Beginning Brewing on a budget

ok, So I've been wanting to start brewing my own beer for a while now but the initial cash outlay has kept me from jumping in. I know the kits arent that expensive really but after buying my new house and things like that extra money just isn't there like it used to be.

I've been invited to my first homebrewing meeting tonight and I think its time to bite the bullet. I figure I can justify the cost of the kit by what I, theoretically, should be able to save from buying beer. Though I know how that ends up working out.

Anyway I was figuring on getting the basic brewers best kit and most likely starting out with one of their ingredients kits. I'm lucky in the fact that where I live in Michigan there are quite a few pretty good home brew shops nearby. A lot of them carry mostly Brewers Best Kits so that's about my choice for beer kits.

Once the basic kit is there what else should I need? Aside from bottles and caps that is.

Whats the best way to pull this off on a budget? It does really seem that once you have the initial cash outlay for the equipment it really isn't very expensive though.

At a bare minimum you need the following:

1 Brewers best kit
1 pot capable of boiling 3 gallons of liquid with room to prevent boil over (so a 5 gallon pot of either stainless steel or aluminum)
1 hydrometer
1 good thermometer
1 6 to 6.5 gallon bucket with drilled lid and rubber washer (for the airlock)
1 3 piece airlock
1 auto-siphon and a few feat of vinyl tubing (which usually comes with the auto siphon)
some for of sanitizer (I'd suggest starsan)
48 beer bottles and caps
1 beer bottle capper.

As a bonus, I'd also suggest a immersion chiller, but you can get by with a bathtub full of ice water. I'd also suggest a bottling bucket and bottling wand to make the bottling time easier

If you already have a meat thermometer for grilling than you can use that for now.

For a pot, target carries big 5g enamel coated pots for like 20 bucks, or if you have a good Hispanic grocery/Mart you can look for a cheap tamales pot.

Also Midwest supplies has a great groupon up fairly regularly...

I have one of those aluminum or steel, not sure really, 5 gallon stockpots so that should be covered.

Id rather not use the bathtub so I think the immersion chiller would be a good way to go.

+1. That's it in a nutshell. Any good homebrew store should sell a kit with nearly everything mentioned above and you're ready to brew. One caveat, don't start with the idea you'll save money on beer cause you probably won't buy at least you'll enjoy it more.

watersr said:

+1. That's it in a nutshell. Any good homebrew store should sell a kit with nearly everything mentioned above and you're ready to brew. One caveat, don't start with the idea you'll save money on beer cause you probably won't buy at least you'll enjoy it more.

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Yeah that's why I said theoretically, I know how these things are and how I am. It just lead to more. I know I wont save money, but I will have more tasty beer around that's for sure and hopefully after a while it will be exactly what I want it to be, not something close.

immersion chillers are expensive...I just put my pot in the sink, run water on the outside while I stir the wort and replace the water as it warms. Once it's to about 100 I use ice water and that gets me down into the 70s.

loki993 said:

I figure I can justify the cost of the kit by what I, theoretically, should be able to save from buying beer. Though I know how that ends up working out.

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This is a tough one. I'm definitely saving money at this point, but it takes a while to hit that point. I usually don't recommend people get into brewing to save money.

loki993 said:

Whats the best way to pull this off on a budget?

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I'd recommend using a clean ale yeast (US-05 would be my choice) for all your batches until money loosens up. If you save the slurry from your first batch, you can split that and use it for at least two more batches. Continuing on this way for 2-3 generations, you can easily get 7-8 batches from a single yeast purchase. Some people save yeast even longer, but I get a little antsy after the third generation.

Once you're addicted to brewing (it won't take long) I'd recommend buying at least your hops in bulk as well. I use Hops Direct, and pay under a dollar an ounce for hops (even with shipping). It seems that $2 per oz is a more common price when you're buying them in smaller amounts.

rifraf said:

immersion chillers are expensive...I just put my pot in the sink, run water on the outside while I stir the wort and replace the water as it warms. Once it's to about 100 I use ice water and that gets me down into the 70s.

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I'm too cheap to buy an immersion chiller, and this is what I do. It works fine. It helps to freeze a couple Ziplocs of ice the night before to make sure you have plenty of ice, too.

The beginner equipment kits are usually a decent value, but if you really want to start out as cheaply as possible you can just buy the essential pieces (listed in a post above) separately - some kits like to add extra stuff that you don't really need like plastic mash paddles, Palmer's 'How to Brew' book (which already available for free online), etc... You can save a few more bucks buying food grade buckets at Lowes (or finding free ones - grocery store bakeries usually have extra 5gal food grade buckets that they don't need) and drilling holes yourself for an airlock or bottling spigot.

If you want an immersion chiller, they're not that hard to build yourself. The copper can be expensive, but I've seen some people find good prices by ordering it online.

rifraf said:

immersion chillers are expensive...I just put my pot in the sink, run water on the outside while I stir the wort and replace the water as it warms. Once it's to about 100 I use ice water and that gets me down into the 70s.

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Yeah they are I was just looking.

KISS Brew said:

This is a tough one. I'm definitely saving money at this point, but it takes a while to hit that point. I usually don't recommend people get into brewing to save money.



I'd recommend using a clean ale yeast (US-05 would be my choice) for all your batches until money loosens up. If you save the slurry from your first batch, you can split that and use it for at least two more batches. Continuing on this way for 2-3 generations, you can easily get 7-8 batches from a single yeast purchase. Some people save yeast even longer, but I get a little antsy after the third generation.

Once you're addicted to brewing (it won't take long) I'd recommend buying at least your hops in bulk as well. I use Hops Direct, and pay under a dollar an ounce for hops (even with shipping). It seems that $2 per oz is a more common price when you're buying them in smaller amounts.

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I'm not really doing it to save money honestly. Its just something I've been wanting to do for a while and I feel that, with some time, I can make some damn good beer. Maybe, hopefully, even competition quality stuff.

loki993 said:

I'm not really doing it to save money honestly. Its just something I've been wanting to do for a while and I feel that, with some time, I can make some damn good beer. Maybe, hopefully, even competition quality stuff.

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As long as you're aware of this, you'll be fine. Believe me, I wasn't trying to talk you out of this hobby. The more the merrier

KISS Brew said:

As long as you're aware of this, you'll be fine. Believe me, I wasn't trying to talk you out of this hobby. The more the merrier

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Oh its ok, yeah I know.

I dont know when I get all the components I need. I guess Ill see whats what after the meeting tonight. I have a feeling Ill have all kinds of ideas after that.

If you get the brewers best beer brewing kit (about 100$), you should have all you need except for the thermometer (5-10$ or less), auto siphon (10$), brew pot, and ladle.
You can do an ice bath in your sink.
Then just pick up the actual beer kit you want and go to town!

I have a 20qt brew pot, I do 2.5-3gal boils. Then use a few gals of bottled water I put on the freezer at the start of brewing, along with an ice bath to get my wort cooled down. I can get to pitching temp in about 20-30 min or less.
Try that for a bit, then save up and get your chiller later.

The "FAQ-Read this first" sticky has a link to a thread full of tips/advice. In it someone mentions that you don't get into homebrewing for potential cost savings.

That doesnt mean you can START cheaply. But, once you get into it & start learning more, you will quickly realize that you want (need?!) more things homebrew. Like someway of controlling fermentation temps, extra fermentation vessels ( cause you really cant wait to brew again!), etc.

wherestheyeast said:

The "FAQ-Read this first" sticky has a link to a thread full of tips/advice. In it someone mentions that you don't get into homebrewing for potential cost savings.

That doesnt mean you can START cheaply. But, once you get into it & start learning more, you will quickly realize that you want (need?!) more things homebrew. Like someway of controlling fermentation temps, extra fermentation vessels ( cause you really cant wait to brew again!), etc.

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Yeah I'm sure I will, I'm kinda like that with everything. I'm still going to try to start out small though.

I think my biggest problem will be temperature control while fermenting. I dont have a basement and I try to not run my AC a ton. So my house, on a really hot day, can reach 80+ no problem. Obviously not good for brewing beer. So Ill have to figure out a solution for that. Eventually Ill get a beer fridge, but in the meantime I think Ill have to use the water/ice in the washtub method.

It saves money compared to buying more craft brews that cost 12-20 dollars per 4 12oz. starting out stick with easy quick turn around kits. Look for kits with hop additions and spec grains.

The big secret to great home brew lies in controlling the ferm temp.

loki993 said:

Yeah I'm sure I will, I'm kinda like that with everything. I'm still going to try to start out small though.

I think my biggest problem will be temperature control while fermenting. I dont have a basement and I try to not run my AC a ton. So my house, on a really hot day, can reach 80+ no problem. Obviously not good for brewing beer. So Ill have to figure out a solution for that. Eventually Ill get a beer fridge, but in the meantime I think Ill have to use the water/ice in the washtub method.

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That method works; it's just a PITA in my opinion. Not to mention I am only able to check temps 2x a day. So I'm unsure of temp fluctuations.

wherestheyeast said:

That method works; it's just a PITA in my opinion. Not to mention I am only able to check temps 2x a day. So I'm unsure of temp fluctuations.

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Somewhat a PITA but for now it is my only option. I have used the swamp cooler method for just over a year. I have gone from extract - partial mash - all grain. A fermentation chamber is my next upgrade.

I have kept track of all my expenses and after 30 five gallon batches have just gotten below $2 per bottle.

IMO you have to get past extract in order to save any money by homebrewing as opposed to buying.

I started out pretty good with a nice kit. Carboys, bottling bucket, hydrometer, caps, capper airlocks etc.

I bought a 5 gal stainless pot, and did an extract with spec grains and was off to the races. Since then I went to swamp coolers, a keggle, more fermenters, a frementation chamber, and am designing a fold away gravity fed system for my garage.

Id be richer had I just kept drinking commercial craft beer ha

Being a brewers best user myself, I can tell you it's a great path to take. You're going to save money if you just go with the basic kit, the pieces by themselves are slightly more (I priced it out). Even with the only "useless" tool they give you it's a great idea. My suggestions: 1) pick up some star san, I wasn't a fan of the stuff they gave me. 2) Think about a floating thermometer. Not necessary at all, but a convenience for me. 3) Pick up a bottling wand. So convenient it's necessary.

As for the kits, I actually have saved money. My first kit, and best yet at that, was a $25 American Amber Ale. It included some specialy grains to steep, so it added some fun to the brewing process. Plus it really has been my favorite batch so far.

$25 for about 50 bottles is still cheaper than any craft brew you could get.

Just this guys opinion

KISS Brew said:

Once you're addicted to brewing (it won't take long) I'd recommend buying at least your hops in bulk as well. I use Hops Direct, and pay under a dollar an ounce for hops (even with shipping). It seems that $2 per oz is a more common price when you're buying them in smaller amounts.

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How long is it OK to keep hops for?

jesserizzo said:

How long is it OK to keep hops for?

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quite a while if you freeze them, but they do lose some potency over time. Just need to add a bit more the older they are.

jesserizzo said:

How long is it OK to keep hops for?

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They'll never go bad, although they lose bittering and aroma over time. I keep mine in the freezer and my goal is to use them up within a year from purchase. I'm still going through some that I bought last Fall, and they make great beer.

The guide at Beer Legends actually indicates the percent of alpha acids remaining after 6 months from harvest at 20C, if you're into calculating things like this. Myself, I just aim for the high IBU end of the style guidelines when my hops are getting old.

I just went with a basic kit from Northern Brewer and added things like a 5 gallon kettle and their wort chiller. I probably could have saved elsewhere, but I'm not unhappy at all with my purchase. Not much of a budget, but I did make a stand for my burner and I did save bottles to keep from buying them, so maybe that counts.

I think, if you don't count the equipment expenses, you do save money making your own beer as oppose to buying it. Now whether the expense of all that brew gear is worth it, depends on how great that first batch tastes. I guess I'll find that out in a few weeks (first batch still fermenting). For me, part of the fun is knowing you're the one who brewed the beer you're drinking and not someone else. It's like comparing grilling out with some friends as opposed to all of you going to a bar to hang out.

DonMagee said:

At a bare minimum you need the following:
...
As a bonus, I'd also suggest a immersion chiller, but you can get by with a bathtub full of ice water. I'd also suggest a bottling bucket and bottling wand to make the bottling time easier

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You can skip the hydrometer if you're really tight for cash (as long as you're brewing from a kit), but I'd say a bottling bucket and wand are pretty much essential. I also didn't have any problems using just some vinyl tubing instead of an auto-siphon for my first few batches, but I really do like my auto-siphon now that I've got it!

wherestheyeast said:

That method works; it's just a PITA in my opinion. Not to mention I am only able to check temps 2x a day. So I'm unsure of temp fluctuations.

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It may be, Ill start looking for a cheap fridge at some point soon. Someone at the homebrew meeting made a great suggestion just brew a saison lol. I may give it a go since I do like them, just not too funky.

MotorcycleMatt said:

I started out pretty good with a nice kit. Carboys, bottling bucket, hydrometer, caps, capper airlocks etc.

I bought a 5 gal stainless pot, and did an extract with spec grains and was off to the races. Since then I went to swamp coolers, a keggle, more fermenters, a frementation chamber, and am designing a fold away gravity fed system for my garage.

Id be richer had I just kept drinking commercial craft beer ha

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Now again a noob question/observation but a fermentation chamber can be as simple as an old fridge with a temperature controller if you cant get the temp high enough right? Or am I mussing something

Getzinator said:

Being a brewers best user myself, I can tell you it's a great path to take. You're going to save money if you just go with the basic kit, the pieces by themselves are slightly more (I priced it out). Even with the only "useless" tool they give you it's a great idea. My suggestions: 1) pick up some star san, I wasn't a fan of the stuff they gave me. 2) Think about a floating thermometer. Not necessary at all, but a convenience for me. 3) Pick up a bottling wand. So convenient it's necessary.

As for the kits, I actually have saved money. My first kit, and best yet at that, was a $25 American Amber Ale. It included some specialy grains to steep, so it added some fun to the brewing process. Plus it really has been my favorite batch so far.

$25 for about 50 bottles is still cheaper than any craft brew you could get.

Just this guys opinion

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Definitely star san. They were using it at the mead making demo I was at and for what it costs and the fact that you just basically wet everything down and its sanitized its nearly a no brainer.

Yep, it was a used upright fridge with a Johnson controls thermostat, it works great!

what about a cool brew for a firm chamber ? seems cheap enough ?

BronxBrew said:

what about a cool brew for a firm chamber ? seems cheap enough ?

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Whats that?

loki993 said:

Whats that?

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An insulated bag that you can put frozen bottles of water in to keep the beer cooler during fermentation.

They would work, but again, its a lot more expensive than the average swamp cooler.

MotorcycleMatt said:

An insulated bag that you can put frozen bottles of water in to keep the beer cooler during fermentation.

They would work, but again, its a lot more expensive than the average swamp cooler.

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Ahhh, yeah I think I've seen those.

I guess when I first looked at swamp coolers I must have stumbled on to someones elaborate rig, because it seemed like a hassle and kind of expensive. More like what someone would think an "actual" swamp cooler was, the evaporative air thing. Now I look though and its basically just a bucket you put the primary in with some ice bottle and a t shirt. Maybe some people use a fan?

That's basically what I'm going to do in my laundry tub, sans fan probably, just because there isn't really room.

I need to out my people out to see if they can scare me up a fridge, free ones pop up from time to time with my family.

loki993, check out nybrewsupply.com, cheap wort chillers. If I had known about them I wouldn't have bothered to make my own.
I went through Holly a couple years ago to visit the Veterans Memorial Cemetery, a very nice area.

Save Money!! Ha! I have probably spent close to 2,000 grand in a year. (800 was a beermeister set up for homebrew with 2 kegs). I've also noticed I actually buy more craft beer and drink more craft beer and visit more breweries. Basically all I do is drink beer. I haven't been able to brew anything lately because I am broke, Still have 3 on tap though.

Anyway, as long as the bills are paid, who cares. Enjoy it for what it is, and it is pretty damn awesome!

I know I'm Jumping in here late, but I started doing 2 gallon batches with equipment for around $40. The beer is good and I get many compliments. I like Loki's approach: How can I test the waters before I dump tons of money into this (which is very plausible when your beer rocks).

I recommend a 2 gallon set up for beginners like myself for many reasons:

- Easy storage. It takes up very little space
- If you do screw up, the hit to the pocket is less
- Less sanitizing and clean up. This made me stop messing with 5 gallon batches way back when.

Here's my equipment list:

- 2 gallon food grade bucket with lid (with hole for the airlock) - Around $7
- Bottling Spigot - $3
- Airlock - $2
- Hydrometer - $6
- 12 16oz. Flip top bottles - $20.00
- 4 oz. bottle of Idaphor - $4

And that's it. An outlay of roughly $42. You could go cheaper and reuse plastic pop bottles. I have done this and as long as you avoid root beer bottles the beer tastes fine.

As per recipes, there is an easy formula to creating inexpensive SMASH (Single Malt And Single Hop) recipes.

- Get 3 lbs. of Extract. Save 1/2 cup out for carbonating. At my store that costs $9.
- Get a 2 oz. bag of Hops and use 1/4 oz. for each phase: Bittering, Flavoring, and Aroma. Recommendations are Saaz, Simcoe, Cascade, and Fuggles $3. Can make 3 batches.
- Use 4 grams of Dry Yeast. It's the cheapest and most foolproof way to go. $3 for a pack that is good for 2-3 batches.

COST - $11 for roughly 3/4 case of beer.

This is a great way to test the waters. This is what I still do, and I am happy with it.

Here's a sample Recipe:

2 gallon Batch Amber Ale

3 lbs. Bulk Amber Extract
.75 oz. Saaz (Use .25 oz for each stage: Bittering, Flavor, and Aroma)
1/2 pkg. Mutton's Gold Yeast (3 gms)

Here's a link to how I brew. I made this up for a friend jumping in blind
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1HNruZ8CsdAVeMcMUM-SDO9L7fBilLQVizrTssXnVWo0/edit

I've actually started a blog addressing this exact topic. I'm covering everything from getting started to cost saving tips for experienced brewers. Cheers.

www.brewonabudget.wordpress.com