So, how much (if any) money does brewing save?

[5 Is Not Enough]

I'm amazed that this subject receives this much attention. I don't have any other hobbies I think of even remotely in these terms.

Most hobbies don't produce something you would otherwise purchase.

I don't think many people get into brewing thinking - "I'm going to save money" but once you're already there, why not consider the economic value?

 

[howlinowl]

If you bought your first bit of equipment and never bought anything else, you'd save plenty of money. Do much of anything else, and you won't save a thing. It's a hobby, and that's the way hobbies work.

For example, a friend recently gave me an old CO2 bottle that came from his family's old soft drink distributorship. "That's quite a generous gift," I thought. "Now, I have a spare!" Yeah, a spare. Instead of a spare, I started thinking "now, I can expand!" After another $600, I have an additional chest freezer, Ranco controller, regulator with three way dispensing manifold, and another CO2 bottle ('cause I gotta have a spare now).

You don't save a thing.


TL

I hear ya there. I was looking for a spare CO2 bottle on craigslist last year. Instead, I found a half barrel kegerator (Beverage Aire BM23C) with the CO2 cylinder for 75 bucks.... heck, the bottles worth that!! I thought. So I picked it up, figuring that I'd keep the bottle, and sell the kegerator if it was worth anything, if not, I'd part it out, selling the faucet column and recycling any metal. Well, it didn't get cold, compressor and fans run. Leak check it, bad condenser coil. Order the coil and Capillary tube (thin tube that runs from the condenser coil to the evaporator, acts as a metering device) since I had the system opened and they sometimes plug up. Replace those parts and the high side dryer. Since I was fixing it, why not spruce it up? Repaint the underside, inside and replace the front casters.....Well, now I got more into it than what I can get out of it, so I kept it. Mind you, I already have a True 3 keg two tower kegerator in the house, so this one is being used for fermentation in the garage and on the back patio for dispensing on special occasions (BBQs and such in the back yard).

Allan

 

[Lil' Sparky]

Most hobbies don't produce something you would otherwise purchase.

I don't think many people get into brewing thinking - "I'm going to save money" but once you're already there, why not consider the economic value?

Maybe that's why I've spent so damn much on this hobby, just like any other. There's no way I'll ever brew enough to recover the cost of what I've invested. If it was just about being cheap, I would've stuck to a bucket-in-bucket MLT, turkey fryer, and IC. Gotta always try to make it bigger, better, neater, though.

 

[budbo]

On a typical all grain batch I save between $0.50 and $1.00 per bottle if I only count money spent.

Factoring in the value of my time, its costing me something like $5 per bottle in reality.

It's worth it.

Factoring in time is kinda useless on a hobby. It would only be accurate if someone were going to pay you to make beer.

If I were taking time off work without pay to brew then time would become a factor and the cost of the beer would jump from $8-$10 up to over $150 a case considering a 6 hour brew day (including prep)..But then no one is going to pay me the same rate I get at work to brew beer, so my time on Brew day is worth nothing as it is free time I choose to use for brewing

 

[5 Is Not Enough]

Do I have to include time spent staring at my pc on HBT?

 

[Bosh]

It depends a lot on what sort of commercial beer you're comparing it to and how much equipment you buy.

I have almost zero equipment so price wise my stuff is about the same as the local crap and about 1/3 the price of imports. I'm happy with that.

 

[SuperiorBrew]

I think it saved me about a negative $3000 last year

 

[MashStirBrew]

A typical micro-brew locally is $4 a pint, you do the math. And if I figured time and money invested in my other hobbies like fishing, I would probably sit at home and watch Al Linder catch fish on TV while I eat a lb of Walleye I bought at the market for $5. A guys gotta have toys regardless of expense. Making beer is like a big boys chemistry set. The only thing I worry about is SWMBO sending me to AA or starting an HBA chapter (Home Brewers Anonymous).

 

[grasshopper1917]

I think I have a good answer to this - the definitive answer.

If your in Canada yes you can save considerablly.

In the USA you can save a little.

Other countries - I dont know


In Canada for a 24 case of commercial beer its 37.99 - Microbrewed about 11.50 for a 6 pack. It costs me 25 - 30 dollars to make about 55 bottles. So for me I do save money and have some fun at the same time - win win situation.

 

[homebrewer_99]

I think I have a good answer to this - the definitive answer.

If your in Canada yes you can save considerablly.

In the USA you can save a little.

Other countries - I dont know


In Canada for a 24 case of commercial beer its 37.99 - Microbrewed about 11.50 for a 6 pack. It costs me 25 - 30 dollars to make about 55 bottles. So for me I do save money and have some fun at the same time - win win situation.

I know it really depends on too many variables, but I KNOW that drinking at home can save your time and $$$ by not getting a DUI also...

 

[TexLaw]

I know it really depends on too many variables, but I KNOW that drinking at home can save your time and $$$ by not getting a DUI also...

Now, you're really onto something!


TL