saving money with brewing

[eric19312]

Haven't seen a lot of mention about the "cost" of your time. I spend about 10 hours over several weeks to produce a 5 gal batch (brewing, cleaning, dryhopping, bottling). If I took a part time job for 1 saturday a month to pay for my drinking habit of 2-3 craft (or homebrewed) beers a day, that would "save" me more money than homebrewing.

But that's not why we're into it, right?

No I spend the time brewing so that the rest of the time when I'm not brewing I can think/talk/read/otherwise obsess about brewing. No way your part time job delivers on that benefit.

 

[freisste]

Here's the bottom line:

If I wasn't brewing in my spare time, I would be doing some other (more expensive) hobby. So it saves me money by getting in the way of me spending money elsewhere.

Say what you will. "Brewing isn't cheap" or "it can be as expensive as you want it" or whatever. It is cheaper than a lot of hobbies, and it is pretty easy to get a useful output. I have golfed for years with absolutely no tangible output.

 

[budonze]

For me in Canada it's cheaper to brew at home. Considered I buy a partial grain BIaB for $50 which makes 5 gallons of IPA, porter or stout. A case of equivalent beer would cost over $40. The other factor is that in my Province the government has a monopoly on alcohol sales, it's hard to find different craft brews. The big beer companies (with the help of the government) really squeeze out the small guys.

 

[JDGator]

For me in Canada it's cheaper to brew at home. Considered I buy a partial grain BIaB for $50 which makes 5 gallons of IPA, porter or stout. A case of equivalent beer would cost over $40. The other factor is that in my Province the government has a monopoly on alcohol sales, it's hard to find different craft brews. The big beer companies (with the help of the government) really squeeze out the small guys.

Your right about that. I'm up here in the north and i have never seen 99% of the beers shown on this site. We have Molson and Labatt and they pretty much control it all.

 

[hillybilly]

Haven't seen a lot of mention about the "cost" of your time. I spend about 10 hours over several weeks to produce a 5 gal batch (brewing, cleaning, dryhopping, bottling). If I took a part time job for 1 saturday a month to pay for my drinking habit of 2-3 craft (or homebrewed) beers a day, that would "save" me more money than homebrewing.

But that's not why we're into it, right?

Think how much time you spend cooking your own food going to super market preparing the ingredients...... your could use the same logic

 

[aaronanddelania]

My husband and I started a few short weeks ago. Our initial thought was that we would save money over pricey craft beers. Not even having finished our first beer (in bottles now) with 3 more in fermenters, the savings are forgotten. We are in it for the challenge.

 

[DrunkleJon]

Saving money by homebrewing really depends on what types of beers you brew. If the commercial brews you drink are nothing but the cheapest swill you can find while you brew big beers you are definitely not going to save anything. If you think through your equipment purchases and brew the same type(s) of beers that you would be buying you can save money and break even or save money within a couple years.

On the other hand, you have different fingers. I mean on the other hand homebrewing enables you to try out beers/styles you never would have thought about and develops your inner beer snob and as a result your tastes change and you start going more for the hogher dollar beers which ends up costing you in the long run.

All in all you can save money brewing by yourself as long as you do not change your tastes any and do not go bat nuts crazy when it comes to equipment purchases. All in all it is a hobby. And as a bonus to the pleasure that comes from practising your hobby, you get beer out of it too.

 

[AnOldUR]

. . . started a few short weeks ago . . . Not even having finished our first beer (in bottles now) with 3 more in fermenters . . .

Started the hobby a few weeks ago and already brewed four batches! :rockin:

 

[KingKlong]

I drink at least a 6 pack week that if store bought would be at least $7.99, but more likely is $3-4 per bottle when I build my own 6 pack. So say I save $2 per bottle since a batch usually ends up at $1 per bottle. I saved enough money after two batches to pay for my 9 gal SS kettle with ball valve and thermometer. Yesterday I went out and spent $350 for a kegging setup. I look at it as the savings from the last 6-8 batches.

 

[Effingbeer]

How about the cost of a stove, oven, microwave, refrigerator for cooking at home? You can certainly buy burgers at McD's cheaper, but I can cook a steak for much less than eating at Outback. If my wife and I share a few $10 sixers a week, my most expensive batch is way cheaper than that. I figure it saves me thousands. Depends what you drink and how much.

 

[Hopper77]

And... *cough* *cough* HBT?

Can't argue with that. On a lighter note I just bought 50 lbs of 2-Row for $30 from ace hardware in yakima wa. The lowest price I've found so far outside of a group buy. Only a few dollars more than a group buy from what I understand

 

[Hopper77]

How about the cost of a stove, oven, microwave, refrigerator for cooking at home? You can certainly buy burgers at McD's cheaper, but I can cook a steak for much less than eating at Outback. If my wife and I share a few $10 sixers a week, my most expensive batch is way cheaper than that. I figure it saves me thousands. Depends what you drink and how much.

Whenever I make a beer I think of how it tastes and how much I enjoy it. Then I envision buying it in a store for $12 a 6 pack. Then I look at how much I spent to make 5 gallons of it. Always a huge savings.

 

[JPR]

Haven't seen a lot of mention about the "cost" of your time. I spend about 10 hours over several weeks to produce a 5 gal batch (brewing, cleaning, dryhopping, bottling). If I took a part time job for 1 saturday a month to pay for my drinking habit of 2-3 craft (or homebrewed) beers a day, that would "save" me more money than homebrewing.

But that's not why we're into it, right?

Why would you even mention it? This is a hobby, right? Would you pay yourself the hours you spend on a golf course or sitting in a fishing boat? Of course not, those are hobbies too.

Once this starts to "feel" like work and you need to justify any time costs, it's time to quit.

 

[JuiceyJay]

I thought I was saving money until I paid 71$ for my imperial IPA ingredients!!
Granted it's still cheaper than what I drink from the store usually, but not much.

Now the cider I'm working on is another story. About 25$ into it for 5gal vs the 7-10$ 6 pack store bought cider.

 

[Effingbeer]

Why would you even mention it? This is a hobby, right? Would you pay yourself the hours you spend on a golf course or sitting in a fishing boat? Of course not, those are hobbies too.

Once this starts to "feel" like work and you need to justify any time costs, it's time to quit.

Quite. Most people paid more for their TV than brewing equipment.

 

[Husher]

This isn't exactly what your asking but I've leaned that your 'budget' for beer stays the same, it's just the supply gets better. Meaning, I used to drop 5 bucks a week on 2 beers every Friday night. For 5 bucks I can have a homebrew beer almost every night. I haven't saved any money, but I can drink a lot more than I used to without breaking the bank.