Homebrewing Cost analysis.

[Sea]

So I ran a VERY crude cost analysis of brewing versus buying at both the store and the bar. Let me stress that money is not why I brew, but was just curious what my time is worth. I'm sure this has been done a hundred times, here's my take:

Assumed:

-Realistically, 8 hours time over 4-5 weeks.
-My AG batches have been running around $30 (I don't buy in bulk or reuse yeast yet)
-Sixer in store, ave. $7.80 (with deposit here in OR)
-Pint at bar $3.50

5 Gal at store $69
5 Gal at bar $140

So, my time's worth $4.87/hr (store) or $13.75/hr (Bar). The bar number is a little disingenuous, since you don't really get to drink the beer you buy at the bar at home.

Conclusion:

Ask yourself the question: Would you take a job doing something you loved that only payed $4.87/hr, if you could drink all day at work?

Tough decision.......

 

[bigjohnmilford]

I'd say the brewing is worth it. I think I produce a better product @ home then I can buy. That's not to say I don't buy any though. Thanks for doing the work for me. Have a good one

 

[EdWort]

I'd say the brewing is worth it. I think I produce a better product @ home then I can buy. That's not to say I don't buy any though.

I agree 100%. I love having 3 faucets on tap in my kitchen and when a keg blows, I head out to the garage and pickup another chilled & carbed keg ready to go.

My costs for 5 gallon batches range from $6.50 to $9 depending on the recipe since I buy bulk an propagate liquid yeast strains.

While I save loads of bucks on my beer, you cannot put a price on the satisfaction I get each time I pull one of my beers, bring the glass to my lips, and marvel at the fact that I created this liquid nectar of the gods.

 

[Bobby_M]

I definitely don't do it for the money. Even if someone handed me the exact beer that I brew for the cost (minus my time), I would still want to do it myself. That's why it's called a hobby. Of course it's impractical. I have tons of money tied up in it already and it's not stopping anytime soon. I'm really careful when people ask me how much money I save by brewing. haha.. You end up sounding like a woman trying to justify buying 4 pairs of shoes on "sale".

 

[Big "A"]

I was kind of interested to see how much I would save at first. Which I guess by brewing your own you do. I get more satisfaction from the fact that I created it much like EdWort.

 

[Cheesefood]

It's a hobby. By definition, hobbies are incredible wastes of time and money. They give us something to do and keep our minds active. You shouldn't homebrew to save money, you should do it because you honestly have no better way you'd rather spend your time.

 

[the_bird]

Yup. Hobby. Keeps me from getting bored with the domestic life. I'm not just looking for the cheapest way to get beer. The cost, as long as it's reasonable and doesn't hurt the family budget, is essentially irrelevant.

Here's another way to look at it - would you pay $5/hr to have as much fun as this hobby provides?

 

[Funkenjaeger]

Ask yourself the question: Would you take a job doing something you loved that only payed $4.87/hr, if you could drink all day at work?

Don't forget, it's also a job where you can work as much or as little as you want, whenever you have the free time to do so - no schedule, no boss, no pressure. And with a small amount of added planning and effort, you can dramatically increase your "pay rate" - it's not unreasonable to think that you could quite easily cut the cost of your batches in half (bulk grain/hops and yeast reuse), and shave an hour or two off the time spent on each batch, doubling or tripling the rates you calculated.

And, I agree 100% with everything the_bird said. Saving money on beer is nothing but a great side benefit.

 

[Cheesefood]

Best part about the hobby is that you don't end up with a bunch of model airplanes or stuff that'll clutter up your house. Just stuff to clutter the garage.

 

[JustDave]

Here's another way to look at it - would you pay $5/hr to have as much fun as this hobby provides?

Yes. Except on bottling day.

 

[the_bird]

Yes. Except on bottling day.

Spoken like a man who needs to spend some money on kegging equipment!

 

[BierMuncher]

...-Realistically, 8 hours time over 4-5 weeks....

Does that include all the time pondering your beer...dreaming of your next batch...dicking around at work with BeerSmith (et al)...researching beer types?

Does that include the time to post genious prose on HBT...like mine

 

[Glibbidy]

It cost me about .20 per pint. Labor not included since it's fun, I don't really see it as work, I.E. a labor of love.

 

[JustDave]

Spoken like a man who needs to spend some money on kegging equipment!

I hear that!

Christmas is coming soon ... I have to make my list for SWMBO!

 

[Cheesefood]

And let's not to factor in the promotions we're being passed over for since we spend time on HBT instead of working.

 

[TheJadedDog]

If I wanted to save money I would just drink BMC, but then I would be miserable. Instead I spend the money and make my own beer, drink it from my own taps, and I am happy happy happy.

Honestly, I never tried to factor whether or not brewing my own beer was cheaper than buying commercial, it just had no impact on my decision to brew beer.

 

[Cheesefood]

Walker and I had a friendly debate about this once.

 

[Reverend JC]

I think i am sitting somewhere near .23 cents per pint. While my grain is in bulk (55lb base 2 row)i do get alot of grain, and i mean ALOT, from a local Brewery for their competition. i always have some left over to brew my self 5 gallons and they are cool with that. With 4 competitions a year that 20 gallons worth of free grain lowers my cost comsiderably.

Actually what happens is I make 10 gallons each 5 slightly tweaked and give them what i think is my best example. If it makes it past the first round then i have to serve it to the public and dont get much of the 5 gallons, if it dosent make it, well, i have 10 virtually free gallons of glorious beer for myself.

 

[the_bird]

The only time this ever had really come up for me is when I'm trying to convince the wife WHY I need this particular piece of equipment... "But dear, I need the wort chiller so I can do all-grain and only pay twenty cents a pint for that beer you love!"

 

[Chris_Dog]

The only time this ever had really come up for me is when I'm trying to convince the wife WHY I need this particular piece of equipment... "But dear, I need the wort chiller so I can do all-grain and only pay twenty cents a pint for that beer you love!"

Having been married for nearly 20 yrs. She ain't buying that one anymore.
(Use it wisely grasshopper)

 

[JustDave]

Having been married for nearly 20 yrs. She ain't buying that one anymore.
(Use it wisely grasshopper)

I've been married for 3.5 weeks, so that should work for me, right?

 

[TheJadedDog]

The only time this ever had really come up for me is when I'm trying to convince the wife WHY I need this particular piece of equipment... "But dear, I need the wort chiller so I can do all-grain and only pay twenty cents a pint for that beer you love!"

With all the shoes/bags/cosmetics mine purchases we never really have arguments about equipment purchases (unless I want to take over more space in the house, then it's a whole other story).

 

[ohiobrewtus]

There are some really great responses in here, guys.

When I decided to start brewing, saving money was not even on my mind. I wanted to do it because I love beer - GOOD beer. The thought of being able to make my own beer that was as good or possibly even better than anything I could buy at the store fascinated me, and it still does 30+ batches later.

I later found out that I can make better beer for a bit less or about the same cost as what I would buy it for and I was thrilled. Of course that savings is almost constantly being offset by new equipment purchases (with kegging and a Sanyo conversion on the horizon), but if you're doing it just to save a few pennies then you're doing it for the wrong reason. I continue to brew because I really enjoy the process and consuming the end result.

I wash yeast and will soon be buying grain in bulk in order to get some of my costs down but it's not because I have to, it's because I want to. It's a challenge to me. I'm always looking for the next thing that can help me produce a high quality beer at the lowest ingredient cost possible .

 

[JustDave]

I homebrew for the same reason I cook and bake -- I like making the things I eat and drink. I'm intrigued by the challenge of making something just as good as, if not better than, something I can buy at the store or a restaurant. Cost doesn't really factor into it, it's all about making something with my own two hands that I can be proud of.

And I don't factor in time either, since I consider cooking/brewing to be a hobby of mine. I'd much rather be in the kitchen making tortillas from scratch or brewing a batch of beer than sitting in front of the TV.

 

[BierMuncher]

hmm.. 20 posts in just a few hours. This has post whore opportunity written all over it...

 

[rdwj]

hmm.. 20 posts in just a few hours. This has post whore opportunity written all over it...

hmmmm, I think you're on to something (+1)

 

[FSR402]

It would be kind of cool to add up ALL the money I have spent on this hobby and figure out how much each gallon of beer has cost me. But then if I did that. the wife would see it and flip out..

 

[jdoiv]

I got into the hobby 'cause I like tinkering with food and recipes and thought I would like doing the same with beer. Now I like brewing more than cooking. The cost savings were a side benefit at first. Now I find the cost savings to be one of my objectives. If I can make beer as good if not better than a commercial microbrew for a fraction of the cost, then I'm obtaining my objective. I enjoy finding ways to reduce the cost and make great beer. My general house beers run me $7-10 a keg. Compare that to two cases of SNPA (my favorite commercial beer) and it would be around $50. I don't need to save money, but if it's part of the deal, I'm all over it.

 

[boo boo]

Well I'm a cheap SOB and I do it because it is cheaper for me to make 5 dozen than to buy 1/2 dozen at $11.50 of BMC type. Don't get me wrong. I love the fact I make my own and that I do it from scratch. Plus a lot of what I make isn't available to me locally.

 

[Llarian]

This is one of the major reason I want to step up to 10 gallon batches once I get a house. Not that I brew for the cost savings, but the time investment doesn't scale with the batch size, which makes it a lot more time effective.

-D