Is brewing your own beer really worth the money and time????. let assume i drink $10 a 6pk beers....I have a all grain system that i have spent $1500 on total... each beer from the liquor store is going to cost $10/$6 = $1.66 a beer . how many beers does it take to re-coupe $1500/$1.66= $900....so it would take 900 beers to recoupe my beer brewing investment.....in a 5gl batch i get about 50 beers.... 900/50=18..... so by my math it will take about 18 brewdays to recoupe my money back!!!! I'm not counting propane/water or my own time. This is a enjoyable hobby to me, I am pretty sure that everyone brewing beer enjoys the act of brewing beer.... if they didn't, they wouldn't do it....... example, I "most of the time" change my own oil in my truck.... i dont enjoy it.... some might enjoy changing the oil in there cars, I DON'T. I only do it because its cheaper than paying someone. I enjoy drinking beer,,,, i also enjoy brewing beer. sounds like a win win:rockin:
is brewing beer worth my time?
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If you don't factor in propane, water, time, and costly/complicated recipes (imperial ipa for example), sure, you'll "make up the cash."
One of the biggest myths of homebrewing is "making cheaper beer". People have done the math, and it's always complicated. Sure, the ingredients may be cheaper, but after everything else, it's most likely not.
It's the best hobby I'll ever have. The end product is beer! That's all I care about, not the cost.
One of the biggest myths of homebrewing is "making cheaper beer". People have done the math, and it's always complicated. Sure, the ingredients may be cheaper, but after everything else, it's most likely not.
It's the best hobby I'll ever have. The end product is beer! That's all I care about, not the cost.
Jeepinctbrewer
Well-Known Member
well said!! ^^
I, like you, am a frugal beast. Fixed costs are the cost of business. Consider yourself AB or Miller/Coors. You get to keep that money and have the satisfaction of knowing what you are drinking. My body is a temple. 
I KNOW whats in my beer, and it got there because I said so.
Put a cost on that, pardner.
I KNOW whats in my beer, and it got there because I said so.Put a cost on that, pardner.
android
Well-Known Member
i doubt many of us ever fully recoup the costs... but half (or more) of the fun is putting your system(s) together, stockpiling ingredients, etc. not to mention the increase (at least for me) in buying craft beer for research...
looneybomber
Well-Known Member
I don't think it's worth it if you don't like it. I however like making things. I started with building computers, then speakers, amps, and now beer. My wife now wants me to build a living room and dining room set, but I don't know how to tell her I am too busy with beer.
![Craft A Brew - Safale BE-256 Yeast - Fermentis - Belgian Ale Dry Yeast - For Belgian & Strong Ales - Ingredients for Home Brewing - Beer Making Supplies - [3 Pack]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51bcKEwQmWL._SL500_.jpg)
looneybomber
Well-Known Member
You forgot to factor in the cost of ingredients per batch. If each batch costs $30 and you brewed 18 batches, there's another $540 spent.
$30/50cans = $.60/can.
So your formula would be .6x+1500=1.66x where x=beer and the coefficients representing dollars.
Solving for x gives you 1415 beers, roughly.
I am still relatively new to the beer brewing scene but I have noticed beer in a whole new way. I liken it to cooking. Sure you can eat fast food your whole (probably short) life, but wouldn't you rather eat finer fare?
Brewing my own gives me a way to enjoy quality beers and not shell out the big bucks for it. Also nothing will ever be as fresh. I even save on holidays since most people I know drink beer and think a six pack of something special is a great gift. It's definitely worth every penny. It's the cheapest way to popularity I can think of.
Brewing my own gives me a way to enjoy quality beers and not shell out the big bucks for it. Also nothing will ever be as fresh. I even save on holidays since most people I know drink beer and think a six pack of something special is a great gift. It's definitely worth every penny. It's the cheapest way to popularity I can think of.
looneybomber
Well-Known Member
Why do you have to be that GUY???
Oh my kids are gonna love me when they become teens
brewingmeister
Well-Known Member
If you aren't counting propane or time how about the cost of electricity, cleaners and the multitude of miscellaneous?
you have to piss away a lot of money to make brew...then have more brew to not remember how much money you pissed away in the first place.
you have to piss away a lot of money to make brew...then have more brew to not remember how much money you pissed away in the first place.
thegerm
Well-Known Member
it's a hobby. you can make good fresh craft beer with your own hands and skills. I think that's what attracts the vast majority of homebrewers to the hobby, not the cost savings over store bought craft beer.
for some craft beers, yes you can do it cheaper yourself. for others, not so much. if you like making things yourself, that experience will more than compensate for any cost differentials.
for some craft beers, yes you can do it cheaper yourself. for others, not so much. if you like making things yourself, that experience will more than compensate for any cost differentials.
1500+40x=83x where X=# of batches (at 1.66 per can of beer = $83 per batch equivalent) (estimate $40 avg batch all things included h20,propane, cleaners, recipe) and again 1500 for pretty sweet gear.... it would take you roughly 35 batches to break even. or 1750 beers that doesn't account for inflation though so you better drink an awful lot! Cause that's roughly 4.75 12oz beers a night! And, that concludes midnight math lol make it cause it's fun, drink it cause it's good, cheers!
that doesn't account for inflation though so you better drink an awful lot! Cause that's roughly 4.75 12oz beers a night! And, that concludes midnight math lol make it cause it's fun, drink it cause it's good, cheers!
Brewing is all about control. You control the carb, the flavor, the ABV, the temp, more or less everything. You can make a tasty session brew or a killer high ABV belgium. It will never be as cheap as buying it in the store, but the store ebeer will never be as good as your home brew either. Even your worst attempt at brewing will usually be better than a commercial product. The investment is negligable when you consider that you can use it for nearly a lifetime too. I am a builder (metal fab) and tinkerer so I get a ton of satisfaction from building brew gear and tinkering with electronics and pneumatics just because I can. I'm near a grand in my brew stand, but it is over the top too. I have pneumatic leg extension with safety interlock, multiple temp monitors with high and low temp alarms. March pumps, all stainless fittings, RODI water with boost pump and storage tank and other little upgrades and tweaks. I did all of that stuff because I can, no particular reason other than that. I also have hops growing and I farm my yeast and asses it's condition in my microscope and hemocytometer. So for me it's about all the stuff associated with the actual act of brewing. If I study every thing I add and learn to make electronics, and pneumatics then I have a practical exercise for the book study. Thats just my .02, and I am crippled now so I have a lot of time to devote to doing things "because I can". It all depends on what you seek from the hobby whether it is worth it or not. For me it is....but that could change as my interests change over time.
Bob
Bob
KavDaven
Well-Known Member
Well, if your looking for people to help you drink the beer necessary to break even on an investment of time, money and heart... you've come to the right place. Even if you think your beer sucks or is infected, someone here would probably take it from you.
As for me, I have amazed family and friends with my cooking, baking and now beer. I took my first brew in bottles to a local home brew party and received many compliment on making a classic weizzen. I was king for a night with just a simple kit brew. The most highly regarded compliment was 'excellent sanitation for a noob'.
For me, beer isn't the hobby exclusively. There is also the DIY projects like keezers, ferm chambers and shelves for bottles and equipment. It's hosting a homebrew party and meeting interesting people. Its baking bread with left over ale yeast and grains. Its about beginning to think you know it all and realizing you've just scratched the surface.
I gave up on accounting for the costs and most forget to look beyond the primary costs to the secondary and tertiary costs. Not to mention, if I wasn't doing this, what the hell else would I do?
As for me, I have amazed family and friends with my cooking, baking and now beer. I took my first brew in bottles to a local home brew party and received many compliment on making a classic weizzen. I was king for a night with just a simple kit brew. The most highly regarded compliment was 'excellent sanitation for a noob'.
For me, beer isn't the hobby exclusively. There is also the DIY projects like keezers, ferm chambers and shelves for bottles and equipment. It's hosting a homebrew party and meeting interesting people. Its baking bread with left over ale yeast and grains. Its about beginning to think you know it all and realizing you've just scratched the surface.
I gave up on accounting for the costs and most forget to look beyond the primary costs to the secondary and tertiary costs. Not to mention, if I wasn't doing this, what the hell else would I do?
beergolf
Well-Known Member
I don't even think about the cost. I just enjoy brewing beer. I like to cook and brewing is just an extension of that. I like formulating recipes and tweaking them to get beer that I like to drink. There is something very satisfying about drinking a brew that you made from a recipe that you made up.
I brew a lot of Belgians so I guess that if I figured it out I am probably saving money, since they are usually pretty expensive to but, but either way I don't really care about that.
Brew for fun and satisfaction.
I brew a lot of Belgians so I guess that if I figured it out I am probably saving money, since they are usually pretty expensive to but, but either way I don't really care about that.
Brew for fun and satisfaction.
Threads like this are silly. Trying to figure out your cost and being able to "break even or get ahead" is ALWAYS flawed. How far can you divide something out? Just thinking about this stuff hurts my brain this early in the AM...
This is a HOBBY and I am going to leave you with this gem...
"Those that brew for the love of brewing will always profit. Those that brew for profit seldom will."
This is a HOBBY and I am going to leave you with this gem...
"Those that brew for the love of brewing will always profit. Those that brew for profit seldom will."
It's not worth it if you don't enjoy it.
I'm in Ontario Canada, our alcohol distribution is controlled and monopolized here... 28$ for a 24 is the lowest legal limit to sell... most discount brands are selling for 28-30 for 24 beers... coorse and budweiser are around 35-36$ for 24 beers... and craft beer is usually found between 40 and 50$ for a 24 IF YOU CAN FIND IT in the beer store (rarely) And if you have to buy craft beer at the liquor store it's 12-16$ for 6 pack (only size they come)... so UP TO 60$ for 24 craft beers.... i can make a batch of Edwort's Haus Pale for about 20$ if i drive to buy my ingredients and pay no shipping, that's 2 1/2 cases for 20$ compared to paying over 100$ for the same amount of equal quality product.... If you do the math, i'll drink 2-3 cases a month... saving maybe 80$ a month.. doesn't take long to recoop 1500$ 18-20 months?
Barnzy02
Well-Known Member
There's just something about coming home from work and pouring a nice pint out of the keezer, knowing that i made it and knowing exactly what's in it.
Plus FRESH Beer is the BEST Beer.
Plus FRESH Beer is the BEST Beer.
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It will cost you more money to make good beer than to buy good beer. Like other's have said. It's a hobby.
Right. It's a hobby.
That's like asking if working on a 1969 Mustang is "worth" it when you can buy a new car for $20,000. I certainly wouldn't enjoy working in a garage as a "hobby" but many guys do and love restoring cars. I'd love to have an old classic, but I'm not doing the work required to have it. So I'll buy a new car when I need one.
The same is true of fishing. If I factored in the cost for each bluegill, it would not be worth it. Boat, trailer, equipment, gas, fishing license, etc, each fish fillet might cost $50 per pound. But I love fishing so it's worth it to me.
I'm just glad I don't have a more expensive hobby, like SCUBA or skydiving.
boscobeans
Well-Known Member
It's like hamburger to me. ?
I can go out and buy 80/20 pre-made burgers at the supermarket and throw them on the grill or...
I can buy a good cut of meat and grind it myself. I can add bacon, spices or any number of adjuncts to the grind.
Is the home ground burger any better? I think so.
Is it any less expensive? Sometimes yes and sometimes no, but here's the kicker; I enjoy doing it and I enjoy the final product.
bosco
I can go out and buy 80/20 pre-made burgers at the supermarket and throw them on the grill or...
I can buy a good cut of meat and grind it myself. I can add bacon, spices or any number of adjuncts to the grind.
Is the home ground burger any better? I think so.
Is it any less expensive? Sometimes yes and sometimes no, but here's the kicker; I enjoy doing it and I enjoy the final product.
bosco
I did the math once for myself:
1. I've put in about $600 so far on my All Grain system.
2. ~$10/6-pack of commercial beer, and ~$0.60/beer in ingredients when homebrewing.
3. So, if 48 beers from the store would cost ~$80 and homebrewing ~$30, then I'm saving $50 per batch of beer I make.
4. $600/$50 = 12 batches before I break even. I've done 24 batches.
This is all theory, but it gives you an idea. Even if you spent twice as much ($1200), you still theoretically break even after 24 batches.
Hey, wait a minute - does this mean I'm justified in buying another $600 worth of new gear?
1. I've put in about $600 so far on my All Grain system.
2. ~$10/6-pack of commercial beer, and ~$0.60/beer in ingredients when homebrewing.
3. So, if 48 beers from the store would cost ~$80 and homebrewing ~$30, then I'm saving $50 per batch of beer I make.
4. $600/$50 = 12 batches before I break even. I've done 24 batches.
This is all theory, but it gives you an idea. Even if you spent twice as much ($1200), you still theoretically break even after 24 batches.
Hey, wait a minute - does this mean I'm justified in buying another $600 worth of new gear?
I tell SWMBO that the money we save on buying beer can go towards a dive vacation. I love diving, but dammit it's not as cost effective as making my own beer!
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Is being completely AWESOME worth the time? :rockin:
Grinnan5150
Well-Known Member
I guess everyone's all grain set up is different but $1,500 sounds like a lot of money for an all grain set up. Not factoring in the cost of propane my all grain set up was about $600 for the brew kettle, propane burner, mash tun and sparge arm. I could make it even cheaper if I did it all DIY but I'm lazy.
If it's fun it's worth the money. If it's not fun, save your money for beer at the store. It would be an even more fun hobby if my wife didn't complain about how much time I spend on brewing/talking about brewing!
If it's fun it's worth the money. If it's not fun, save your money for beer at the store. It would be an even more fun hobby if my wife didn't complain about how much time I spend on brewing/talking about brewing!
