Portable

Sometimes I am amazed at the amount of equipment I have accumulated. But so far, everything is portable in my 1991 Honda Civic Hatchback (with the help of roof racks, of course).

I originally designed the HERMIT to be portable so that on an off chance, I could haul it to club meetings or give demonstrations in other places. As it turns out, I have brewed more times away from home than at home. This is because brewing with other people is just more fun.

When I first was getting educated in all-grain, I went to a friends house where he showed me the ropes. I enjoyed it so much, I went back the next week. Once I got the HERMIT built, I took it to that friend's house for the inaugural brew. We had such a good time, I took the HERMIT there for the second and third brews as well. Now, about half of my brews are made away from home.

I have taken the HERMIT to a couple of club functions, basically, to show it off, but mostly to demonstrate the recirculating mashing concept. It has been very rewarding to give people a hands on tour of my brewery rather than just talk about it at club meetings. I knew I didn't really have the means to have the whole club over to my house.

Remember that the brewery you build is the culmination of effort and knowledge. That effort and knowledge was not free, and I can almost guarantee that others helped quite a bit along the way. Sharing your efforts and knowledge with others is the root of homebrewing. You may not be able to repay the ones who helped you, but you can bring someone else along and teach them something that they didn't know before.

Seriously consider putting the "portability" specification in your brewery. Beer drinking is social, brewing is too.