I totally get the need to take a step back from time to time. I’ve been brewing for a little over 10 years, and am on a hiatus right now that will probably go another 30-45 days. This break started with my wish to make my brew day more fun. In my case, that means building an indoor electric brewery in a dedicated space in my basement. Why? Well, I brew all year-round and don’t enjoy brewing as much in the summer when it’s hot & humid or in the winter when it’s frigid outside. As well, the set-up and tear-down each time I brew, and schlepping gear, supplies, and fermenters to/from the basement has lost its charm as I’ve gotten older.
So, I’ve undertaken a pretty big remodel of the basement - including adding a 1/2-bath and relocating the laundry area. And, to keep myself on track, I’ve committed not to brew again until I can brew on the new system. Though I haven’t brewed for a couple months, the end of the project is in sight and I’m excited to brew the first few batches on the new system. It’ll be fun learning the new system and interesting to see how much I end up tweaking my established recipes.
I’m not so much simplifying the brewing process (I’m staying with a 3-vessel HERMS system) as I am streamlining the brew day by eliminating or changing a lot of the stuff mentioned above. No more enduring the heat or cold, or battling the wind. I’ll be able to brew, ferment, package and serve all on one level of the house. Heck - I might even be able to do a batch on a weeknight after work (that might be wishful thinking).
All that said, thanks to Jim for bringing up the topic. I find that I often appreciate things more after being away from them for a while.
Prost!