How do YOU decide what to Brew? (Poll)

No fixed reason for me. I brew what I feel like. Sometimes a style I haven't brewed in awhile, some are seasonally determined, and sometimes based on what ingredients I have available.

 

I said "favorite" but in reality, a lot of those things factor into the equation. Some other things I consider is whether I feel I can make something better than what is available. If I want a session beer like a bitter or a mild (and I usually do) I need to brew it myself because there just aren't many available in my local market. Same goes with Belgian ales. If I want a pale ale or an IPA, I can get several commercial varieties.

 

Whatever idea I get in my head. I research how others have built recipes and then change them to add my own preferences based on my knowledge of ingredients for styles I havent brewed before. For styles I have done before I just go off of what I did last time and change different aspects to see what will make it interesting/different this time around.

 

No fixed reason for me either.I love to experiment, tired of cloning and performing ruled styles.I enjoy designing a recipe imagining how it cold turn out.I get good resuts more often than less.

 

I voted favorite styles. The reality is, however, that I started brewing a Koelsch because both my and my buddy's wife loved it. After a few successful batches -- and a recent trip to Koeln to drink the classics at the source -- I have developed a deep appreciation for the style, and it has become one of my favorites. Having (very) recently dialed in our attempts, I am a big big fan of "our" Koelsch, and consider it better than any of the commercially available ones. My true love, however, is Rauchbier...and as long as the wife is happy with a steady flow of Koelsch, that frees me up to dial in the Rauchbier recipe. I think I was successful on the 5-gal pilot system, and we just scaled up on the 30-gal system last weekend. I hope this one turns out good. Next on my list of favorites is a Franconian Kellerbier; but I don't yet have a clear idea in my head as to what dialing that one in will mean. Food for thought...and for the future.

 

In the winter a couple of lagers always. (Still trying for the perfect pilsner.) Beyond that, I mostly brew whatever strikes my fancy. I do try to keep a variety of styles available, so that I can also drink whatever strikes my fancy.

I've done a few IPAs over the years, but the Vikeman series of polls got me stoked to brew up several sequential IPAs and to also get into kegging. I've brewed the poll-driven APA IPA. It has cleared nicely in the primary, but I am now waiting to dry hop so that I can go ahead and keg it when the dry hopping is done.

 

I have up to 12 taps so I like to have a variety. I see what's missing or about to run out and brew to fill that slot.

 

I picked one liked by most people since it's 4 of us that brew together plus we sometimes collaborate with friends. Then we decide on style and additions and BAM! Homebrew completed.

 

I voted favorite style, but seasonality, what others like, how long until finished, and cost all factor in, as well as "trying something out for shits and giggles".

 

I ascribe to the Honey Badger style of brewing "I don't give a f**k, I brew what I want".

 

"Favorite Styles" more than anything else.

 

I brew what I want, but I do like having Pilsners and California Commons around in the summer.

 

I marked "enjoyed by most" because if you don't/can't show off your talent whats the point of having it. But in reality all of them usually factor in, except favorite style or clones. I can't brew favorite styles because i can't choose a favorite style I just love them all so much. And I gave up the cloning thing once I was able to form my own recipes consistently, now I might say I want to brew something like a commercial example but I always want it to be my own.

 

Definitely my favorite styles, which are mostly very drinkable styles that many people could drink anyway. I figure if I'm brewing 5 gallons of beer it better be something I am cool drinking a bunch of. If I want to drink a big stout I will most likely go buy one since I'm usually good after a bottle or two of those. But I will brew one at some point for the challenge and to age it for a while

 

I think I take some or all of those factors into consideration from beer to beer. Should I vote other? Or do I pick "my favorite styles" because they all are?

 

couldn't pick just one, too many applicable options. I'd say 1, 3, 6, and 7 have all contributed to my decision-making process...

 

Several reasons, using the following criteria, but not in any order or preference:

• What appeals to me - if others like it, cool. If they don't, well at least they were exposed to something new
• Attempt at a clone - I would LOVE to get close to Raging Bitch! If I could, I would drink a barrel of that stuff!
• Popular appeal - I'm planning a brew for our summer Lobster Boil at the end of June
• Just trying a new style!

 

I chose style appropriate to upcoming season, but it is paired with what I want to drink now as well. I brewed a Helles and Saison for Summer, and was going to brew a Pils for Summer as well, but decided I want a big hoppy red IPA and just got a # of CTZ, so I am not brewing the Pils and am brewing the Red. I am also brewing an Oud Bruin that I hope will be ready by fall.

 

This, too, drove a lot of my decisions at one point. At this point, I've brewed 20 of the 23 BJCP beer style categories (not every subcategory, though), so it is not a major factor. The three I haven't done are
Category 1: Light Lager - maybe a Dortmunder in the near future?
Category 2: Dark Lager - maybe a dunkel? (Did a Schwarzbier, with smoked malt so not in category)
Category 3: Bock - maybe a Maibock?