Home growers vs. home brewers – they are more alike than you might think!

In recent history there has been a growing interest in both home brewing beer and home growing marijuana. Home brew kits have become an everyday gift for a male partner who enjoys craft beer. Meanwhile, more and more states are legalizing marijuana every year, allowing citizens to legally grow marijuana on their own property.

The art of home brewing and that of growing marijuana at home may have two very different end products, but many of the motivating factors are the same. The end goal for both groups is to create an excellent product that is unique and can be enjoyed by themselves or shared with others. But aside from creating products that induce a state of euphoria and relaxation, what else do these two groups have in common? In fact, there are some similarities and also some key differences between these two groups.

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The first similarity within these two groups is that both home brewers and home growers are in the large minority of consumers. About 6% of cannabis users grow their own marijuana while there are an estimated 1.1 million home brewers in the US, according to the Home Brewers Association, which is less than half of 1% of the population. It’s important to note, however, that this fraction of a percentage of the population accounts for 1% of total US beer production, according to the same Home Brewers Association statistic.

Another similarity between the two groups is that the majority of both are males. While new frontier reported that 6 out of 10 marijuana growers are men, the numbers for home brewers are far higher. According to a Brulosophie home brewer in 2021 opinion poll, 98.4% of home brewers identified as male. This number makes it clear that home brewing is currently viewed more as a men’s club, while home brewing is a hobby or an art form that both men and women love to pursue and want to practice.

Both hobbies are also popular among the younger to middle age group. As far as marijuana home growers are concerned, according to New Frontier Data“Almost 1/3 (31%) of them are between 18 and 34 years old and almost half (49%) between 35 and 54 years old.” Similarly according to Brulosophy opinion poll39.5% of hobby brewers are between 30 and 39 years old, another 26.6% between 40 and 49 years. It seems that this 25-50 age group is a popular sweet spot for both of these DIY hobbies.

However, it’s important to note that the laws surrounding marijuana cultivation may skew these numbers in slightly different directions than they would if marijuana were legalized. For example, while 31% of cultivators said they were between 18 and 34 years old, a Statistica poll reported“More than half of respondents (54%) between the ages of 18 and 24 said they would definitely or probably grow cannabis species if it were legal in the United States in 2020.” In other words, if marijuana were legal , we could see very different demographics in the game.

In fact, many of the key differences between these amateur brewers and growers stem from the laws surrounding the product. Brewing your own beer is legal and lightly regulated throughout the United States (unless you intend to sell your product). Not surprisingly, according to the Home Brewers Association, 31% of home brewers are from the South and 26% from the Midwest. Marijuana, on the other hand, is heavily regulated and completely illegal in many states. This includes many of the southern and mid-western states where home brewing is most popular.

The motivating factors for home brewing and growing on the property are also slightly different, often due to the nature of the laws and the product itself. While the majority of home growers consume both their product and off-the-shelf produce, “nearly three-quarters gave (72%) reported consuming either exclusively or primarily flowers they grew for themselves,” according to the New Frontier findings. In fact, 14% of home growers say they grow because of a lack of other resources. This is certainly a marijuana-specific issue, as there’s never a shortage of beer in the US.

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Perhaps the most important thing home brewers and home growers have in common is that both groups love what they do. Whether out of necessity, interest or curiosity, this hobby also seems to bring great joy. With so many ways out there in the world to waste time and fall into a boring routine, the most important number we should perhaps all be watching is how many people are deciding to embark on the home brewing and home growing journey and hope we can continue to do so. Watch both numbers go up.