Did you break even yet?

[Zabuza]

Noob here, I've brewed all of 2 batches, so I am in the hole right now. I guess I'll just have to keep brewing until this pays off.

You poor, pitiable thing.

 

[BurgBrewer]

The point that this is a hobby makes absolute sense and trying to find that "break-even point" will lead you down a perilous road of what is considered a brewing expense and what is a living expense. The simple answer is that you will NEVER break even because drinking beer/alcohol is a discretionary activity. You don't need beer to live. But let's be realistic, I don't know if I could live without beer =) My father is rebuilding a 1959 triumph TR3 and he's put probably 8-10,000$ into it, in pristine condition he could only sell it for 15,000$ and it is no where near that level. When it comes down to it, it's worth 100,000$ to him because he can say he did it himself. Brewing beer is what we do, and damnit, I love what I do.

 

[koopa]

The point that this is a hobby makes absolute sense and trying to find that "break-even point" will lead you down a perilous road of what is considered a brewing expense and what is a living expense. The simple answer is that you will NEVER break even because drinking beer/alcohol is a discretionary activity. You don't need beer to live. But let's be realistic, I don't know if I could live without beer =) My father is rebuilding a 1959 triumph TR3 and he's put probably 8-10,000$ into it, in pristine condition he could only sell it for 15,000$ and it is no where near that level. When it comes down to it, it's worth 100,000$ to him because he can say he did it himself. Brewing beer is what we do, and damnit, I love what I do.

I disagree with your claim that ultimately brewing must be compared to a living expense if one wishes to determine if they are "breaking even" since neither homebrewing nor buying beer from a retail distributor (the comparable alternative) are necessary to live. When asking oneself to assess breaking even, its safe to say that this is the cost comparison the majority hones in on.

While I do admit that most homebrewers choose not to factor there time brewing / opportunity cost of that time into their overall expense, nor do they factor the time they spend sitting at the bar purchasing/consuming beer and bull****ting with people. This is because both activities are considered to be forms of entertainment (and entertainment is not necessary to live).

 

[Disintegr8or]

I don't brew beer to save money.

 

[jeepinjeepin]

i don't brew beer to save money.

+1

 

[KNOTSANE]

I try not to keep track of the money. My biggest fear is that when I die, my wife will sell all my brewing equipment for what I told her I paid for it.

 

[NewBrewB]

My biggest fear is that when I die, my wife will sell all my brewing equipment for what I told her I paid for it.

I would buy this on a tshirt in a heartbeat. Fantastic!

 

[a_hard]

For me this is simply a great hobby. That doesn't fall under profit making in the budget. It falls under fun money. Years ago I was hardcore into bird hunting. Counting the guns, dog, truck, permits, etc I probably spent over ten grand. Believe me each bird cost fifty to one hundred US. But it wasn't about cost it was about fun. Going out on a Saturday an prowling the desert for fowl made me happy. Money and time in a hobby matter nothing to me outside ofvcan I afford this.

 

[Airborneguy]

I've more than broken even, without a doubt. It's a no brainer to me and it makes the hobby that much more enjoyable and rewarding. Adding time costs is just nonsense unless your time spent brewing is actually costing you something. 'Time is money' applies to economic theory, not accounting, which is what we're talking about here. Unless time has an actual cost, which in some applications it most definitely does, then it doesn't apply.

 

[cheezydemon3]

I've more than broken even, without a doubt. It's a no brainer to me and it makes the hobby that much more enjoyable and rewarding. Adding time costs is just nonsense unless your time spent brewing is actually costing you something. 'Time is money' applies to economic theory, not accounting, which is what we're talking about here. Unless time has an actual cost, which in some applications it most definitely does, then it doesn't apply.

Exactly!

If you spend hours of your time brewing in order to "save money"....you are a fool.

CONSIDERING I WOULD BE SPENDING MONEY DOING SOMETHING ELSE WHICH WOULD BE ENJOYABLE BUT YIELD NO TANGEABLE RESULT........YES, I SAVED MONEY

Wanna save money?? STOP DRINKING!!!!!


Wanna brew beer? Then shut up and enjoy yourself.

 

[BrewerBear]

Exactly!

If you spend hours of your time brewing in order to "save money"....you are a fool.

CONSIDERING I WOULD BE SPENDING MONEY DOING SOMETHING ELSE WHICH WOULD BE ENJOYABLE BUT YIELD NO TANGEABLE RESULT........YES, I SAVED MONEY

Wanna save money?? STOP DRINKING!!!!!


Wanna brew beer? Then shut up and enjoy yourself.

Well said, very well said. I wanna brew.

 

[45_70sharps]

I may not have a liver if I try and break even!
Besides the equipment costs, figure propane and/or electricity, grains, hops and so on.
Then look at the chest freezer, taps and so on.... Plus I pay for more beer that other people drink with my homebrew than if I were just keeping a case of beer on hand at home.

Making beer is like reloading my own bullets or tying my own flies. You don't do it to save money. If that works out, great.
Cars are about the only hobby that I've ever come out ahead on.

 

[45_70sharps]

I double posted and it wasn't worth saying twice!