Ideas for reducing costs

[bandit77]

An $18 aluminum trash can will hold 3 bags of grain just fine (165 lbs.). They stay nice & shiny too.

My Haus Ale cost $7.85 per 5 gallon batch. Not only do save a considerable amount of money, but more importantly I save a great deal in time and gas money.

While I love going to the LHBS just to impulse buy, it's a minimum of 2 hours out of a Saturday to do so, plus at least $10 in gasoline for the round trip.

Because I have bulk grain, hops & yeast, I can brew many different beers, well, right now if I feel like it. The freedom and savings in time, gas, and money are well worth buying bulk IMHO.

I live next to a lake so high humidity is a problem. Mold is a consern to me as to storing grians. In the winter months I don`t see a problem. But the rest of the year I think mold will be a problem. For me their`s no saving by throwing out half bag of grain because of mold.

I don`t brew that much in order to build a special humidity controlled storing room or a freezer for grains.

But I`m looking for a cheaper Ideal if anybody has any comments.

 

[mandoman]

sorta playing devil's advocate, but seems like a lot of folks don't mind wasting water. Sure, it may be cheap (or free) where you are but that doesn't change the global budget. I use a regular one-way chiller and can't help but cringe at all the water I waste in the process, especially in summer. Where I live now, we are charged a flat rate for water (which, like others have said, is super duper cheap) BUT our sewer costs are based on the quantity of water we use and THAT price is super high. I've only been brewing about once every two months and I notice a HUGE spike in water use I can attribute to chill water. For y'all looking to be really cheap, I challenge you to try and be super EFFICIENT. I'm liking eds suggestion of having a pond to circulate water - an ornamental goldfish pond would work and you'd already have the pump if you use a filter in the pond. Also, for star-san reusers (this is what I think I'll do) we can fill carboys, buckets, etc. with chill waste water and treat with sanitizer to be used whenever. Last brew I used my chill water to wash everything since I was done with most of the equipment. Anyway, sure $$ hits us in the pocket, but we should consider the resources that will, likely in our lifetimes, show a serious cost increase. Propane shopane.

mm

 

[EdWort]

I live next to a lake so high humidity is a problem. Mold is a consern to me as to storing grians. In the winter months I don`t see a problem. But the rest of the year I think mold will be a problem. For me their`s no saving by throwing out half bag of grain because of mold.

I don`t brew that much in order to build a special humidity controlled storing room or a freezer for grains.

But I`m looking for a cheaper Ideal if anybody has any comments.

I weigh out my usual recipes in 5 gallon batch sizes and put them in foodsaver bags. Makes for an easy brewday and humidity in the garage is not a problem.

 

[moger777]

Anyone toast there own grains? I've never done it but you'd figure you could cut down the cost of specialty grains if you toasted them yourself.

 

[schultan]

Something that has yet to be mentioned is purchasing some hops rhizomes. Growing a high alpha acid hops along with a universal flavor/aroma hops could save you $5-$10/batch. I plan on planting some come springtime.

 

[craiger_ny]

A lot of folks mentioned high alpha acid hops as a route to savings. It should be noted that high alpha acid hops are the ones effected the most by low availability and subsequently rising prices (if you can get them at all).

No one has mentioned that money can be saved outside of the brew room in order to sustain the brew room at status quo. Think of your household as an organization and the brew room as the production floor. Trim the fat throughout the organization to keep the brew room at full capacity.

I will eat Ramen and turn my thermostat down another 10º to keep drinking my homebrew as is.

Think outside the box people. What's more important driving to work or beer?

 

[z987k]

brew beers with corn and/or rice.

 

[abracadabra]

Some of the ways we looked at saving water in another thread was to:
Use the water to fill your clothes and or dish washing machine, Bath tub, sinks.

And like Man said filling buckets for cleanup and sanitation. Also those buckets of water could be used to wash your car.

Anyone with access to a swimming pool could recirculate that water.

Something I'd thought about was hooking the exhaust hose of the chiller to a water sprinkler to water the garden or lawn. I was thinking that spraying the water up into the air might cool it down enough. Plus having a sprinkler would put a little bit of restriction on the flow thru the cooler & by slowing it down it might increase the efficiency. I don't really know but it's worth a shot.

I tried growing hops this year but they failed. A combination of the drought and a series of mistakes on my part. I plan to try it again next spring.

 

[bandit77]

I weigh out my usual recipes in 5 gallon batch sizes and put them in foodsaver bags. Makes for an easy brewday and humidity in the garage is not a problem.

wow :rockin: that should work.

Thank

 

[kappclark]

Foodsaver bags - does that require special equipment ?

 

[EdWort]

Foodsaver bags - does that require special equipment ?

Yep. A FoodSaver vacume packer.

 

[srm775]

I was pulling out the rosemary and basil out of the garden a few weeks ago and I found the basil rather awesome smelling. I've always liked the rosemary, I just don't know of anybody who's made a beer with it recently. Rosemary is rather piney smelling. It might be a good Xmas beer.

I wouldn't use rosemary in beer if I were you. My brother used to brew a rosemary porter and while it was drinkable, you could only drink one beer before your were ready for a regular beer. It has a very odd flavor (almost cough syrupish/jaegermister-ish) and definitely requires gettting used to.

 

[cheezydemon]

STOP EATING OUT.......

Seriously, If I could do that I would have an extra $150.00 a month for homebrew supplies.....God give me the strength.....must ..resist..taco bell.......

 

[kappclark]

OK - The vacumpacker - it sounds expensive ... any suggestions on $$ or where to get one of these ?

 

[Yuri_Rage]

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000AAYD6W/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

 

[modenacart]

Don't forget your LHBS. Its nice to save money, but if they go out of business, it might become way to hard to get some things.

I get all kinds of crap off freecycle that I use. Someone might have a foodsaver they just want out of their house. When I want something I usually post something to give. I find that it helps.

 

[abracadabra]

Don't forget your LHBS. Its nice to save money, but if they go out of business, it might become way to hard to get some things.

I get all kinds of crap off freecycle that I use. Someone might have a foodsaver they just want out of their house. When I want something I usually post something to give. I find that it helps.

"Freecycle" excellent suggestion.

I like to support my LHBS where I can but most of his prices are just too high.

Here's the bottom line for me. I am trading my time for money.
My time = my life.
So I am trading my life away for money and at the end of my life I can't trade that money back for more time. So for me saving money is more than just nice. It allows me to work less, I can turn down overtime or jobs I don't want and be with my family or do other things I enjoy.

For me that's much more important than whether a LHBS stays in business or not.

 

[TexLaw]

"Freecycle" excellent suggestion.

I like to support my LHBS where I can but most of his prices are just too high.

Here's the bottom line for me. I am trading my time for money.
My time = my life.
So I am trading my life away for money and at the end of my life I can't trade that money back for more time. So for me saving money is more than just nice. It allows me to work less, I can turn down overtime or jobs I don't want and be with my family or do other things I enjoy.

For me that's much more important than whether a LHBS stays in business or not.

That's fairly short sighted. You do trade money for time. More than likely, you don't grow and malt all your own grain, you don't grow all your own hops, and you don't manufacture all your own brewing equipment. You certainly don't mine your own metals and make your own steel. You pay for those products because someone spent the time to do it for you. You pay them for their time, directly or indirectly. You spend some of your money, rather than some of your time, just as you spend some of your time to get some money.

If you couldn't find a LHBS or online HBS to serve you, you might have a problem finding the time. That goes the same for grocery stores, auto mechanics, utility providers, or just about anything else out there.


TL

 

[killian]

Search homebrewtalk to see other people's equipment (fly guys 10gallon mash tun, etc.)
-
my plan is to brew 3gallon batches on my stove top in the end I will end up with more varieties of home brew and I will save on propane
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Check craigslist for equipment (I found 3 carboys for a 30 pack of busch)
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Im looking in to a hot water heater element for my HLT (please PM me if you can help)
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Sell homebrew,,,just kidding

 

[Evan!]

That's fairly short sighted. You do trade money for time. More than likely, you don't grow and malt all your own grain, you don't grow all your own hops, and you don't manufacture all your own brewing equipment. You certainly don't mine your own metals and make your own steel. You pay for those products because someone spent the time to do it for you. You pay them for their time, directly or indirectly. You spend some of your money, rather than some of your time, just as you spend some of your time to get some money.

If you couldn't find a LHBS or online HBS to serve you, you might have a problem finding the time. That goes the same for grocery stores, auto mechanics, utility providers, or just about anything else out there.


TL

Also known as division of labor...:rockin:

 

[Brewing Clamper]

STOP EATING OUT.......

Seriously, If I could do that I would have an extra $150.00 a month for homebrew supplies.....God give me the strength.....must ..resist..taco bell.......

Dude, you're absofreakinlutely right! We spend an a$$load on eating out (at reastaurants ) every month. I probably see the SWMBO twice a week for lunch and we'll go out at least once on the weekend for a "nice" (read:expensive) meal.

"Sorry dear, we can't go out to eat, that's at least 2 batches of beer... what do you mean you have a headache?"

 

[delboy]

mash high for dextrins/body and malty profile and then add sugar to thin the beer to quaffable levels, thats what they did in the old days

 

[iamjonsharp]

Reducing Costs (some have prob already been mentioned):

Ingredients:
Brew more low hopped beers and more session beer styles
Brew less big beers or beers with lots of extra ingredients
Plan several months of recipes ahead and buy in bulk
Stick to your plan/budget and don't impulse buy
Filter tap water instead of buying store bought water
Make your own invert or candi sugar
If you end up making more beer than you can drink, either make less beer or make smaller batches
Harvest Yeast
Use dry yeast
Plan appropriately so you can pitch new batch on yeast cake
Strain leftover wort to use for starters

Equipment:
Plan ahead what you need and buy extra of breakable things
(This is mainly true if you shop online. If I end up needing just one thing and have to buy online, I end up buying a bunch of stuff to justify the shipping costs.)
Stick with equipment you need rather than equipment you want
Buy equipment with your future brewing needs in mind (ie if you are going to go to all grain, or larger batches, etc.)

 

[abracadabra]

That's fairly short sighted. .


TL

Thank you for setting me straight Tex

How foolish of me prefering to spend time with my family and being more concerned with the welfare of my family than the welfare of my LHBS.

 

[mew]

mash high for dextrins/body and malty profile and then add sugar to thin the beer to quaffable levels, thats what they did in the old days

I've often wondered if it would really be the same that way.

 

[TexLaw]

Thank you for setting me straight Tex

How foolish of me prefering to spend time with my family and being more concerned with the welfare of my family than the welfare of my LHBS.

If you were that concerned about your family, you wouldn't spend so much time on this forum. ( back atcha)


TL

 

[abracadabra]

If you were that concerned about your family, you wouldn't spend so much time on this forum. ( back atcha)


TL

Guess what. I'm getting paid to spend time on this forum.

 

[hollowdp]

STOP EATING OUT.......

Seriously, If I could do that I would have an extra $150.00 a month for homebrew supplies.....God give me the strength.....must ..resist..taco bell.......

Aside from ramen noodles, rice, and pasta what's cheaper than taco bell? I understand avoiding pricier places but unless you're feeding a medium to large family I would have a hard time making food for less than I would spend at taco bell.

 

[abracadabra]

I heard yesterday that Burger King was coming out with a $1 double cheese burger.

 

[craiger_ny]

I heard yesterday that Burger King was coming out with a $1 double cheese burger.

And how do you suppose they got the cost out of that? No thanks.