How much have you spent?

[Ivan Lendl]

40 qt kettle: $80
2X10 Gallon mash/lauter system from N brewer: $200
Bayou Burner: $50
Carboys: $60 (3x$20)
Dedicated Beer fridge: $200
Mash paddle: $10
Bottle Bucket: $20
Bench Capper: $30
wort chiller: $50
Small kettle for starters: $35
SS ball bearings for dry-hopping: $10
Books/Mags: $150
Misc: (airlocks, stoppers, caps, tubes, thermos, hydros, 1 gallon starter, etc): $105

Total: $1,000

 

[Onescalerguy]

Started this crazy homebrew ride 6months ago.I just went through all my receipts and came up with some amazing #'s.

Equipment-Everything, including all brewing,bottling and kegging=455$

Ingredients-All grains,hops,malts,sugars and bottle caps=753$

Shipping-288$

Thats 1500$ for six months=250$ per month so far.
What i've brewed so far =160 gals.=a lttle over 10$a gallon=a buck a beer.
Ingredients left to brew 40-50 more gals so lets say 200 gals for 1500$.
7.50$ per gallon so far.

Everything i brew now(in theory)will be incrementally cheaper still.
I pretty much went as cheap as i could across the board for all this stuff.
All in all,not too damn shabby:rockin: !
Cheers

I should add that i'm currently making 6gal batches for 15$ on avg. for ingredients.That's about as cheap as i can go with shipping......2.50$a gallon!

 

[Cheesefood]

Here's the real answer:

Initial Kit 90
Kettle 50
Extra Bucket 20
Airlock 3
Spoon 9
Bags 5
Carboy 20
Plastic Carboy 12
Plastic Carboy 12
Carboy Caps 5
Carboy Caps 5
CO2 Tank 90
4 kegs 80
2 kegs 40
Distributor 50
Regulator 35
2 taps 26
Lines and Ball Fittings 40
Turkey Fryer 86
Aeration 40
CFC 60
Lagerator 75
Brew Stand 15
Weldless Fittings 45
Manifold 20
Cooler 40
Tubing for CFC 12
Carboy Brush 12
Auto Siphon 12
Racking Cane 10
1019


This is just a rough estimate. I'm sure there's a few things I've forgotten, and this doesn't include bottles or ingredients.

 

[Lil' Sparky]

I want to hear it all. The good, the bad, the ugly, and the really obsurd.

I started this thread here, because AG-ers usually require and have accumulated the most equipment. I know there's some of us who are going bare-bones and some who have spent a small fortune.

Add it all up - basic equip, mills, stands, burners, pots, coolers, kegerators, etc.

Here's where I'm at:
Basic kit + small odds and ends - $150
CFC - $60
Turkey fryer - $30
3 converted kegs - $150
homemade brew sculpture - $50
kegging equip - $250

Total = $690

My next project is building a kegerator. Then I'll be done. I promise!

After the Do you really save $ brewing thread, I thought it was time to revive this thread. Since Feb, I've added:

Sanyo w/ 2 faucet tower + Perlicks - $230
Thermosights + digital thermos - $80
March Pump + fittings/tubing - $150
Barley Crusher - $125
Thrumometer - $30

Running total = $1305

My next project is a single-tier stand. Then I'll be done.

Well, right after another pump.

And a plate chiller.

And maybe a freezer or fridge for fermenting.

Then I'll be done. I really promise this time.


What about you other schmucks?

 

[jdoiv]

I don't want to think about how much I've spent on brewing. It would certainly have too many zeros at the end of it. Most of the big ticket items are things that should last me a long time though, so on amortized over the length of time I've been brewing, it isn't too bad. Problem is I keep adding stuff and I started back in 2000.

 

[CarlLBC]

I'd say i'm well over 2 grand and that's just checking AHS and Morebeer past order histories, not to mention Lowes and Home depot visits. So for equipment and ingredients over the past 3 years it's got to be 2,000+

 

[TheJadedDog]

Starter kit: $100
Brew Kettle: $60
Additional Carboys: $100
PM Equipment $50
Kegging Equipment: $250
Kegerator: $400

Additional odds and ends like storage shelves, bottles, replacement hydrometers, airlocks, ect... probably bring the total up over $1000.

If you want to add in ingredients I am up over $2k easy.

 

[Jester369]

Holy crap - til I added up kettles, coolers, keezers, oh my, I was over $3600

Highlights include:
100 qt kettle with hopstopper
Banjo burner
March pump
Shirron chiller
2 10 gal coolers with ball valves
7 regulator CO2 manifold
7 Ventmatic faucets and all the bits-n-pieces to plumb them
2 Ranco controllers
15 kegs
14 cu ft chest freezer

Most money so far has gone to the Keezer™, eating over $1000 to date, and my boil/chilling setup.

Plus a ****-ton of other misc stuff that adds up super fast. The scary thing is that I know there is stuff I am forgetting, and I still need to drop another few hundred to get the wood & granite to finish off the keezer™!

 

[Soulive]

I can only accurately state the costs I remember, but in total I gotta be near $1000 now...

Keggle - $135
BarleyCrusher - $155
30qt pot - $30
1lb hops - $28
Sanyo 4912 - $160
2 tap tower - $90
Kegging setup - $210
Burner - $42
Propane - $43 (new tank)
Cooler MLT - $28
Spigot for MLT - $18
Better Bottle - $22
Tap handles - $33
165lbs of Bulk grain - $60

 

[FSR402]

I have spent right around $2500.00 on brewing stuff and I have only been brewing for abour 5 months. :rockin:

 

[Soulive]

I have spent right around $2500.00 on brewing stuff and I have only been brewing for abour 5 months. :rockin:

You need to shop around / haggle more...

 

[TexLaw]

Upon advice of my attorney, I decline to answer that question on the grounds that my answer may incriminate me (or, at least, get me a spot in the garage next to the gear).


TL

 

[mandoman]

I've been wanting to figure this out so here goes....

some stuff I got free - lucky me, including a corny system w/CO2 (I know) and my carboys, capper and bottles that I don't use anymore (prices include what I paid for shipping as I can recall)

Turkey cooker (burner and 7.5 gal pot) - $30
Barley crusher (coming tomorrow) - $127
copper chiller - $50
airlock/hop bag/thermometer/hydro -$20
used fridge -$25
false bottom/bucket/ball valve -$45
misc little things/deals -$25 est


$322 total

mostly I've spent it on ingredients, I guess

just paid $50 w/ship for 50 lb bag and $60 for lb hops and other misc grains/yeast which should all make 5 batches

That's, what, $110 for ~250 beers???? As far as ingredients, anyway - unless I can't keep the yeast propagating

 

[paulthenurse]

Let's see... Since starting in 1984 or so... I don't even want to consider adding it all up. Lets just say that the more stuff you have, the more stuff you need. Years ago I thought I had graduated to the big time when I bought a sack of grain. I really started to worry that I might be developing a problem when I bought my first ton of grapes. (Yes, that's right... FIRST ton.)

I'm consoling myself with the thought that we are trying to work thru the licensing process to be able to sell our wine, so hopefully I'll be able to amortize some of those costs eventually. Of course if that comes thru then we'll need to really spend some cash. Someone once said that the best way to end up with a small fortune from making wine is to start with a large fortune.

Paul

 

[budbo]

Equipment (including storage cabinets and shelving etc..) around $2200ish

Lagering fridge since it was a 3 year old fridge we took with us depreciated worth about $1000

Kegerator was free, hardware for that around $250 including 4 taps (and associated hardware) CO2 bottle and regulator

 

[BierMuncher]

Too much to want to admit...but now that I'm bulk ordering grains ($25 per 55#) and hops by the pound and brewing 10-gallons every weekend, I recon the equipment is paying for itself pretty quickly.

Plus remember...it's all an investment. I've never seen homebrewing equipment on Craigs list more than a day or two.

 

[Joker]

(4) 5 gallon carboys
(1) 7 gallon carboy
(1) 6.5 gallon bucket
(3) cases 22oz bottles
(3) cases Grolsch bottles
Misc ingredients and tools
Thermometer
Hydrometer
5 gallon Stainless pot
$75 (thank you craigslist)

(3) kegs
burner and propane tank
(7) gallon Aluminum pot
(2) 5 gallon carboys
misc starter equip
$100 (sold everything but kegs and propane tank for $100)
free kegs

(4) cases 22oz bottles $20
180k Burner (bought before the other burner) $50 I think
7.5 gallon SS pot $30

Looks like $175 so far but getting ready to move to AG and kegging.

 

[KatoKiyo]

Luckily, I've pilfered most of my AG equipment from my brother, who can't brew at this time.
Thus:
- 1 5 gallon carboy
- buckets and odds and ends
- Papazian-esque 2 bucket lautertun/hopback
- Counter-flow wort chiller (which works amazingly well)
- 46L mashtun/kettle
=> Free!

As for what I've put in, I bought a starter kit (buckets, carboy, autosiphon... the works, basically) that cost about 100 dollars, if I recall.
I've just spent about 450 CAD on my keg setup (20lb CO2 tank, 2 cornies, regulator, hoses, tap and the shop owner said he'd give me a fridge if I bought... so I did)
So, in all, close to 600 CAD.

 

[user 574]

Quicken report for me says $2,110.53 on equipment since 12/28/2004. I'm sure that's going up after my Xmas wish is acted upon from SWMBO.

 

[BeerAg]

I'm one of those budget guys.

This does not include purchases from Target / Home Depot / etc., but I would imaging that those costs are less than 5%.

Last time I checked, I was at $1400 all inclusive, and I started in August.

That includes 2 craigslist freezers, kegging equipment, 3 kegs, some bottles, 5 carboys, 3 ale pails, 1 extra propane tank, countless thermometers and hydrometers, enough grain and hops for 14 batches so far and all the other odds and ends that just pile on.

However, I just dropped $400 on grain and hops, so I anticipate my ingrediant costs are going to be pretty small for the next few months.

 

[david_42]

Do I count the $54,000 I spent on the new garage, so I could use the old garage as a brewery?

 

[billtzk]

Basic brewing gear:

$139 Original Deluxe Starter Kit from Northern Brewer
$13 - Auto Siphon (to replace the one from the starter kit that I broke)
$150 - First brew keggle (13.2 gallon fully cut and welded keggle)
$55 - Dial thermometer, valves, and fittings for first brew keggle
$45 - 15.5 gallon almost empty keg with leftover stale beer for future mash tun
$360 - Two more 15.5 gallon fully cut and welded kegs with thermometers and SS valves
$110 - Copper tubing and fittings to make immersion chiller
$125 - Two additional immersion chillers from More Beer
$159 - CrankandStein 2A grain mill with Hopper ($15 of that was shipping)
$15 - Two short water hoses from hardware store
$66 - Several 48 qt Igloo Ice Cubes used for various and sundry things
$50 - Parts to make CPVC/SS Braid manifold for ice chest mash tun
$56 - Two extra carboys
$25 - Four carboy handles
$25 - Huge long handled stainless steel paddle
$27 - 2000ml Erlenmeyer flask and yeast starter kit from More Beer
$40 - 2 micron SS aeration stone and deep tank aquarium pump for oxygenating wort
$26 - Galvanized water heater stand to raise the height of my turkey fryer burner
$20 - Fermtech Double Blast Bottle and Carboy Washer
$15 - Two small nylon hop bags and one large nylon straining bag

Subtotal Basic Gear: $1521

Incomplete list of items for my Brutus Ten brewing system that I am currently in the process of building.

$164 - Two ASCO 8210G15 Red Hat solenoid valves (includes shipping)
$118 - 48 feet of 2 inch square by .120 (11 gauge) mild steel tubing
$100 - three natural gas 8 inch jet burners (includes shipping)
$32.50 - five brass ball valves for gas supply
$258.00 - two polysophone march pumps
$73.50 - 35 feet of 1/2 inch silicone tubing
$98 - two Love TS temperature switches
$28.35 - seven of TOGGLE SWITCH, SPST, ON-OFF, 15 AMPS, QUICK-DISCONNECT
$10.14 - two 5 packs of TOGGLE SWITCH LABEL, HORIZONTAL PRINT FOR VERTICAL MOUNTING
$71.00 - four of THREADED-STEM CASTER, W/TOTAL LOCK,4" X 1-1/4"RUBBER WHL,1/2"-13 STEM
$31.36 - four of LOAD-RATED TUBE ADAPTER, 1/2"-13 THRD, 2" SQUARE, 12 GA & 11 GA WALL, NYLON
$65.39 - one WASHDOWN OUTDOOR STEEL ENCLOSURE (NEMA 4), CONTEMPORARY STYLE, 11.8"H X 9.8"W X 5.9"D, GRAY
$6.24 - six HI-Pressure Forged Blk Stl Thrd Pipe Fitting 1/2" Pipe, 1-1/8" OD, 15/16" L, Half Cplg, 3000 PSI
$208.48 - bunch of miscellaneous hardware fittings from More Beer
$26.00 - shipping costs where not otherwise included above

Subtotal Brutus Ten (so far, but not all items have been ordered yet): $1290.96

Grand Total: $2811.96

Shipping costs, taxes, beer ingredients and brew kits, and miscellaneous consumables like bottle caps and Irish Moss and Iodophor are not included for many items because I've never kept track of them. Some amounts are estimates, and probably are on the low side. Lots of little odds and ends like vinyl tubing and valves and connectors and fittings from the hardware store are not included either. Nor does it include around a dozen brewing books or my magazine subscriptions. I'm quite sure all these other unitemized things total up to several hundred more dollars.

Probably $3100 to $3200 is my best guess if you factor in the unitemized stuff. I've been brewing for 15 months.

 

[mummasan]

lets see...
Copper IC - $25
Son of fermentation chiller - $45
two cornies - $40
plate stirrer - $15
5lb co2 tank and regulator - $30!!!
carboy $18
ale pale, hydrometer, tubing - ??
copper manifold and fittings - $25
box wrench for cornies - $12
pipe wrench for regulator - $15
tap, fittings, tubing, seals for kegs - $30
12 22oz bottles - ??
12 16oz flip tops - ??
books - $20
sample specialty beer I never would have tried otherwise - $200??

I've been given alot of stuff...
fridge that fits two cornies
6 gal ss pot
7 gal turkey fryer
Banjo Bayou burner
5 gal propane tank
appropriated the family cooler and extra porpane tank

My biggest costs are shipping to Hawaii - specially now that the only LHBS closed - shipping costs for all-grain ingredients will be $20-$25

what a hobby

 

[DrunkTrucker]

Ive spent about 100 dollars on my starter kit. Then i bought a few different glass fermenters. Then i spent almost $500 dollars on a ten gallon setup and kegging system. Id so far ive racked up about 800 dollars since I started brewing.

 

[Silviakitty]

From Mid-November to this morning:

$35 for the Deluxe Mr Beer kit
$30 for two sets of plastic liter bottles
$75 for more Mr Beer stuff (kits and a spare keg thing)

$60 for Brewer's Best equipment kit
$27 for Red Ale Kit

$15 for homebrew book (this was with a barnes and noble gift card, so it shouldn't count)

for a grand total of 242 bucks. So far.

Gah!

 

[Lil' Sparky]

From Mid-November to this morning:

$35 for the Deluxe Mr Beer kit
$30 for two sets of plastic liter bottles
$75 for more Mr Beer stuff (kits and a spare keg thing)

$60 for Brewer's Best equipment kit
$27 for Red Ale Kit

$15 for homebrew book (this was with a barnes and noble gift card, so it shouldn't count)

for a grand total of 242 bucks. So far.

Gah!

Just make sure you update this a year from now!

 

[drayman86]

Materials for AG rack: $75
Two burners, valves, and associated copper: $70
Two kegs: $20
Igloo cooler: $50
CF chiller: $50
Barley crusher: $125
Misc. stuff like thermos, stirrers, etc: $50

This doesn't include our individual equipment like carboys, hydros, etc.

 

[brewt00l]

Starter kit - $75 (over 10 years ago at this point)
IC - a christmas gift
5 gal BB - christmas
5 gal BB - 20
6 gal BB - 22
Turkey fryer - 40
Cooler & conversion - 50
Misc stuff ~ 60

~ $267

Most everything else I use like strainers, thermometers and such are used every day in my kitchen or elsewhere around the house.

 

[gkeusch]

I want to hear it all. The good, the bad, the ugly, and the really obsurd.

I started this thread here, because AG-ers usually require and have accumulated the most equipment. I know there's some of us who are going bare-bones and some who have spent a small fortune.

Add it all up - basic equip, mills, stands, burners, pots, coolers, kegerators, etc.

Here's where I'm at:
Basic kit + small odds and ends - $150
CFC - $60
Turkey fryer - $30
3 converted kegs - $150
homemade brew sculpture - $50
kegging equip - $250

Total = $690

My next project is building a kegerator. Then I'll be done. I promise!

This reminds me a bit of the two fishing buddies who were contemplating the possibility that their wives would sell their equipment if they died; One of them was particularly concerned, saying, "I'm afraid she might sell it for what I told her I bought it for!"

 

[CBBaron]

basic kit $100
additional fermenters/tubing etc $100
turkey fryer $ 50
immersion chiller $ 50
cooler, bulkhead and SS braid $ 80
Barley Crusher $125
total $ 505

Wow I didn't realize I was into this hobby for this total yet. I better get brewing to bring down my cost per bottle
Ofcourse I'd like to get the kegerator and kegs at some point but that would be another $500-$600 and I'd need to make the space. SWMBO is already somewhat upset about the amount of space my brew gear takes up in the storage room. A fridge or freezer will have to go in living quarters and be much less acceptable. If only she drank beer

Craig

 

[user 574]

Do I count the $54,000 I spent on the new garage, so I could use the old garage as a brewery?

Yes since I've been planning something similar as well! :rockin:

 

[CBBaron]

Do I count the $54,000 I spent on the new garage, so I could use the old garage as a brewery?

I love this itemized brewery. Makes my brewing look really cheap.
Craig

 

[Joker]

Exactly what kind of garage did you build? Im in the planning stages of a 36x36 shop and figure I can pull it off for around $16k but that will be dowing the work myself.

 

[Beer:30]

OK,
First off - I love good quality stuff; I'd rather wait and pay more for great gear than buy less quality. Secondly, fabrication skill level moderate to low. Thirdly, impulse buyer who has become adept at sneaking brown boxes from UPS into the house before SWMBO realizes! Translation - 11 months into brewing, my 15 gallon system is running like a champ and my friends, family and I love the beer. But.....still too scared to add it up.

My name is Eric
I have a brew problem.

 

[jdoiv]

Do I count the $54,000 I spent on the new garage, so I could use the old garage as a brewery?

Next time SWMBO asks me how much something beer related costs, I'm pulling this out as an example of what I could be spending. That'll put it in perspective for her.

 

[jeff967]

Being that I have worked as a welder,pipefitter,boilermaker,carpenter,cook and now a dumpster diving bottle washer. plus trolling for info here on HBT for a few months, THANKS TO YALL!!
I have spent very little in my brewery gear, maybe 50$ in trips to the hardware store.

 

[desertbronze]

About $400 so far, just getting all my equipment and my first 5 brew's worth of ingredients.

But, its cool, I now have practically everything I need...

If only that were true ...

 

[Ó Flannagáin]

I spent over an hour calculating everything last night for the "do you really save" thread:

EDIT: Forgot my mill, kegs and caps, adding them now.
EDIT 3: Just fine tuned all my numbers with a calculator. The math should be correct now. On a side note, I included kegging system and I do feel that it was an uneccessary upgrade. I still am saving money brewing even with the kegging system investment, but I would've paid to have a kegging system in my house whether I brewed or not, if it was possible to have 4 different beers on tap at an affordable price without homebrewing.

OK, excluding labor costs here is my compiled list including shipping costs:

First Starter Kit $100 - siphon, fermenter, bottling bucket, wing capper, caps, spoon, hydrometer, bottle brush, iodophor, tubing
Turkey Fryer $65
Mash Tun (cooler 30, copper tubing 14, spigot 7) $51
IC $70
Keggle $80
Fermenters 4x$20 (on average) = $80
Tubing Aerator Attachment $5
Better Bottle + cork, blow off tube $35
Bottles = Free
Caps = $15
Mill = $60

Kegging Setup = Less than $400 for 4kegs, used full-size CL fridge, hoses, picnic taps.

$961 for equipment (double check my math, did it in my head real quick)

...

Grains I've bought this year (brewing since January):
55lb Wheat (picked up)= $40
55lb Pils (picked up)= $40
50lb US 2-row (picked up) = $40
55lb Marris Otter = $48
55lb Pils (picked up) = $54
55lb Munich (picked up) = $54

Misc Specialties and learning recipe orders at the beginning of the year = $400.

Total $676

........

Hops
A rough (probably over) estimate? $200

.........

Yeast
9 vials of White Labs = $70
3 smack packs = $24
3 dry yeasts = $8

total $102

....

6 cylinders of gas = $15 (avg) each + two deposits of $30. = $150 (My first few all grains I did on the stove)
Iodophor - Around $25
One Step - Around $20

Water? Free thanks to the US Army. Anyone got an estimate what it should've cost me?
Energy? I ferment at room temp of my household.. around 65F .. so free.

Total money spent this year? I actually starter in January, so this is the end of my first year exactly.

$2134

How much on items I won't have to buy again?

Equipment & Tanks: $1156

I haven't opened the 2nd bag of pils (54), marris otter (48) or munich (54), I still have half the wheat left (20) and I still have a TON of misc grains (underestimate: 100)

Grain left for next year? $276

I have about 8lbs of hops left for pre-shortage prices: $96

Total minus leftovers and equipment = $606

I have a ton of washed yeast too, which I just learned to do. I didn't wash yeast for the first 8 months of brewing. I did use yeast cakes over though. I suspect I will only spend around 50 or 60 on yeast next year. I also have about 30 gallons of beer going into 2008 as well, so I can subtract some from that. I'm gonna underestimate here, so I will say that the yeast I have and the beer I have will knock off $120 from next years tally.

New Yearly Total Average: $486 ..

So that leaves me with about $1600 of initial investment. I would normally spend, and again, I'm underestimating .. between $120 and $200 bucks a month on beer, so I will average it low at $150. That's $1800 in a year for commercial beer. So, I by Feb or March of Next year I will have "broke even" and have started saving over 1200 in a year on average.

... I'm saving a ****load.




EDIT 2: My numbers are slightly messed up, but pretty close. You can see an reasonable estimate. i did all the math in my head, so a couple things are off a few bucks. I might go through with a calculator tommorow.

 

[Donasay]

Not counting the ingredients which at about 20 to 40 a batch and I have done probably 20 to 30 batches this year...

2 Keggles and all Fittings Parts Valves Etc 150
6 gal S.S. Brew Pot 40
Wort Chiller 60
Used Chest Freezer 75
Temperature Controller 60
Draft Tower 80
10 Glass Carboys $200
8 Cornie Keys 200
Hydrometer X 2 25
Thermometers X 2 40
Bottle Capper Caps Bottling buckets and Bottles 150
CO2 System 100
Auto Syphon, Air Locks etc. 20
Cooler Mash Tun and Fittings 80
2 Burners and 2 Propane Tanks 120
6 Different Brewing Books 90
O2 system and bottles 60
Tubing which I toss Frequently 40
Sanitizing (Star san idophore bleach etc. 50)

Total 1640 on just reusable "necessary equipment"

 

[Chriso]

* Turkey Fryer Kit (FYI, Bayou Classic w/ 7.5gal S/S kettle, found on Amazon)- $100
* 4 Ale Pails - $60
* 6.5gal MiniBrew - $160
* JSP Maltmill - $145
* Phil's Counter-Flow Chiller - $45
* Misc Hardware (Ball Valves, PVC, S/S Braid) - $60
* 2 Igloo coolers for mash tuns - FREE!
* Capper, Caps, Filler, Tubing, StarSan - $35 ish
* Thermom's and Timer - $25
* Misc Receipts from LHBS - mostly grain, i think? - $60
* Strainer from restaurant supply store - $5
* Juice and supplies for Apfelwein - $30
* 2 cases of 24-12oz bottles - $28
* Case of 22oz bottles - $13
* Bulk grain and metal trash can to store in - $70
* Bulk hops - $76
* More grain - $80
* Seal-a-Meal and bags - $50

..... this would be easier if I just went by receipt, not by item. Huh. Anyways, this comes out to around $1042 - add about $100 for "filled" bottles, soon emptied, from the liquor store... heh...

Either way, first brew was on 9/22/07. So. Uhm. < 3 months running.

Keg setup is next, plan $700 for a new fridge, so I get the old one for kegerator. Plan $200 for kegs, $200 for CO2 tank and hardware, including fittings and Perlicks. And then at least $40 for more fermenters. I should ding $2000 by Valentine's Day.