And, in the end…

Well, the forum software used for Brews and Views has been challenging to keep up with. Apparently, it has become the new favorite of hackers and script kiddies, and, frankly, I have not been able to keep up with the patching. So, once again, a hacker has gotten the best of the Brews and Views forum, and the database has been pretty much hosed.

Equally unfortunate, since the demise of Bill Pierce and the prevalence of vendor-owned and other more highly moderated fora, Brews and Views had devolved into something that one or two brewers used. Occasionally.

Based on this, I have unilaterally decided to end Brews and Views after over 20 years of operation. RIP. It’s been fun.

Cheers!
Pat Babcock
HBD Janitor In Chief

7 thoughts on “And, in the end…

  1. Pat,

    Damnit, the trash wins again. I’ve been a member since just about the beginning and I’ve learned so much from HBD. I don’t blame you, of course, if because of increasing burdens it becomes too much to enjoy, that speaks for itself. I suppose I’d do the same.

    Let me just say thank you for the help over the years and I’ve appreciated you and the different incarnations the digest has been. If you ever decide to do something like this again, just let me know & sign me up.

    Cheers to you!

    Gary

  2. This breaks my heart. I will raise a pint to one of my favorite places.

  3. Holy schmoley!

    I’ve dipped in, dipped out. At times postings have been a bit cantankerous (a dip out period). and in my latest dip in, suddenly 60% of all content is advertisements for a conn-man (did I spell that wrong?), and discussions are unabated and poorly veiled advertisements for the same guys sponsors!

    Don’t know how it ended up this way, Pat, but you have been a very loyal “patron of the people”.

    I loved the way we had Jeff Renner (and his coordinates), A.J. De Lange and his unabideing strict adherence to scientific principles and courtesy, mixed in with people who were just getting their feet wet!

    I, of course, could not hold my fingers in steer, when someone was posting poppycock, and demanding it was the truth, because “they read it somewhere”. I’d already believed that stuff myself, tested it, observed good brewers and some of that stuff was pure urban myth!

    I suppose the home-brew community is heading in the same direction as the craft beer industry.

    I love a good British Bitter, a Southern German Lager, and of course a Czech Pilsner, and have pushed myself towards those heights, to emulate centuries of accumulated brewing knowledge and skills.

    A double cherry parfait frapacino chocolate stout? Don’t wan’na drink it. Don’t want to make it. Neither is shovelling half of this years harvest from Mt. Hood into the closing seconds of the brew a particularly more clever way than just squeezing half a grapefruit into your beer, if that’s what you want.

    Hopefully out of this age of childish experimentation in purile tastes, folks will turn back to those quality products that are oh, so difficult to attain…. but we can!

    Heck. I done it.

    Dr. Pivo

  4. Pat,

    I’ve been away for years, dipping back in once in a blue moon to see what’s what, only to find it gone. Sob. Well, I can’t complain given how long I’d been away.

    Sadder of course to find out this way that Bill Pierce has passed away? That is really sad to hear.

    In any case, while it’s been many years since I’ve been a regular, I want to thank you for all you have done over the years, Pat, as Brews and Views especially was an important place for me for a number of years.

    Robin

  5. The Homebrew Digest was one of several mailing lists I’ve enjoyed over the years that was forced into a forum format and then slowly faded away. The regular posters on HBD were a wonderful source of information and many of us were able to share our experiences in a cordial atmosphere. I’m sad to see it come to an end.
    Thanks, Pat for all of your hard work over the years, and thanks to all who posted to the HBD.

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