Low income brew sesh!

Ey guys I've been in a financial bind lately that has prevented me from brewing as much as I want. Haven't brewed In a month! I was wondering what beers you guys thought were best for brewing in a financial bind. Thanks!

I have a friend that washes and reuses yeast which saves a considerable amount of money. I'm eventually going to try to get into doing it as well. For a cheap all grain a simple German Hefeweizen is fairly cheap 8 pds of grain and 1 oz halletauer hops.

I would go with a pilsner or a lager.

Ha! My "poor man's beer" is a cream ale.

4 lbs Pale Malt (2 Row) US (2.0 SRM) Grain 6 38.6 %
4 lbs Pilsner (2 Row) Ger (2.0 SRM) Grain 7 38.6 %
1 lbs 8.0 oz Corn, Flaked (1.3 SRM) Grain 8 14.5 %
14.0 oz Rice, Flaked (1.0 SRM) Grain 9 8.4 %

1.00 oz Williamette [4.80 %] - Boil 90.0 min Hop 10 14.7 IBUs

The thing about this recipe is I've used whatever malt I've had around, and then used Minute Rice for the flaked rice. I've used cornmeal or flaked corn. And I use whatever hops I have. A year ago, willamette was $8/pound, so I used that. But I've used homegrown hallertauer, leftover saaz, etc, all with good results. I've used saved yeast (nottingham, S04, S05, WLP001, Wyeast 1056, even lager yeast!) and got the cost to about $12 for 5 gallons!

what i did is started doing 2 gallon batches.

Any low hop (hops are pricey) and low ABV should be easy on the wallet. So: Kolsh, Blonde, Cream, Saison, and Wheats to name a few...

The other thing is, I try to reuse as much of my "spent ingredients" as possible. After I gather my wort I will do a 2nd "Ice mash" to rapidly cool the grains. The Ice Wort I reuse for Starters and I then spread out the spent grains on cookie sheets covered w/ aluminum foil. Toss the grains in my oven at the lowest setting (Mine is 170F) and let them sit usually overnight. Fluffing them every few hours to help them dry. I then re-use the spent grains as a flour substitute to make breads and crackers mostly.

Speaking of Bread, You can mash day old sub buns there is a recipe floating around here for that. Most places may just give you the bread if you ask nice at the end of the day.

I also just made a "popcorn ale" using 1 pound of popped pop corn in the mash. It was based on the Hamm's beer recipe.

Wash and reusing the yeast will also save some cash...

Thanks guys! Yooper- I've got a few oz of cascade hops that I got from deschutes when they were in town. Think those along with some some washed 1084 would suffice?

mandobud16 said:

Thanks guys! Yooper- I've got a few oz of cascade hops that I got from deschutes when they were in town. Think those along with some some washed 1084 would suffice?

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Oh, yes! And like Zamial said, if you don't use flaked corn or have polenta on hand, use popcorn.

The Wyeast 1084 might give you some fruitiness, especially if it gets above 65 degrees, so if you're using that yeast make sure you keep it at 62-64!

I just looked at a cheaper version of the same recipe:

7 lbs 8.0 oz Pale Malt (2 Row) US (2.0 SRM) Grain 4 75.0 %
1 lbs Corn, Flaked (1.0 SRM) Grain 5 10.0 %
8.0 oz Biscuit Malt (23.0 SRM) Grain 6 5.0 %
8.0 oz Cara-Pils/Dextrine (2.0 SRM) Grain 7 5.0 %
8.0 oz Wheat Malt, Pale (2.0 SRM) Grain 8 5.0 %

0.75 oz Cluster [7.50 %] - Boil 60.0 min Hop 9 19.5 IBUs
1.00 Items Whirlfloc Tablet (Boil 15.0 mins) Fining 10 -
0.50 oz Saaz [3.50 %] - Boil 10.0 min Hop 11 2.0 IBUs
0.50 oz Saaz [3.50 %] - Aroma Steep 5.0 min Hop 12 0.0 IBUs

1.0 pkg Nottingham (Danstar #-) [25.00 ml] Yeast

But that was when Nottingham was like $1.29 pack. I have a ton of cluster hops (can't remember where they came from) so I will use them for bittering in some American beers when the bittering is not a huge part of the flavor.

I'd definitely recommend saving/rinsing yeast. Even with dry yeast, using the $3.25 package for 10 batches by rinsing/splitting it means huge savings. It's even a bigger savings with liquid yeast. I always have Denny's Favorite 50, S05, and Wyeast 1335 in my fridge that I've saved.

Yooper said:

Ha! My "poor man's beer" is a cream ale.

4 lbs Pale Malt (2 Row) US (2.0 SRM) Grain 6 38.6 %
4 lbs Pilsner (2 Row) Ger (2.0 SRM) Grain 7 38.6 %
1 lbs 8.0 oz Corn, Flaked (1.3 SRM) Grain 8 14.5 %
14.0 oz Rice, Flaked (1.0 SRM) Grain 9 8.4 %

1.00 oz Williamette [4.80 %] - Boil 90.0 min Hop 10 14.7 IBUs

The thing about this recipe is I've used whatever malt I've had around, and then used Minute Rice for the flaked rice. I've used cornmeal or flaked corn. And I use whatever hops I have. A year ago, willamette was $8/pound, so I used that. But I've used homegrown hallertauer, leftover saaz, etc, all with good results. I've used saved yeast (nottingham, S04, S05, WLP001, Wyeast 1056, even lager yeast!) and got the cost to about $12 for 5 gallons!

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I agree. I don't buy my grain in bulk but I got the cost of my cream ale recipe down to $15 for 5.5 gallons and that includes a $3 packet of US-05 dry ale yeast.

Just by going All Grain you save $5-15 off the extra cost of extracts, especially if you have a high efficiency mash.

I'm just now getting where I feel like i'm able to brew the most cost effective beer i can. I bought about 6 different hops in bulk, buying grains in bulk/bag and washing yeast. I brewed a amber and for 5gl it was less that $15-$16 for a 5gl batch of beer. How long will it take me to make up the $1500 dollars of equipment I have tied up in this hobby.

TravisT said:

I'm just now getting where I feel like i'm able to brew the most cost effective beer i can. I bought about 6 different hops in bulk, buying grains in bulk/bag and washing yeast. I brewed a amber and for 5gl it was less that $15-$16 for a 5gl batch of beer. How long will it take me to make up the $1500 dollars of equipment I have tied up in this hobby.

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That depends on how much you drink!:rockin:

Hello Govner! I reckon I see too many specialty (code for expensive) malts in this thread. Alls yee need is 10 pounds of cheap 2 row and 1 pound of C40 and depending upon hops, you can have a nice Pale Ale or add another 3 bucks of 2 row for an IPA. Bravo hops are less than a buck an ounce (~$0.90) at Farmhouse Brewing Supply.com. With 4 ounces and you can do 2 maybe 3 batches with 4 ounces (if yer stingy). PS, Farmhouse will sell you 10 pounds of crushed grain at a good price. It won't be great or interesting beer to craft beer drinkers but it will be good beer. Wash yer yeast like you wash yer undies and bob's yer uncle.

I'd start with an ordinary bitter, and then you could wash the yeast and crank out a handful of subsequent English session beers.

The beer I'm drinking now is my first attempt at a sessionable pale ale. Cost about $10 for 3.75 gallons--smaller batches on my hoppier beers that won't age well, otherwise I'll never finish them in their prime. Of course this relies on washing/reusing yeast and bulk purchases of hops and grains. If I wanted to save a bit more I could push some or all of the columbus to 60 for better utilization. It tastes about like carbonated grapefruit juice and I love it.


2 lbs 10.0 oz Pale Malt (2 Row) US (2.0 SRM)1 47.7 %
2 lbs 6.0 oz Vienna Malt (3.5 SRM) 43.2 %
6.0 oz Aromatic Malt (26.0 SRM) 6.8 %
2.0 oz Acid Malt (3.0 SRM) 2.3 %
0.50 oz Cascade [5.50 %] - Boil 25.0 min 8.7 IBUs
0.38 oz Columbus [13.00 %] - Boil 25 min 15.7 IBUs
0.20 tsp Irish Moss (Boil 15.0 mins)
0.50 oz Cascade [5.50 %] - Boil 10.0 min 4.5 IBUs
1.00 oz Cascade [5.50 %] - Boil 5.0 min 5.0 IBUs
0.50 oz Simcoe [12.00 %] - Boil 2.0 min 2.5 IBUs
1.0 pkg San Diego Super Ale (White Labs #WLP090)
0.50 oz Cascade [5.50 %] - Dry Hop 5.0 Days 0.0 IBUs
0.50 oz Simcoe [13.00 %] - Dry Hop 5.0 Days 0.0 IBUs

mashed @ 153 F, 1 L starter

Next time I brew this I plan to replace the aromatic with Crystal 60 and drop the mash temp to 151.

onthekeg said:

That depends on how much you drink!:rockin:

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might take me a few months,but i'll make my money back!!!!

TravisT said:

might take me a few months,but i'll make my money back!!!!

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It's always good to have a plan.

Grow ur own hops! Buy in bulk and wash your yeast. In the end... It'll be cheaper or not ... It'll be fun that's for sure

If you really want to be cheap. You can buy 8lbs of malt. Take a lb and soak it with water in a pan for an hour or two. Watch a movie or something. Drain off the water and follow this link to kiln it to the crystal malt you want.
http://barleypopmaker.info/tag/homemade-crystal-malt/

Then you need to use some adjuncts from your local farm and feed store. You can go up to about 30% comfortably. Buy a bag of cracked corn for 8.99, then you always have it on hand. Wheat would be easier since you don't have to cereal mash it. Corn needs to be boiled.
Where was I... Oh, take 3lb of corn and a lb of malt, cover it with water, add another 1" water and turn the burner on max (only on the kitchen stove). If on the turkey burner, add heat to come to a boil within reason. Keep stirring, if you scald it, you have to dump it and start over. When its boiling, turn it down and keep it liquid as well as stirred. Boil for about 20 minutes ensuring that all is cooked.
If you plan ahead, you have your malt in the tun at about 122 deg, (even room temp works) with the addition of the corn you will be at 155, (or less, but just add more boiling water as the enzymes work.) Have a beer. Revel in the glory of a cereal mash. You did it all by yourself!
Once your beer is gone, get some water in the HLT and fire the burner, set the PID or whatever. Here is where you can't have another beer. You have a new brew coming. Do you have a fermenter ready? If so, have a beer. If not, get some work done. Do you have hops ready? If so, reward yourself for your mature thinking and have a beer. If not, you know what to do.

Well, I'm not going to carry on, but pretty much explain how my brew days go. (I have been known to set up most things in advance to maximize the checklist perks.)

quick and easy beer recipe.
10lbs dom 2 row = 6.00
3oz carafa 3 dehusked = 0.25
packet of quacker oats or 8oz flaked oats/barley/whatever 0.50
irish moss 0.25
s-04 ale yeast 2.50
2oz any hop you want 3.00
water cost 0.50
propane 4.00
time Priceless
total 17.00 start to finish (used my lhbs prices) + what your time is worth to you