What is your cost per pint?

[jbaysurfer]

Why don't you scale your batches up and do 5.5? I do 10.5 for most standard batches and 11 gallons for big IPA's with a lot of dry hopping. This way I ensure I end up with two full 5 gallon kegs.

$0.72 for an AG pale ale? You must be including equipment depreciation expenses. :cross:

Just the things I said, and of course, propane. I'm being realistic about product losses too. I brew a 5.5G batch by the time I factor in equipment, kettle, fermenter and sample losses, and that first pint in the keg that's mostly yeast... I end up with about 4.5G to drink. Dryhops absorb beer too, and I DO factor that in.

I just checked my numbers. That number is about right. Some will say that I'm counting too much for losses, but I find kegging increases losses somewhat, and I try to be realistic about the number of pints I actually pull from a batch.

I'm 175 gallons into my brew career, and I have to say, I'm being very honest about my results. I'd love to engage in the one upmanship that is: I can make beer cheaper then you, but I can't compete.

As an addendum, I tend to brew with leaf hops which also accounts for way more in losses then pellets do.

 

[DromJohn]

$1.02/500ml.
I don't drink enough to justify "cost saving" larger inventory with shelf-life issues and with the storage space and storage equipment.
I don't drink enough to reduce the variety I get with 5 gallons mini-mash batches. I've thought about, but haven't moved toward smaller batches.
And I still love and buy commercial beer.

That said, $1.02/500ml ain't bad.

 

[Bobby_M]

"over the long haul" is the key there and that's only if you're able to leave well enough alone. Many brewers develop a toy fetish and there's no way you're going to hit the magic break even point if you keep buying conicals and building cold rooms. I would never be so silly as to do the math. It would only depress me and I'm just fine not knowing my true cost per pint. It's really easy to do if you just consider single batch costs but go ahead and do some real accounting (including losses like dumping a whole keg into the kegerator due to a leaky seal or your kid opening the tap and walking away or just making a crappy batch).

 

[negativereaction]

I would never be so silly as to do the math. It would only depress me and I'm just fine not knowing my true cost per pint. It's really easy to do if you just consider single batch costs but go ahead and do some real accounting (including losses like dumping a whole keg into the kegerator due to a leaky seal or your kid opening the tap and walking away or just making a crappy batch).

I think it would really be quite difficult to determine an accurate cost per pint. I mean, are folks including the electricity cost to run their keezer, electricity to freeze/store your hops and yeast, the buttloads of water just washing and rinsing things in between brew days, gas/electricity heating up yeast starter worts and subsequent chilling, etc etc. There are so many miscellaneous costs...I don't think I really WANT to know what my pint costs either.

 

[matteroftaste]

wow, homebrewing is expensive in the US.
discounting electricity costs, i can brew a mild at about 12p a pint, or somethig hoppy about 18p. a double ipa costs me 32p per pint. (uk pint &568ml) i wash yeast but dry sachets cost £2 each for premium yeasts.

 

[Jayhem]

I think it would really be quite difficult to determine an accurate cost per pint. I mean, are folks including the electricity cost to run their keezer, electricity to freeze/store your hops and yeast, the buttloads of water just washing and rinsing things in between brew days, gas/electricity heating up yeast starter worts and subsequent chilling, etc etc. There are so many miscellaneous costs...I don't think I really WANT to know what my pint costs either.

Well if we are going to get that in depth on the cost analysis, what about the cost of fuel and vehicle maintenance you are saving by NOT driving to the store every time you need beer? I'm sure that alone offsets the cost of propane to brew and electricity to keep your stuff cold.

I brew because I enjoy it but I know I'm also saving money.

 

[Bobby_M]

I typically go to the fridge when I need a beer, not all the way to the beer store. I drink way more commercial beer since I became a brewer so I go to the store more often. Then there are the times I run to the nearest homebrew shop because I forgot a specific kind of yeast. Making the argument that you drive less distance since you started homebrewing is likely to have many flaws.

 

[BBL_Brewer]

I have a spreadsheet I used to use that tracked every cost and consumable used for brewing. Utilities, ingredients, foil, gasoline, starter wort, mason jar lids, everything. I even errored on the side of caution and threw in a few extra bucks for stuff I may have forgotten. And even then I was pumping out 5 gallon batches for 14-18 dollars. Of course, homegrown hops and stretching out yeast make a huge difference. Now that is independent of my equipment costs though. I compare my equpiment costs to what I'm saving vs buying beer and when I hit the break even point I'll consider my equipment free.

 

[Jayhem]

I typically go to the fridge when I need a beer, not all the way to the beer store. I drink way more commercial beer since I became a brewer so I go to the store more often. Then there are the times I run to the nearest homebrew shop because I forgot a specific kind of yeast. Making the argument that you drive less distance since you started homebrewing is likely to have many flaws.

See this is where we differ. I got into homebrewing because I love good beer but can't afford to buy craft beer every week. I drink MUCH less craft beer now that I homebrew. I used to buy about 12 bottles of craft every week, no that I brew I buy beer about once every 3-4 months...only if my pipeline is running low.

 

[Mojzis]

According to excel, it costs me $0.37 a bottle to make. Now that I got cheaper bulk grain it will drop even more.

Now I don't calculate equipment in bottle cost. But I do calculate equipment. I have spent $460 on everything (from stoppers to the freezer). Mash tun and freezer were half of that cost. I won't be upgrading any time soon. Maybe in 10 years.

Edit: oh and i do buy commercial beer. About a 6 every two weeks, of something under 12$.

 

[pwkblue]

I have purchased most of my equipment used...with 20 batches done, I think it has been paid off. I brew all grain, utilize a frequent customer discount at my LHBS, and farm/wash yeast... I have been as low as $12/5 gallon and as high as $28/5 gal, but most styles I enjoy are in the $16 to 18 range...easily under $.50 each....for decent to excellent craft brew that would cost $1.35 to $3.00 per bottle in my local Utah State Liquor Store.

I do drink beer more often now...but that is more than offset by how much less i drink wine and hard alcohol....so another savings.

Looking at it in another scale: I typically spend $20-$25 per week (or every other) at my LHBS, and visit the liquor store at most 1 time per month for $30ish...total $100ish per month...AND I have built up 200+ bottles of beer in my cellar...and give away quite a bit more. Before brewing my alcohol spending was much higher...my enjoyment lower. Seems like a good way to spend my spare time.

 

[Cathedral]

I'll be the first to say that it is mathematically impossible to calculate my cost per beer of homebrew. Since my first batch is still sitting in that magic bucket, if I were to attempt to crunch numbers I would have to divide by zero. As we all know, trying to do that makes planets explode.

I started homebrewing because I love beer, I love GOOD beer, and I want good beer all the time. I've had some of the greatest microbrews in my life at places that are thousands of miles away and impossible to get here.

Plus, how good do you guys feel when you give someone a beer and they say, "Damn, that's a good beer!"

/waxing philosophical

 

[dinnerstick]

don't know and happily don't care!

 

[Bobby_M]

There are definitely different facets to homebrewing. For the people who treat it as a hobby (depends on what you mean by hobby), it's a place where your disposable income goes. If I had to scrape by to keep in me in beer, I'm sure I could do it. It just wouldn't be as fun. I mow my own lawn to save money but I wouldn't call it a hobby.

 

[adman]

Now that I buy most of my base malts and hops in bulk, I'd say around $0.55/pint for an average gravity/hopped beers, up to around $1/pint for a high gravity IIPA with a pound of hops in it.

I could get my costs down a bit more if I could reliably wash my yeast, but I always end up racking my beer during a brew day and I'm usually too tired/lazy to wash my yeast.

As others have noted, this definitely does not account for equipment and other "fixed" costs. E.g. I never would have purchased a kegerator had I not started brewing my own beer. And, brewing my own beer has further opened my eyes to the vast array of craft beers out there, so I almost certainly spend more per beer on commercial beers than I used to.

In any case, it'll be a long while before I break even. Fortunately, I love the hobby, so I'm not really trying to save money.

 

[jsv1204]

Lets see... $3,873 on brewing expenses since I started in June. 15 gallons brewed... That would be $32.28 per pint.

Steve

Wow! Hopefully your investment pays off in the decades to come. Was looking over the $79 turkey fryer I started brewing with three years ago last brew day and I figured out that my kettle had contributed about $0.03 to my pint cost. My $60 cooler mash/lauter tun has had maybe 200 gallons run through it... That's something like $0.06 for my equipment amortization.

 

[Frogmanx82]

I'm typically at $28 for a 5.5 gallon batch of all grain. More if I'm adding something exotic like Belgian candy sugar. That's about 44 pints so $0.64 per pint. That does not include propane, water, soap, or sterilizer.

 

[humann_brewing]

There are definitely different facets to homebrewing. For the people who treat it as a hobby (depends on what you mean by hobby), it's a place where your disposable income goes. If I had to scrape by to keep in me in beer, I'm sure I could do it. It just wouldn't be as fun. I mow my own lawn to save money but I wouldn't call it a hobby.

very good analogy with the lawn mowing, I personally got into the hobby because I could not get the beers I liked at the time where I moved to and wanted to try replicating them at home. Well since then it has moved into obsession.

 

[Mojzis]

I could get my costs down a bit more if I could reliably wash my yeast, but I always end up racking my beer during a brew day and I'm usually too tired/lazy to wash my yeast.

If I feel that way I just put the bung back and do it another day. Haven't had an issue yet.

 

[Mojzis]

I'm typically at $28 for a 5.5 gallon batch of all grain. More if I'm adding something exotic like Belgian candy sugar. That's about 44 pints so $0.64 per pint. That does not include propane, water, soap, or sterilizer.

Don't waste the money:

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f12/20-lb-sugar-jar-yeast-nutrient-114837/


sorry for the double post!

 

[BobbiLynn]

5 gallons for about 20 bucks, life can be cheap!

 

[johngault007]

I love making beer because I love beer. But, I do like to see my (simple) batch-to-batch costs more for peace of mind that I'm spending less than going out and drinking it in a bar. Mine is averaging .40 to .60 cents a pint.

Bringing it more off topic, because it's fun:
Of course, there are all sorts of costs, and I'm surprised no one tried to bring in the costs of their wives/significant other's as a cost when they leave for the day to go out shopping. If I did that I'd stay in the red every brew day by at least $60.
So, I choose to keep it simple and enjoy my beer.

 

[jbaysurfer]

I don't mean to be pedantic, but this is kind of a pedantic topic isn't it?

But the question is cost per pint. Doing an amazing job of figuring out cost per bottle, is not apples to apples. I can do the math, but I thought I'd point out that the OP asked:

What is your cost per pint?

To the poster above: I am both impressed and inspired by your awesome spreadsheet. I can make my own, but if you care to share, please PM me?

Thanks..and sorry for being pedantic.

 

[Frogmanx82]

Don't waste the money:

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f12/20-lb-sugar-jar-yeast-nutrient-114837/


sorry for the double post!

Yeah, belgian candi sugar is expensive to buy and probably not as good as what you could make. Thanks for that link, I've definitely considered doing my own candi sugar and that's a good summary.

Even buying grains in bulk, I don't see how people are getting under $20 for a 5 gallon batch unless you are reusing yeast.

 

[Horseballs]

Based on cost of ingredients... I can make a mild for about $0.17 a pint. Rinsed yeast, $40 sack of British pale malt, bulk or free hops - it's pretty good. I should add that my lease has free water and the introduction of weekly all grain brewing hasn't raised my natural gas bill a cent. Slightly higher than that if you count in equipment and the like. Of course, 40 or so batches in on my current equipment and I think I've paid it off. $40 for a pot, ~$60 for cooler and fittings. However, I am now thinking about building an electric brewery which would throw the whole equipment thing way way off.

 

[Obliviousbrew]

Yeah, belgian candi sugar is expensive to buy and probably not as good as what you could make. Thanks for that link, I've definitely considered doing my own candi sugar and that's a good summary.

Even buying grains in bulk, I don't see how people are getting under $20 for a 5 gallon batch unless you are reusing yeast.

I´m going to break down a recipe cost (i buy in euros most of the times but prices are in dollars and quantities in kilos 2pounds: .09 kilos)

23 liter IPA (a little over 6 gallons:

4.5 kg of pale malt.......................$5
0.5 kg of diverse cristal malts.........$1.45
1 kg (munich or vienne).................$1.8
0.3 kg of table sugar.....................$0.3
1oz of high alpha hop for biterring....$1
2oz cascade................................$1.9
2oz centennial.............................$4.5
1 oz summit.................................$0.8

total grains+ hops: $15.75

yeast: from a plate or slant cost of making one slant...around $ 0.15,
Dme wort needed to step up from a single cell colony: $....1.5
Miscelaneos¡us (caps, wirfloc, chemicals for water, sanitizers and cleaners) no more than $1.5.

total cost: $18.90 ad that $1.10 for electricity. And there you go $20 for 6 gallons IPA (that will give around 5.6 gallons bottled)

Of course this is made up recipe that I´ve never brewed but the cost are even a little higher of real cost, I´m acounting for shipping costs as well, and this are of things I have in stock..., you can definitely brew a beer for less than $20 a pale ale will cost less in hops, or you can make a bigger IPA and spend more.

 

[unionrdr]

Looking at the cost of the pm pale ale kit I brewed last time,I get 53c per bottle. Depends on costs for the batch vs how many bottles.

 

[JonW]

But the question is cost per pint.

I'm guessing most of us are actually computing our cost per "beer" which is usually 12 oz. If you're bottling - it's almost always 12 ounces. Most of the "pint" glasses that we collect are also usually 12 oz glasses. It's really hard to find a real pint here in the US.

My costs stated were per 12 oz pour.

 

[jbaysurfer]

I'm guessing most of us are actually computing our cost per "beer" which is usually 12 oz. If you're bottling - it's almost always 12 ounces. Most of the "pint" glasses that we collect are also usually 12 oz glasses. It's really hard to find a real pint here in the US.

My costs stated were per 12 oz pour.

???? I'm thinking most of these are actually "Cost per pint". And I'm not feelin' ya at all on the "it's really hard to find a real pint here in the us" either. The standard US pint glass is 16oz. Maybe you're confusing imperial pint glasses (aka, continental pint glasses) with US pint glasses? The continental/imperial pints are actually 20oz glasses designed with room for head on the beer.

Standard US Pint Glass used:

Edit: it's all good, I just think if half this thread is 16oz costs (like mine were) and half is 12 oz cost (like yours were), then we're obviously not apples to apples comparing our costs. My cost per 12oz is (obviously) 25% less then my cost for a pint.

 

[Golddiggie]

I keg, so I just figured out how much I get out (typical batch is 6 gallons into serving kegs) and ran the numbers that way. IMO, it doesn't matter, as much, about your glass size. If you're bottling, it just sucks since you're locked into 12oz bottles, getting ~11-11.5 ounces of beer into each glass (after figuring out what you lose to sediment in the bottles).

When I did bottle, most of my brews went into 16oz Grolsch style bottles. Some batches also used the 750ml Belgian bottles. I only used 12oz bottles for small parts of a couple of batches (ran short on the other bottles, at my brew-buddy's place). I've occasionally filled those off of tap/keg, but I'm getting away from that too. I'm more inclined to fill the 16oz bottles, or bring one of my [new] 1 gallon kegs of home brew with me. :rockin: