 minutes to get to pitching temps which according to most people is about 2-3 times as long as it should take. My beers turn out fine and if I didn't know how long it took others I wouldn't worry. Basically, if I had some better equipment I think it would be more relaxing and enjoyable.

 

I hear you, my plate chiller could not cut it today to chill 24 gallons..........I'm going to have to spend some money and get something that works all year round.

 

I still find aspects of it stressful, especially when my efficiency tanks for no reason at all. Other than that I find it very stress-relieving (until cleaning), and I am getting to the point where if my efficiency tanks or jumps, oh well, it will still be a great beer, maybe not reproducible, but still awesome.