Brewing with altitude -- Snowmass, CO

[beerista]

Hi,
My first post and already I need to give a bit thanks to the forum members. You've already been a ton of help as I've lurked for the last couple of weeks.
I brewed a few batches several years ago, (though I think I'm a newb again after all this time) but needed equipment and found where to buy online (no LHBS nearby) by poking around here at HBT.
And, while I pretty much just used the directions on the kit I bought (a Fat Tire clone from Austin Homebrew), reading several (SEVERAL) threads on this forum with the replies exuding an informed laidbackness helped me to feel a bit more relaxed about getting everything going. (That being said, after staring at my airlock, willing it to bubble about five minutes after I pitched the yeast, I understand the impulse behind all the "did I kill my beer" threads and may still post one in a few days.)
So, thanks.
Put my batch together last night and I'm listening to it happily bubble away in the other room as I type (it's a small apartment and it is chugging LOUD). I've already been reading up on the kegging forum for when I need to keg it, maybe in time for Christmas. Ski season starts here next week, so prolly no time before that. Can't wait.
Great to be here.
Tony
P.S. I have a feeling this hobby is going to cost me. Big.

 

[rsmith179]

Welcome to the boards! Must be nice that ski season starts tomorrow. Never been to Snowmass, but have been to Steamboat before. Loved it out there! Hopefully you'll be able to get this batch kegged up by Christmas. Trust me, the hobby can be as expensive or as cheap as you make it. There are tons of "toys" out there, so just be careful. I thought fishing was expensive!

 

[beerista]

Welcome to the boards!

Thanks.

Must be nice that ski season starts tomorrow.

Yes, and no. Ski season means skiing, which is great, but it also means a whole lotta work... which is kinda great right now, too, come to think of it. Just less time for beer.

Never been to Snowmass, but have been to Steamboat before. Loved it out there!

I've only been to Steamboat once. It was supposed to snow 4"-6" and we woke up to twenty-something inches of some of the best snow I've ever seen. :rockin: Love that place.

Hopefully you'll be able to get this batch kegged up by Christmas. Trust me, the hobby can be as expensive or as cheap as you make it. There are tons of "toys" out there, so just be careful.

Good advice. I'll try to keep that in mind. Like anything else, I guess.

I thought fishing was expensive!

Tell me about it. I picked up fly fishing a couple of years ago to kill some time. Figured it would be cheap, 'cause I was given a rod. Ha! I don't even have a guess how much money that free rod has cost me at this point. But it's a whole bunch of fun.

 

[Matrix4b]

Ofcourse you could get your freinds to fuel your brewing need by having them buy you supplies for making your own with out kits. Then you just share you brew with them. Eventually you will be sharing with tourists and though it is illegal to sell the beer or alcohol without a liscence, you can take donations and mention over the shared brew that you need to buy supplies. Overall, brewing it yourself IS cheaper than buying it in the long run. Most people don't have the patients to get the equipment, not much for be I brew mead, and the time to wait for it to ferment.

Good luck.

 

[riored4v]

Welcome from another CO brewer.

 

[DragonTail]

Welcome

 

[beerista]

Ofcourse you could get your freinds to fuel your brewing need by having them buy you supplies for making your own with out kits.

This is genius! I'm taking notes.
I've recently heard of how people will buy part of a cow for someone else to raise as a way to basically prepay and preorder raw milk. I could take a collection from friends for beer ingredients under pretty much the same business plan. I'll call it a co-op, with a healthy percentage kept in a keg in my fridge.

Then you just share you brew with them. Eventually you will be sharing with tourists and though it is illegal to sell the beer or alcohol without a liscence, you can take donations and mention over the shared brew that you need to buy supplies.

Legal, schmegal. I'm gonna start dropping some hints and see what comes of it.

Thanks, riored4v and DragonTail. Nice to be here.

 

[Matrix4b]

. I could take a collection from friends for beer ingredients under pretty much the same business plan. I'll call it a co-op, with a healthy percentage kept in a keg in my fridge.

Legal, schmegal. I'm gonna start dropping some hints and see what comes of it.

Thanks, riored4v and DragonTail. Nice to be here.

I wouldn't call it a co-op. Just a bunch of friends helping you with your hobby with the benifit that you share with them the fruits of your labor.

As far as the percentage, call it a storage fee. You can justify that you need to store it. If they want to store it then you can have them help you clean your gear or help you out with supplies on "Cleaning and Set up".

In most cases because you are dealing with friends then all under the table.
Brewing should be a shared experience. Either making or product, both.

Most people think that brewing is more expensive. I have found that if I compare my product (again mostly meads) the price is either the same or less than buying it. Especially if you take out the cost of the glass bottles. I haven't yet and my brew comes to about that of an import beer. Now it is mead that I am making so arguably not a good comparison. If I compair to say a hard cider then I come out more expensive but 1/3 of my costs are glass and I haven't calculated returns on the glass for savings.

Since your new, I would recomend keeping track of your costs for a brew and the yeild, don't forget to add $20-$40 for your time and your costs for cleaning supplies. THEN you can figure out after a few batches how much it costs, with a little accuracy. And figure out how to cut costs without quality, such as buying your grain in bulk and getting returned or your friend saved glass bottles. A good mental exercise.

It is good to know your expenses. Compare them to other hobbies. I gaurantee that you will come up with less cost than say skiing. Seasonal tickets are expensive. Not to mention equipment and replacement of equipment.

Ofcourse in the mead world, We sometimes have "Classes" to teach how to brew mead. Students bring own supplies, leave with a gallon or so and pay like $20-$40 pending on who does it. I have thought of doing the same to get supply money. It is no problem to discuss the process and go through it with someone.

 

[The79Bomb]

Legal, schmegal. I'm gonna start dropping some hints and see what comes of it.

I like it :rockin: it works real well to keep asking them if they like the beer (like a LOT). They get the hint sooner or later especially when they come back for more another day and you say "I just haven't been able to get the cash together to buy more supplies". What works real well is when you drain the keg with a bunch of buddies, act real sad.

Big savings comes with going all grain on the supplies side but this is offset by the initial investment of more equipment. I have spent thousands on a 12 gallon 3 tier all stainless gravity system with stainless conical fermenter. Took years to accumulate and it was a lot of fun along the way. I've seen others do all grain for under $200. I've got my costs down to $.43 a pint for ingredients and I brew all organic and love to add loads of hops. Non organic would be cheaper but you're making it for yourself so might as well get the good stuff. Good luck.

 

[z987k]

Do you live in the village of Snowmass or the tiny town down the road? Seems either would be crazy expensive.
Had a friend working for the aspen resorts last winter living in Carbondale, stayed with him for a few days and skied.