"you won't save money homebrewing"

[Br3w4u]

I could be saving money by brewing but my friends drink more of my home brew than I do and I buy more commercial beer now than I ever did before. I also spend a lot of money drinking at taprooms now too. Another equipment/ingredient cost to figure is cleansers and sanitizers. You always have to buy those but they can be purchased in bulk and stretched out also.

 

[brewbama]

Equipment is the killer. If you don’t count it you save. If you do it takes about 12 yrs at once a month to break even.

 

[HausBrauerei_Harvey]

I had a thread on here a few years ago titled "homebrewing saved me over $1,200 this year". My wife dutifully tracks and categorizes all our expenses, in our years before brewing I was spending about $1500 on beer at the local liquor store. I went all-in with all grain, kegging and built out a 6 tap setup, so the following year our expenses on beer from that store were under $100. The wife was quite pleased.

Of course this ignores equipment costs and ingredients, but it's still a lot of savings. Ignoring equipment (probably 3-4K for me) I buy grains and hops in bulk, usually reuse yeast 4-6 times and it's probably costing me $20-35 per 5gal keg, depending on the recipe.

 

[bleme]

My starter kit, bought 7 years ago, was $100. I went in on that with a friend who has since quit brewing but I won't discount that in half. My 10 gallon tamale pot was $20. My BIAB bag was $27. My wife picked up a kegerator at a yard sale for $100. If you don't count equipment I've gotten as gifts/won, I might have $300 in equipment. Averaging 12 brews a year, that works out to about $3.60/batch.

I buy grain and hops in bulk so my ingredient cost per batch is $10-$15, so a total cost of $13.60-$18.60 (and that goes down with every new batch). The cheapest craft beer is $12/12-pack so I save at least $30/batch.

If you count time, that goes right out the window, but I don't count my time when I go to a movie or go fishing, so it doesn't make any sense to count it while brewing.

 

[Denny]

I had a guy tell me today that I wouldn't save any money by home brewing, that it's more of a hobby.

At first I thought he may be right and then I thought that if it's kept pretty simple, I would be saving some dough.

Most "good beer" here runs about $10 a 6 pack ....if a 5 gallon kit runs $35 to $40 and up and I can get 2 cases, I would be saving some and having fun too!

Homebrewing to save money on beer is like buying a bass boat to save money on fish.

 

[HopHeavy]

I don't know that homebrewing should be undertaken to save money, although I do believe it can. I persistently resist the urge to buy new gadgets and continue to brew on a DIY keggle system that I have had for 3+ years now. I bet I am officially saving money. But If you don't like tinkering AND can't write off the brewing time as leisure, it isn't worth it.

 

[DownstairsBrewing]

Homebrewing to save money on beer is like buying a bass boat to save money on fish.

You must spend a lot more on fish than I do....

 

[MrPowers]

I am in the camp that, brewing can save you money if you don't count the equipment. I'm not cheap in the equipment department, so it will take me a long time to get my money back.

Brewing really saves you money if you like the NEIPA's, Imperials Stouts, and other trendy beers that sell for exorbitant dollar amounts. You can save money on other styles as well, but those are the styles that really save money.

 

[shoreman]

If that was your goal out of the gates, you were retired, went BIAB & bought used brew gear, bulk malt & hops & saved yeast then this would be true.

That not the path of most homebrewers and I certainly don't brew to save $$, because if you calculate out the hourly rate of the making the beer (vs my hourly rate at my job) - it makes no sense and does not save money.

 

[Blazinlow86]

Yeah it depends on a bunch of stuff really.

If you can buy the starter kits and make ok beer with them and resist the temptation to fall into the endless pit, you can totally save money.

That's not how it worked out for me. I totally fell into the endless pit. I started caring about how beer tasted (this was never an issue previously) and changed my goals from wanting cheap beer to wanting great beer. I love the hobby and wouldn't change anything, but I'm not saving money yet after 2 years. I'll break even in a year or so I guess, since I don't really need to buy any more hardware at this point and my ingredient costs are rock bottom.

My advice is to go for it. It's not that hard to make ok-tasting pretty-cheap beer using the basic kits (which require hardly any gear).

If you want amazing-tasting super-cheap beer (which is what many of us enjoy) that's also totally possible, but it requires more time and investment up front. Nothing wrong with that, but don't expect to save money on that journey.

Good answer. I also started out to save money. I made drinkable beer but quickly shifted to wanting to make top quality beer and then it got expensive fast. Now that being said I feel that you can make great beer without expensive equipment but the nice stuff often makes it easier which if brewing oftan makes a big difference. Another side note here in BC a 6 pack of craft stuff is about 16-18$ so I can still save alot after my breakeven point which I'm my case is about 3 years. If you live in areas of America were beer is really cheap you might not save anything but as others have said most people that continue brewing do it for the hobby not the savings. Cheers

 

[Hwk-I-St8]

I didn't start homebrewing to save money (well, not completely). I really like NEIPAs and the best local source is Toppling Goliath at $10/bomber. I was also spending money trading for and buying Trillium, Tree House, etc. Between hassles getting it and the cost, I decided to get back into homebrewing and brew my own figuring I could brew stuff that was just as good. I still drink some commercial beer, but I'm about 90% homebrew.

Let's look at some math:

With my wife and I going through one or two bombers a day on average (I figured 1.5/day), that's almost $5500/year.

Brewing the same style beer, I save a ton. I get my base grains for $25/50lb bag (50 cents/lb) in our twice anually club grain buy. I buy hops in bulk. I overbuild starters and reuse yeast. I'm figuring a 5 gallon keg is costing me around $30 for the equivalent of about 20 bombers. At the same consumption rate, that's in the neighborhood of $500-600 year or a savings of over $4000

Even if I buy $1000 worth of gear/year, I'm easily coming out ahead. I didn't really think about it until now because we don't keep super tight grasp of our cash flow, but anecdotally it does feel like we've been spending less the last year.

My case is different from most because I was buying really expensive beer and we have two people drinking that expensive beer, but when you buy in bulk you can really bring the price down pretty cheap. Not Budweiser cheap, but who wants to brew that stuff?

All that being said, I love brewing and I brew great beer (even if I do say so myself). I look forward to brew days and love planning new recipes. I have ready access to beer I love. Saving money is just gravy really.

 

[FloppyKnockers]

My average cost for ingredients per 5 gallon batch is about $12. I will not include equipment in the cost per batch for the same reason I don't include the cost of my clubs in a round of golf, car insurance in the price of a can of tuna, or gas in the price of gas. Including time is ridiculous. If you include time in the cost then you must also do this for commercial beer (and everything else in your life ever). It's not $10 a six pack - it's closer to $14. Time, gas, insurance...these things add up.

Let's put some numbers together just for squirts and wiggles.

Fermenting bucket = $14
I put a tally mark on the side for every brew that goes through a bucket. So far I have 34 on one of my buckets. That's $0.41 per batch

I have a DIY e-BIAB pot I spent about $100 building. I easily have 150 brews through it. That's $0.67 per batch.

As far as time goes, I consider myself a very decent brewer so I'm going to pay myself $25/hr as a head brewer and $15/hr as an apprentice - the guy who cleans up after wards. The brew lasts about 3 hours set-up and tear down about 1. That's an additional $90 per batch in """""Labor""""".

My batch cost has now gone to a ridiculous $103 per batch. 5 gallons x 128 ounces per gallon / 12 ounces per bottle = 53.3 bottles per batch. $103 / 53.3 bottles = $1.93 per bottle or $11.59 per six pack.

We just compared kegs to bottles though. Let's do an apples to apples comparison. My local beer supply place (amazing shop in the Portland area if you ever find yourself here) John's Marketplace, has sixtels of craft beer ranging from $92 - $134.

If you remove the ludicrous additions of time/labor and equipment, I do save about 80% over the commercial stuff. If you feel you need to include that, you at least break even if not a little savings.

At the end of the day I do not do this to save money. I do it because I love my beer and it's fun. Saving money is just a welcome byproduct.

 

[NitrogenWidget]

If I have more than $1500 invested in my poverty biab setup I’d be really surprised. Even if it was 2k with bulk grain buys and bulk hops sales and reclaimed yeast I’m making 5 gals of simple delicious beers for $12-$15 per 5 gallon batch. Consider the cost of two 30packs of labattes is $40 and I can brew a pale ale that will taste better for $13/14 that will be really damn good and get 53 beers. That’s 1.3$ per beer buying vs .26 cents per brewing. I’m saving a buck a beer. After 25 kegs or 125 gallons it is now cheaper to make beer because my equipment is paid for. That’s using cheap store bought beer most people who would say” you don’t save any money” would be drinking anyways. When you move into hoppy ipas and stouts , Oktoberfest, winter the savings go up compared to commercial. I’ve hit the point where people actually keep drinking my beer instead of drink one to be polite and go back to cans. Essentially I’m making good beer for cheap.

 

[El Nino]

It doesn't save you money depending on what kind of beer you drink. If you're a miller / budweiser drinker then no. However, my favorite beers are usually $13-$15 per 6 pack. I get roughly a case of beer each batch and the ingredients cost me $17. Eventually I'll break even but I'm not even concerned about that right now. It's a hobby I enjoy, and if I have fun doing it, I'll keep doing it.

 

[Knightmare1]

Homebrewing to save money on beer is like buying a bass boat to save money on fish.

I have heard this one for years as people ask me how much it cost me for my fish/Lobster per pound after all the expense. Would be cheaper/easier to buy it they say. Most everyone golf's here in Florida(courses everywhere and weather always makeable). so my response was and know is "How do your golf balls taste when your done with your hobby?" "My fish/beer is excellent.

 

[Denny]

I have heard this one for years as people ask me how much it cost me for my fish/Lobster per pound after all the expense. Would be cheaper/easier to buy it they say. Most everyone golf's here in Florida(courses everywhere and weather always makeable). so my response was and know is "How do your golf balls taste when your done with your hobby?" "My fish/beer is excellent.

We have a large garden, and I hate to think about what the vegetables from it cost. We keep chickens and I don't even what to know what my per egg cost is. Like brewing, you do it because you like it, not to save money.

 

[brewbama]

We have a large garden, and I hate to think about what the vegetables from it cost. We keep chickens and I don't even what to know what my per egg cost is. Like brewing, you do it because you like it, not to save money.

...but I grow some damn good veggies. LOL $$$

 

[shoreman]

We have a large garden, and I hate to think about what the vegetables from it cost. We keep chickens and I don't even what to know what my per egg cost is. Like brewing, you do it because you like it, not to save money.

Yeah don't even get me started on chickens - anyone who thinks you save money there is crazy. I wouldn't even want to start that calculation - but they are part of my home system and would never get rid of them b/c of cost.

 

[Murphys_Law]

I have never thought of cost as a reason to start home brewing. I couldn’t tell you how much $ in equipment I have or how much $ a batch of beer cost me to save my darn life!

That said, I do buy base grain and hops in bulk because it’s cheaper/easier but don’t reuse yeast because, to me, it’s a PITA.

It’s a fun hobby I can share with my friends and family.

 

[beernutz]

I think for my first few years brewing back in the early 90s I probably did save more than I spent on brewing because I was a poor graduate student whose wife was the primary breadwinner. I used one pot, bulk grain, a Corona mill, and swamp cooler fermentation in my one glass carboy so my equipment overhead was minimal.

That was 27 years in the past and I long ago stopped worrying about what I spend and just try to make good beer. I am happier this way.

 

[Francus]

It is a hobby so not really entered into for savings, unless your hobby is saving. My beer is better than store bought. It is what I truly want. And most of all I enjoy designing my brews, brewing my brews, and sharing my brews with friends. And that is why I have stuck with it for over 30 years despite the equipment costs.

Remember, the ultimate job of the homebrewer is to make the process as complicated and as expensive as your significant other will allow.

 

[brandonlovesbeer]

The people telling you you won’t save money are the same people pounding Keystone Light.
So in that case... a 24 pack costs $10
So $20 for 48 12oz bottles.

In that case. Sure. You are not saving money.

But for those of us who buy real beer where a 6pk is $10-$12, then you are saving a ton of money.

But like others have said, it’s not about saving. It’s about making good beer at home. And the education of all of it.

 

[OpenSights]

As a business owner I was about to make that exact point.

You can never consider you’re making a profit, or save money in brewing, until your equipment pays for itself.

At the rate that I’ve been brewing, 5-15 a month, it will take close to a decade for my brewing equipment to pay for itself. Yep, I through any kind of sensible business plan out the window taped to a lit stick of dynamite!

So in my case it would be considered a hobby and not a cost saving activity. I find it to be a stress relief and gives me a chance to not jump at every phone call.

 

[OpenSights]

Oops! Forgot to insert the quote. This forum format is new to me...

If you only look at ingredients, then yes, you will save money. Factor in equipment and time, no way. All depends on how you look at things.

As a business owner I was about to make that exact point.

You can never consider you’re making a profit, or save money in brewing, until your equipment pays for itself.

At the rate that I’ve been brewing, 5-15 a month, it will take close to a decade for my brewing equipment to pay for itself. Yep, I through any kind of sensible business plan out the window taped to a lit stick of dynamite!

So in my case it would be considered a hobby and not a cost saving activity. I find it to be a stress relief and gives me a chance to not jump at every phone call.

 

[Denny]

The people telling you you won’t save money are the same people pounding Keystone Light.
So in that case... a 24 pack costs $10
So $20 for 48 12oz bottles.

In that case. Sure. You are not saving money.

But for those of us who buy real beer where a 6pk is $10-$12, then you are saving a to. Of money.

But like others have said, it’s not about saving. It’s about making good beer at home. And the education of all of it.

Dude, I have never had a Keystone Light in my life. I buy great craft beer. And I still don't save money.

 

[Rev2010]

yeah its much cheaper to brew your own especially if you want options as the craft beer market seems to be selling out going very commercial and catering to the "hottest trending" or best selling beer style amongst craft beer drinkers which is IPA or some variant of it... Took me ten minutes to decide on a twelve pack the other day when looking for a variety pack that had something other than multiple forms of ipas. Right now its just shandys and ipas... What happen to variety!

If there was an option I would "love" this post! Soooo sooo sadly true! I find I've been drinking cocktails I make at home myself more often these days cause I'm just so disappointed with the current beer selections at the supermarkets and such. Way way too many IPA's flooding the shelves, and I do like IPA's. I cannot wait for my Coconut Porter to be on tap in 3 weeks.

Anyhoo, yes you can definitely save money even factoring in equipment cost, but it will some take time to recoup the equipment costs. But if you stick with it in the long run you certainly will start seeing more money in your bank if you are one that drinks beer often, especially if you have a couple after getting home from work daily. I brewed for 5 years straight where I'd brew almost every weekend. Saved a bunch from buying in the stores and there were far less recyclables in the bin every week.


Rev.

 

[brewcat]

We have a large garden, and I hate to think about what the vegetables from it cost. We keep chickens and I don't even what to know what my per egg cost is. Like brewing, you do it because you like it, not to save money.

Another reason to brew is brewing varieties that aren't available locally. I'm still drinking a maibock. Craft brewers are probably on to Fall by now.

Anyway, same with gardening. I can grow varieties that aren't in the stores.

 

[Staticsouls]

My best friend buys all the special release beers from local breweries and we bring an back and test em against homebrew. After doing his taxes he averaged $800 a month on buying beer. I built my eherms system for about that.

 

[TimmyWit]

people are stupid.

you could have a good but simple beer for 20 cents a 330ml homebrewed.

This is if you omit the hops, right?

 

[AZCoolerBrewer]

In brewing materials vs store bought beer, I save a around $3K per year over the higher end beer I used to drink. The cost of equipment does not have to be high if you are able to modify/fabricate it. I did buy my conicals used, and had lot of C kegs left over from a previous life, (stored on rotted pallets in the woods for 30 years, they all had to be refurbished). But with all the other gear, the I figured my equipment investment has been pretty much paid off in a year, even including a new 12 keg freezer I lager in.

If I figured in my time at what I charge per hour at work, it would be a loss several thousand dollars. However, I brew on my day off, and enjoy making beer a lot more than running my business, and the beer I make is very good and the way I like it. In fact, my old "daily driver" imported beer tastes like crap to me now, hopelessly stale. And with only one exception, all the local craft beers available around here are over hopped IPAs that seem to be trending with the young craft brewers, and are more expensive than most high end imports.

Let’s see the breakdown on your 3K saved a year. That means you would have to drink around 20 beers a day by my numbers. Its reasonable to make beer at $10 a twelver if you keep it simple. For comparable beer where I live that would cost you $15 dollars a twelve pack. 3K saved is 72K beers divided by 365 days = 19.7 beers a day. Even if you could manage $5 a twelve pack, that’s still 10 beers a day. Not saying it isn’t done, but at that rate you would hit your 200 gallons in 3.4 months.