Why am I doing this?

[C-Rider]

Living here in Hawai`i is EXPENSIVE in every way you can think of.

All grain at the only Home Brew shop on O`ahu is $3/lb except plane old 2 Row which is $1.70/lb and Pale Ale Malt which is $1.80/lb.

I like to brew British ales w/as true British products as I can. So last week I planed an English Brown, a British IPA, and a Scottish Export. Each patch would be 2 gallons w/an expected result of 3 six packs.

The bill came out to $98 for grain, yeast and hops. So do the math..

3 six packs = 18 bottles x 3 brews = 54 bottles

24 bottles in a case so I get 2.25 cases of beer for $98.

That's $43.55 a case....WOW.....am I crazy or what?

I can buy dated craft beer at a local marked for approx $16 a case.

So again I ask why am I doing this.

 

[SEndorf]

Because it's Hawaii.... and you can...

 

[day_trippr]

A real estate agent can fix this

 

[Jtvann]

Anybody who says their reason for brewing beer is because it's cheaper is a liar

 

[jack13]

$16 for a case of craft beer?

 

[orionol73]

Roast your own malts? Use only pale malt and do decoctions for milliard reactions?
Just a couple quick thoughts since you like the English style ales. Living in Hawaii is reason enough to spend more!

 

[kingmatt]

Cases of quality craft beer around here are at least $40 each, and usually much higher.

That said, I could brew 5 gallons of a moderate alcohol British ale for under $40 easy, so your ingredient prices are steep.

 

[C-Rider]

$16 for a case of craft beer?

Yup, they get "dated" beer quite often. You know that stuff ain't gonna spoil in a month or two. Check out the picture.

 

[C-Rider]

Cases of quality craft beer around here are at least $40 each, and usually much higher.

That said, I could brew 5 gallons of a moderate alcohol British ale for under $40 easy, so your ingredient prices are steep.

Steep is saying it nicely. LOL The price of living in PARADISE. Guess I'll brew more American Beers. I can do any British style using American grains and they would most likely taste just about the same.

 

[RM-MN]

Living here in Hawai`i is EXPENSIVE in every way you can think of.

How was your heating bill last month. The temperature here bottomed out at -42 with a -63 wind chill last week. I suspect that your other high prices offset my heating bill.

 

[C-Rider]

How was your heating bill last month. The temperature here bottomed out at -42 with a -63 wind chill last week. I suspect that your other high prices offset my heating bill.

No heating or cooling bills. No heater or AC. But sometimes the trade winds stop blowing in the summer and it can get over 95 in the house w/all the windows open.
Electricity about $170 a month
Water about $220 a month, but I'm watering two acres of palms and other trees
Land Tax only about $1200 a year
Lucky I bought the land and house about 40 years ago. Today's prices are out of the world. Average single family home on maybe 5 or 6000 sq ft would be just under $800,000 new.

 

[Blazinlow86]

No heating or cooling bills. No heater or AC. But sometimes the trade winds stop blowing in the summer and it can get over 95 in the house w/all the windows open.
Electricity about $170 a month
Water about $220 a month, but I'm watering two acres of palms and other trees
Land Tax only about $1200 a year
Lucky I bought the land and house about 40 years ago. Today's prices are out of the world. Average single family home on maybe 5 or 6000 sq ft would be just under $800,000 new.

Haha that's nothing. A teardown house on a tiny lot in my neighborhood in Canada goes for 1.5million. cheers

 

[Zambezi Special]

Hey,
At least you do have a home brew shop ..................

 

[jack13]

Yup, they get "dated" beer quite often. You know that stuff ain't gonna spoil in a month or two. Check out the picture.View attachment 610938

Holy crap, that's homebrew-cost territory...but not NEARLY as good, of course!

 

[Murphys_Law]

Dude, you live in HI and are complaining about the cost of home beer! I’d pay twice that if I could brew there! [emoji41]

 

[Sbe2]

Haha that's nothing. A teardown house on a tiny lot in my neighborhood in Canada goes for 1.5million. cheers

Isn’t that about 800k USD?

 

[Home_alone1]

It’s lager time ! Even cheaper if you buy flaked corn and use 20 percent in mash for sugar to brew light lager . You can also use rice !

 

[Staticsouls]

I thought people in Hawaii made hooch and shine? Even the breweries out there are hit by the cost of grain. Most of the beer there is barely 5%

 

[Blazinlow86]

Isn’t that about 800k USD?

It's about 1.1million usd. That's the starting price for teardown on 4000sqf lots. 800k usd is condo money here unfortunately. And that's not a fancy condo. Cheers

 

[bobeer]

The shops here cost $3 a lb for any grain and there's no beach here... thank the beer gods for the local brewery bulk order pricing for the club.

You do it because brewing beer is awesome.

 

[orionol73]

I thought people in Hawaii made hooch and shine? Even the breweries out there are hit by the cost of grain. Most of the beer there is barely 5%

ummm what??

 

[jschein]

ummm what??

5% ABV

 

[hbhudy]

Can you buy bulk grain and mill it yourself ?

 

[hopjuice_71]

It's about 1.1million usd. That's the starting price for teardown on 4000sqf lots. 800k usd is condo money here unfortunately. And that's not a fancy condo. Cheers

You must be in Vancouver, or possibly Toronto. We are a close third here in Victoria.

 

[Blazinlow86]

You must be in Vancouver, or possibly Toronto. We are a close third here in Victoria.

West Van. Cheers

 

[NGD]

How was your heating bill last month. The temperature here bottomed out at -42 with a -63 wind chill last week. I suspect that your other high prices offset my heating bill.

Yeah, screw that. Spoke with a kid in Oahu dlfrom the mid west. He was laughing at the fact in Hawaii they break out a hoodie if it gets below 70f. 65f is full on sweatpants and down jacket territory. How do you even surf with a down jacket on?

 

[shoreman]

If you are looking to cut costs just make simple pale ales withat $1.70 2 row, no specialty grains.

Get a lb of magnum hops and a few lbs of C hops from YVH. I could push out a solid 5% beer, 5 gallons for $16-$20.

If $ is all you are looking at, you can get great homebrew at low $

 

[Velnerj]

Living here in Hawai`i is EXPENSIVE in every way you can think of.

All grain at the only Home Brew shop on O`ahu is $3/lb except plane old 2 Row which is $1.70/lb and Pale Ale Malt which is $1.80/lb.

I like to brew British ales w/as true British products as I can. So last week I planed an English Brown, a British IPA, and a Scottish Export. Each patch would be 2 gallons w/an expected result of 3 six packs.

The bill came out to $98 for grain, yeast and hops. So do the math..

3 six packs = 18 bottles x 3 brews = 54 bottles

24 bottles in a case so I get 2.25 cases of beer for $98.

That's $43.55 a case....WOW.....am I crazy or what?

I can buy dated craft beer at a local marked for approx $16 a case.

So again I ask why am I doing this.

 

[ApolloSimcoe]

How about local fruit? Is that expensive too? If it were me I might focus more on making wines, liquors etc from local fruits and just make beer once in a while. I'd still buy that Stone even if it was dated.

 

[Blazinlow86]

View attachment 612382

The "you won't save money homebrewing" doesn't apply to everyone. If you live in Canada it's a VERY large savings. 6 packs of BMC here are OVER 15$. A nice 4 pack of tall boys can be over 20$. Cheers

 

[Cantina De Jefe]

If i don't include the cost of my equipment, an 11 gallon batch costs me between $60-$80. Maybe $100 if im doing a belgian or something.

11x128oz/12oz per beer/24 beers per case = 4.9 cases.
So like a guiness stout would be $12
an IPA might be $16
And a big beer or belgian would be $20

A case of pacifico at Costco here would be at least $25 plus TAX (10%) plus CRV which i dont ever get back anyways. So yes it is cheaper. Ive seen ONE BOTTLE of, granted, superbly crafted beer for $25 here. So is it cheaper, yes. The real cost is the equipment and so much of that is personal taste. My brew stand is made of 2x4s. My ferm chamber.. and old dorm fridge with insulation. My kettle and kegs and stuff could be resold. So if you are willing to stick it out for a decade or two in the hobby without getting a conical, it will amortize out. Plus you get to design the beer yourself and you know what goes in it.

 

[Cavpilot2000]

Are you buying your grains in bulk? At least your base malts?
Work out a deal with your LHBS for say, cost plus a small percentage for sacks of base malt (whatever you use the most). Even in HI, you should be able to get a sack for under $100. That's steep, but way better than buying by the pound.

 

[Rev2010]

The "you won't save money homebrewing" doesn't apply to everyone. If you live in Canada it's a VERY large savings. 6 packs of BMC here are OVER 15$. A nice 4 pack of tall boys can be over 20$. Cheers

It doesn't even apply to us in NYC. Trust me, I see a whole lot let ATM withdrawal's when I have my own beers in the kegerator. I don't spend the typical $12 for a standard 12oz 6-pack or the $15-17 for a 12oz craft beer 6-pack or 4x16oz pack. I also spend less in bars since I have better beer at home and don't go as often and when I do go I don't stay as long.

That said, C-Rider! Remember when we were chatting and I was planning that move to Hawaii? Well I made that move after my divorce. Quit my job and moved to Oahu. I returned quite shortly thereafter but the reason was the IT jobs were paying only *2/3rd's max* what I get in NYC. Decided I'm not willing to sacrifice that much less pay for relatively equivalent costs of living. I could swear I recall seeing on NorthernBrewer's site that they stopped shipping to Alaska and Hawaii, is that true?


Rev.

 

[Blazinlow86]

It doesn't even apply to us in NYC. Trust me, I see a whole lot let ATM withdrawal's when I have my own beers in the kegerator. I don't spend the typical $12 for a standard 12oz 6-pack or the $15-17 for a 12oz craft beer 6-pack or 4x16oz pack. I also spend less in bars since I have better beer at home and don't go as often and when I do go I don't stay as long.

That said, C-Rider! Remember when we were chatting and I was planning that move to Hawaii? Well I made that move after my divorce. Quit my job and moved to Oahu. I returned quite shortly thereafter but the reason was the IT jobs were paying only *2/3rd's max* what I get in NYC. Decided I'm not willing to sacrifice that much less pay for relatively equivalent costs of living. I could swear I recall seeing on NorthernBrewer's site that they stopped shipping to Alaska and Hawaii, is that true?


Rev.

Ah yes I visited last year and found the pricing was very similar to here. I did like that some of the bodegas or whatever there called would sell individual bottles/cans from 6packs. Cheers

 

[C-Rider]

Can you buy bulk grain and mill it yourself ?

Can but shipping still kills us here. Shipping usually wipes out anything saved by buying online. I will buy a 50 lb bag of my main US grain soon. Will save a few bucks.

 

[Genuine]

I’ve been a huge fan of simple ipa’s with mainly 2-row and then a pound, maybe pound and a half of crystal 15 or 60.

 

[C-Rider]

I’ve been a huge fan of simple ipa’s with mainly 2-row and then a pound, maybe pound and a half of crystal 15 or 60.

I have switched from 2 row to Pale Ale Malt. Gives the beer a bit more maltyness and flavor. Cost is about $1.80/lb here. 50 lbs might cut cost to about $1.60/lb.

 

[Beerwildered]

I have switched from 2 row to Pale Ale Malt. Gives the beer a bit more maltyness and flavor. Cost is about $1.80/lb here. 50 lbs might cut cost to about $1.60/lb.

What about making a deal with one of the local breweries? Maybe they’ll let you buy grain from them??

 

[C-Rider]

What about making a deal with one of the local breweries? Maybe they’ll let you buy grain from them??

Might be an idea. But remember they also have shipping costs but since they buy in bulk might work.

 

[gunhaus]

I am thinking that the outdated craft beer at bargain prices is only a good deal if it a beer you want to drink. That Ripper is a good bit different than the English ales you started out talking about What does a 6 of Fullers cost? For that matter what does a six of ANY non dated craft cost? We are 10-12 a sixer pretty regular here. so 40 plus a case. Does the difference get closer when you compare apples to apples? I mean, the argument that you can buy any old out dated craft for cheapo prices is sort of a Natty Daddy argument really, especially if the bargain ain't something you want to drink!