Why are homebrew people SO cheap??

CornyKegs 728
Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum

Help Support Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
I like to brew cheap beer to pass freely among friends and expensive brews to enjoy in moderation and share with those who appreciate the difference.

I still buy a decent amount of beer, usually expensive or types I'm not easily able to brew. But I do get extreme satisfaction from brewing a good beer for real cheap
 
Homergah said:
You would probably be better off making the meth yourself too.
Click to expand...

Actually, probably not so much these days. When states started legalizing marijuana it cut into the illicit drug trade. Many of them moved to making meth in an industrial level. You can get Mexican meth cheaper than the ingredients to make meth yourself.
In all seriousness there has been an ongoing decline in home cooked meth. It just isn’t with it anymore.
 
NewJersey said:
I see it EVERYWHERE on hbt and it's driving me insane. ....ways around well known longtime good vendors to save $10. That kills me honestly......
Am I insane?
Click to expand...

Good News!!!!

...there is a thread on “Booger Beer” here on HBT and there’s no mention of fiscally responsible brewing. That means it’s not “EVERYWHERE” on HBT!!

Sooo...that means you’re not insane ...inflammatory, and loose with the facts, yes...but not insane

I hope Ive helped you in some small way

Cheers
 
I brew my own beer because I am absolutely in love with the process of it, and being able to step out to my garage/brewery and pull a pint instead of having to run to the store, not because it's cheaper. Is my beer inherently cheaper than what I can buy at the local? Maybe, maybe not. Include the price of gas, what I've spent on equipment over 3 years, and ingredients, probably not. Currently we are between paychecks and have less than $200 in checking; but I'm sitting here on a Saturday night smelling some awesome smells from my brew rig and have another couple of hours to go before I'm finished, and that to me is a PERFECT way to spend a weekend night. If someone here is in to this hobby/obsession because of $$, more power to them.
 
lslbrew said:
Actually, probably not so much these days. When states started legalizing marijuana it cut into the illicit drug trade. Many of them moved to making meth in an industrial level. You can get Mexican meth cheaper than the ingredients to make meth yourself.
In all seriousness there has been an ongoing decline in home cooked meth. It just isn’t with it anymore.
Click to expand...

I quit recently because the quality just wasn't there anymore.
 
JONNYROTTEN said:
I heard a radio cli

Curious how your a homeowner rent/mortgage free at 14K a year without somebody handing it to you...I need that
Click to expand...

it was handed to me! witch is why out of my 14k, i donate about 2k a year to collage scholarships, and cancer kids, red cross and what not...figure, if i'm saving so much drinking homebrew why not

Bilsch said:
Thanks for making me feel just a little bit less guilty about the liter of beer I drink a day. ;)
Click to expand...

Damn man, i'll drink two gallons today....wish you the best! (my beer is 8% too)

My liver enzymes are all good too! drink up!
 
Sometimes when people brag about how cheap they can brew beer, the subtext is actually how much of the process they can do themselves.
For instance I have a few hop bines(produces maybe 1.5 lb of dried hops annually) so when I brew using those hops, I’m pretty quick to brag about how much the batch cost to produce. Since I also harvest/wash yeast, I only pay for the grains on those batches.

The cheapskate bragging rights really mean that I’m doing as much of the process myself.

Now if I had some acreage to grow barley, I’d make a T-shirt that said, “5 Gallons of Beer costs me $2”

Ps- I’m sending in my HBT dues this week.
 
seatazzz said:
I brew my own beer because I am absolutely in love with the process of it, and being able to step out to my garage/brewery and pull a pint instead of having to run to the store, not because it's cheaper. Is my beer inherently cheaper than what I can buy at the local? Maybe, maybe not. Include the price of gas, what I've spent on equipment over 3 years, and ingredients, probably not. Currently we are between paychecks and have less than $200 in checking; but I'm sitting here on a Saturday night smelling some awesome smells from my brew rig and have another couple of hours to go before I'm finished, and that to me is a PERFECT way to spend a weekend night. If someone here is in to this hobby/obsession because of $$, more power to them.
Click to expand...

$200? damn baby, you need to act like the gangster homebrewer you are! save, save! the marketers don't have nothin' on us!
 
AzOr said:
Sometimes when people brag about how cheap they can brew beer, the subtext is actually how much of the process they can do themselves.
For instance I have a few hop bines(produces maybe 1.5 lb of dried hops annually) so when I brew using those hops, I’m pretty quick to brag about how much the batch cost to produce. Since I also harvest/wash yeast, I only pay for the grains on those batches.

The cheapskate bragging rights really mean that I’m doing as much of the process myself.

Now if I had some acreage to grow barley, I’d make a T-shirt that said, “5 Gallons of Beer costs me $2”

Ps- I’m sending in my HBT dues this week.
Click to expand...

i like this statement :D
 
lslbrew said:
Actually, probably not so much these days. When states started legalizing marijuana it cut into the illicit drug trade. Many of them moved to making meth in an industrial level. You can get Mexican meth cheaper than the ingredients to make meth yourself.
In all seriousness there has been an ongoing decline in home cooked meth. It just isn’t with it anymore.
Click to expand...
Sh*t...I just got my lab goin...looks like I missed the boat...again
 
My equipment is fairly inexpensive, and I buy most of my malt in 50 or 55 lb bags (usually at the LBHS), and I order hops in 4 oz or 1 lb packages online when they are on sale. I try to brew the best beer I can while minimizing the cost and still patronizing the two LHBSs. I don't know what the electricity or natural gas costs, I just know it's cheaper than propane; when I brew in the summer I might worry about the propane costs.

Sometimes I explore the cheapness angle a little too much (like the no-hops sour beer brewed with just pale malt and wheat flour) but even those batches are drinkable -- that one might actually be good, it's just not a style I like as much as I thought I would. And I had fun brewing it. The two best beers that I've made were simple and inexpensive: one was a SMaSH beer with Belgian pilsner malt, Sterling hops, and K1V1116 wine yeast. The other was a recent porter (90% pale ale malt, 5% C20, 5% black patent, Willamette hops, yeast harvested from Bell's Oberon) That porter will be in my regular rotation now.
 
The OP is right.

Im 99% sure that all the brewers putting more money into the hobbie than us are, -that figure of money spent- × more satisfied and happy during the whole process.

Ive created a formula for this

(A bunch of money you spent × total finished brew volume)
ABMYS×TB=how much better you MUST feel.

Heres an example;
Lets say you just bought the grain father all grain system.
It costs roughly 1200$, and you plan to brew 4 batches in it, totalling around 20gal.

(Abmys) (TB)
1200$ × 20gal = 24,000.

Thats a mathematically guaranteed 24,000 times more excitement and feel goodness-that we all know comes from homebrewing.

[emoji485][emoji485]
 
NewJersey said:
I see it EVERYWHERE on hbt and it's driving me insane. I love craft beer and the homebrew hobby, but I can't help but notice it everywhere. I imagine some of it is just related to having a low income, but that can't account for all of it.
From complaining about the price of beer in a bar to bragging about how cheap you brew a beer per ounce. I assume if you're into beer then the priority would be to make good beer, but for many on here it seems to be how cheap you can be about it. The most annoying is when people seek to find ways around well known longtime good vendors to save $10. That kills me honestly. I'm not gonna act like I've never bought something on amazon, but I always try to support good vendors and my lhbs.
I am also into cars as a hobby and naturally see the same type of people. It's like a cancer to hobbies in general.
Am I insane?
Anybody agree?
Click to expand...
I think part of it is because it is a very process and improvement focused hobby. Cost per batch is an easy measurement of efficiency.

Regarding your statement on vendors I couldn't disagree more. The only one who benefits from vedor/brand loyalty is the business who could not care less about you. I also support my brew store for grains, ingredients, co2 etc. But I would never go there for equipment because it's 15-25% more expensive than online. But I also understand your view and if you don't mind spending the extra money, good on you.

Lastly I'd just say that yeah it's a hobby. Which by it's nature usually means using up expendable income. A lot have people have that in limited quantities these days.

I guess this is a very long winded way of saying it doesn't bother me, and there's plenty of room in the hobby for all types. Relax don't worry etc etc
 
shetc said:
Last time I checked, making homebrew is a hobby. My version happens to pretty good (or so I am told) and I'm a cheap bastard EXCEPT for yeast.

C'mon down to Ft. Lauderdale, Ms. Yooper [emoji3]
Click to expand...

Better- YOU come over to the other coast! :)

topdog149 said:
For me it's all about the hobby and the cash and space and of course great beer
Click to expand...

Actually, for me I can make inexpensive beer of course. But I can make some IIPAs that cost a small fortune in hopes. I spent probably $3000 on my gear over the years. So it's really not about the cost overall- it's a hobby. The great thing is that I have beer I love in the end, so that makes it a better hobby (and cheaper) than scuba diving or racing cars.

I'm nearly 55 years old, and I weigh 135 pounds on a good day. Having some pumps and gear means an easier brewday for me since 11 gallons of beer and the grain and water to make it means a heavy workday for me. So I do spend money to make my hobby more enjoyable.

I'm not really cheap- I have everything I need and more so I just don't need to spend money on things that aren't important to me. Brewing is important to me and so I have a very awesome ghetto-fab system.
 
Homebrewing is not cheap. This is my personal opinion.

It can become a means to produce cheaper beer, but it doesn't make it better than what I can usually find in supermarkets or local beer / wine shops and pubs. Not even by a stretch. I know homebrewers that brew cheap beer and you can taste it. Actually, you can smell it and then taste it.

For me it's not cheap and I never intended, nor do I intend to transform it into a method of procuring beer, at a lower price. For that, I can always turn back to the likes of Heineken, Carlsberg, and all other macro lagers and ales you can find around. Homebrewing is passion, a delightful hobby that brings people together ( alcohol helps in that aspect, but I do feel it's common ground for most " people gatherings " ), it's sometimes madness when using 20 oz hops for 5 gallons of IPA and lots of expensive vanilla, coffee beans, cocoa beans and other adjuncts for that one sexy Stout or Porter you want to brew, but never cheap. Not money-wise. The experience of actually brewing something being worthy of being sold as craft beer, and enjoying it along with others, that shouldn't be, nor feel cheap.

Cheers.
 
Seems to me the OP thinks saving money = crappy beer. Or that those that scrimp are somehow lesser human beings. Or actively trying to put small businesses under to save a buck.

For me. I compare, decide how much I need to spend to achieve what I intend. Do I need the latest and greatest conical fermenter with wifi controlled temperature? Can I even afford that. The same goes down to little parts. Is the B brand exactly the same as the A brand. Is the B brand different but just as good as the A brand?

If I save by buying the B brand often, I can then afford something from the A brand where B brand doesn't cut the mustard.

I do my best to support the LHBS and small businesses, but if I bought exclusively from them, didn't DIY, I would not have the equipment that I have now, thus would be able to brew less, thus would be spending less at those places.

And I can afford to brew more beer.
 
Unless you're in the '1%', then cost can be an issue. That doesn't mean you give up on your hobbies because, well! It's just too damn expensive!

No, what you do is find a way to enjoy your hobby in more frugal ways. I'm pretty sure I have heard it said that where there's a will, there's a way.

I was gifted most of my initial ingredients (extract kits) and equipment. Then a family member gifted me a mashtun 8 years ago and I haven't looked back once switching to all grain. I look for ways to repurpose stuff and also look for sales on stuff, whether it's online or at the lhbs. I will buy in bulk and on sale to make my beer. But I also look for deals at the grocery store...

I am pretty proud of what I can produce on the cheap, but honestly I have never trumpeted this to anyone in any forum. I just keep brewing.
 
Us Americans in general have never really learned how to haggle. Some people are just naturally good at it and enjoy it. It really is an art form, and yes some people enjoy the just haggling part. All it really is; is negotiating to a place where both people are happy with the deal.

I'm sure you'll be shocked to learn that in most of the non-Western world the price on the item is shall we say.... a thank you sucker price. There same things happens here, except we have been trained that the price you see is the price you pay. Which puts all the negotiation work on the buyer and not the seller and the seller never had to give anything to be up to sell an item. The buyer is the one making all the decisions and it is super easy for the seller (ie no effort).
When in reality it should be both people working too make a deal. The seller deciding how much profit or reduction in loss that he is willing to accept to move the product and the buyer in how much of the product and at what price and quality he can get with having the seller refuse.

But go ahead pay whatever people ask you to. You'll make less quality beer than you otherwise would have.
 
Homergah said:
Hobby?? Hobby??? Are you guys telling me people actually enjoy doing this????
Click to expand...

I used to have a job that took me to 15 countries on a government passport over the years, paid up to $40 an hour for working twelve hour days, seven days a week. There was nothing I loved better than fabricating, building, or fielding telecom systems in remote places, hauling antenna masts on my back up a hill, or sighting and activating SATCOM links.
I could do that every day. It was tough but if you enjoy the labor, it doesn't really seem like work.
Brewing is the same for me. A good end result justifies all the effort.
 
engineofgod said:
Us Americans in general have never really learned how to haggle. Some people are just naturally good at it and enjoy it. It really is an art form, and yes some people enjoy the just haggling part. All it really is; is negotiating to a place where both people are happy with the deal.

I'm sure you'll be shocked to learn that in most of the non-Western world the price on the item is shall we say.... a thank you sucker price. There same things happens here, except we have been trained that the price you see is the price you pay. Which puts all the negotiation work on the buyer and not the seller and the seller never had to give anything to be up to sell an item. The buyer is the one making all the decisions and it is super easy for the seller (ie no effort).
When in reality it should be both people working too make a deal. The seller deciding how much profit or reduction in loss that he is willing to accept to move the product and the buyer in how much of the product and at what price and quality he can get with having the seller refuse.

But go ahead pay whatever people ask you to. You'll make less quality beer than you otherwise would have.
Click to expand...

When SWMBO was younger she worked at Bed, Bath, and Beyond and would have to deal with foreigners who tried to haggle the prices. They didn’t the get the concept that the price on the sticker was the price.
 
I don't think the OP was complaining about haggling per se, though maybe that too is on his taboo list, I couldn't say. Instead, I think he was asserting that some/many/most of us are neurotic tightwads with deep pockets and alligator arms. I haven't found that to be true, but maybe I'm reading different threads than he is.
 
I don’t consider myself cheap. I have been brewing for 9 years. I started with the Mr. Beer I received as a gift. Now I’m brewing 25 gallons at a time. I’m a diy guy as well. I didn’t buy a giant brew sculpture for $2000/$6000, I built one for $300. Through the growth of my beer set up I have bought stuff from Craigslist and even sold some stuff. I even sold some for more than I originally paid for it. I buy all of my ingredients in bulk as well. Are those who go with a yeast starter cheap? They didn’t buy 6 packs of yeast. The math is 61 cents a bottle for me without counting the cost of equipment. I’m not opposed to paying $6 a pint when out with the wife for the evening. But I surely do enjoy my cheap homebrew at home and with friends.

Call me cheap if you want. But when the home brew store folks see me coming in, they are happy to see me buy 100 pounds of grain at a time. Just as happy as they were when I bought only 10 pounds of grain.
 
I will usually pay the lower cost for the exact same item if given the choice. Yes, I've purchased many items and ingredients at my LHBS to support their existence. However, I cannot justify paying $3.00 or more per oz of hops, or $2.25/lb for base grain. Too many easily accessible options for me.

Also, I don't understand how someone else's spending habits or bargain shopping is so frustrating for you. I'm not saying you HAVE to bargain shop, but don't get mad at me when I do.
 
SmokeyRydr said:
Right on brotha. Save where you can, so you can spend where want!

Many will say that I'm a cheap bastard. And their right, but it this cheap bastard is escaping the Seattle winter in sunny Costa Rica for a couple of weeks! [emoji41] [emoji111] View attachment 612936
Click to expand...

yup.

I buy my grain in bulk, my hops in bulk, harvest yeast and do BIAB.
The only person who can tell the difference between one of my beers and some random craft brew is me because I know what my beer tastes like.
I'm not even trying to be cheap.
it's just inexpensive to brew.

couple 12 packs of a craft ipa for $30 or 10 gallons of my IPA for $30?
seems like a no-brainer to me.
 
Jtk78 said:
I will usually pay the lower cost for the exact same item if given the choice. Yes, I've purchased many items and ingredients at my LHBS to support their existence. However, I cannot justify paying $3.00 or more per oz of hops, or $2.25/lb for base grain. Too many easily accessible options for me.

Also, I don't understand how someone else's spending habits or bargain shopping is so frustrating for you. I'm not saying you HAVE to bargain shop, but don't get mad at me when I do.
Click to expand...
Yes^
Remember when hops came in 2 oz packs only?
 
So, after seventy-something posts, and next-to-no participation from the original poster, I think it's safe to say, TROLL.

Keep being thrifty, homebrewers, it helps keep us creative. :mug:
 
All my hobbies involve DIY because I enjoy making things that other people have to buy. As far as homebrew is concerned, I not only make beer, but I also built my electric kettle, programmable element controller, counterflow chiller, all in a self-contained rolling brew stand. I DIY not because I'm cheap, but because I can. A side benefit is that I saved a ton on getting going in brewing. I also buy base malt by the sack, hops by the pound, and nearly every recipe I've brewed I wrote myself with the generous input and opinions of the kind folks here on HBT.

A guiding principle in all of my hobbies is a firm belief in and dedication to the idea that a true hobby can be sustained on a shoestring budget. IMHO, multiple small expenditures over the course of a long period of time fulfills that goal. Being thrifty or on a tight budget, as so many people are these days, is but one factor in the surging popularity of homebrewing.
 

Similar threads

S
Why didn't anyone ever tell me to buy a grain mill sooner
Replies
38
Views
1K
BrewZer
BrewZer
bigken462
Current state of craft homebrewing hobby
Replies
24
Views
2K
Conehead
Conehead
corncob
Bucket heater cut 30 minutes off my brew day
Replies
0
Views
298
corncob
corncob
Clint Yeastwood
Can you Make a Really Good Lager with Corn?
Replies
15
Views
2K
DuncB
D
agentbud
CO2 Tank on the Cheap
2
Replies
50
Views
4K
agentbud
agentbud
InkBird 300

Latest posts

Back
Top