Only drinking what you brew

I brew 98% of the beer we drink and only buy a few bottles of something special or a sour every month...bought maybe 40 bottles at most since January. We go through a keg in around 14 days, so I brew at least once every 2 weeks at minimum, but usually I try to brew every week until all kegs and fermenters are filled. I bottle off of the keg many times to kill it and put the next one on, so I build up a stash of bottles for lean times too. We drink mainly IPAs so I like to have a Northwest IPA on tap at all times (lately its Citra and Mosaic hopped) and then something else on another tap (usually either a DIPA or an Imperial Stout). Picking up a 3rd keg today to have a seasonal/ special rotation of brews on tap as well. If you buy smart, you can really save tons of money, depending on what you brew. I buy hops by the pound and malt (I prefer extract now because I brew so much and don't have much extra time) in 50 lb bags and use my American Homebrew Association discount as often as possible as well. My average IPA runs around $20-$25 with plenty of hops and abv!

 

For a few months at a time I have. What helps is bottling 6-12 out of the keg and setting aside. But sometimes I want a DIPA/RIS/farmhouse ale when I have nothing like it in 2 kegs and no plans on the horizon. Sometimes when you want a steak, you want it that night and don't want to start butchering. I think commercial beer is essential to smoothing out the Homebrewed product stream. I personally can't brew enough small quantity variety to satisfy me, but I can brew quality in bulk.

 

I never really gave it a thought when I started. I'd say I drink 90%+ homebrew. half of the rest is other people's homebrew, the rest is commercial (obviously, I'm not including what I drink while I'm at a bar). I'll buy an occasional seasonal offering or some of the one-offs that the big guys put out, but those are not my primary sources of nutrition. If your Mom's a good cook, you probably don't eat too many TV dinners. It's kind of like that.

I have four faucets on my bar that have never seen a commercial keg. I try to keep something hoppy, something crisp (a wheat, maybe), something dark, and something big on tap, though the selections vary depending on my mood on brew day.

 

I've tried this route but with so many new, good breweries popping up its hard not buy and try.....

I have 4 beers on tap at all times with a range from IPA's, Sours, to Lagers so I try and keep a variety available to keep things interesting, but the lure of trying something new never fades..

 

This summer the only time I really bought beer was if I was going to a party or BBQ.

I think if I buy 2 sixers a month now, that's a lot.

I brew on average, every 3 weeks so a new keg gets tapped frequently to keep from getting bored.

But if something comes out and I really "need" it, I will go and get it.

 

I drink exclusively homebrew unless I need more bottles, then I get some sixers to see what normal folk are buzzing about. Between batches I'll usually buy at least one or two sixers maybe up to 4 when I'm giving a lot away. I'm not a 5-6 beers a day kind of guy so thats usually enough.

 

If we're talking quantity, then I drink about 85% homebrew. However, I purchase about $60 worth of commercial beer a month. If our budget would allow, I'd buy more. I enjoy many different styles, and there is no way I can satisfy every mood.

I mostly purchase bombers of interesting or limited brews.

 

Not to go off on a tangent, but this line suggests to me that you don't think your beers are up to the quality of commercial beers. And, by extension, that homebrews are generally of a lesser quality than commercial. That's a misconception that many seem to share.
I don't drink homebrews to save money or because I enjoy the brewing process (though both are true). I do it because I prefer homebrew to most of what I can buy. Some of the best beers I've had are homebrews. Indeed, one of the reasons I judge is the freaking exquisite beers I get to taste at homebrew competitions (the occasional swill is a small price to pay ). That's also one of the reasons I try not to miss my monthly club meetings - there are some damn fine beers being passed around that just aren't available anywhere else.

 

I try to, but I have many "friends" . lol. Since I not brewed a belgian clone yet and others types I cannot completely cut off the commercial stuff, plus most of what I do drink is as good or better than my home brew (debatable)...or different type all together. Most would laugh at the small range Of "styles" I have done. no fruit, no honey, no chocolate. its all just straight up grain for me and some commercial sugar so far.

dark mild
porter/stout
brown ale
stock ale,
that is it.

just re read brew like a monk and man some that stuff has to age up to 2 years, not sure I can wait that long.

 

I drink pretty much only homebrew for everyday drinking. I don't mind drinking several pints in a row of the same thing, especially when it's really good or interesting.

Not to say I don't buy commercial beer...maybe a 6 pack every week or two.

 

I typically drink only HB unless I am getting a pint on draught somewhere. I buy commercial only if I kill my kegs and have nothing left (killed 5 kegs in one month). I really need a hop fix right now and my IPAs are not going to be ready for another 2 weeks or so, which has led to growler fills lately (cheaper than buying pints at the local craft beer bar, and I can enjoy them at home in an IPA glass). Other than that, I do buy rare barrel aged or sour stuff for the cellar on occasion (found a spot in town that sells Deschutes' Reserve series bottles for $12 while everywhere else is $18+). Hoping to get my pipeline full again so I can stick to HB. I agree with @mikehartigan most of the beers I brew are better than what I can buy around town, plus it is 1/5 the price.

 

Probably 80% of the beer I drink these days is homebrew, but I would never want to raise that to 100%. Drinking in a homebrew vacuum isn't good imho. I like to keep my finger on the pulse of the commercial beer scene (as I hope to have my own beer be in at some point!), often draw inspiration from many talented commercial beer makers, and it's always good to know how high "the bar" is set by the best of the best of them!

 

I agree with you about the quality issue. I read in a post earlier this week that it was considered "arrogant" to think you could brew commercial quality or better. The post also mentioned that one couldn't make good beer cheaper in light of the equipment cost. I've saved a ton of cash so far by brewing my own, the equipment was a drop in the bucket compared to the savings.

 

I do 50/50.. More so commerical right now because I haven't brewed in a while, and only have bigger beers on tap and sours aging at the moment.

 

This sounds like a good new years resolution.

 

I know of the same comment in the same thread. I am that homebrewer. Yes, we can make commercial quality beer for less. If that makes me arrogant, oh well, so be it, so is Stone, and they make damn good beer.

 

I like the idea of it cause of the self-sufficiency thing. But I wouldn't want to make it a rule. I'd say I usually buy 1-2 six packs per month, depending on my supply.

 

I'm trying like hell to get to somewhere close. I hate bottling and can only put 2 kegs on at a time so inevitably there are times where I'm in limbo.