is brewing beer worth my time?

[huge1s]

This^^
I was thinking opportunity costs, margin and utility the whole thread. It really is more complicated than just dollars and cents.

I had a similar conversation with my brother-in-law about "the cost of my time". We were actually talking about me finishing my basement, but the concept still applies. His argument was that I had to factor in X dollars an hour that I spent working on the basement. I agree there is an "economic" value to my time, but that doesn't always translate to a dollar value. I saved a ton of money by doing the work myself and argued that nobody was going to give me money for an activity (unless I took on a second job) that I did instead of finishing my basement. Sure, there is opportunity cost of not doing something else like sitting on my butt or playing golf... but that missed opportunity would not translate into more money in my wallet. I don't agree with saying "you have to figure in the cost of your time" into the dollars and cents calculation of the cost of home brewing unless you are going to spend those 5 hours doing an activity that actually pays you money. If you take off 5 hours of work (hourly employee) to brew beer... then you should factor it in. My guess is that most of us would spend those 5 hours doing something else besides working extra hours in our hourly jobs.

 

[geckler]

Without a doubt I can say that my homebrewing is very cost effective for my friends who drink it.

This

 

[spearko520]

it's still cheaper than coke and whores!

 

[Calder]

I re-started brewing about 3 years ago, and have kept meticulous records of costs of everything I have bought. The only things I do not have in my cost roll-up is my own time and electricity.

I do partial mash (so don't have an all-grain set-up). I do partial boil, so I don't buy propane. I do have a turkey burner and an extra large pot, I have included them in my costs even though I have never used them.

I buy grain, hops and extract in bulk, and re-use yeast. I probably have enough ingredients to do about 20 more brews with little extra to buy.

Over the past 3 years I have produced somewhere between 4,000 and 5,000 bottles (I don't have my records on this computer), and the average cost of a 12 ozs beer (including everything I have spent to date) works out at $0.50. My average abv (again, being anal and keeping records) is about 6.5%. I have Barleywines, Lambics, Flanders, Belgians, Stouts, Porters, and several English and American Pale Ales right at hand, and I would happily stand any of them against major Commercial craft examples.

I find it fun and cost effective ....... Now if I should factor in my time, all those records go out the window.

 

[innocent75]

I, much like many others, enjoy making the beer. I remember when I brewed my first batch. I gave some to a bunch of friends and family just to see their faces when I told them I made it. It is a thrill for me to brew it, bottle it, then when you finally get to taste it.... I get excited.

Is it cheaper? Probably not but possibly. Is it easier? Definitely not. It is more exciting? For me most definitely.

I know I dragged this out, but it is just my opinion. It also gives you some insight as to why I brew (and many other people).

 

[BearPusher]

Like others have mentioned, I brew because I enjoy it. I'm still at the beer kit stage, but it's a blast. I can say it was saving me lots of money, that is untill I just bought my keg setup and I guess its a slippery slop from here.

That and no one complains when I tell them I need some beer consumed to free up bottles for the next batch!

 

[bscott1011]

For me it is worth it. I don't care if brewing is more or less expensive than buying beer at the store, I enjoy my time when bottling and brewing. Its relaxing and I get beer from the process. I also change my own oil, garden, and bbq because I enjoy it not to save money.

 

[TravisT]

it's still cheaper than coke and whores!

you should really buy your coke and whores in bulk. just keep them in a cool dry area!

 

[loud1]

This is by far the cheapest hobby I have, I get to use my machine tools to make new toys for brewing and i get to taste some of the best brews I have ever had (couple of the worst too).

 

[betarhoalphadelta]

"is brewing beer worth my time?"

Well that's a silly question. How can any of us put a value on your time and a value on how much you'll enjoy brewing & drinking beer?

Hell, some people drink solely to get drunk, and for those people, what's your answer to them if they ask if it's worth buying Sierra Nevada instead of 1.75L bottles of cheap vodka? Value is subjective.

As for me, I toss the money aspect of it out the door entirely. I do well enough in the financial side of my life to be able to afford all the craft beer I want. I'm also a very busy guy -- I work hard at the office and harder at home with 2 (soon to be 3) little rugrats running around. So my time is probably more valuable to me than the money...

...yet I still brew. Because I love brewing beer. For me, the time is not "wasted" brewing beer of similar quality to what I can buy in a store. Brewing is for me a release. It's a way to let go of work and kids for a while and do something I enjoy. And it's incredibly satisfying to brew unique and excellent beer for my own consumption, as well as to see other people drink it and incredulously ask "You brewed this? REALLY?!" So to me, it's very much "worth it". But it may or may not be for you.

 

[hepcat]

Like any other hobby, it's something you do because you are passionate about it, love doing it. Period.

 

[marca31]

I know as a homebrewer I will always be in the red. Homebrewing is a hobby. And like gardening, knitting, and woodworking it is a hobby that produces an economic offset. It is not a 100% offset, but definitely over 50%. Once you factor in equipment and materials you will be hard pressed to find a hobby that yields a 100% offset. It is fair to assume that you will be drinking beer anyway. And it is fair to assume that the leisure time you spend brewing would be otherwise spent doing something else leisurely. Homebrewing rewards your leisure time with a product that you would probably buy anyway. Competition and economy of scale dictate that professional brewers, farmers, clothing manufacturers, and furniture makers will usually be able to make their products at a cheaper per unit cost that you can reasonably do at home.

I like big beers (RIS, IIPA, and strong Belgians). Considering my craft brew target samples go for $8 -15 a bottle I think I get a pretty good ROI. But it is also an excuse to be outside listening to music, playing with fire and drinking lots of beer. I get to geek out with science and I haven't run out of beer at the end of the night in years.

 

[rico567]

If I needed to figure "per unit costs" I wouldn't be a homebrewer, but an industrial engineer. Yeah, it's probably beer I would drink even if I didn't homebrew, but the intangible involvement that exists with any pastime (aka "hobby") does it for me....or I wouldn't be doing it, trust me.

 

[TyTanium]

Crunching the numbers KEEPS me homebrewing. Because I sure as heck wouldn't want to do this for a living. $/hr is pretty terrible...