How to save money homebrewing

OK, everyone. Let's hear your tips on how you penny pinch yet still make great homebrews. What do you do to save a few dollars?

I reuse my yeast. I wash my yeast and I use other pre-fermentation yeast harvesting methods. Each batch that I don't have to buy yeast saves me about $8 dollars. I brew at least 2 times a month so in a year I save $192 dollars by reusing yeast! Beat that! (this figure doesn't include DME, water, natural gas, and time).

I would like to hear how others have decrease starter sizes. How have you minimized costs? Do you reuse sanitizer? What about grains?

Let's get our brains together to see how we can all minimize costs yet not affect the quality of our brews!

Bulk base grain through group buys. As I refine my recipes and brew more, I expect to begin buying my specialty grains in bulk as well.

Buying hops and grain in bulk is the safest bet to save cash. Otherwise I don't try to skimp too much on material or supplies. To much at stake.

You could wash yeast. Grow your own hops. Find another home brewer(s) to buy bulk base malts. Build all your own stuff.

The only place I try and save a bit of money is through bulk grain/hops - this hobby is not about saving money for me, it's about making great beer.

That being said, I've saved $256.78 buying bulk hops/grains this year versus buying them buy the ounce/pound.

Honestly, I always use fresh yeast, the cost difference is .10 or less per pint. I buy grain at my local Whole Foods (they have a homebrew dept and they are open 7 days a week!). All of their grain is 1.25 per pound including the Belgian and German pilsners and all specialty grain. They also have very good bulk pricing and there's no shipping. I've also looked into bulk hops but once again I can get them locally for the same price or less once shipping is considered and I don't have to store large quantities.

Most of my capital expenditures are done so it's only variable costs now. I haven't looked into trimming the variable stuff because for the pennies involved it's not worth the quality risk.

Smaller starters can be made through a couple of different options. One is to use a stirplate. Another is to do stepped starters. Use yeastcalc.com to figure out the difference between a single step starter and either a two or three step starter. With washed yeast, depending on how much slurry you use, you could save significant money on DME that way.

I also get my grain in bulk, easily paying less than half (per sack) that the HBS' typically charge.

Buy your hops in larger amounts, or when on sale/special, and you can save there too.

Personally, I look to save costs where it makes sense. I'm not brewing to make cheap beer, I'm brewing to make GREAT beer that you cannot buy for even ten times the price (or more). Since I'm spending under $1/pint, it's not easy to match the quality (per cost).

If you want to save on gear, do more yourself. Making a keggle is a good start. Or converting that <$50 aluminum pot (15 gallons) into a kettle.

For starters, I use boiled down second runnings from my MLT and freeze. Sure it saves only a buck or so but it is quick and easy.

ILoveBeer2 said:

For starters, I use boiled down second runnings from my MLT and freeze. Sure it saves only a buck or so but it is quick and easy.

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If you have the freezer space at least... I don't have that much spare freezer space. My food fridge has *gasp* food in it (and yeast vials soon). The freezer in my brew fridge is full of hops. :rockin:

I won't lie, I'm a cheap bastard But, I don't do anything to save money that would sacrifice quality. The big ones for me: Homegrown hops, bulk grain, freezing yeast, and mashing starter wort vs. using DME.

I reuse my StarSan and buy my hops in bulk.

I buy bulk grains and hops, and I am constantly looking for better deals.

I reuse starsan until the ph is to high, and I test my starsan ph with ph paper I bought in bulk at a teacher supply store.

I make nearly all of my brewing equipment. I made my HLT and keggle from old Hoff-Stevens kegs instead of the much more expensive straight-sided keg. I made my counter flow chiller from old copper left over from a job and a hose I had laying around. I made a stir plate out of parts I had laying around.

I wash yeast and store it in old pickle jars that were free.

All of this is not exclusive to brewing, this is how I was raised to live my life in general.

I re-use sanitizer, if you make sure everything is very clean and rinsed before you sanitize, it's not a problem. And I buy "budget brew" kits. Great ingredients make great beer but so-so ingredients and attention to detail, makes great beer too, and saves money. No fancy equipment, not always trying to save up for the next big thing. I would like to start growing my own grain and hops, and making my own sugary syrups. Sell the extra, and boom what I drink myself doesn't cost me dime. We can all dream, right?

Built all my own equipment:
Stir plate
Fermentation chamber
Temp controller
Mash tun
Brew kettle
chiller
Brew stand
Oxygen wand
Co2 distribution manifold
Kegerator

I buy hops in bulk
I re-use or propagate yeast
I re-use Star-San

The only thing I don't do (yet) is buy bulk grains, and crush my own grains.
I can justify that by not having to buy a grain mill, and since my LHBS has a great mill, I just use/buy their stuff.

I even get free advice here (sorry, not a subscribing member).

Built all my own equipment:
Stir plate
Fermentation chamber
Temp controller
Mash tun
Brew kettle
chiller
Brew stand
Oxygen wand
Co2 distribution manifold
Kegerator

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Wow, you are like the beer MacGyver? I don't see wasting money on fancy equipment either, homemade is the way to go.

Wow, this is all awesome advise. Where are you all storing your bags of grain and bags of hops? Does it take up valuable space in your fridge or do you have a second (or third) fridge? (also, doesn't it cost a lot to buy a fridge and run it?)

One thing I do to cut some costs is bottle and not spend money on kegging equipment or energy to keep it cool.

another thing I do to save a few dollars here and there is buy outdated yeast when I want to experiment. Sometimes the quality is really good (if I make a starter) other times it fails, but 4/5 times it works well and I get a vile/smack pack for less than half the cost of "viable" stuff.

Don't know about you guys, but there's just something about milling 15-30 pounds of grain that's rather therapeutic to me. Of course, with my mill, going through the grain is over quickly, but it's all good.

BTW, my brew fridge costs about $30/year to run, at it's normal settings. Since the fridge is set warmer than you would for food, it costs less.

I haven't seen anyone mention switching to electric brewing here yet, but I think it's cheaper on a per-batch basis. Of course, the switchover costs, and costs a lot if you want it to.

do you have a second (or third) fridge? (also, doesn't it cost a lot to buy a fridge and run it?

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My electric bill is never over 80 USD, running a heater instead of cutting your own wood for a wood-burning stove is way more expensive. I have an outside extra fridge and freezer(given to me) and cost to run is negligible. Did you know that a full fridge or freezer cost much less to run than an empty one? Just adding cold water or ice to the fridge/freezer, keep all the space full, saves money on electricity.

BobbiLynn said:

My electric bill is never over 80 USD, running a heater instead of cutting your own wood for a wood-burning stove is way more expensive. I have an outside extra fridge and freezer(given to me) and cost to run is negligible. Did you know that a full fridge or freezer cost much less to run than an empty one? Just adding cold water or ice to the fridge/freezer, keep all the space full, saves money on electricity.

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Yeah, I keep as many jugs of water as I can in my keggerator. My freezers are always full though.

If you want to save money stay the hell out of the electric brewing threads. I got bit by that bug and have dropped a ton of cash into a total redo of my rig. I started as batch sparge on a cooler. Now I am making a three keggle full electric herms rig with two pumps!

BBL_Brewer said:

Yeah, I keep as many jugs of water as I can in my keggerator. My freezers are always full though.

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I just aim to always have my beer fridge full of kegs of beer.


Right now, two are carbonating, while the other two are on tap. One is about to kick, but it's replacement is in there. I have more in the basement either carbonating, or ready to be moved to keg. :rockin:

Oh, and yes, I did pull the light bulb out of the fridge (and the plastic shield that went over it). My kegs like it better that way.

Does anyone have any cost savings that are particular to extract brewing?

I didn't know about keeping the fridge full to up efficiency. Thanks for that.

What about making starters and the ingredients used to make them? Dme is expensive!

Golddiggie said:

I just aim to always have my beer fridge full of kegs of beer.

Right now, two are carbonating, while the other two are on tap. One is about to kick, but it's replacement is in there. I have more in the basement either carbonating, or ready to be moved to keg. :rockin:

Oh, and yes, I did pull the light bulb out of the fridge (and the plastic shield that went over it). My kegs like it better that way.

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That is freaking amazing.

bizarrojosh said:

Does anyone have any cost savings that are particular to extract brewing?

I didn't know about keeping the fridge full to up efficiency. Thanks for that.

What about making starters and the ingredients used to make them? Dme is expensive!

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At 100g/1L of water, you shouldn't be using too much DME. That's where the stirplate and stepped starters really helps. I can get the cell count needed, for a batch, with two (or sometimes three) starters with a per starter size of under 2L or 3L (the size of my flasks) that would otherwise require more than 20L. I've done that with older yeast (packet was manufactured over 10 months prior to using it). I used steps in my 2L flask (no more than 6L total volume) that would have required more than 20L as a single step (both schedules on a stirplate).

IMO/IME, getting the right gear actually saves you money (in the longer run). Buying cheap means you'll [most likely] need to replace it at least once, or twice, where you won't need to with the better grade gear. Typically the cost difference is less than the amount you'll spend to replace the items even once.

Look more long term than short term.

bizarrojosh said:

That is freaking amazing.

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How about this??


BTW, still need to remove the inside panel on the fridge door. Or at least cut around where the beer lines feed. Just not a high priority. Having BEER in there is a much higher priority.

Golddiggie said:

I just aim to always have my beer fridge full of kegs of beer.

Right now, two are carbonating, while the other two are on tap. One is about to kick, but it's replacement is in there. I have more in the basement either carbonating, or ready to be moved to keg. :rockin:

Oh, and yes, I did pull the light bulb out of the fridge (and the plastic shield that went over it). My kegs like it better that way.

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I have a big side by side that was given to me. I've actually been thinking about making it a four tap instead of two. It already equals your capacity since I use 5 gal kegs. I did the measurements, if I make a custom shelf I can fit four 5 gal ball locks in there. I'll have to remove the bulb and plastic housing as you did though.

Spouse: "Why do you have to keep so much beer in there, taking up all that space?"

Brewer: "Well, you see, honey, I'm just trying to save us some money...."

bizarrojosh said:

Does anyone have any cost savings that are particular to extract brewing?

I didn't know about keeping the fridge full to up efficiency. Thanks for that.

What about making starters and the ingredients used to make them? Dme is expensive!

Click to expand...

Buy your DME in bulk. They sell it in 50 lbs bags. Ask your LHBS. Bulk hops. Reuse or grow your own yeast. If you have some property, grow some hops.

BBL_Brewer said:

I have a big side by side that was given to me. I've actually been thinking about making it a four tap instead of two. It already equals your capacity since I use 5 gal kegs. I did the measurements, if I make a custom shelf I can fit four 5 gal ball locks in there. I'll have to remove the bulb and plastic housing as you did though.

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Sounds like a good idea to me.

I'm filling two 3 gallon kegs per batch (typically, sometimes I get a bit more ). So, I get have one keg of a batch on tap, while the second keg ages in the basement. I've even started carbonating in the basement too.

BobbiLynn said:

Spouse: "Why do you have to keep so much beer in there, taking up all that space?"

Brewer: "Well, you see, honey, I'm just trying to save us some money...."

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Use big words like "thermodynamics" to make it sound better.

BBL_Brewer said:

Buy your DME in bulk. They sell it in 50 lbs bags. Ask your LHBS. Bulk hops. Reuse or grow your own yeast. If you have some property, grow some hops.

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I don't go through even 3# of DME fast enough to make getting larger amounts worth it. Even though I have the space to store larger amounts, I'd rather not.

Here's another way to save money. This is a picture of my friend's keggerator.

Golddiggie said:

I don't go through even 3# of DME fast enough to make getting larger amounts worth it. Even though I have the space to store larger amounts, I'd rather not.

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I don't either, I don't use extract anymore. But the question was asked.

BBL_Brewer said:

Here's another way to save money. This is a picture of my friend's keggerator.

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NICE!!! When I get my next fridge (or house with one, whichever comes first) I might look to do that. Or just get another brew fridge and have it next to the food fridge, and my current brew fridge. Or put my current brew fridge in my office/den. :rockin:

BBL_Brewer said:

I don't either, I don't use extract anymore. But the question was asked.

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Yeah... I only use DME for making starters. It doesn't go near my batches of brew. I even cold crash and decant the spent starter so that I get as little of that into the good brew.

My local grocery store chain tosses out those little plastic food grade buckets they use in the bakery all the time. A few times a year I call them and get their buckets that had icing in them. The icing buckets have a nice rubber seal in the lid to keep a nice seal. These 2 gallon buckets make great fermenting buckets for small 1 gallon batches or even to store grains in.

Every brew day, when the time comes to clean out my MLT I squeeze the bejesus out of the grain with a course muslin type bag and collect the wort (typically with an SG 0f 1020) I boil that down to 1040 and put it aside, also I save the wort sample which I used to take the OG , put them together and freeze until I'm ready to make a starter
I don't care about the tannin content and so forth and the yeast really seem to love all those minerals and vitamins. Each brew gives a 2 litre starter which i just boil up and pitch a few days before my next brew.