What's your beer "worth"?

Deric · Feb 9, 2013

I don't brew to save money. I'd hate to add up TOTAL cost per pint to date - even though I've brewed lots of beer for lots of years. Compared to some I spend very little on equipment - compared to some I spend a lot...

That said.... "What's my beer worth?"

Slightly more than my liver.

Gab1788 · Feb 9, 2013

"What's my beer worth?

Slightly more than my liver"

That has to be the best quote I've heard aeons here in a while!

iaefebs · Feb 9, 2013

Lets see I have an average of $18 each for my corny kegs, I can sell them for $35, It cost me $80 for my keggles, I can sell them for $150. I'm retired so my time is free. I pay $37 for ingredients to brew 10 gallons. With the new math it looks like beer pays me $1.00 a bottle to drink.

Yuri_Rage · Feb 9, 2013

My beer is time invested.
Time is money.
Money is power.
Power is a drug.
Drugs are bad.
Everything bad is good for you.

Speaking in transitive platitudes:
My beer is good for you.

orion7144 · Feb 9, 2013

I used to go through a 1/2 barrel of $120 beer every 3 weeks. Now I can brew that same 15.5 gallons for ~$35 (including water but not propane). My current investment is ~$1200 and I keg. I started with the $99 brewers best kit and was hooked then looked at how much I could save with just a minimal investment (this all happened within 3 months). Even with ordering cleaning/sanitizing supplies I still will theoretically have my equipment paid in the first year. (that's what I am telling myself anyway)

pwkblue · Feb 9, 2013

I have two different ways to look at the value of my beer...or brewing habit:

First: the reality of how much total money I spend on drinking. Before brewing I typically spent about $40 per week between beer & wine for home, and drinks when I was out. Now, my friends usually come to my house...the beer, wine & booze they bring has filled my cabinet. (because we drink my homebrew) I now brew about once per week @ $20 be batch...much more alcohol in the house, $20 less spent per week

Second: One of my favorite beer drinking conversations when sampling a new beer is comparing it to favorite commercial beers....not for taste....but price. "I like this more than XXX which cost $ per bottle" A few people can quickly find a "value" for the beer. Honestly, this is most fun for beers that are not perfect...amazing how often the beer we view as failures are still better than some commercial craft brews.