TOPIC:

Brian from "The Homebrew Centre" emailed me about a new TV show on RTE called "Highly Recommended" (<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="www.rte.ie/tv/highlyrecommended/">www.rte.ie/tv/highlyrecommended/). People but forward original ways of saving money to a panel of "consumer experts". If it stands up throughout the investigations and the panel are convinced you get 2000 Euro.

During the episode that will be recorded on Sunday November 4th they will be touching on home brewing as one of it's topics. Its recorded at the National Show Centre, Swords, Dublin (near the airport).

The program makers have asked Brian if he would know of interested parties to be in the audience - there will be a short period of audience participation in each program.

May be representatives from ICB could go? A bit of air-time for ICB and the web site?

An opportunity to get within punching distance of Joe Duffy? [i:1r2n0pmt]Soooo[/i:1r2n0pmt] tempting...

I'm not sure how much saving I'm really doing by brewing at home, as I seem to be drinking more too! <!-- s:shock: --><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_eek.gif" alt=":shock:" title="Shocked" /><!-- s:shock: -->

Who's actually putting forward the home brewing cause?

[quote:1ybmpr1r]Who's actually putting forward the home brewing cause?[/quote:1ybmpr1r]

The program producers contacted Brian so it looks like it's a topic that the hosts will be discussing. They were looking to have some home brewers in the audience . I'd say they would ask about the cost of the basic equipment and ingredients, and an overview of the process.

This is a bit of a double-edged sword i think, and I can see three outcomes.

1) The great unwashed who are happy to drink B/M/C are going to want to make that. Unfortunately lagers are trickier to brew than ales, and are more likely to develop flavours which will be unexpected by those used to B/M/C. They will abandon the hobby quickly, and label all homebrew as muck, citing that "I'm never trying anything other than my beloved B/M/C again", and will tell all their friends down in the pub.

2) Alternatively, you will get the 'i drink to get drunk' brigade, who are going to whack in more sugar to get the ABV up there with aftershock, leave it for 3 days in the bath tub and then complain that it tastes like muck, and has left them with the mother of all hangovers. They will also abandon the hobby quickly, although maybe not voluntarily <!-- s:D --><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_biggrin.gif" alt="" title="Very Happy" /><!-- s:D -->

3) A very tiny percentage will take up a new hobby, or rediscover an old hobby. Welcome aboard!

I think a major factor here is what time the programme is on. It looks suspiciously like daytime TV to me, which means you're more likely to get women having a go at it, which means it's less likely to be treated as a substitute for binge lager.

All you need is an enthusiastic homebrewer in the audience to say, "Well Joe, I don't know if it's any cheaper, but the end results do taste a **** of a lot better than the watered-down ****ing camel's **** they sell down the pub."

And then punch him in the face.