justenoughforme
Well-Known Member
this made me laugh hard.
pricelessbrewing, best advice i've heard since i'm an enormous trippel fan !
Fedora, what's your secret
how do you save money... and what's your per bottle price?
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this made me laugh hard.
pricelessbrewing, best advice i've heard since i'm an enormous trippel fan !
Fedora, what's your secret
Psylocide
Ippons for Days
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Work for a brewery.
One thing that rarely gets mentioned in these kinds of threads is beside cost, we can brew beers that can't be had for love or money. I started Homebrewing in 1997 in SC where the only beers other than BMC was Sam Adams, Guiness, Heinikin, and Petes Wicked Ale. I started brewing for the variety, the cost savings was secondary.
Fedora
Glorified Janitor
justenoughforme
Well-Known Member
Snake Ridge,
my first beer was a trappist clone for the same reason. i just can't pay 10$ for a 22 oz. bottle.
but this stuff, i swear it's as good.
... and that's why i'm hooked.
my first beer was a trappist clone for the same reason. i just can't pay 10$ for a 22 oz. bottle.
but this stuff, i swear it's as good.
... and that's why i'm hooked.
My first was an Anchor Steam clone cause it was like $12.99 a sixer (in 1997 and college student $$$)
GHBWNY
Well-Known Member
IMO, you can't put a price on a good homebrew. If you're doing it for the love of doing it, then just do it at whatever budget is within your reach. Ultimately, a commercial equivalent of something as good as you can brew yourself is ALWAYS going to cost more, so why worry about it?
At my cheapest, I'm looking at about 15-20c per 12oz bottle. But that's a session beer, with malt and hops bought in bulk, and repitched yeast. About $8-10 per 5 gal batch. More average gravity or highly hopped beers, or when I deviate from a house yeast strain I already have on hand to repitch, it'll be 30c-40c per bottle. However I factor in neither water nor fuel, as I brew in a small apartment with all my utilities included in my rent (as in brew or don't brew, I pay the same). That does factor in water salts, whirfloc, oxygen, pH calibration buffers, priming sugar, etc though.
madscientist451
Well-Known Member
I don't see why it needs to be amortized at $25/ batch. What if you brew for 10 years and then sell all your brewing equipment for $100? Maybe you'll start brewing more than once every two months or use some of the same gear for cider or wine?
Its not all about money anyway, I've learned so many things about beer, wine and cider by making my own that is impossible to put a price on.
Really good sour beer is $10-25 for a 750ml bottle, mass produced Gose is $50/case, if you count my time making those types of beer, yeah you're right, I'm not saving anything, but I'd still rather make my own.
asterix404
Well-Known Member
Use a starter. Reuse yeast. Do the same type of beer back to back, 3 days apart. Use minimal hops and buy grain in bulk. The most expensive thing you buy is yeast. If liquid yeast is too much, get really good dry yeast.
The most expensive beer to make is an imperial IPA, barr none. For me, the cheapest beer is a belgian wit. Thankfully, I love wits.
Go all grain, it will save you a ton of money. My MLT was about 80$ all told (home depot cooler, SS ball lock spigot, and home made copper bottom thing), my 42 qt SS brew pot was about 200, that I bought 5 years ago, the immersion chiller was about 80$, but you can make that yourself for almost the exact same amount... so yea. For about 300$, maybe a bit less or more, I can produce the first 5g of beer for about 25$, and the second 5G of beer, for about 15$. Grain is dirt cheap in 25KG bags... like a dollar a pound. Oh, actually my crusher was about 150$ that my awesome wife bought me for my birthday. You need that to do stuff really cheap.
Basically, to do it right costs money but it all pays for itself in about 2 years or less, compared to extract brewing. I produce beer that is about 20% the price per case where I live for very similar results. Of course, I am very good at brewing beer. That also has to be taken into account. I have spent a fortune on books and reading materials. I also don't have any fermentation temperature controls which is really expensive and the next step up for me. I also know WAY too much about brewing and making beer. I sort of go all out with hobbies and I find applied micro biology to be really fun.
The most expensive beer to make is an imperial IPA, barr none. For me, the cheapest beer is a belgian wit. Thankfully, I love wits.
Go all grain, it will save you a ton of money. My MLT was about 80$ all told (home depot cooler, SS ball lock spigot, and home made copper bottom thing), my 42 qt SS brew pot was about 200, that I bought 5 years ago, the immersion chiller was about 80$, but you can make that yourself for almost the exact same amount... so yea. For about 300$, maybe a bit less or more, I can produce the first 5g of beer for about 25$, and the second 5G of beer, for about 15$. Grain is dirt cheap in 25KG bags... like a dollar a pound. Oh, actually my crusher was about 150$ that my awesome wife bought me for my birthday. You need that to do stuff really cheap.
Basically, to do it right costs money but it all pays for itself in about 2 years or less, compared to extract brewing. I produce beer that is about 20% the price per case where I live for very similar results. Of course, I am very good at brewing beer. That also has to be taken into account. I have spent a fortune on books and reading materials. I also don't have any fermentation temperature controls which is really expensive and the next step up for me. I also know WAY too much about brewing and making beer. I sort of go all out with hobbies and I find applied micro biology to be really fun.
Firewalker11
Brewer
How many links do you want? Centennial is going for about $16 a pound, $1 an ounce right now.
http://www.farmhousebrewingsupply.c...-crop/?page_context=category&faceted_search=0
http://www.hopsshack.com/store/HP1041.html
https://bellsbeer.com/store/products/Centennial-Hops-%2d-1-lb-Pellets-.html
http://www.hopsdirect.com/centennial-pellets/?page_context=category&faceted_search=0
Many, many more out there. Look for the local guys too, I support Mighty Axe Hops, they are local and allow you to pick them yourself.
http://www.farmhousebrewingsupply.c...-crop/?page_context=category&faceted_search=0
http://www.hopsshack.com/store/HP1041.html
https://bellsbeer.com/store/products/Centennial-Hops-%2d-1-lb-Pellets-.html
http://www.hopsdirect.com/centennial-pellets/?page_context=category&faceted_search=0
Many, many more out there. Look for the local guys too, I support Mighty Axe Hops, they are local and allow you to pick them yourself.
that's cute! someone thinks they can save money brewing! dream a little dream...
ipe:
ipe:
KartRacer54
Well-Known Member
Just my 2 cents, home brewing is a hobby and all hobbies cost money. When you become passionate about your hobby the price goes up. For me, building equipment and upgrading my process IS the hobby. The side benefit is great beer at affordable cost. Throwing everything aside like, equipment, time, fuel and water your product can be reasonable approximately 50 cents to 1 dollar a bottle. There are lots of variables in the recipes that affect the cost. If your brewing to save money, I recommend you quit. No offense intended!
Oh forgot one important factor, that's not what I tell my wife
Oh forgot one important factor, that's not what I tell my wife
that's cute! someone thinks they can save money brewing! dream a little dream...
We don't all have well stocked cellars full of bud lite man.
hockeybrewer
Well-Known Member
Have anyone ever used the hop shack yet? How can you tell freshness?
BrewSavage
Well-Known Member
It seems like buying in bulk is the most practical way to lower costs.
Bulk is good for base malts of course but being part of a group buy gives you the chance to split up sacks of specialty grains as well. And being part of group buy is good way to meet other brewers in you area. I'm really pleased with the group buy I found here on the HBT forums.
Bulk is good for base malts of course but being part of a group buy gives you the chance to split up sacks of specialty grains as well. And being part of group buy is good way to meet other brewers in you area. I'm really pleased with the group buy I found here on the HBT forums.
I really don't do enough to try and save money brewing. I do buy base grain in bulk and I try to buy hops in bulk. I don't reuse yeast, yet. I was going to do it yesterday for the first time then realized I shoved a hose that had hit the sink back into the carboy. I figured the risk of infection was there and I just dumped the yeast.
Cost per bottle? I honestly do not know.
Cost per bottle? I honestly do not know.
Firewalker11
Brewer
I just got a pound of Willimette and Cascade from them, I'm doing an all Cascade 2 hearted clone tomorrow (may rain though) so I'll report back on how fresh they are.
They are 2014, came vacuum packed in mylar and foil... Should be good to go.
Psylocide
Ippons for Days
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Welllllllll... not all of us went from (in my case) Busch Light to brewing.
I still drink tons of Busch Light and buy it at the store... it's not worth it to me to try and make a beer like that. Plus, I wouldn't even know where to get beechwood.
It went, Busch Light > Craft > More Expensive Craft > Lots of fooking money spent on Craft > I can make this myself.
I was spending around $150 - $200 a month on craft beer. Now I maybe spend $30 a month. That's quite the savings right there.
kombat
Well-Known Member
Ingredients alone, for a moderately-hopped pale ale, buying in bulk and re-using yeast:
9 lbs 2-row = ~$4.50 ($25/55lb sack)
1 lb specialty malts = $1
4 oz hops = $3 ($12/lb)
1 jar yeast (1/4 cake harvested from a previous batch fermented w/ 1 packet US-05) = $1.50
Total: $10 for 5 gallons, or $0.25/pint.
Of course, that doesn't include propane, water, gypsum, Irish Moss, Campden tablet, Dextrose, Rice Hulls, StarSan, PBW, or CO2, but those costs can't add more than $2 in total to the batch, bringing the cost up to $0.30/pint.
An amusing quote I once read here went something like, "Homebrewing to save money on beer is like buying a boat to save money on fish."
9 lbs 2-row = ~$4.50 ($25/55lb sack)
1 lb specialty malts = $1
4 oz hops = $3 ($12/lb)
1 jar yeast (1/4 cake harvested from a previous batch fermented w/ 1 packet US-05) = $1.50
Total: $10 for 5 gallons, or $0.25/pint.
Of course, that doesn't include propane, water, gypsum, Irish Moss, Campden tablet, Dextrose, Rice Hulls, StarSan, PBW, or CO2, but those costs can't add more than $2 in total to the batch, bringing the cost up to $0.30/pint.
An amusing quote I once read here went something like, "Homebrewing to save money on beer is like buying a boat to save money on fish."
How to save money
1. Take sugar packets from restaurants and work. Saving a penny here and there adds up to over a dollar a year in savings.
2. Save on energy costs if your water is cooler than the ambient air temperature. Fill up your pot the evening with water and before and let the water heat up over night and the next morning. This can save you a few minutes of heating time. A few minutes here and there can add up to a full propane tank over a life time.
3. Mix small amounts of star san and use a sprayer. Saving a few pennies here and there adds up to more than a dollar a year. (a sprayer is actually VERY useful for applying Star San)
4. see #1, and use a pound of sugar to add to your beer - for a free alcohol boost. Use less hops, and less grain, to cut down on material costs. Saving a pound of grain saves anywhere between $0.60 and $1.50
5. Reuse your yeast forever. Buy a packet of S04 and S05 and your set for life. In fact, ask a brew buddy if you can have some of their slurry and save the $4. Free yeast for life.
6. Instead of buying a grain mill, use a couple of rocks, or bricks. Sure it takes longer but you have better control, and bets of all it's free.
:fro:
The best way to save money for real is BIAB. Forget about spending all that money on 2 additional vessels.
Check Craigs list or local yard sales for equipment.
If you brew often the reusing yeast saves money (I make a larger starter and save some of the excess in a jar I keep in the fridge rather than washing used yeast).
The problem with bulk buying grain is you have to potentially drive far to pick it up. I buy it from the LHBS.
As for buying big packs of hops, how do you store them? Buy a vacuum sealer? Use a dedicated freezer? It makes sense if you brew a lot. I don't drink so much, so I don't brew that often.
1. Take sugar packets from restaurants and work. Saving a penny here and there adds up to over a dollar a year in savings.
2. Save on energy costs if your water is cooler than the ambient air temperature. Fill up your pot the evening with water and before and let the water heat up over night and the next morning. This can save you a few minutes of heating time. A few minutes here and there can add up to a full propane tank over a life time.
3. Mix small amounts of star san and use a sprayer. Saving a few pennies here and there adds up to more than a dollar a year. (a sprayer is actually VERY useful for applying Star San)
4. see #1, and use a pound of sugar to add to your beer - for a free alcohol boost. Use less hops, and less grain, to cut down on material costs. Saving a pound of grain saves anywhere between $0.60 and $1.50
5. Reuse your yeast forever. Buy a packet of S04 and S05 and your set for life. In fact, ask a brew buddy if you can have some of their slurry and save the $4. Free yeast for life.
6. Instead of buying a grain mill, use a couple of rocks, or bricks. Sure it takes longer but you have better control, and bets of all it's free.
:fro:
The best way to save money for real is BIAB. Forget about spending all that money on 2 additional vessels.
Check Craigs list or local yard sales for equipment.
If you brew often the reusing yeast saves money (I make a larger starter and save some of the excess in a jar I keep in the fridge rather than washing used yeast).
The problem with bulk buying grain is you have to potentially drive far to pick it up. I buy it from the LHBS.
As for buying big packs of hops, how do you store them? Buy a vacuum sealer? Use a dedicated freezer? It makes sense if you brew a lot. I don't drink so much, so I don't brew that often.
bobeer
Fermentation Specalist
I used to wash yeast and reuse but I've gotten lazy and with the addition of an 11 month old time isn't really on my side to do these things. I am, however, getting more and more time back so I will start to wash yeast again and save about 5 bucks a batch.
I bought a mill last summer and that has saved me some money too but buying grain in bulk is expensive at the time. It saves money over time since you don't have to pay per lb at the lhbs or use gas driving there too. I know on morebeer.com you get free shipping over $60 bucks. If it's coming from CA and you're on the east coast it can take a while to get your stuff. Only downside. I need to just get a 50 lb bag of 2row and call it a day...
As for the gadgets and equipment... My setup can brew beer, obviously, but it's 100% manual. No pumps, no digital thermometers, none of that stuff. Hell, I don't even have a rig to gravity feed my sparge and first runnings. I use a chair for the mash tun, put the boil kettle on the floor, and use an auto siphon to pump the hlt sparge water into the mash tun. Sure it might take a little longer but it's free, simple and it can't break. I heat all my sparge water on the stove and only use propane for the boil. My beer turns out great so I dig the way I brew and how my setup works.
I have a mini fridge for temp control but I've yet to do anything with it or use it yet. It was $50 on CL. I need to make some mods to it so it can fit in a fermentor and then buy a temp controller and install it. Once the wife goes back to work maybe I can make that happen. What I do for now is brew to the temp of the basement.
I got my kegging system for free. I got a keg for xmas a few years back and a c02 tank for my bday a couple years ago from the in-laws. For the rest of it I got a $300 gift card for signing up with verizon for 2 years so that took care of the rest of the setup- another keg, faucet kit, etc. We sold our house a couple years ago and I kept the fridge as part of the deal so that's how I got my beer fridge.
My mash tun cooler I got on sale during the winter at Dicks sporting goods a few years back. It was $20 bucks and I had a gift card I had been saving for a while which paid for it in full. The only thing I had to pay out of pocket for was the ball valve and washers.
I'm not really sure if I'm saving any money brewing my own beer instead of buying 100% of the beer I consume. I still buy beer at the store so if I cut that out I'd have more money to brew with. I try to take advantage of sales and promotions like the AHA membership deal that includes 8 oz of free hops atm. I think at the end of the day I don't really brew to save money. It's a hobby and hobbies cost money. I brew because I love it, I love to share my creations, and I love to think up new recipes. The enjoyment I get out of all of that is priceless.
I bought a mill last summer and that has saved me some money too but buying grain in bulk is expensive at the time. It saves money over time since you don't have to pay per lb at the lhbs or use gas driving there too. I know on morebeer.com you get free shipping over $60 bucks. If it's coming from CA and you're on the east coast it can take a while to get your stuff. Only downside. I need to just get a 50 lb bag of 2row and call it a day...
As for the gadgets and equipment... My setup can brew beer, obviously, but it's 100% manual. No pumps, no digital thermometers, none of that stuff. Hell, I don't even have a rig to gravity feed my sparge and first runnings. I use a chair for the mash tun, put the boil kettle on the floor, and use an auto siphon to pump the hlt sparge water into the mash tun. Sure it might take a little longer but it's free, simple and it can't break. I heat all my sparge water on the stove and only use propane for the boil. My beer turns out great so I dig the way I brew and how my setup works.
I have a mini fridge for temp control but I've yet to do anything with it or use it yet. It was $50 on CL. I need to make some mods to it so it can fit in a fermentor and then buy a temp controller and install it. Once the wife goes back to work maybe I can make that happen. What I do for now is brew to the temp of the basement.
I got my kegging system for free. I got a keg for xmas a few years back and a c02 tank for my bday a couple years ago from the in-laws. For the rest of it I got a $300 gift card for signing up with verizon for 2 years so that took care of the rest of the setup- another keg, faucet kit, etc. We sold our house a couple years ago and I kept the fridge as part of the deal so that's how I got my beer fridge.
My mash tun cooler I got on sale during the winter at Dicks sporting goods a few years back. It was $20 bucks and I had a gift card I had been saving for a while which paid for it in full. The only thing I had to pay out of pocket for was the ball valve and washers.
I'm not really sure if I'm saving any money brewing my own beer instead of buying 100% of the beer I consume. I still buy beer at the store so if I cut that out I'd have more money to brew with. I try to take advantage of sales and promotions like the AHA membership deal that includes 8 oz of free hops atm. I think at the end of the day I don't really brew to save money. It's a hobby and hobbies cost money. I brew because I love it, I love to share my creations, and I love to think up new recipes. The enjoyment I get out of all of that is priceless.
azazel1024
Well-Known Member
When I add up ALL costs, it is around $16 for a 5 gallon batch of a 1.050OG beer that isn't hop heavy. So about $.38 a bottle counting losses.
That is buying grains in bulk, hops in bulk, making oversized starters and reharvesting the yeast, propane costs, sanitizers, etc.
Example, the English stout I just made was 1.052OG. It used an ounce of hops I got in bulk, for around $1.25 for that ounce, ~6.5lbs of grain at an average price of $1.15 an ounce. Probably about $2 of propane, maybe $1.50 of DME and around $.50 of sanitizer and $1.50 of bottle caps for around a 4.5 gallon batch. A little less than $14 for 4.5 gallons, maybe 40 bottles of beer in the end, or 35 cents a pop.
Of course that isn't every batch. A DIPA is going to be roughly double the price between the extra hops and grains.
Occasionally I need to buy a new yeast, because I don't have it on hand, or what I have on hand is too old to be worth culturing it up from the few cells left alive. That can increase the cost of a batch by 50% easily.
Or a batch that is extremely heavy on specialty grains. My base, I can get for about $.92-1.05 per pound from my LHBS in bulk with club discount (yay 10% discount!!!). Specialty since I don't need 50lbs of Crystal 60L or Roasted barley or what not, I tend to get in 5-10lb batches from Morebeer or similar, which is a lot cheaper than the per pound cost, but still tends to be from $1.30-2.20 per pound for a 5-10lb bag. So something like a Rye beer, might have 3lbs of Rye at $2 a pound, which can drive up the grain bill costs.
That said, since I moved to oversized starters and bulk grain and hop buys (well, mostly bulk hop buys. Until I've got my chest freezer plugged in, in a few weeks, I do occasionally buy just 1-2oz at a time when it is something I know I won't use in a recipe again for a year or two, because I can't manage the space in my current fridge/freezer for 10lbs of hops for a ton of varieties, so I only buy 5-6 varieties in bulk), it has saved a lot of money.
Per pound and per ounce and fresh yeast each time, I was looking at probably around $30 to have made my English Stout, or a bit more than twice the cost.
Still, less than a buck a bottle is a lot cheaper than the store price for a good to great beer. I'll admit I've made a stinker or two, but not to be egotistical to the max, with the exception of a couple of stinker batches, in the 2 years I've been brewing, almost all my batches are at least a good 6 or 7 out of 10 if a 5 is average quality of a style. I can still get some better beer than what I can make, but a lot of times I'd compare mine favorably to a very good example of a style. A handful I've made I'd consider better than any other beer I have tried of that style, or at least top 3 I've had.
Of course fair amount of that is because I learned very quickly to brew to exactly my tastes. No one else out there is brewing to exactly what I want and my palate (or if they are, no one told me). Maybe cooking for so many years helped, but just like cooking, I've eaten food others have cooked that is better than anything I could possibly make...but it isn't all THAT often. Especially if you are talking about "look in the pantry, fridge and freezer. That is what you have to work with, now make some kind of dinner in the next 45 minutes" kind of meal.
Anyway, I digress. Doesn't matter if you are saving money or costing more money, if you are enjoying it, keep it up. I DO like the fact that I make beer a lot cheaper than I can buy it for. Considering I pawn it off on so many people, it is a good thing. Both personal consumption, my wife and with my friends, I probably go through 3-4x as much beer as I used to before I found brewing (or brewing found me), but I am spending less now, than I was when I was buying it from the liquor store. Going back on memory, I probably spent $70 a month on average pre brewing on beer at the store. Now I am probably spending $35-45 a month on average brewing beer, but also getting 3x as much beer in return.
I just need to wean my wife a little more off wine, as we are probably still spending $80 a month on wine, though that is down a little now that I've gotten her to drink a bit more beer. I also need to get around to planting a few rows of wine grapes so I can start making my own wine as well.
Doesn't include capitol costs in all of this, but even being self honest, not counting the free cost of a bit of brew-it-forwarding gear I've gotten from extremely generous folks, I've maybe spent $500 on equipment. Give or take $50. I might have another $200 of free stuff people have given me. In 2 years I've probably spent $1,000-1,400 on consumables brewing, for a total cost of around $2,000 if I round it up a little. Before all of this, I was spending probably $800-900 a year on beer. So I've spent a little more on brewing than what I would have on beer, but my costs per bottle have also been dropping as I go along. My break even is likely by the fall (unless I buy another expensive brewing toy). But that said, I've also BREWED probably the equivalent of $3,000-4,000 of beer in that time, since I produce a lot more volume than I used to be consuming. So I guess you could say I've broken even (I've probably only spent $200-300 over the last 2 years on store bought beer. Every once in awhile I need to get a 12 pack to take to a party and I don't wasn't to bring mine, or I just need some spare empties to fill with my own, or I even want to buy something, like some Stone or something).
azazel1024
Well-Known Member
To add, I love the hobby, so even if I was spending more on it than buying beer, I'd still be doing it. However, if I can save money and still make it fun, I absolutely will.
Hell, half the reason I bought a mill and am moving towards buying grain in bulk is that I'd always have "unlimited" recipe possibilities on hand. Sure, I use liquid yeast mostly, so I still have to prep in advance of a brew, but my LHBS is a 25 minute drive on the other side of town with no traffic. Plus time there to grind and bag my stuff, call it close to 90 minutes. I spend maybe 20 minutes grinding my grains by hand at home. Saved time. And saved gas. And I do keep a couple of packets of dry yeast on hand for those rare times that I have an itch to brew and the time to brew. I still buy yeast from my LHBS when I do need some new yeast and I also buy my bulk grain from them as well as my caps. But it means that I can go once ever 2-3 months instead of 1-2 times a month (because I'd generally get the stuff for 2 recipes at a time when I went, so that I wasn't going 2-4 times a month).
Plus, the more I can save, the better I feel about pawning my beer off on friends as well as the sooner I can brew and the more I can brew again.
I couldn't afford to brew 120-150 gallons of beer a year if it was costing me $2.00 a bottle. However I absolutely can when it is costing me $.50 or less a bottle.
Hell, half the reason I bought a mill and am moving towards buying grain in bulk is that I'd always have "unlimited" recipe possibilities on hand. Sure, I use liquid yeast mostly, so I still have to prep in advance of a brew, but my LHBS is a 25 minute drive on the other side of town with no traffic. Plus time there to grind and bag my stuff, call it close to 90 minutes. I spend maybe 20 minutes grinding my grains by hand at home. Saved time. And saved gas. And I do keep a couple of packets of dry yeast on hand for those rare times that I have an itch to brew and the time to brew. I still buy yeast from my LHBS when I do need some new yeast and I also buy my bulk grain from them as well as my caps. But it means that I can go once ever 2-3 months instead of 1-2 times a month (because I'd generally get the stuff for 2 recipes at a time when I went, so that I wasn't going 2-4 times a month).
Plus, the more I can save, the better I feel about pawning my beer off on friends as well as the sooner I can brew and the more I can brew again.
I couldn't afford to brew 120-150 gallons of beer a year if it was costing me $2.00 a bottle. However I absolutely can when it is costing me $.50 or less a bottle.
justenoughforme
Well-Known Member
i took this same path ...
see, that's true, you have to factor in... the type of beer you can make. quality abbey ale and trippel are not cheap.
It would still cost you less if you enjoyed a quality abbey ale on occasion and didn't drink as much.
Are you really saving money, or are you just enabling yourself to drink more on the same budget?
Again, the best way to save money on beer is to drink less.
mrdail87
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If you're an extract brewer, and brew regularly, you can buy extract in bulk and same some money.
I bought a 6 pack of this extract. On my last one six months later, still makes a high quality brew. It's a good base that works in a wide variety of brews:http://www.northernbrewer.com/shop/maillard-malts-gold-malt-extract-syrup
I bought a 6 pack of this extract. On my last one six months later, still makes a high quality brew. It's a good base that works in a wide variety of brews:http://www.northernbrewer.com/shop/maillard-malts-gold-malt-extract-syrup
Psylocide
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I don't even understand any of this.
douglasbarbin
Well-Known Member
Bulk grain does not ship for free at MoreBeer.
Some people never grow out of being the hall monitor.
brewprint
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I did the Centennial Blond recipe the other day and the total cost for the 5 gallon batch was about $12.25. That's probably one of the cheapest that I've done so far.
I buy hops by the pound so an ounce is usually <$1.00.
I harvest yeast from starters and my cost each time is about $1.00 to reharvest.
With the above mentioned Blond I figure it cost me in total $15 with water and propane and co2. Each beer ends up costing about $.30. Maybe $.35.
I have no idea how much I spent on all of my equipment but if you break that down per batch it brings the price up.
I buy hops by the pound so an ounce is usually <$1.00.
I harvest yeast from starters and my cost each time is about $1.00 to reharvest.
With the above mentioned Blond I figure it cost me in total $15 with water and propane and co2. Each beer ends up costing about $.30. Maybe $.35.
I have no idea how much I spent on all of my equipment but if you break that down per batch it brings the price up.
English is probably not his first language.
I believe what he was trying to say is "drink more beer or gtfo"
Drinking less is a bs argument, it's like saying you can save on quality food by eating less, true, but pointless.
I live in a country where even basic beer is crappily expensive. I can brew good quality ipa's for the same price as the cheapest ****ty lager in the store.
As a biab, cheapskate brewer my gear has long since been earned back.
I live in a country where even basic beer is crappily expensive. I can brew good quality ipa's for the same price as the cheapest ****ty lager in the store.
As a biab, cheapskate brewer my gear has long since been earned back.
Not a hall monitor. I didn't think that post was unclear, but apparently it was.
I can just tell you that if i am 100% honest with my spending over the last 2.5 years of homebrewing, I've spent a LOT of money. Enough money to buy a LOT of beer. More beer than I should drink, more beer than my wife and I combined should drink. If this was a money saving effort, it has been a miserable failure.
It, however, has not been a money saving effort. It's a hobby. A hobby that I spend a lot of time and a relatively small amount of money on for the enjoyment that I get out of it. Certainly less money than other hobbies I've had in the past.
This. People try to say that beer is cheap, and I look at them funny. Some beer is cheap. Most beer that I buy runs 7-10 for a bomber, or 11-18 for a 4 or 6 pack. It's becoming a style thing that DIPAs, RIS, single hop pale ales, sours, barleywines, and saisons are decoupled from the cost of production.
I can put out a dry hopped tangy quick gose/berlinner thingy in two weeks, but breweries are charging like it took them a year to make. Basically, home brewing is cheaper than buying from the store, but it depends on what you are comparing to.
I don't bottle my beer at all, but my cost per 5 gallon keg is $10-25. If my math is right, that would be $.20-.50 for a 12 oz bottle.
I save costs by:
buying 5 gallon pails of malt extract direct from the manufacturer for $1.50/pound including shipping
buying hops direct from the grower for $.50-1.00/oz
boiling double strength batches and then diluting in the fermentors (uses half the propane)
Buying Fermentis yeast for $1/pack on amazon
Buying grains in bulk (10 pound minimum), though I'm not saving a ton there.
Making my own PBW cleaner from 70% sodium percarbonate and 30% sodium metasilicate.
I don't buy anything from brick and mortar homebrew stores, ever.
I save costs by:
buying 5 gallon pails of malt extract direct from the manufacturer for $1.50/pound including shipping
buying hops direct from the grower for $.50-1.00/oz
boiling double strength batches and then diluting in the fermentors (uses half the propane)
Buying Fermentis yeast for $1/pack on amazon
Buying grains in bulk (10 pound minimum), though I'm not saving a ton there.
Making my own PBW cleaner from 70% sodium percarbonate and 30% sodium metasilicate.
I don't buy anything from brick and mortar homebrew stores, ever.
I got a growler fill last night and they had a sour at $50 per 64oz. That's $500 per 5 gal batch. I understand that sours take up brewery real estate for a good while but dayum!
I'll pay $50 for a 750 of the right sour without question *cough* Cantillon *cough*. If you don't factor in the space while aging those kinds of sours are soooo much cheaper to brew. Whole batch often for less than the cost of a single bottle.
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