Taste or cost

[LKHA]

I think I can get as good or better tasting beer from all grain but what should I expect for cost per batch I dont count gear as every batch you make that cost goes down?

 

[CDbrews]

without equipment costs the average beer i make will cost 7$/24 pack

 

[david_42]

I've made $15 batches (A 3.5% ABV Ordinary bitter) and $90 batches (11% barley wines). Gravity costs, hoppy costs and special yeast costs.

AG cuts your fermentable cost by 50%, but doesn't change anything else.

 

[weirdboy]

I brew AG, recycle yeast, and buy hops in bulk.

Those three things combined bring my cost per batch down to the $10-$20 range. If I had more storage space I could buy my grain in bulk as well, which would probably skin another $3-$4 off my cost per batch.

 

[WenValley]

I also recycle yeast, buy hops in bulk (and get free hops, there's lots of homegrown hops in Eastern Washington. Also, I buy two row in the 50 pound bags. I order the specialty malts and odds and ends. So my cost is down in the $10.00 to $20.00 range.

I'm planning on expanding my bulk grain in the spring to include a bag of Maris Otter and more 2 row.

Good Luck...

 

[chefmike]

Time is also a cost that changes with all grain.... it increases (fair to say doubles?) the amount of time you will spend on the initial brewday getting to the boil kettle.

For some, that cost is too much.

 

[jldc]

Time is also a cost that changes with all grain.... it increases (fair to say doubles?) the amount of time you will spend on the initial brewday getting to the boil kettle.

For some, that cost is too much.

For me, that's part of the point of home brewing. I like doing it, so I don't mind the time.

 

[bierbrauer]

Buying your base grains and hops in bulk along with reusing yeast at least once can cut down your cost tremendously. I usually reuse my yeasts at least 5-6 times which makes that cost almost nothing at all and the time it takes to make beer in my mind is not part of the cost because I am enjoying myself and having a homebrew!!!

 

[LKHA]

any good online sources for ingredients? Just ran a (cali com) recipe through beer smith and used online prices from NB and the cost is way above a kit

 

[Clonefarmer]

any good online sources for ingredients? Just ran a (cali com) recipe through beer smith and used online prices from NB and the cost is way above a kit

Try Austin Homebrew they have an all grain option when you order a kit that knocks off a bit of the price.

 

[Jud]

Gravity costs, hoppy costs and special yeast costs.

David you hit the nail on the head on that one!!!

If you like big boy beers it will cost either way. There is no way around it. Without a ski mask and gun!