Home brewing saves you money? HAHAH!

[Bostonbrewin63]

Jesus $25 bucks for co2, I pay 10 bucks for a 20# tank at the welding gas supplier.

Yep.. That's at my lhbs. I'm gonna start looking for a place to get refills...

 

[NickinWI]

So far I manage to brew what I like to drink for much less than the retail equivalent.

For me, I love gadgets (engineer) but the simpler I keep my brewing and the less junk I have to buy/store/maintain, the more of a kick I get out of knowing how cheap I made an AMAZING beer!

Only thing I haven't been able to calculate really is propane cost and water cost. Meh, whatever, I love this hobby!

The great thing is you get to drink your WORK!

Lets say we bring up the cost of going out for a beer...$3, $4 or more for one decent beer... plus tax, plus tips, plus gas, etc etc

Love being on my patio with a homebrew and a bowl of peanuts!!!

 

[NickinWI]

Oh yeah, need to stop giving it away too! :smack: But sharing is one of the best parts.

 

[BinghamtonEd]

Last night the wife and I went out for dinner. I paid $4.50 for a 12-14 oz "pint" of SA Summer Ale. I told my wife "I have 5 gallons of this stuff sitting at home, waiting to be bottled, and I paid about 70 cents per bottle to make it."

 

[Nightshade]

Oh, I dunno...my basic partial mash batch these days involves 4 lbs. of grain from lhbs for $8, 5 lbs. of dry extract (in bulk, on sale, from label peelers) for about $12, 3 ozs. of hops (in bulk from eBay) for $4, and about $3 for yeast (usually repitching one or twice).

Since I get about 26 to 28 bombers from a batch, that's about a buck a bomber. (Goes up and down according to style of course.)

That's considerably cutting my cost over the $5 to $9 I'd pay for a bomber of decent beer in the store. Doesn't factor energy costs, of course, but in the winter the boil actually helps heat the house. (And makes it smell nice. )

I get this, but if you were to buy base grains in 55lb bags you would end up with even cheaper beer at that point, washing and repitching can be done up to about 6-7 times or even more if you use starters from washed yeast, hops in quantity can be vac sealed and stored for quite a while, go in on a box withe a couple friends and split 11lbs between you to lower cost even more.

Run on sentence I know but the point being the larger quantity you can get in on the more you will save (up to a point). There is always a way to get a better deal and price.

 

[Rev2010]

I definitely save money making my own beer. It's not why I brew obviously, but I definitely save no doubt. Maybe if one was drinking Pabst Blue Ribbon or Budweizers there wouldn't be much savings since you can get those beers reeeally cheap, but my typical beers that I buy to drink at home cost 3-4 times what I pay for my own. Then again I live in NJ, so even a 12oz of Sam Adams is no less than $1.50.


Rev.

 

[Baileisdad]

Wow beer sure is expensive where you live. I get two full cases out of a batch - so you're paying $300 a case for beer? $150 for a 12-pack? $20 a bomber?

Exactly what I was thinking!!! Where in the world is beer so much?

 

[ktblunden]

Exactly what I was thinking!!! Where in the world is beer so much?

As mentioned by myself and xpertskir, that's pricing on sour beers. Russian River Consecration is $13 per 12oz bottle. 48 of those equals $624. So making a Consecration clone will save you a ton of money over buying it commercially. Of course, it's also a much more advanced style, requires a few different yeasts and sour bugs, and takes up to a year to make.

 

[Baileisdad]

As mentioned by myself and xpertskir, that's pricing on sour beers. Russian River Consecration is $13 per 12oz bottle. 48 of those equals $624. So making a Consecration clone will save you a ton of money over buying it commercially. Of course, it's also a much more advanced style, requires a few different yeasts and sour bugs, and takes up to a year to make.

Got it.

 

[SteveLikesBeer]

I generally find that beers that I enjoy, on the low end, cost roughly $2 a bottle. I'm sure the more bulk buying (six pack, case, etc..) the cheaper per bottle it becomes. I don't like to buy more than 6 of the same beers with very few exceptions. Partly due to how often I am wanting to try something else (so they may sit too long) and partly because many companies don't state a bottle date and I'm not sure how long they could have been aged or on shelves. My own beer is fresh so I worry less about that. For me it seems to be cheaper but I also don't count the time it takes to brew (because it's fun and I figure that cancels it out). I also don't count the up front costs to get into the hobby any more than I'd count a utility and ISP bill in the cost of forum access .

 

[BigFloyd]

+1 to the thread starter. I get asked this question often by non-brewing friends. It would be really disingenuous for me to go around telling folks (or try to fool myself into thinking) that I'm somehow saving money by home brewing or that they can.

I can see where, if someone brewed very regularly, bought in bulk, did a bunch of DIY and kept their equipment cost to a bare minimum, they could possibly save money over a period of years. That, however, doesn't describe any of the home brewers that I know.

Just ingredients? That would be like saying the the cost of owning a car is just what you spend in gas. Typically, ingredients for a 5-g batch runs me about 20-28 bucks depending on style and/or if I have previously-harvested yeast. I could buy in bulk and save some $$, but I have a great fledgling LHBS (our first ever here) that I want to see succeed and thrive.

To be truthful about it, if I factored in all of the money I've spent on gear, especially my E-brewing components and kegging (although I do DIY a heck of a lot), the cost per bottle/glass would be rather disappointing. I brew because it's an interesting, challenging (to do really well) and enjoyable hobby plus I like the end result better than just about anything I can buy at the store. I save money whenever I reasonably can, but I don't worry about it nor kid myself (or the wife) that it's cheaper than store-bought.

 

[Bigjack68]

For some of my bigger IPAs and imperial stouts I net a decent savings per batch but once my sour pipeline starts to yield a bunch of beer, I'll definitely start saving money.

Instead of paying 600+ dollars per 5 gallons(retail) I'll be paying about 30-40 on the high side. Netting 500+ a batch adds up quickly.

In fact, Im filling a full size barrel with lambic on Sunday and that alone will completely pay for the ~2500 I have in brewing stuff and ingredients so far.

What are you buying for 300$ a case? Just curious...

 

[BinghamtonEd]

What are you buying for 300$ a case? Just curious...

Go back to the previous page. He's answered this question a couple times.

 

[TKH]

It's like buying a boat to save money on fish.

I'm trying to figure out where to mount a keg in mine. I really only use one livewell... SWMBO is not impressed.

 

[Bigjack68]

Go back to the previous page. He's answered this question a couple times.

sorry, jumped the gun. didn't read the whole thread. my bad

I'm new at this hobby and have dropped about 200$ so far but I'm having fun with it and to me that is the whole point of doing this...

 

[TrubHead]

Small batch brewer here and don't keg. Buy bulk bags of base malt so big savings there. Like really good beer which = $$ but I do brew "lesser" styles for others. Extraction efficiency has gotten ridiculously high (consistently > 85%) so next batch I'm only going to wave the grains over the mash tun.

 

[BinghamtonEd]

I'm new at this hobby and have dropped about 200$ so far but I'm having fun with it and to me that is the whole point of doing this...

Same here., although I have maybe $125 into it. I'm trying to sell my wife on letting me spend another $150 for a burner and a larger pot, as it will let me go all-grain and she doesn't like the smell in the house.

 

[Bigjack68]

Small batch brewer here and don't keg. Buy bulk bags of base malt so big savings there. Like really good beer which = $$ but I do brew "lesser" styles for others. Extraction efficiency has gotten ridiculously high (consistently > 85%) so next batch I'm only going to wave the grains over the mash tun.

going to do it like coors then?

 

[TrubHead]

going to do it like coors then?

I've forgotten what that stuff tastes like. Probably just use spent grains for that brew.

 

[revelation]

I don't know, seems to my calculations that I am saving money. I've spent about $530 on equipment and kegs. My batch costs are about $24 for about 54 beers, that I really like. Six packs of beer I like average about $10, so I am 'saving' $66 per batch. I've 'saved' over $500 this Spring alone. Seems like a no brainer on cost savings.

 

[huhwha]

It could have happened in the past that I may have taken a day off work to brew. In that case, work is paying me not to show up, so I don't add it to my brew cost.

 

[Redoubt]

Depends on where you are and what you drink. Since I live in a province in which liquor sales are predominantly through a crown corporation (breweries and wineries regulated by that corp.), and they levy some pretty hefty taxes on it, homebrew is way cheaper for me than buying at the store. On the one hand, for example, BMC runs $45-ish a 24. You want something good? Be prepared to pay. On the other hand, I can get a kit like Festa Brew for $40, a good extract kit for $35, or the ingredients for all-grain for what ends up being roughly $.20 a bottle -- sometimes less for all three methods since my homebrew store frequently has great sales. Granted, that doesn't include equipment costs but those costs are reasonable for getting into any hobby and they're one-time. The way I figure it, my first brews are outrageously expensive but all following brews are super-cheap.

If money is your only concern, though, chances are you won't stick with it. The savings are nice but I don't do this for the savings. It's fun and it's creative, appeals to the art and science geeks in me, and it'll be hella useful in the event of a zombie (or other) apocalypse.

 

[Beer_Eugenics]

My break down.
Grinder 30
7.5 gallon Pots 2 @ 25 50
Cooler 20
Screen & Valve 50
Wort Chiller 50
Kit + Extra Fermenter 130
Total 330

Extras
8 Kegs plus setup 560
Refrigerator 0
330 + 560 = 890
Washed yeast ~ .50, Co2 6.00 for five pounds, gas 1.00 so about 2.50 per batch.
Average batch 20.00 + the 2.50 = 22.50, over three years 75 batches, 75 x 22.50 = 1687.50.
75 x (9 six packs) = 675 x ~ 9.00 a six pack 6075 – (890 + 1687.50 = 2577.50)
6075 – 2577.50 = a 3497.50 savings.
Say a cheap six pack at 6.00 x 675 =4050 – 2577.50 = a 1472 .50 savings, still saving a lot of money.

 

[NickinWI]

My break down.
Grinder 30
7.5 gallon Pots 2 @ 25 50
Cooler 20
Screen & Valve 50
Wort Chiller 50
Kit + Extra Fermenter 130
Total 330

Extras
8 Kegs plus setup 560
Refrigerator 0
330 + 560 = 890
Washed yeast ~ .50, Co2 6.00 for five pounds, gas 1.00 so about 2.50 per batch.
Average batch 20.00 + the 2.50 = 22.50, over three years 75 batches, 75 x 22.50 = 1687.50.
75 x (9 six packs) = 675 x ~ 9.00 a six pack 6075 – (890 + 1687.50 = 2577.50)
6075 – 2577.50 = a 3497.50 savings.
Say a cheap six pack at 6.00 x 675 =4050 – 2577.50 = a 1472 .50 savings, still saving a lot of money.

aaaaaaand WIN.

"The more you drink, the more you save!"

 

[LovesIPA]

As mentioned by myself and xpertskir, that's pricing on sour beers. Russian River Consecration is $13 per 12oz bottle. 48 of those equals $624. So making a Consecration clone will save you a ton of money over buying it commercially. Of course, it's also a much more advanced style, requires a few different yeasts and sour bugs, and takes up to a year to make.

Yeah I missed that too. That's what I get for browsing while making a starter.

 

[Clonefan94]

+1 to the thread starter. I get asked this question often by non-brewing friends. It would be really disingenuous for me to go around telling folks (or try to fool myself into thinking) that I'm somehow saving money by home brewing or that they can.

I can see where, if someone brewed very regularly, bought in bulk, did a bunch of DIY and kept their equipment cost to a bare minimum, they could possibly save money over a period of years. That, however, doesn't describe any of the home brewers that I know.

Just ingredients? That would be like saying the the cost of owning a car is just what you spend in gas. Typically, ingredients for a 5-g batch runs me about 20-28 bucks depending on style and/or if I have previously-harvested yeast. I could buy in bulk and save some $$, but I have a great fledgling LHBS (our first ever here) that I want to see succeed and thrive.

To be truthful about it, if I factored in all of the money I've spent on gear, especially my E-brewing components and kegging (although I do DIY a heck of a lot), the cost per bottle/glass would be rather disappointing. I brew because it's an interesting, challenging (to do really well) and enjoyable hobby plus I like the end result better than just about anything I can buy at the store. I save money whenever I reasonably can, but I don't worry about it nor kid myself (or the wife) that it's cheaper than store-bought.

I like this answer. As I've said on this topic multiple times, I believe it is very possible to save money making your own beer. Buy in bulk, stick to low ABV, low hopped beer, wash yeast and buy the bare minimum of equipment. And I don't mean to offend anyone here, but the problem with "trying" to save money making beer, is that you aren't really enjoying the hobby, you are kind of missing the point of making your own beer, at least in my opinion. There are plenty of cheap beers out there if your only goal is to save money. That's not my goal though, my goal is to make the best beer that I can and be able to rebrew a recipe and make it taste like the previous recipe. That in turn allows me to know that I know my system, therefor I can tweak recipes, try experiements and make beer that I enjoy drinking.

I just had this discussion last night with a friend I hadn't seen in a while. One of the questions he asked me about it was, "Are you saving any money." To which I replied, Honestly, when you add up all the stuff I buy for the hobby, Then, add to that, me actually buying more craft brew to try, I'm sure it's costing me money. But, it's my golf, my fishing. It's what I enjoy doing on a Saturday morning, to clear my head and not think about the busy week ahead or the one I just had. I am a very hands on person and build a lot of things on my own.

My father is a woodworker and really, beer brewing is very similar to that. It has a final product that is awesome, has some value in a monetary sense, but really, that's not all that it is about. The final product is definitely important in the process, but the real enjoyable part is taking your time, your knowledge, your hands and crafting something, anything really. In this case, for us it's beer.

I will admit, I actually did get into the hobby to save money. When I first got my kegerator I was just putting commercial beer in there. Well, 1/2 barrels went from $50, to $80, to $100 and now, for a lot of craft beers, well over $150. The more I thought about it, the more I thought that I could brew beer for that price and I could have 3 beers on tap instead of just one. I tallied all my costs, kept track of every dime, until about my third beer. At that point, I just thought, "Why am I worried about the cost of every ounce? Brewing beer is fun to me and that is really all that matters."

Don't get me wrong, I love the final product and I'm sure it's possible to save money brewing your own beer. I just don't feel like that should be the goal. At least not for the long term. Granted, it might be fun to do an experiment to see how cheaply you could make a beer. But, I just don't see how someone would ever stick with all of the work that goes into it, just to save a few bucks a month. And believe me, if it's any money at all, it's only a few bucks a month.

 

[BinghamtonEd]

My father is a woodworker and really, beer brewing is very similar to that. It has a final product that is awesome, has some value in a monetary sense, but really, that's not all that it is about. The final product is definitely important in the process, but the real enjoyable part is taking your time, your knowledge, your hands and crafting something, anything really. In this case, for us it's beer.

I can relate to that, being a woodworker (by hobby). Both are therapeutic and enjoyable, and neither really save much money as a hobby. If I added up all of my shop costs, the fact that I can build a solid cherry bookcase for $100 in wood doesn't mean that I'm saving much money over paying $500 for the same product that someone else made. Although, to be honest, if I made 48 bookcases in a batch...what's more important for both hobbies is that I enjoy doing them, and my wife is under the impression we're saving money.

 

[Peruvian802]

My costs to date:
-48qt cooler: bought in 1992 or so but recently converted to MLT. I'll say that's free at this point: $0
-two burner Bayou Classic burner given to me: $0
-8 15pks of Grolsch bottles given to me, some required seals :$2
-10 gallon Al. kettle: $40 on amazon.com
-5.5 gallon Al. kettle that we owned for lobster boils, etc: $0
-starter kit with bucket, auto siphon, airlocks, hydrometer, brushes, etc (actually purchased for cidering several years ago, but it counts as a cost): $99
-3 glass carboys given to me: $0
-paint strainers, DIY hop spider, varous SS clamps, etc: $30 (estimated)
-refractometer: $28
-borrowed IC: $0

TOTAL: $199

Average ingredients for 5 gal. batch: $20

12 pk (144 oz) of Harpoon, Sierra Nevada, etc: $15 ($67.50/5 gal)

$47.50 savings on each batch into $189 ~ 4.5 batches to break even. I am basically drinking for free now. At least that's what I've convinced SWMBO!

 

[betarhoalphadelta]

In the "How much do you spend" thread I just calculated that I spend -- on average -- between $48 and $73 to make a typical 10-gallon batch of beer. That's 110 bottle-equivalent, 58 bombers or 80 restaurant pints. Craft beer here is typically $10 / sixer, $5-6 / bomber (typical), or $5 / pint.

110 bottles equivalent = 18.3 sixers = $183
58 bombers equivalent = $319 (assuming average of $5.50)
80 pints equivalent = $400

So compared to store-bought sixers, I'm saving >$100 per batch, and for comparison to bombers/pints, saving basically $250 to >$300 per batch. (Note - the bombers *might* be a poor comparison as I'm often buying DIPA, rare beers, and other expensive batches in bombers, and brewing high-gravity will cost me more than $73, but then those often go for more than $6 anyway.)

I brew 12 batches of 10 gallons each per year. So you can assume that for equivalent quantity compared to store-bought sixers I'm saving $1200 per year, and much more compared to bombers.

Even with all the money I've spent over the last 6 1/2 years on equipment -- including 6-tap keezer, 12 kegs and replacement items over time -- I'm probably well past the break-even point at this time, and extending with every brew session.

But that said, I don't do it for the money. I do it because I love the hobby and I make awesome beer. I still buy commercial beer to go along with it anyway.

 

[TyTanium]

In economics there's a concept called minimum efficient scale. I don't know what the number is for brewing, but I sure as heck know it's an order of magnitude higher than 5 or 10 gallons.

Large breweries have a significant comparative advantage compared to homebrewers. So while it's possible (however unlikely) to "save money" from a cash flow perspective, it's not economically "efficient".

Thankfully I don't chose to brew to increase economic efficiency. I brew because it's fun and awesome and tasty and other people think I'm cool.