So Why Brew Beer?

So the question you may be thinking is "why brew beer, especially here in the Portland, Oregon area where there are more breweries with really good beer than anywhere else in the world?"  Well, there's quite a few reasons.  Here they are in no particular order:

1. Cost.  Beer can be expensive to buy, especially for good quality beer.  A 24 pack at Costco is about $25, and you get a limited selection of the good stuff.  I can brew the equivalent of 48 12oz bottles for usually around $25.  Some batches can be as low as $10, but other batches max out around $35, depending on the amount of hops and other ingredients.  Essentially, this is a lower cost option that can be quite fun and allows me to get the exact flavor and style I want.

2. Creativity.  When brewing your own beer, you can be creative as you get to know the ingredients.  If you want a really dark, really hoppy beer; you can do that.  If you want coffee in your stout, you can do that.  The flavor possibilities are as endless as they are with a good cook!

3. Community.  Brewing can be a long process (2-6 hours depending on the type and your preparation).  What better time to invite someone over to chat and talk about life.  And you can usually enjoy a tasty homebrew while doing so!  Christianity is meant to be a community activity, and elements like coffee, beer, food, and friendships allow people to come together to share life.

4. DIY.  Homebrewing is a DIY activity.  You get to create something that is unique and exactly how you like it.  There's something about getting dirty and creating something to be enjoyed by friends and family that you just can't fully understand until you do it.

So while these reasons are personal to me, I believe that having hobbies that are productive and can be shared are beneficial.  This is a hobby I had been wanting to get into and finally got the chance.  And at the end of the day, I can sit back and enjoy this in a passive way with my wife and friends.  Cheers!