Cost Per Serving: Does Homebrew Really Save Money?

[RogerMcAllen]

Assuming a good craft beer costs $2, the numbers look pretty good as long as you keep going. I started homebrewing September 08, and after my last order total costs are up to ~$1,500.

$1,500/10 months/ 30 days = $5 a day (or 1 beer at the bar/~2 craft brews at home)

15 x 5 gallon batches = 75 gallons
75 gallons = 800x 12 oz servings

$1,500/800 = $1.88/serving, which is right on par with the lower end of good commercial brew. Had I not built a 4 tap keggerator that number would be down closer to $1/serving.

Now I just have to formalize this in a presentation to SWIMBO so that she can fully appreciate how buying new stuff saves money.

Here is a visual aid I made:

 

[McKBrew]

There are about a bazillion threads about the economics of homebrewing. The simple answer is yes, if you figure ingredient costs only or brew often, you will save money. For those who brew rarely like myself, but buy tons of equipment, it will take me several batches to break even. It's a hobby, pure and simple. If you really need to please the SWMBO explain that homebrewing is a hobby that will keep you at home, and also dig up some info on other hobbies that cost more than brewing.

If you want to see some of the other threads take a look at the related threads at the bottom of the page.

 

[paulthenurse]

Tell her you want to take up technical scuba diving, diving to 300-400 feet under the ocean on gas mixes you can't breath on the surface. Or that you want to take up ice climbing, finding frozen waterfalls and climbing up them with ropes and ice axes. Both take way more gear than brewing, are spectacularly expensive ways to kill yourself and you'll still end up buying beer at the end of the day to celebrate the fact you didn't die doing your 'hobby.'

She'll come around.

PTN

 

[eschatz]

Tell her there are worse ways to spend your time than making the greatest things on earth.


SWIMBO = someone who is mining butt ore

 

[paulthenurse]

SWIMBO = someone who is mining butt ore

I think you mean, She Went'n Made Bubba Ordinary.

 

[LooyvilleLarry]

Tell her you want to take up technical scuba diving, diving to 300-400 feet under the ocean on gas mixes you can't breath on the surface. Or that you want to take up ice climbing, finding frozen waterfalls and climbing up them with ropes and ice axes. Both take way more gear than brewing, are spectacularly expensive ways to kill yourself and you'll still end up buying beer at the end of the day to celebrate the fact you didn't die doing your 'hobby.'

She'll come around.

PTN

You missed one - Private Pilot !

 

[conpewter]

Craigtube saves a lot of cash homebrewing

 

[dontman]

Jaguar E-Type restoration. The gear shift knob cost more than my beginner brewing setup. I spent more on replacing a faulty thermostat in that SOB than I have spent on my entire brewing hobby combined, including ingredients.

 

[MMW]

You missed one - Private Pilot !

Or Bass fishing. Know how much fish you have to catch to pay off a bass boat?

Homebrewing is at best a cost saving hobby and at worst a marginally worse than break even hobby (if you drink expensive beer). I have less invested in this hobby than a golf membership would cost for a year (a month at some places) and a brewing a batch costs about what a round of golf costs. I'd still be paying for beer during the round of golf, too

I'd much rather brew beer.

 

[Bobby_M]

Assuming a good craft beer costs $2, the numbers look pretty good as long as you keep going. I started homebrewing September 08, and after my last order total costs are up to ~$1,500.

$1,500/10 months/ 30 days = $5 a day (or 1 beer at the bar/~2 craft brews at home)

15 x 5 gallon batches = 75 gallons
75 gallons = 800x 12 oz servings

$1,500/800 = $1.88/serving, which is right on par with the lower end of good commercial brew. Had I not built a 4 tap keggerator that number would be down closer to $1/serving.

Now I just have to formalize this in a presentation to SWIMBO so that she can fully appreciate how buying new stuff saves money.

Here is a visual aid I made:

So that $1500 is for your equipment and ingredients totals to date? What about propane/nat gas?

 

[Bobby_M]

Assuming a good craft beer costs $2, the numbers look pretty good as long as you keep going. I started homebrewing September 08, and after my last order total costs are up to ~$1,500.

$1,500/10 months/ 30 days = $5 a day (or 1 beer at the bar/~2 craft brews at home)

15 x 5 gallon batches = 75 gallons
75 gallons = 800x 12 oz servings

$1,500/800 = $1.88/serving, which is right on par with the lower end of good commercial brew. Had I not built a 4 tap keggerator that number would be down closer to $1/serving.

Now I just have to formalize this in a presentation to SWIMBO so that she can fully appreciate how buying new stuff saves money.

...

So that $1500 is for your equipment and ingredients totals to date? What about propane/nat gas? Have you had to dump any beer yet?

 

[GilaMinumBeer]

OMG! Just buy it already. It's better to ask forgiveness than to.....

Does brewing save money?

Yes!




Wait, No!



well, sometimes yes.



But mostly no.

Oh bother! I need a beer.

 

[Boerderij_Kabouter]

I think this is a brilliant idea. I am going to make a similar sheet where I can update all my costs and compare it to my gallons produced to get a rough cost per ___ number. This is my hobby and I don't count my time as labor. We have dragged that topic through the mud enough times I think

 

[paulthenurse]

Oh, for the love of all that is holy.

Go home and tell her that you are the king, and this is your castle and the king wants beer and will have beer and her job as the kings wench is to clean up after the king and go and get him a cold beer when he demands one and not talk while she is doing the kings bidding.








After you get up off the floor you might try jewelry. That usually works.

PTN

 

[Boerderij_Kabouter]

This would be a cool exercise to see where everyone is:

Much better than I thought, considering I have been spending way more time and energy upgrading equipment in the last year and a half than brewing!

 

[GilaMinumBeer]

I know I have spent a ton (~$10 to $12k). My wife keeps reminding me.

I don't need a spreadsheet to give her justification.

 

[Boerderij_Kabouter]

Well that is just an excuse to brew more to make it cost effective

Spend more, save more.

 

[GilaMinumBeer]

Well that is just an excuse to brew more to make it cost effective

Spend more, save more.

We'll see how that goes over after the new stainless heat exchanger chamber arrives.

 

[hukdizzle]

absolutely not when you factor in the opportunity cost depending on how much money you could potentially be earning directly from working or indirectly from investing in your future by using the 4 to 5 hours a day it takes to brew an AG batch to study your field of work or degree seeking studies.

With that being said, **** all that, I want to brew.

 

[Slipgate]

Compare it to R/C cars, Lionel trains or coin collecting! She should be thankful you have such a CHEAP hobby! And if times get tough, try eating a Lionel train!

 

[wreals]

Tell her you want to take up technical scuba diving, diving to 300-400 feet under the ocean on gas mixes you can't breath on the surface.

Actually, that's my other hobby and homebrewing is much much much cheaper than tech diving could ever be. I could own a small brewery if I sold off all my dive gear and got a refund on all my training and trips. A set of double tanks is still more money than I've spent on homebrew equipment/ingredients at this point.

 

[carl spakler]

It is one of the few hobbies that may come close to breaking even, though as a money saver it is a dangerous path to begin investigating.

If you truly count all cash flows/costs and use a conservative discount rate your NPV of homebrewing will not likely be a sound business decision.

 

[Yuri_Rage]

After the brew hut, I think I'm up to $10/gallon (cost of all equipment + ingredients divided by the total amount I've ever brewed). So, yeah, it's pretty cost effective

 

[thedigitale]

Actually, that's my other hobby and homebrewing is much much much cheaper than tech diving could ever be. I could own a small brewery if I sold off all my dive gear and got a refund on all my training and trips. A set of double tanks is still more money than I've spent on homebrew equipment/ingredients at this point.

Agreed! My Flathead VI regs for doubles cost me more than all of my brew gear... won't get into my computer or drysuit...

Oh, and working on my pilot license as well...

Holy crap! I know why I'm always broke now!

 

[david_42]

I don't drink enough to break even and that's including the 50 miles round-trip to the nearest brewpub to buy a few pints. Considering the trellis, irrigation system, soil preparation, fertilizer, etc. I've lavished on my freaking hop garden my 'free' hops are about $25/ounce. One of these years the weather will cooperate and I'll get a good harvest. That's the year I will find out I'm allergic to hops.

Got a half cup of cherries off of the two cherry trees, 5 years after planting. So, those are about $60/cup.

 

[chefchris]

Tell her you want to take up technical scuba diving, diving to 300-400 feet under the ocean on gas mixes you can't breath on the surface.

I do this and can tell you homebrewing is WAAAAAYYYYYY cheaper. And, IMO, more rewarding.

 

[wildwest450]

There is NO way to justify the cost of any hobby. So why even try? If the old lady doesn't like it, time to find one who does.

Of course this is coming from a guy married to a souse.

 

[Boerderij_Kabouter]

I don't think it is about justifying anything, at least it isn't for me. I just think it is cool to know how much each pint is costing me.

 

[TommyBoy]

I do not include the cost of my equipment because that is my hobby but ingredients-wise I am at $30 for 10 gallons. I have a friend who is a brewmaster and I get wholesale for grain and I would like to guess I am below wholesale for hops. I pay .40/lb for grain and .50/oz for hops.

 

[Scut_Monkey]

I do not include the cost of my equipment because that is my hobby but ingredients-wise I am at $30 for 10 gallons. I have a friend who is a brewmaster and I get wholesale for grain and I would like to guess I am below wholesale for hops. I pay .40/lb for grain and .50/oz for hops.

Man.... I need to become friends with a brewmaster ASAP. That's some awesome cost savings. Good for you!