Do You Keep Track Of Your Brewing Costs ?

[Pumpy]

Consider that you get paid, what $20/hr? It takes 5-6 hours for a full all grain brew, start to finish? So add an extra $120 to the cost of a 40 litre brew.

Add that to Pumpys cost of about $44 and you are looking at $160 for a double batch.....ouch.

Course, our time is worth nothing as we enjoy it right?

I know Pumpy excluded it originally, but as he said, we are kidding ourselves about the real cost of our efforts.

Yay ! Thanks Fraser John for the support

Pumpy

 

[chappo1970]

I think we are all kidding ourselves as to the true cost of our beer .

Fair enough , but be honest about the true cost .

Double it !!!!



Pumpy (the realist )

Ingorance is bliss pumpy! :icon_cheers:


psst I won't tell if you don't.

 

[porky]

Reading this really makes me realize I need to start bulk buying my base malt. I've been buying it in per batch- just not worth it! Guess I need a mill next....$$

Yup, ya need a mill, and buy in bulk.
Just be prepared to spend a couple of thousand in one go and you are sweet.
Still, pay back if you drink like I do (with a little help from my friends) is not that long. A few months really.

Cheers,
Bud

 

[Smashin]

Brilliant Pumpy I'm with you, I have tracked near every cost of my brews. and found one small political loop hole of which I call apon when Global Financial Cyclones strike (at home), and its all to do with CO2 (and no I don't include carbon credit in my calculations).

"
CO2 RENTAL /PLUS GAS (Edited thanks to Pollux suggestion) $ 120 per year divided by 19 X40 lite batches $6.31 per batch
"

Now you simply need to double your beer intake and the $6.31 per batch is reduced by 50% to $3.15, now that's in around about figures a 10% SAVING over the total prduction cost (quite significant). I under stand that your QA assessment resource commitment to your product needs to increases by 100% but in times of financial crisis the GM needs to step up to the plate and take one for the brewery.

And man I'm I taking it for the team and loving it!!!

 

[schooey]

Consider that you get paid, what $20/hr? It takes 5-6 hours for a full all grain brew, start to finish? So add an extra $120 to the cost of a 40 litre brew.

That logic is flawed, dude. While ever you aren't at work, it's costing you something to unwind from being at work. Even if you only sit on the lounge and watch telly you have to factor in your electricity, depreciation of your telly and still factor in the $120 it apparently cost you to not go to work....

So I suggest if you're that worried about it, get another job, and spend every waking minute working, should make you a fun guy...

 

[Pumpy]

Brilliant Pumpy I'm with you, I have tracked near every cost of my brews. and found one small political loop hole of which I call apon when Global Financial Cyclones strike (at home), and its all to do with CO2 (and no I don't include carbon credit in my calculations).

"
CO2 RENTAL /PLUS GAS (Edited thanks to Pollux suggestion) $ 120 per year divided by 19 X40 lite batches $6.31 per batch
"

Nice one Smashin but now 'Carbon credits' is taking it a bit too far.

There may be a whole new topic on that

Pumpy

 

[reviled]

Reading this really makes me realize I need to start bulk buying my base malt. I've been buying it in per batch- just not worth it! Guess I need a mill next....$$$$

haha, I recently started buying my grain in 25kg sacks, thought I was saving money etc, but worked out that because I dont have a mill, not only do I drive for 40mins to pick up my sack of malt, I then have to drive for another 50mins in the opposite direction to get my grain milled, so im sure whatever I save im spending on petrol, reason I dont mind is cos it gives me a chance to catch up for a beer regularly and I get a nice fresh crush every time...

Its not about the money really, its about the quality!

 

[Fermented]

Before I had BeerSmith I used to keep a spreadsheet of all the materials, amount per brew, etc.

BeerSmith makes it rather easy. It's nice to be able to point out how much is being saved on beer for the sake of a little bookwork. It's nice to know that a half decent ale can be made for about $25, something nicer for about $40 and something downright extravagant (IIPA) for about $65 or so.

It's nice to know that the savings can exceed $2K in a year if you brew weekly compared to buying equivalent commercially available product.

Cheers - Fermented.

 

[boingk]

That logic is flawed, dude. While ever you aren't at work, it's costing you something to unwind from being at work. Even if you only sit on the lounge and watch telly you have to factor in your electricity, depreciation of your telly and still factor in the $120 it apparently cost you to not go to work....

So I suggest if you're that worried about it, get another job, and spend every waking minute working, should make you a fun guy...

F-ing SNAP! My logic to a tee. My Dad always likes to factor in time and I've always thought it was a crock. Mind you he does almost work 24/7, and somehow finds time for fun stuff like motorbikes and brewing...so maybe he should factor it in...

Anyway, I reckon the time arguement is BS. Plus, I'm gonna quote myself from my first post in this thread, seeing everyone seems to have missed it and we are just now getting back around to the point:

After all that, its a hobby I enjoy. And you can't put a price on that.

Cheers - boingk

 

[Pumpy]

Here is a simple English Mild Material costs, with the 'On costs' I stated in the post ,virtually doubles the cost of a 40 litre batch .theses oncosts would increase for 23 litre batches

5kg Ale malt $12.75
0.37 TF Pale Crystal $2.22
0.27 Dark Crystal $1.35
.08 Carafa III $0.48
59gms EKG $5.38
irish moss /Nutrient $ 1.00

Total cost of 40 litres $24.23

Grain Freight $7.50
LPG GAS $5.00
Cleaners $1.50
Equipment wear & tear $3.00
Spoilt stock $1.00
Co2 Gas /bottle rental $6.31

Total On costs $23.81

Grand Total $44.04


Pumpy the Scrooge

I mash two X 40 litre batches a month and I was questioning what those grey area costs were to the brew

I have justified every cost on my earlier posts and Ok , I hear people say home brewing is cheap , but perhaps those people are looking at life through rose coloured glasses ,

I am just trying to highlight the real costs so i am not under any misconception what the real costs are .

Fine I can then decide what i can control and whether to proceed .

People who dont want to know those costs are probably so affluent, they can afford a fancy mobile phone plan, which when the $500 monthy bill comes says oh well I am happy to pay for Soul Trahea's $20 million pay out ( Pumpy Rant)

Pumpy

 

[schooey]

Pfffft... Solomon Trujillo is only a victim too...

If he wasn't getting paid all that money, someone else would be, poor *******. If you really want to get the shits, Pumpy, google up Lee Raymond's payout figure

 

[Pollux]

You want to talk stupid amounts of money, ask me about the high rollers at work...

One guy, yes one guy has lost over $40m since late Jan..........

 

[Fermented]

You want to talk stupid amounts of money, ask me about the high rollers at work...

One guy, yes one guy has lost over $40m since late Jan..........

Hope they comp him a martini at least. Not the 'orrid Kir Royale they make in the Endeavour Room.

Cheers - Fermented.

 

[Pollux]

Fermented, do we know each other??

I only deal in the now known as Sovereign Room or the Inner Sanctums.....

 

[Fermented]

No, probably not Pollux. Not a client at your place.

Cheers - Fermented.

 

[Bribie G]

My cleaners are about 30 cents per brew because I use Tandil dishwash from ALDI and plain bleach. Haven't lost a brew or a bottle to infection yet except for a dirty urn tap that was my lazy fault. If I'm doing a run of ales, fortunately in my case I work in the CBD and can swing round to Ross to get two months worth of 5kg grain shrinks (milled) and get the discount so it drops, say Barret Burston from $4 to $3.60 a kilo - though I'll be picking up Maris Otter next week.

Without amortizing the cost of my equipment my on costs are minimal although I would certainly allow an extra dollar a brew because I am weeding out my 2L bottles and currently getting rid of one per brew. NO MERCY they get the x of death marked on the lid and that's the end of them.

Maybe another dollar for polyclar, whirlfloc, salts, gelatine and of course a couple of dollars for the boil in the urn (get my strike water free from Solahart and the Sun) but that would be about it.

For my partial Bribie Bitter brew total cost is around $21 but this includes lower on costs because it's only one boil split between four mini cubes and I cycle up the street for the can and the dex.

 

[jonocarroll]

I reckon this has come up before ... possibly in a 'how much does AG cost?' or 'is AG cost effective' thread. "Bah" I say to the lot of it. I do what I can to keep brew costs down - wash yeast, try to use up leftover hops, etc... but it's a hobby, so I'm not really in need of cost-tracking unless it becomes a problem and I can't afford it so well. My brews are certainly cheaper than buying commercial beer (especially nice commercial beer) but I do give a lot of it away to mates.

If you're really gonna keep track of costs, what about the medical insurance you need to stay well? Education so you can read the recipe? NB: All well and good if people want to keep track. I just think there's a line, especially when adding in all the little items. It's better put in this comic (edited for politeness)...

 

[Pumpy]

Here is a simple English Mild Material costs, with the 'On costs' I stated in the post ,virtually doubles the cost of a 40 litre batch .theses oncosts would increase for 23 litre batches

5kg Ale malt $12.75
0.37 TF Pale Crystal $2.22
0.27 Dark Crystal $1.35
.08 Carafa III $0.48
59gms EKG $5.38
irish moss /Nutrient $ 1.00

Total cost of 40 litres $24.23

Grain Freight $7.50
LPG GAS $5.00
Cleaners $1.50
Equipment wear & tear $3.00
Spoilt stock $1.00
Co2 Gas /bottle rental $6.31

Total On costs $23.81

Grand Total $44.04


I mash two X 40 litre batches a month and I was questioning what those grey area costs were to the brew

I have justified every cost on my earlier posts and Ok , I hear people say home brewing is cheap , but perhaps those people are looking at life through rose coloured glasses ,

I am just trying to highlight the real costs so i am not under any misconception what the real costs are .

Fine I can then decide what i can control and whether to proceed .

People who dont want to know those costs are probably so affluent, they can afford a fancy mobile phone plan, which when the $500 monthy bill comes says oh well I am happy to pay for Soul Trahea's $20 million pay out ( Pumpy Rant)

Pumpy

Just to add to the oncost the 220 gms of light dried malt to make a 2 litre 1.040 SG yeast starter

(as the liquid is tipped away and only the yeast used I regard it as an oncost )

so that adds another $3.00 to the batch

this has put the final cost up too $47.04 for my 40 litres of English mild

Pumpy

 

[mash head]

Beer for close to $1 a litre cant be too bad. And the hobby keeps you off the streets.
Greg :lol:

 

[Pumpy]

Beer for close to $1 a litre cant be too bad. And the hobby keeps you off the streets.
Greg :lol:

Your right Greg

I love it too

Pumpy