Ways to save on brews

I've been brewing since December, but am on my 8th brew already and had many more planned for this year. That is until my brewery's accountant, aka my wife, asked how much they would cost. My budget has been cut significantly now.

What are some good ways to lessen the cost of the brew while not loosing anything in the quality? I've already converted any extracts to malts and that lowered the cost quite a bit. Are there any other options you can think of?

I'll admit that the beers I've done and had planned to do were not just straight forward basic beers, but ones I like to drink commercially: Christmas Porter, Smoked Maple Ale, Banana Porter, Strawberry Rhubarb Ale, a Shandy, etc. So maybe looking for options that are light on ingredients, but have good flavors or are unique in some way is the way to go. Any suggestions there?

What's your budget?

I've been told I need to stay around $30-$40/beer.

The best I can suggest is buying all your base malt and hops in bulk. Wash your yeast as well and you'll be well on your way to maximizing your budget, whatever it is.

If you are all-grain brewing then buying bulk is a big money saver. Likewise saving and washing your yeast also can help save a lot of money. I recently got a grain mill so I am able to buy my grain from the lhbs uncracked cheaper. I also plan a few brews out so that I can buy a larger qty at once which also lowers the price over the long term. Hops also are cheaper in bulk. Like an oz was 2 or 3 something but I bought a whole pound of cascade yesterday for 12 bucks. Good luck and cheers!!

x2 Yeast washing and buying in bulk saves a lot. You need to get your wife to get her work to let them sell you ingredients at their cost. We used to do that until we had a falling out with the guy working at the brewery over other matters. They waste more stuff on a brew day than we use to brew a batch so its pretty insignificant.

bigadam said:

I've been told I need to stay around $30-$40/beer.

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Completely attainable when you can get your base malt for around $.60-.70/lb, hops at $1/oz and specialty malts at around $2/lb (assuming not buying bulk for specialty grains).

Typical Stout/Porter Brew Example

9 lbs 2-row @ $.70/lb = $6.30
4 lbs specialty @ $2/lb = $8.00
3 oz hops @ $1/oz = $3.00
Liquid yeast (new) = $6.50
Total = $23.80

Depending on where you live you could grow your own hops. But buying in bulk and washing yeast is the best way to save right away

You should have no trouble staying between $30 and $40 per batch for regular brews (e.g., a standard pale ale). I regularly brew 5 gallon batches of beers with OGs of 1.050 for about $20 per batch.

Buying in bulk helps. I can get a 50 pound bag of 2-Row brewers malt locally for about $45. That is the base malt for 6 batches (so a bit less than $8 per batch). I supplement with between 2 and 3 pounds of specialty and crystal malts, bringing the total cost of my grain bill to about $13. Hops run no more than $2 per ounce (and most hops I buy in bulk for about $1 to $1.50 per pound). I also have switched to dry yeast (mainly US-05) and that runs less than $4 a pack.

bigadam said:

my brewery's accountant, aka my wife,

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haha I am going to steal this one.

I think the best way to save is to start yeast washing. There are other ways, but that is the easiest way to start I think.

Most of my beers are around $30 - 40 per brew and they are partial mash recipes. You can get LME for under $2.50/lb by buying in bulk.

Some brewers on this board are hitting $10/batch for pale ales with bulk grain buys, homegrown hops and washed yeast.

Can someone key me in to yeast washing? I've never heard of it.

Its the process of taking all the yeast and trub that's on the bottom of the fermenter after primary and in essence rinsing it to remove as much trub and save the yeast for the next brew. Just google it there are many that do it. I like Dawson's video the best.

Thanks dg! I'll have to take a look.

http://m.youtube.com/index?&desktop_uri=/

This might help too

bigadam said:

Can someone key me in to yeast washing? I've never heard of it.

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It's basically rinsing and reusing yeast after a fermentation is complete and you transfer off of the yeast cake. An easier method is simply to transfer a new batch right into the fermenter. Simply put, after primary fermentation is done brew another batch and transfer it to that fermenter right after you rack the beer off of the yeast cake. As long as the yeast is good for both beers and you make the second batch at least as strong and dark as the first you will be fine. If you use dry yeast you cut your yeast cost to like $2 a batch.

Well it depends. What I woudl recommend for sure is bulk buying. If you're not an AG brewer, that's a different expense so I would recommend buying in Bulk, you can save almost a hundred bucks buying a 50 pound bag of DME compared to just 1 pound at a time. Obviously the likely wouldn't be a massive saving compared to buying 6+ pounds at a time but it's still saving. Samething with hops. you cna buy maybe 2 or 3 base hops by the pound and a few others by the ounce as needed, but buying by the pound can save almost half off of the cost of hops.

There's a ton of ways to save money. Switching from Liquid to dry yeast is a great way, or harvesting yeast from your primary (washing) can save the cost of liquid. I bought an 8 dollar bottle of yeast and I'm gonna get at least 3 or 4 generations of use out of it.

bigadam said:

I've been brewing since December, but am on my 8th brew already and had many more planned for this year. That is until my brewery's accountant, aka my wife, asked how much they would cost. My budget has been cut significantly now.

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She's nickle and dime-ing you on brewing ingredients?! Maybe a divorce?

Yeast washing will save you. I refer you to this illustrated post on the topic. https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f163/yeast-washing-illustrated-41768/

Also, brew beers without lots of hops, but lots of alcohol (sounds like you're going to need it). Perhaps some Scottish Ales.

I was just looking at this myself.

I have been buying my American 2 row in bulk for around $.80 per pound, started washing my yeast, and try to buy hops in bulk. Doing this I figured out that an average gravity 5 gallon batch is costing me...

$12 on the low end for basic brew
$20 mid range brew
$30 good wheat beer

So $1.50 - $3.75 for a six pack vs. $8.00 - $10.00 store purchased 6 pack. I use this argument when the wife catches me coming through the door with $60 in beer making ingredients. Works well.

$30-40? All I do is buy my base grains in bulk (Two-Row, Pilsner, and Wheat), and ALL my brews are typically under $25.00 a batch. I buy some hops in bulk, especially for my house brew that is always on tap. I brewed a 5.0 gallon batch of that house brew last weekend for $19.26. I often make it in 10 gallon batches for around $30.00.

I did a Berlinner Weiss with almost 7 lbs of raspberries recently as well, and even that only cost me about $38.00, $13.00 of which was the raspberries! That's the most I've spent on an all-grain batch ever!

Washing yeast is a PITA. My time is worth more than the work + savings. Just stick with dry yeast unless you are making something that requires specialized yeast. Dry yeast is every bit as good, if not better for most novice brewers, than their equivilent liquid yeast, for about $2.50 less.

Bulk grain is the way to go. I pay $0.73 a lb for two-row after tax and a 10% home brew club discount. The same malt is $1.60 a lb. from the same homebrew shop. That's about $7-8 savings per 5 gallon batch on base malt. I bought three 5 gallon Lowes buckets ($4.00 each) with the Gamma Seal Lids ($6.00 each) for storage, which will keep uncrushed grain fresh for a good 4-5 months (I have a grain mill). If you don't have a mill, the same buckets and lids will even keep milled grain fresh for a good month or two.

If you are a light beer maker/drinker, you could also always just cut 25-50% of your base malt with rice. All the convertable starches, none of the flavor! That's how the big boys cut costs

Keep in mind the highter the ABV the more it's going to cost.

I stick around the 5% ABV area and my cost is around $25 a batch easily and that's all ingrediants, 6 gal. of water and yeast. And this applies to many types of beer.

If you order online to save on shipping buy a few kits or the ingrediants you need in larger quantities to save on shipping. Recently I bought enough stuff to make 15 gal. of my Scottish Ale and it was $62 shipped.

Dry yeast is cheap liquid is not, choose your poison.

My next batch I will filter my tap water and if the beer turns out good I just saved $5-6 a batch. To date that would have saved me $25-30 this year alone.

If you're in an area that has a group bulk buy get in on the action. You'll get wholesales prices everything - base malt, specialty malt, and hops

Yes, buying in bulk is also awesome. I get my grains a couple times a year in a bulk buy for about $0.60 a lb and I get my hops for about $8-$9 a pound. I hate yeast washing too so when I can I just pitch onto the previous cake if it's convenient.

I'd reroute this away from how to save money per brew (not necessarily a negative) to redefining "budget" with SWMBO.
The budget should NOT be $x/brew. That's micro-managing.
Instead the budget should be $x/month for brewing. That way you have the option to spend more on the brews if you brew less.
Even better, since you are trying to brew types you like in commercial brews,
the budget should be $x/month for beer, giving you the option to save by drinking less commercial beer.

IOW, the key is to spend less overall money.

Or expand it further. Give me more money for beer, I'll spend less on something else.

I think the per brew budget is short sighted.

Thanks for all of the suggestions, I'm definitely going to look into buying more in bulk and washing my yeasts.

I have to say, I'm surprised at the low grain bills I've read here. Maybe I'm just still too new to know any better, but the beers I've done so far have averaged $50. The most expensive one was either the smoked maple ale or banana stout, both of which had about 20 pounds of grain plus other ingredients (smoked syrup, lots of bananas)

I'm thinking a good move for now would be to stay away from the beers that have large ingredient lists outside of the grain and hops. That seems to be where I'm spending the most.

20 pounds of grain in a 5 gallon batch? I guess you are making high alcohol beers. A 10 pound grain bill in a 5 gallon batch will get you something like a 5% abv beer.

rklinck said:

20 pounds of grain in a 5 gallon batch? I guess you are making high alcohol beers. A 10 pound grain bill in a 5 gallon batch will get you something like a 5% abv beer.

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Not only that but huge grain bills are notorious for low efficiency. I brew mostly pales, bitters, ipa's, and the occasional big beer. Most of mine are around 12# and hit 7-7.5% abv

This thread is hysterical. HBT represents a huge brain trust. And here it is wasting synapses trying to figure out how to squeeze a few dollars. This is not what homebrewing is about. Maybe a new hobby? SWMBO might get you a metal detector? There might actually be a RETURN on that hobby!

pauly71 said:

This thread is hysterical. HBT represents a huge brain trust. And here it is wasting synapses trying to figure out how to squeeze a few dollars. This is not what homebrewing is about. Maybe a new hobby? SWMBO might get you a metal detector? There might actually be a RETURN on that hobby!

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I agree that saving a few bucks is not what homebrewing is about. But, it is easier to justify if it is not costing TOO much money. Because I am able to brew for between $20 and $25 a batch, I have no qualms about brewing every weekend if I feel like doing so. If it cost me $100 to brew up a 5 gallon batch it would be a very different proposition. Of course, I tend to prefer session-type beers, so I can make my preferred beer for $25 a batch. If I was being forced to make beers I did not enjoy drinking (and/or was not proud of making), my view would be different.

If you're willing to send me some cash, Pauly71, I'd gladly take it so that I could brew the beers I like more freely and wouldn't have to belabor the "brain trust". I accept all denominations. I'll even take Canadian.

bigadam said:

If you're willing to send me some cash, Pauly71, I'd gladly take it so that I could brew the beers I like more freely and wouldn't have to belabor the "brain trust". I accept all denominations. I'll even take Canadian.

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I'd send you some pennies, but we stopped making those yesterday.

I only mean it as good nature ribbing. As a bachelor it's my duty to tease those with a SWMBO I don't really think it's a waste of time. It's kinda fun to think about the low cost angle.

pauly71 said:

I'd send you some pennies, but we stopped making those yesterday.

I only mean it as good nature ribbing. As a bachelor it's my duty to tease those with a SWMBO I don't really think it's a waste of time. It's kinda fun to think about the low cost angle.

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Men without swmbo need not speak up then! My family has a budget and we have to make choices just like the op. damn you bachelors! Quit teasing us with your free time and disposable income!

forstmeister said:

Men without swmbo need not speak up then! My family has a budget and we have to make choices just like the op. damn you bachelors! Quit teasing us with your free time and disposable income!

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Hey, who said I didn't have a budget!? You should see where I live! I'll bet your SWMBO keeps a nice place!

pauly71 said:

Hey, who said I didn't have a budget!? You should see where I live! I'll bet your SWMBO keeps a nice place!

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Mine still hasn't quite mastered housework. It usually piles up until someone snaps and spends an entire day muttering under their breath wile in a cleaning frenzy.

So that's a no on the cash (bigger than a penny) then? Damn it, I thought you were going to help me out!

Maybe instead of cash he'll send over his SWMBO?

pauly71 said:

This thread is hysterical. HBT represents a huge brain trust. And here it is wasting synapses trying to figure out how to squeeze a few dollars. This is not what homebrewing is about. Maybe a new hobby? SWMBO might get you a metal detector? There might actually be a RETURN on that hobby!

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And every time there is a thread about how to save money some ass hat makes a normative claim for everyone. It's a ****ing hobby. People brew for all kinds of reasons. It really is a shame that these useful discussions always get derailed by naysayers.

bizarrojosh said:

And every time there is a thread about how to save money some ass hat makes a normative claim for everyone. It's a ****ing hobby. People brew for all kinds of reasons. It really is a shame that these useful discussions always get derailed by naysayers.

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joking! sheesh.