You know you're a home brewer when?

[bleme]

I've been offered cash for a 12'er so many times. Unfortunately that's a no no. Not goin there ever.

I've never sold beer, but the friends who get offered the most beer are the ones who have asked how much it costs to make a batch, and then at some point handed me $20-$40 to help fund the hobby that they enjoy so much.

 

[zoonose]

I just traded some homebrew and mead for some really nice sheepshead!

 

[1fast636]

When you go to the local flea market and hope to stumble across anything homebrew related, no luck today hoping to hit the mother load one of these days, I can dream right

 

[frozennorth]

When you realize that being a cheap bastard is not in line with your hobby!

 

[Black Island Brewer]

When you realize that being a cheap bastard is not in line with your hobby!

When you look at $12 bombers in the bottle shop and use it as justification for spending a couple grand a year on your "cheap hobby".

 

[SmCranf]

When you go to the local flea market and hope to stumble across anything homebrew related, no luck today hoping to hit the mother load one of these days, I can dream right

I do the same thing, found a 3 gallon carboy for my mead about a month ago!

 

[insanim8er]

When you realize that being a cheap bastard is not in line with your hobby!

You're just not doing it right...

 

[aStoutObserver]

You're just not doing it right...

That

 

[frozennorth]

Granted, the initial investment is a chunk of change, but you can make the cost per brew cheaper. My question is how do you "do it right". I can not seem to get them under $50.

 

[bleme]

Granted, the initial investment is a chunk of change, but you can make the cost per brew cheaper. My question is how do you "do it right". I can not seem to get them under $50.

My cheapest so far was the Caramel Amber I got from the recipe database here. $18. As long as I don't figure my wages, I can beat anything at the liquor store.

 

[Zepth]

When you look at $12 bombers in the bottle shop and use it as justification for spending a couple grand a year on your "cheap hobby".

At a microbrewery 5gal kegs were going for $90 + deposit. I've yet to spend half that much on a batch.

Granted, the initial investment is a chunk of change, but you can make the cost per brew cheaper. My question is how do you "do it right". I can not seem to get them under $50.

Seems a little high to me, even factoring for electricity/propane. My most affordable was a batch and parti-gyle yielding 4 cases (24x355ml) for $28+hydro.

 

[drthrob]

Granted, the initial investment is a chunk of change, but you can make the cost per brew cheaper. My question is how do you "do it right". I can not seem to get them under $50.

Go All-Grain and quit brewing extract.


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[JohnSand]

It would also help to know what you are brewing. My most expensive batch was over $60, but it is an 8.2% Belgian. (People love it) The liquid yeast, spices, and big grain bill all raised the price. If you are brewing IIPAs, it's hard to make them cheaply. But buying in bulk, grain is $1/lb, hops $1/oz, yeast $3. That puts me under $25 ingredients most times for APA. Water is cheap here, electric expensive. I haven't calculated my power use, but I doubt it adds over $5.

 

[Black Island Brewer]

You know you're a homebrewer when you pretend your only costs are for ingredients.

 

[WilliamSlayer]

You know you're a homebrewer when you pretend your only costs are for ingredients.

Thats the one that keeps me from going All Grain. Figuring in the 'hidden costs' of propane and water and equipment. .... The extract seems just as 'cheap' after all those costs are added to the price of the grain....

 

[GilSwillBasementBrews]

Thats the one that keeps me from going All Grain. Figuring in the 'hidden costs' of propane and water and equipment. .... The extract seems just as 'cheap' after all those costs are added to the price of the grain....

Well water you are using either way so that's a wash yeast same thing goes. Propane or electric you use as you should still be at least boiling your extract with hops. And with approx1$ a pound of grain average 10-15pounds a brew I think all grain is the cheaper route. Heck a paint strainer bag and a 7-10 gallon pot is really the only needed cost maybe a mill if a LHBS isn't so L



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[jpcourtney]

You know you're a homebrewer when you're driving down the road with two cases of bottles that were given to you and wonder how many "Open Containers" can they write you for at one time.

 

[Chadwick]

Well water you are using either way so that's a wash yeast same thing goes. Propane or electric you use as you should still be at least boiling your extract with hops. And with approx1$ a pound of grain average 10-15pounds a brew I think all grain is the cheaper route. Heck a paint strainer bag and a 7-10 gallon pot is really the only needed cost maybe a mill if a LHBS isn't so L



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I agree. I do BIAB and I managed to purchase a pretty nice 10 gallon stainless brewing pot for little more than $120. I figured it didn't take many of my high gravity brews for the saving of going all-grain to pay for the pot. My mill is one of those cheap corn mills and the crank handle replaced with a homemade fitting that connects to my cordless drill. My cost of brewing a barleywine dropped from around $55 worth of materials when brewing with extracts to $20 worth of materials by going all grain.

 

[SPR-GRN]

I went all grain a while ago, biggest "cost savings" I've noticed so far, also buying mlat in bulk through group buys; although the buy-in can be a bit much, it's worth it... I put "cost savings" in quotes because I still spend the same amount of money I did before (probably more), I just spend the bulk of it on equipment now

I do BIAB AG on the stove-top (mash, sparge, full or partial boil depending on how I'm feeling htat night)

base malt is $0.80/lb+/- specialty malt is $0.90/lb+/- (I buy 50lb sacks or split sacks of specialty malt)
I buy bulk hops separate and freeze at $10/lb or less so like $0.63/oz
I have food-grade air tight bins for storing the malt (I don't remember how much they cost)
My induction ready 8 gal (32 qt) pot was $80+/- (no ball valve)
--you can buy them for $110 with ball valve now on amazon
grain mill was a gift ($100-$200 depending on your choices)
kegging gear - I've lost track how much I've spent on kegging gear, I don't remember how much my CL chest freezer was, I built a collar, and was gifted two 630ss tap setups but will be buying two more, as well as a new regulator and misc lines/connectors etc.

as far as ingredients go - a 5 gallon "finished" batch of a SMaSH is ridiculously cheap - ingredients are about $10+/- (malt, hops, yeast). That doesn't include sanitation, CO2, electric etc. and I'm on a well so water costs are moot. But still, way cheaper than any other method.

ALSO you know you're a homebrewer when - you try to convert others to AG by explaining that although it won't save them money, it will give them more beer per dollar spent.

I also just blew a couple hundey-sticks on ball lock kegs I didn't exactly need; I just couldn't pass them up, I may need them some day

 

[DrunkleJon]

When you immediately notice Corny kegs used in movie 'drug labs' as props and get distracted and annoyed while wondering what genius is wasting them when the prices for them keep going up. The jerks.

 

[JohnSand]

When you are in a brew-pub, tasting a flight, and your wife says: "Eh, yours are better."
It didn't go to my head too much, she still liked the Lagunitas Undercover Shut-Down better than any of mine.

 

[Jeremy_84]

When you make your friends save all there bottles for you. Also have them drink Carlo Rossi just so you can have a mini mash fermentor for a test batch.


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[SPR-GRN]

When you've been kegging exclusively for a year, but refuse to get rid of 120 of your de-labelled bottles "just in case" you need to bottle a couple batches.

 

[EdMerican]

When you've been kegging exclusively for a year, but refuse to get rid of 120 of your de-labelled bottles "just in case" you need to bottle a couple batches.

Ive done the same thing, but kegging for 2 years and closer to 300 bottles. Just got a buddy brewing two weeks ago, so he gets to inherit my bottle collection. Needless to say, SWMBO is pleased to have them leaving. They certainly DO come in handy, though.

 

[TrustyOlJohnson]

3 kegs, building a kegerator, an Im embarrassed to say how many bottles. Its amazing why you find when u clean and organize your garage


"Sometimes Im right half of the time ...."

 

[fuzzy2133]

3 kegs, building a kegerator, an Im embarrassed to say how many bottles. Its amazing why you find when u clean and organize your garage


"Sometimes Im right half of the time ...."

+1 I know there are 3 cases (probably 4) of labeled bombers hiding in the garage. I think they were buried under her stuff for safe keeping.

 

[plath]

When you make your friends save all there bottles for you. Also have them drink Carlo Rossi just so you can have a mini mash fermentor for a test batch.


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I WISH I knew people who drank Carlo Rossi! I have bought it three times and mostly drank it all to have for some one gallon batches.

SO I guess mine would be, you drink cheapo wine just for the fermenting jugs

 

[TrustyOlJohnson]

+1 I know there are 3 cases (probably 4) of labeled bombers hiding in the garage. I think they were buried under her stuff for safe keeping.

I wish that was all. I found nearly 50 cases, jus 4 of which were partially filled. Then half a dozen cases of bomber bottles, plus wine and champagne bottles. Evidentally cleaning bottles is theraputic for me or something. Hence, there are cases of clean bottles for sale in East Central Illinois for $8 a case. Jus get ahold of me


"Sometimes Im right half of the time ...."

 

[1fast636]

When you will be asking your wine drinking friends to drinks acouple Rossi bottles after catchin up on this thread, thanks guys gallon fermenters check

 

[insanim8er]

When you are in a brew-pub, tasting a flight, and your wife says: "Eh, yours are better."
It didn't go to my head too much, she still liked the Lagunitas Undercover Shut-Down better than any of mine.

I'm just finishing off a 22oz bomber of Lagunitas NightTime. It's very good and only $5