Has anyone else plowed through their brew budget

[petep1980]

I simply cannot afford any more widgets or gadgets for this hobby.

I'm sure I'm pushing $500 on equipment alone for the past 5 or 6 months. $200 to get stuff for the free kegger I landed. Extra corny keg, 24 qt pot, 30 qt pot, cooling coil, mash tun, an innumerable amount of sparge bags and screens, one-way valve for corny, carboy after carboy, floating thermometers and the list goes on.

Of course now I need a lagering dedicated fridge so I can simply serve from kegger, a bigger boiling pot for nice full rolling boils, my own mill, and the list goes on....

 

[MMW]

$200 to get stuff for the free kegger I landed.

I feel ya, but that's funny right there :cross:

 

[r3dn3ckstyl3z]

I just got my initial setup about 3 weeks ago... I had budgeted for about $150-$175 on equip. and first brew..... I actually blew though closer to $300

 

[GilaMinumBeer]

Budget? Ha!

All a budget is, is how much you can get the wife to agree to let you spend "this time". And when she doesn't agree, you spend twice that much anyway.

 

[petep1980]

I love the trip to the LHBS and I need to get 2lbs of malt for a recipe. Why buy 2 when you can buy 5? Going through the hop bin thinking to yourself "hmm, what if there is an emergency in the middle of night someday and I simply NEED some Perle hops?"

 

[r3dn3ckstyl3z]

Yeah but not too easy to explain when it was the rent money, lol.........

 

[carnevoodoo]

What's a budget?

 

[marubozo]

I don't have a budget. I just buy things through my business account so SWMBO has no idea what is going on

 

[barracudamagoo]

HAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAAAA!! He said, "Budget"!

 

[Dwain]

Well, my SWMBO never says anything about how much much money I spend. However, I am much more critical of my own frivolous spending than she is. BUT:
all grain set up - kegs, burners, stand construction (bottle of tri-mix, wire, numerous stainless fittings), temp probes, pumps, tubing
ale chamber - air conditioner
lager chamber - refrigerator, materials to expand chamber
extra kegs......
All in the last 3 months. I've spent more on my "hobby" in the last 3 months than I did in the ~24 years before! I know she has to be thinking I've gone over the edge. I told her my goal is to never buy another beer. She just smiled and said "Riiiiiight". Man, I love her. - Dwain

However,

HAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAAAA!! He said, "Budget"!

nails it

 

[Boar Beer]

Yep I am with you buddy

I wish I had only spent $500 in last few months.

But you know this is the only Hobby that I have that goes on year round
So my new stuff gets used more. Now take that new shotgun mmmm…. nice one
But I use it only the months of September and October. That 20 gallon boil kettle gets used almost every weekend.

 

[arturo7]

(To be sung to the melody of Sonny & Cher's "The Beat Goes On")

And the list goes on,
And the list goes on.

The money just keeps flowing out the door,
Every time I cruise the homebrew store.

Now I need a tap,
Now I need a gauge.

A free keg just cost me two hundred more!

 

[foxual]

I just got my initial setup about 3 weeks ago... I had budgeted for about $150-$175 on equip. and first brew..... I actually blew though closer to $300

I was in the same boat, I said "$175 and I'm all set!"

$400 (for 3 batches) later...

 

[homebeerbrewer]

Budget? I don't need no stinkin budget. However, this hobby is the most expensive way I've found to get cheep beer.

 

[SavageSteve]

Budget? Pfffft.

I'm currently in the middle of a bit of a spending spree on equipment. New equipment will make my beer better, right?

Let's see, just recently bought:

- Barley Crusher
- 2nd Better Bottle with racking adapter and spigot
- 2000 ml Erlenmeyer flask and magnetic stir plate

Nearly ready to pull the trigger on:

- 10 gal. Boilermaker
- Propane burner
- 2.5 gal. keg (they're so cool looking!)

And of course, a bunch of ingredients for 3 or 4 upcoming brews.

Meh... the credit card bill won't arrive for another month.

-Steve

 

[Boerderij_Kabouter]

I am always on a budget. That is the best way to get a nice system and never have your wife or anyone else mad at you. I get my spending budget and spend it. Sure I may have to save a bit to get a big purchase. But I can buy anything I want without hearing anything from my wife. I get about $110 a month for my brewing upgrades.

 

[r3dn3ckstyl3z]

i think i'm gonna pick up another brew kit so that i can have multiple brews going at once.....

 

[Zen_Brew]

Budget? I don't need no stinkin budget. However, this hobby is the most expensive way I've found to get cheep beer.

LOL. Yeah, budget......plowed through it like a freight train. I decided to avoid all the bottling hassles and go straight to kegging. With that and all the other goodies and pots and measuring devices, and stirrers etc etc. Let's just say my inititial set-up cap of 6 or 700 dollars was in the rear view mirror rather quickly.

Now, I'm trying to step up my consumption level to make up the cost.

 

[TwoHeadsBrewing]

Yeah, i pretty much took my budget, lit it on fire then stomped on it and then pissed all over it!

But as hobbies go, it's a pretty inexpensive one so far especially if you consider the savings in the cost of beer. I know many people that spend $10-50K on fishing and ski boats, and thousands a year on tackle, equipment, gas, lifevests, skis, boards, etc. And they don't learn a whole lot versus a homebrewer. If you keep it under $2k per year I think that's money well spent!

 

[schweaty]

HAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAAAA!! He said, "Budget"!

Yeah, apparently he didn't know that being a homebrewer was worse than being a crack addict?

 

[r3dn3ckstyl3z]

i wish i could get some of that $800 billion to my brewing equipment. I'd share with all of you guys.... Homebrewers are about as good with a budget as congress and Obama......

 

[bob1852]

the way I look at it, every piece of equipment I buy I need anyways; and once it's bought the money's gone, so I'm pretty much even

 

[bad coffee]

I had a spreadsheet going, keeping track of every brewing purchase. About 3 months in I was over $1k and figured I should stop.

Stop keeping the spreadsheet updated, that is.

B

 

[bob1852]

I had a spreadsheet going, keeping track of every brewing purchase. About 3 months in I was over $1k and figured I should stop.

Stop keeping the spreadsheet updated, that is.

B

exactly - a few friends have asked me how much I've spent (just on equipment, not on ingredients); and my response is "I honestly don't know. I could probably add it up and get close, but it doesn't bother me."

 

[BADS197]

What's a budget?

That's what the fine State of California is trying to figure out.

Apparently noone told them there was one and they thought money grew on trees.

 

[petep1980]

Now I feel better.

SWMBO never bothers me about the spending, just the time consumption and having to listen to me talk about it. We were giving our 6 month old a bath last night and I referred to putting her in the water as our "mash in".

 

[r3dn3ckstyl3z]

Now I feel better.

SWMBO never bothers me about the spending, just the time consumption and having to listen to me talk about it. We were giving our 6 month old a bath last night and I referred to putting her in the water as our "mash in".

that's nothing..... my swmbo looked at me like i at dirt last night. My daughter is potty training. She peed finally in the potty last night. I looked at her and said "Brookelynn we're gonna get you house broke yet." My wife just said "You know she's not a dog right." I said "Yeah, i know, b/c this would be alot easier." I thought she was gonna smack me.....

 

[Zen_Brew]

Now I feel better.
We were giving our 6 month old a bath last night and I referred to putting her in the water as our "mash in".

Nice. I think it's a completely reasonable term.

 

[pnj]

I wanted to buy a six pack today but figured if I saved the 8 bucks, that's nearly half way to a batch of Edworts Haus Ale and I'd rather make beer and have five gallons then git drunk tonight.....

I just put two ESB's in the fridge from my dwindling stash in the closet...:/

 

[ODP]

That just made me think of something!

If each time I were about to go to the store for a 12 pack, I put that money in a jar in the fridge for homebrew goodies, things wouldn't be so bad!

I haven't started brewing yet, so I'm still having to buy beer at the store so that dough would go a long way for ingredients.

 

[petep1980]

I went to a store today for beer. The local "have every beer imaginable" store. I ended up getting (2) SNPA - never had them. So many micros suck. I find it almost impossible to actually purchase beer anymore.

 

[homebeerbrewer]

That just made me think of something!

If each time I were about to go to the store for a 12 pack, I put that money in a jar in the fridge for homebrew goodies, things wouldn't be so bad!

I haven't started brewing yet, so I'm still having to buy beer at the store so that dough would go a long way for ingredients.

Depending on how much you drink, the money could go towards equipment too. I used to buy a 12 pack a week, so I'm no where close to breaking even. I am drinking a lot more that 12 a week now though, so maybe I did break even, I just haven't realized that yet.

 

[Demon]

I started out telling myself I would spend about $200 for equipment and that's enough. Now I have over $1000 in equipment, another $950 into the keezer and nearly $2000 into my new brew rig. This is all over the course of about a year and a half. Its a great hobby and SWMBO enjoys seeing me happy so I don't hear too much about it.

 

[ODP]

I hear ya- my problem is I work nights so I don't drink during the week. I do drink ALOT of Friday nights, but I'm dj'ing at the time. Luckily it's at a German Biergarden so they have LOTS of great beers on tap to choose from. I've been drinking alot of Optimator and Bitburger lately, which is good but I can't take homebrew with me!
I also drink on Saturdays, but it's usually on the river where I'm confined to beers in a can or alum. bottle. Grrrr....

When am I going to drink all this beer I'm going to make? I think I'll figure something out

 

[Paul_Aris]

I was looking at how much ingredients cost alone to do 10 gallon batches. My wife tells me "so thats pretty cheap in comparison to buying even 6 6 packs of a good micro brew".

The other problem I have is this is not my only hobby.

 

[petep1980]

Even if you don't buy bulk an extract batch is like $40. That's like $1/pint. The ingredients aren't the issue.

 

[Laughing_Gnome_Invisible]

Budget? Ha!

All a budget is, is how much you can get the wife to agree to let you spend "this time". And when she doesn't agree, you spend twice that much anyway.

Yup, I was gonna say a similar thing. There is no budget. There is just the continual push to find new excuses and more creative BS on how the next purchase will save money in the long run.

Any Item that is, say $9.99 must remain $9.99. Never round it up to the $10 it really is. Women love that penny.

Honestly love, the more I buy, the cheaper it becomes. It's like a Macy's sale......Honestly.

But sweetheart! My cooler MLT can easily be restored for use as a regular cooler for our vacation. This is actually true, but if it does not convince her then mention that you were hoping to go to Barbados this year.

Dearest. I would like to stop homebrewing and just use that biker bar instead.

 

[masonsjax]

I just started this hobby. Began reading up in march, made my first batch may 3rd. Decided to go all grain and start kegging right away. I knew I would end up there anyway, so I figured it saves money spent in upgrades down the road. I still feel it was the right way to go, but yeah, the budget waved bye-bye real quick. Having to buy some stuff twice because of getting robbed by kegkits.com didn't help either. I had originally started tracking my expenses in a spreadsheet, but thought it might be best if I don't know the exact figures.
I just started buying hops in bulk, so I guess grain storage and a mill will be close behind.

 

[Baja_Brewer]

I've read discussions before that it is not about the cost because of reasons like: A) its a hobby and B) it saves you from buying other beer, etc. I choose to factor cost IN because I am spending the money on it. My motorcycle is my other hobby, but it is also one of my means of transportation and I'm going to track what I spend on it to make sure it is sustainable.

Brewing doesn't have to break the bank. Having only spent a year with hobby I have spent (hold your breath) ~$1845 in non-consumable items, many of them good deals! (16 kegs, 3 5# CO2 Tanks, 20# CO2 Tank, 8+faucets, 3 regulators, 15 gal pot, 15# Barleycrusher, foodsaver, 50 foot wort chiller, 6 carboys, 1 kegerator, 1 keezer, 10 gallon mash tun, etc.) These items add a cost of about a dollar per 12oz beer, at the amount I've currently brewed (~35, 5 gal batches.) Putting my costs at about $1.40 per beer with an average consumable price of 20 dollars per 5 gallon batch. The reason this consumable price is so low is because of many of these fixed costs (the barleycrusher and the foodsaver for starters.) My costs will continue to decrease the more a brew and the less non-consumable items I purchase (like that will happen)!!

Its all about perspective.

 

[Hambone]

there is no budget in brewing. I've gotten myself in the same situation as our government, spending more money than I have available.