How do YOU decide what to Brew? (Poll)

All of the above. I have 4 beers on the list that I want to brew this summer.
I like all of them - or at least the style, so that is a given.
Some I want to experiment a bit, some for fun...

 

More and more lately, a lot of my brewing is dictated by what other people want or like, which is fine because chances are, if other people like it, I like it too.

But I guess I mean it seems like lately, the wife comes home and says, "I told so-and-so at work that you would brew a keg of xxx for their party."

"OK! When's the party?"

"Three weeks from today."

"Fuck!"

So sometimes I have to put off what I really wanted to brew so that I can brew this party keg because otherwise it won't be ready in time. Oh well, at least I get to brew and my wife encourages it, and I enjoy the challenge and feeling of accomplishment when I see said party host's face when I make the beer they wanted.

Also, I've been brewing for attempted consistency a lot lately, which is going better than anticipated.

 

I would have added the choice "inspired by current/recent events".

 

I would say all of the choices in the poll play an influence at somepoint when I am deciding what to brew....

 

"What will I want to drink in X-months?" Is that seasonal?

 

Generally I decide between something new and certain popular favorites (types, APAs, or specific brews, elderberry wheat, blonde ale) that I'm trying to perfect for "house" beers.

 

I usually do my favorite style that happens to be for the appropriate season. Now, though, I'm just doing single-hop IPA's to get a feel for how certain hops taste.

 

Had to choose "other". I like brewing my favorite styles as much as I like brewing a seasonal that'll be ready for the right time frame to drink it.

 

i do my favorite styles a lot but i like to make adjustments to them and make something i cant typically find in stores. or something i can find but want to drink five gallons of.

 

other.

i have no desire to brew something close to what is available at my local store. my ever changing IPA (for example)will not use a traditional ale yeast. or if i cant get a good alternate yeast i'd just as soon use German noble hops. it won't be an IPA but thats ok by me.

if i want to make a pils it's not going to have Saaz. maybe a pils with some NZ hops.
why not?

my homebrew can never be compared unfavorably to a commercial brew in the very least.

 

"Your favorite styles" - I brew what I want to drink, especially sub-styles or variations that I can't purchase here or afford to purchase in quantity. This leads to things like Black IPAs (no commercial option here) and a Houblon Chouffe Dobbelen IPA Tripel clone ($13 a bomber in a store).

 

In a couple weeks, I'll be brewing a Frankenbier just for experimentation purposes.
No rhyme, no reason... just because I want to.
Typically, I brew my favorite style at the time.

 

Mine is a toss up between using new ingredients I haven't brewed with yet and favorite style.

 

I brew 8 seasonal brews a year...any other batches are brewed to use up some aging ingredients, try something new, brew something big for extended aging, or quickly fill an empty tap line.

 

These:
A: I brew 3-4 styles much more often than anything else
C: I brew favorite styles and something new, and brew quite seasonally
F: When kegs start running dry, I need something to turn around quick
G: When I know a party is coming up, or we will have a decent amount of company (when my daughter was born) I try to brew something appealing to the masses

 

My favorites change with the season.

 

1) favorite style
2) variety in my kegs
3) seasonal (esp. pumpkin ale around Thanksgiving -- by request from family)
4) cost
5) logistics (time to age/available carboys)

 

I have recently decided that I'm going to keep rotating in SMaSH beers, just because I find them interesting (and tasty!). I really love the simplicity and need to focus on process. I plan to re-brew my bravo/munich smash that I liked so much when my upgrade to ten gallons is complete. That way I have a comparison for the process*

*although that beer was very hoppy, and none of them remain, it will still be a good comparison, even if not side-by-side

 

it starts with styles/yeasts/processes that are unfamilar to me that I want to experiment with. Eventually it becomes mostly favorites of those, though the experimentation never ends.

cheers--
--Michael

 

I chose " a style that will be enjoyed by most people," but suspect the "low cost" option would have been a close second. I'm not that strapped for funds, and could easily invest more in my recipes and equipment, but I consider it a challenge to produce very drinkable brews at reasonable costs. My other hobby is cooking, and I tend to follow the same guidelines in that area. I think it takes a lot more imagination to produce good or great beer and food using somewhat thrifty ingredients and equipment.