Greg Smith

My first batch was similar to many homebrewers just starting out. It was a "kit in a can" - just open it and boil it. The "chiller" was the pot in a kitchen sink with ice water. It was drinkable, but maybe not enjoyable. I've still kept one remaining bottle from that batch. I will never drink it (for several reasons).

A beer that stands out is one that made me realize homebrewing was for me. I haven't made it in 20+ years, but it was the Armenian Imperial Stout from Papazian's New Complete Joy of Homebrewing. It's a partial extract batch, easy to make. While I've made much better beer since then, this one is more of a favorite because of the inspiration it gave me to continue brewing, moreso than the beer flavor/outcome itself.

Failure is not an option. Only lessons learned. :) My worst was probably a 10-gallon batch which I believe was an American Pale Ale. It just didn't get going and I was traveling for work. I tried to be patient, but by the time I looked under the hood, there were some floaters in there that were not supposed to be growing in there. It had to go. If only it were an "unintentional sour," then I might have enjoyed it.

This is a tough one. I'm all over the board. Outside of frequenting our incredible local DFW breweries, I try to grab beer from "back home" in the northeast - OEC, Equilibrium, Wormtown, Two Roads. Then there are 3 Floyds, Upland, and Metazoa in Indiana. So many more.

There are three batches finishing up soon: Vienna Lager, American Pale Ale, and "Texican" Lager. Next up will be a Rye IPA and another Vienna. But I'm more excited about brewing with my daughter mid-June - a fruited American Wheat, with mango and passionfruit. She wants to learn how to brew and I thought this would be one she'd enjoy. My son has brewed with me twice when he was home. Jackson loves a good Kolsch! Now it's Hannha's turn.

I'm a bit of a hophead, so West Coast IPA's are my go-to, especially for drinking. But I'm trying to brew more European lagers, Czech lagers in particular. A Czech Dark Lager is one of my favorites. See? I can't pick just one style for anything!

For quicker batches, I use a 10-gal Anvil all-in-one with a Brewzilla for sparge water. I love the convenience. For larger grain bills, I have a propane system with 20-, 15-, and 10-gal pots, depending on what I'm brewing.

My "purpose" for brewing has evolved. When I started in 1996, it was almost out of necessity. In a small town in upstate NY, there was no "good beer." Macro lagers were predominantly the only game in town. I knew there was better beer. When, the opportunity arose to brew some, I was all in. It didn't take long to realize it was fun to make. My third batch was all-grain (not a great success story, but enjoyable). I was always a solo brewer, as there was not much of a homebrewing community close to me when I was in New York, nor when I lived in south Florida. I would share at home and bring beer to friends' gatherings. I'm sure many of those batches had that "homebrew flavor." There was almost a fear factor in sharing my beer with knowledgeable homebrewers. However, I somewhat climbed out of my comfort zone, realizing I need good feedback in order to make better beer. Being part of a social homebrew club has fostered that. From Day 1, fellow Horsemen members were inquisitive, encouraging, challenging, knowledgeable, and then some. I've discovered that I've learned more, and hopefully even offered a few tips myself. Today, I brew more than I did 20+ years ago even though craft beer is readily available everywhere. If anything, many of today's craft beers inspire me to ask myself "could I make that?" So the passion and camaraderie of homebrewing definitely outweigh the need today. There is always something to learn and I want to keep improving my craft.