What are your tips for keeping costs down

[corkybstewart]

When trying to minimize costs when brewing, distilled water probably doesn't make sense.

Starting out with all-grain brewing, using distilled, RO, or other low mineral water can simplify water adjustments for a proper mash and for flavor enhancements. See Water Chemistry - How to Build Your Water (link) from 2012 (twelve, not twenty two).

Different goals - different techniques. That's "Why in the world would [one] use distilled water?"

Which is why I mentioned that adjustment for minerals is an advanced technique that most brewers will never use. But when I have done it I've used RO, not distilled.

 

[ScrewyBrewer]

Definitely! My homebrew club pours at about 10 beer festivals a year, mostly populated by well known craft breweries, and I can always count on several people at each saying that we have the best beer there. Breweries are stuck trying to please the masses but you will eventually be able to fine tune your beers to your palate.

Under current New Jersey law, it is illegal for our homebrew club to pour beer at beer festivals.

 

[Jim R]

I remember asking this exact same question once when I was younger about one of my other hobbies (fly fishing as I recall). I remember the guy telling me to improve myself so I didn't have to ask this question about my hobbies. Maybe that is the best answer of all although that is a whole other conversation.

 

[Spivey24]

Ha, I can brew for about half of what it costs to buy. Not why I do it, but good justification. I keep thinking I will catch up but then buy some new equipment. I am probably 4k+ into it but someday will make it up. lol

[edit]
Crap, make that 5k+. I forgot about the bank of chest freezers in the basement and the 4 Tilts. Oh well, add another year before I break even.

 

[z-bob]

Buy base malts in 50 or 55 pound bags, and don't use a lot of specialty malts. Reuse yeast. Don't worry so much about the cost because this is a hobby. (it takes a lot of time, and what is your time worth? Presumably your time is spent because you enjoy it)

 

[Dancy]

I remember asking this exact same question once when I was younger about one of my other hobbies (fly fishing as I recall). I remember the guy telling me to improve myself so I didn't have to ask this question about my hobbies. Maybe that is the best answer of all although that is a whole other conversation.

Best post of thread, IMO.

 

[Miraculix]

Cheapest good beer ever:

40% Pilsener malt, 60% wheat flour. 45 minute mash, 65c.

Og 1.04 - 1.042

Generic hops, bittering only, 25 ibus.

Saison yeast of your choice (I love Imperial yeast rustic for this).

Only caveat, you have to biab because sparging would be a problem with that much wheat flour.

 

[Alan Reginato]

These are some memes I have made regarding finances and homebrewing... Enjoy.

Wrong. I got my homebrew beer, with energy and equipment includes for 5 years depreciation time, for R$ 20 per litre, overestimating it. If I would buy equivalent beer, it will cost around R$ 40 per litre. Everything is f*** expensive in Brazil.

 

[Velnerj]

Wrong. I got my homebrew beer, with energy and equipment includes for 5 years depreciation time, for R$ 20 per litre, overestimating it. If I would buy equivalent beer, it will cost around R$ 40 per litre. Everything is f*** expensive in Brazil.

Good on you! I live in the Czech Republic where beer is probably $2/L so....

 

[Alan Reginato]

Good on you! I live in the Czech Republic where beer is probably $2/L so....

Can you believe it?

I tried once and it's very nice, completely different than any commercial beer around. I may try brew a saison with a heavy flameout load of saaz, because of it.

 

[Velnerj]

View attachment 772649

Can you believe it?

I tried once and it's very nice, completely different than any commercial beer around. I may try brew a saison with a heavy flameout load of saaz, because of it.

1 Brazilian Real = 4.5 Czech koruna
1L of this would cost less than 5BR.

 

[ScrewyBrewer]

Ha, I can brew for about half of what it costs to buy. Not why I do it, but good justification. I keep thinking I will catch up but then buy some new equipment. I am probably 4k+ into it but someday will make it up. lol

That is true, minus the initial outlay for brewing equipment.

 

[Alan Reginato]

1 Brazilian Real = 4.5 Czech koruna
1L of this would cost less than 5BR.

I know! The import prices just jumps when cross borders, it's absurd.

Fuller's London Pride costs nearly BR 30! ESB BR 35!

Regular comercial beer BR 6, for a crap tasteless thing. So homebrew is very interesting, specially if you are in a small town, like me.

 

[MicroMickey]

Another way to save cash and to challenge your brewing skills is Small Beers. There's a lot of history behind them and there is certainly a place in our society for them today.
https://crescentcitybrewtalk.com/small-beers/

 

[wsmith1625]

Another way to save cash and to challenge your brewing skills is Small Beers. There's a lot of history behind them and there is certainly a place in our society for them today.
https://crescentcitybrewtalk.com/small-beers/

Very interesting. I didn't even know they existed. I imaging I will have to give it a shot some day.

 

[Alan Reginato]

Another way to save cash and to challenge your brewing skills is Small Beers. There's a lot of history behind them and there is certainly a place in our society for them today.
https://crescentcitybrewtalk.com/small-beers/

I made some diluted beers, with hop tea (not boiled, just hopstand). Three times, one bottle splited in Two, at each test. I even try add some mint leaves. And turns out pretty good. ABV 3%.

Now I'm going to do a large batch. I like the taste of beer, not get drunk, neither hangovers. So it's a good idea

 

[Dr_Jeff]

grain in bulk, use in a year or so if you can store in cool location.

I wonder what the temperatures get to in silos where grain is stored and how long that grain might be in there.

 

[BrewnWKopperKat]

UltraLow Brewing Techniques

 

[Beermeister32]

Best way to get the cost out of home brewing is to drink commercial cheap beer, down on the left end of the beer case.

 

[z-bob]

Cheapest good beer ever:

40% Pilsener malt, 60% wheat flour. 45 minute mash, 65c.

Og 1.04 - 1.042

Generic hops, bittering only, 25 ibus.

Saison yeast of your choice (I love Imperial yeast rustic for this).

Only caveat, you have to biab because sparging would be a problem with that much wheat flour.

Do you have to cook the flour?

How about Belle Saison yeast? (I have a packet of that in my fridge)

 

[Miraculix]

Do you have to cook the flour?

How about Belle Saison yeast? (I have a packet of that in my fridge)

Nope, just throw it in the mash. Mix it with the grain prior doughing in and be prepared to stir a bit to resolve clumps.

Belle works but it's a bit bland imo. It will be quite neural.

Best is to do open fermentation for the first few days. Just cover against fruit flies with some cloth.

 

[mendelec]

I'm an avid DIYer and an overall cheap bastard. But, I have ramped up and acquired toys over time. I'm now electric with a 3800 watt induction burner and that's a longer term investment to save over propane (though I did catch a sweet deal on that too), 3 tap kegerator, and more crap than I know what to do with. But, almost all of it was acquired used or DIY'd. 'Cause, cheap bastard...
Starting out, a lot can be saved by watching Craigslist, garage sales, and diy-ing simple things like a copper immersion chiller. As mentioned, there's always someone getting out of the hobby or upgrading and clearing out their old stuff. Keep your eyes open for bargains and think about where you hope to go in the hobby, so as to minimize buying things you outgrow (I failed badly at that part). I started with BIAB in a repurposed turkey fryer I got off Craigslist for 30 bucks, a 15 dollar rolling cooler for mashing, a glass carboy I nabbed for $5 at a garage sale, rescued beer bottles, and not a ton more.
Saving/culturing yeast and growing my own hops are big time money savers for me these days, but they do take a bit more time and equipment. I caught a deal on a stir plate, but you can diy one pretty easily too.
But, it all comes down to what you want out of the hobby. Personally, time isn't as much the issue for me and I get as much satisfaction making my own equipment and growing/culturing my own hops and yeast as I do brewing. If you only enjoy the brewing and consumption part, then watch for those sales and listings for used equipment and screw the diy part. You do you. There's no right or wrong way.
If you're trying to save ingredient cost, find a good supplier, go bulk, catch sales (but don't overbuy things with limited shelf life), and find recipes or beer styles you enjoy that rely less on specialty grains and use less (or less expensive) hops.
Your water expenditures sound crazy to me. Before I diy'd the immersion chiller, I was cooling my kettle by gently swirling it around a bathtub of cold water. And, I live in an area where our water is good for brewing with minor adjustments. Get yourself a water report if you live in an area with municipal water. Carbon filter and some inexpensive adjustments are a lot cheaper than investing in a RO unit or buying bottled. But, a decent RO unit isn't too bad and will probably save you over time. Do the math and figure out the costs over time once you account for the cartridges.

 

[bracconiere]

well, i do malt my own... 40 cents/lb for base malt helps....

and you can get old hops cheap too....

 

[Dr_Jeff]

well, i do malt my own... 40 cents/lb for base malt helps....

and you can get old hops cheap too....

@bracconiere The resident expert on home malting.
With his way you can save, if you are willing to invest the time to do it.
But hey, if you do, it makes the beer even more "your own" as you are involved in more of the process.

 

[bracconiere]

The resident expert on home malting.

just the one with a simplified process... i used to be able to brew a 10 gallon batch of 8%ABV for $8-9.....now it's $12..... still pretty good though?

 

[Dr_Jeff]

just the one with a simplified process... i used to be able to brew a 10 gallon batch of 8%ABV for $8-9.....now it's $12..... still pretty good though?

Yes sir, that's pretty good.
I'm in at about 25-30 bucks for a ten gallon batch at a similar ABV, if I don't factor in the propane, water or electricity, so I guess that I'm closer to 30-35.

 

[bracconiere]

propane

i brew on NG...practicly free. when i was using propane, it was an extra $4 a batch, that's why i started using NG. even electric brewing would be like $2 a batch.

but honestly $25-30 for a 10 gallon batch is impressive! that's $3.50 a twelver! way better then the $9-10 they want for 4.5% highlife!

 

[Dr_Jeff]

I get my malt at a brewery in the city where I used to live, buy hops in bulk, reuse yeast.
I'll pick it up on a day that I have to drive into work for meetings, as I am able to telework most days.
The malt is usually about 75-85 cents a pound, however, I bought three sacks of Franco-Belages malt so it's about $1 a pound.
NG stops like a mile or two away. :-(
I need to use my electric system now that the temperatures are going up.

 

[johnt_mn]

I don't think the original poster has replied at all in this long thread, unless I missed it. Definitely LOTS of good thoughts and ideas here.

 

[Brian66]

Under current New Jersey law, it is illegal for our homebrew club to pour beer at beer festivals.

What does it cost to join your homebrew club?