What is a Homebrew worth?

Got a pump from a guy at work. I can't send boiling water through it, but I think it will help cool wort with an IC. I have my latest batch bottle conditioning now, and I have 10 gallons in fermenters brewing. I was going to give him a little bit of all three, but I am not sure what a fair exchange would be. Maybe an experienced brewer can chime in and let me know.

well a 6 pack of good beer sells for $8-$12 around me the micro brews sell 1/2 gallon growlers for $5(special)-$12 each

purechaos said:

well a 6 pack of good beer sells for $8-$12 around me the micro brews sell 1/2 gallon growlers for $5(special)-$12 each

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Growlers here are like 10-20 per fill, but the beer is very special if it is 20 per fill.

Rather than attempting to estimate a gift value as an exchange, spend a little time with the guy, invite him over and drink a couple with him. You never know, he might get interested in brewing and either a) brew with you or start doing it himself and give you some of his; or b) like it enough to give you other useful parts and machinery to help you along with your gear.

Don't think of it as payment, think of it as an opportunity to develop a friendship.

Depends on if you talk about cost to make or cost to sell. I would guess homebrew is worth ~$1 - $2 a beer based on ingredients, labor, and quality.

cytokine said:

Rather than attempting to estimate a gift value as an exchange, spend a little time with the guy, invite him over and drink a couple with him. You never know, he might get interested in brewing and either a) brew with you or start doing it himself and give you some of his; or b) like it enough to give you other useful parts and machinery to help you along with your gear.

Don't think of it as payment, think of it as an opportunity to develop a friendship.

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+1 invite the guy over have him see how you incorporated it, drink a couple send him off with a couple sixer, brew up a batch with him if he has time

cytokine said:

Rather than attempting to estimate a gift value as an exchange, spend a little time with the guy, invite him over and drink a couple with him. You never know, he might get interested in brewing and either a) brew with you or start doing it himself and give you some of his; or b) like it enough to give you other useful parts and machinery to help you along with your gear.

Don't think of it as payment, think of it as an opportunity to develop a friendship.

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Another +1 for the above advise.

As far as putting a dollar value on your homebrew, only you can say what it's worth to you. Sure, the ingredients cost money, but what does the process of brewing cost? It all depends on whether you think it's fun, or a chore. To me, the process costs me nothing, so the dollar value of my beer is whatever the cost of the ingredients is.

I am certain that I give away half of what I brew. I have several people that really enjoy the different beers, and they get a sixer of different ones, usually two of each.

I ask for two things - honest feedback, and the bottles back. If I don't get the bottles back, they don't get filled again. I think I've only lost a couple

On "payment" I have dropped a sixer off to my welder, and was happy with both the work and the price.

cytokine said:

Rather than attempting to estimate a gift value as an exchange, spend a little time with the guy, invite him over and drink a couple with him. You never know, he might get interested in brewing and either a) brew with you or start doing it himself and give you some of his; or b) like it enough to give you other useful parts and machinery to help you along with your gear.

Don't think of it as payment, think of it as an opportunity to develop a friendship.

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what cytokine said. Beer should be shared

AJ_in_HD said:

what cytokine said. Beer should be shared

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+1 It's only beer, and you can make more! Estimate how much of a favor he's done for you and reciprocate, and then some. Even if you cringe at the thought of giving away your hard-worked brew (yeah right) consider it a learning experience, or practice and be glad to see it go to someone who might enjoy it.

I just traded a 12 pack of homebrew for a fridge
Hopefully the beer pleases the person because they have other stuff I want as well

Brewing is almost the most fun you can have with your clothes on. If I brew 5 gallons a week (and I'm up to 100 gallons for the year BTW) and can drink a gallon a week if I'm really in top form, that means I need 4 gallons of help a week.

My neighbors love me.

God I have to get more carboys. 2 is just not enough, I need to fill that pipeline! I hate having a batch bottle conditioning, one in secondary, and one in primary...but none to drink. It has been a sad few days for me around here.

I think that was because I had just started not too long ago, and my second batch was a belgian so you know that takes alot of time. I think perhaps now i can always have at least one batch to drink, one conditioning, and one fermenting....I have brewed a batch every week since I started last month. Patience is def not my strong point

Yeah, don't worry about exchanging an equal monetary value... just give him a 6 or 12 pack as a thank you. Or some of the first batch you make with the pump, etc.

Thanks for all the advice. I'll definitely invite him over and see the pump in action. My problem isn't really in giving the beer away. I am more than happy to give him a fair share, especially since we just had a party and there is so much Shiner in my fridge right now, on top of the last 6 pack of my first batch, that there isn't even room for food.

My main problem is I want to give him some brews asap, and and when I mentioned to SWMBO that I might take him a sixer or two of the Vanilla Cream Ale, she gave me that "not if you want to continue to get laid look." This was only my second batch of beer, so hopefully I can repeat the process. Got the 3rd and 4th in primaries now. He'll eventually get his fair share I am sure.

My starter kit: $80.
My first brew: $35
My keggerator: $300
Drinking my own beer from my keggerator: priceless.



A bottle of my beer...I give em away as a loving gift but maybe $1 each?

oh definitly give and give till it hurts it is always better to be on the being owed end than the owing end kind of like paying it forward, only for your friend it will be drinking ity forward