What Are Your Costs (or Savings) In Home Brewing?

[Oatlands Brewer]

I guess this discussion really goes to show what a HUGE cross section of the community Home Brewing takes in.

To some its a hobby only to be squeezed in between work and home-life like golf or cycling, others do it cause to continue pursuing the hobby of beer drinking/socialising would cost too much, i even now of people around here who brew cause they are alcoholics and dont work so therefore cant afford there "Habit".

The other side of the coin are guys who have a big wallet to swing and will buy a bespoke 3 Vessel set up and use it for 12 mths then get the ***** with it and it sits in the shed.

I reakon the thing to remember with HB'ing is its unique among hobbies that you can actually have fun at a task that arrives at a product that is at least as good as what you can buy at a price that is substantialy lower. not may hoobies that will do that for you, maybe Vegie gardening, Hunting/Fishing (though these can have large capital expenses), making bio-fuels.......

Personaly I started brewing cause in our town the most imaginative commercial beer i can buy is Coopers Pale....not a bad beer by any means but a little variety is nice.

 

[Eater]

I work 40 hour week on average for a result i would call less than satisfying.

On a brew day i spend about 6 hours, including pre and post cleaning, for a result i call satisfying

One earns me the money i need to do the other
One lets me reset on a weekend to return to the other

With the Yin, comes the Yang

 

[Nick JD]

If people (or you) feel the way you think they do Nick, they should give up brewing as it is a waste of their (your) time.

See, you're disagreeing with some people's attitude because it differs from yours, not because it's untrue.

I think there's a word for that.

Some people enjoy mowning the lawns. Some people get others to do it for them because their spare time is too valauable to piss about doing something that takes and hour and only costs 25% of what they can make in one hour.

Me? I love brewing. I'd continue to do it if I was a millionaire. But I would understand if someone who was too busy with other commitments to stop brewing.

 

[DanRayner]

See, you're disagreeing with some people's attitude because it differs from yours, not because it's untrue.

I think there's a word for that.

Some people enjoy mowning the lawns. Some people get others to do it for them because their spare time is too valauable to piss about doing something that takes and hour and only costs 25% of what they can make in one hour.

Me? I love brewing. I'd continue to do it if I was a millionaire. But I would understand if someone who was too busy with other commitments to stop brewing.

No, I was speaking of an unlikely situation. I don't think these people really exist and by saying that you love brewing yourself regardless of the time spent on it or by stating that you'd continue to brew after winning the lottery you have not disproven me.

People who think it is or would be a chore to brew probably don't brew or once did but have given up. Other than possibly the unemployed uber-poor, I doubt there are any brewers who brew beer and think that brewing is a chore - there are always cheaper ways to get wasted if you dislike brewing. I just think that for some people (like me) it wouldn't matter how cash-rich/time-poor they were they would still brew because nothing about it is not a chore to them.

My spare time is too valuable to be doing anything other than brewing

Glad you love brewing as much as I do Nick

 

[stux]

Another point, I like to have a mate or two round for a brew day, good socializing, good excuse to sample some beers in the latter stages... And they like drinking the finished products, only fair to help out

Are we going to put a monetary figure on weekend bbqs and other social events now?

 

[DanRayner]

See, you're disagreeing with some people's attitude because it differs from yours, not because it's untrue.

I think there's a word for that.

Oh, and I think the word you were looking for is judgemental - and pretty much everyone is judgemental to some degree.

 

[outbreak]

<br />Sorry..... Off Topic quickly......<br /><br />Ok..... and are your weekends are just as fun making beer at home, as to when you were 4x4'ing??? Chalk and cheese if you ask me......<br /><br />Similar to sniffing Glue / Chroming to snorting coke - You may enjoy both, but 1 is a ****-load cheaper than the other.<br /><br />I had a 4x4 '91 LN106 Hilux for a few years...... The reason i gave up 4x4'ing was cos a family started to evolve under the wallace household....... I love my hilux, and miss her dearly <img src="http://www.aussiehomebrewer.com/forum/style_emoticons/default/sad.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid="" border="0" alt="sad.gif" /> But anyway, homebrewed beer has somewhat numbed the pain.....<br /><br />Back on topic......<br /><br />I agree with Brewer_010. Keep it simple. I have a brewing budget, but it doesnt involve 20L a month, more like 20L a week (exaggerated average <img src="http://www.aussiehomebrewer.com/forum/style_emoticons/default/icon_cheers.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":icon_cheers:" border="0" alt="icon_cheers.gif" /> ) after bills are paid, food is on the table and swmbo and the kids get their little (and i mean little) treats, I save the rest, and spend the pocketed extras (like saturday work, and unexpected overtime....) Swmbo understands this is my play money and i get to spend it on things for the brewery (but she gets a big surprise quite often like flowers/chocolate.......<br /><br /> <img src="http://www.aussiehomebrewer.com/forum/style_emoticons/default/icon_cheers.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":icon_cheers:" border="0" alt="icon_cheers.gif" /> <br /><br />_wallace_<br /><br />P.S. This post has taken a bloody long time for me to write...... On and Off the bloody computer, fatherly stuff, cooking dinner, blah blah blah..... <img src="http://www.aussiehomebrewer.com/forum/style_emoticons/default/smile.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid="" border="0" alt="smile.gif" /><br />

<br /><br /><br />

I enjoy brewing more than 4x4. I got sick of the stupid bogans out on the tracks asking to be recovered with no recovery points etc.... I miss it sometimes, but I enjoy brewing far more. I can understand how you would love 4wding a lot more than brewing though.

 

[ekul]

If its taking too much time, get a bigger pot. I used to spend 5 hours making 23L, now i spend 5 hours making 46L, when i get my 140L pot i will be spending 5 hours to make 92L. With the help of a pulley and an extra bag the difference in effort between a double and quadruple batch is negligible.

If i was a billionaire I'd be brewing in a 200L Rims system and have 20 different beers on tap, on the deck of my villa in Venezuela. I'd probably hire someone to do all the cleaning though, or maybe one of my model girlfriends could do that if she wasn't 'busy'.

 

[Nick JD]

I'd probably hire someone to do all the cleaning though.

I'd hire a brewery to do it.

 

[Spork]

So far: Brewing batch of JAO (Mead) that cost about $22 for the ingredients (with honey left over) and < $10 for equipment (only needed to purchase a bung and a bubbler) So, $30ish for about 3.5 litres of beautiful (I hope) mead.
That works out pretty good value IMO.

As for beer - plan on starting first batch this weekend and it should make approx 20 litres (I'm guessing 1 litre of "dregs" left in fermenter?) $ spent so far on brewing equipment (approx) :
Basic kit + heating belt - $70
Premium recipe kit - $50
30 PET bottles - $36
Thermometer - $20
Long glass jar for testing SG $13
Starsan $20
Funnels, spoons, measuring jug $12
total: $221

plus I have a couple of brewing books and an ebay temperature controller on the way and am looking for a fridge / freezer to brew in...

So, I usually spend $60 - $65 / carton, and drink approx 1 of them each week, plus probably $30-40 / week on "speciallty" (craft / micro / imported) beers for a treat.
In the short term I have no plans to stop buying the treats, but I do hope to stop buying the regular stuff, so, after my 2nd batch, I should already be about even, minus the cost of a fridge / freezer, when I get one, which should be < $100.
I expect my hobby to have paid for itself with a couple of months. Besides, what hobby is free?

 

[manticle]

I've saved enough to buy myself a small chicken.

No idea really anymore. My brews cost less per bottle than a commercial equivalent (presuming there is one available) but I invest a lot of time and a fair bit of my non-disposable income in ingredients, equipment building, brewing books etc.

As long as I can afford it without starving and as long as I keep enjoying it, I figure I'm ahead. That's enough for me.

I also spend more money on commercial beer than I used to because the commercial beer I now buy is far more expensive than that I used to buy (I get less of it for more money).

Don't know how it balances up, don't really care. I love drinking beer, brewing beer, talking beer, learning about beer and sharing beer.

 

[[email protected]]

i worked it out once..... for me to buy a carton of coronas, it was 53 a pop...... if i made it myself, would cost me around 43 a pop......... the carton of coronas HAD 24 brews in it, my homemade HAD 65 in it....... $2.20 a bottle, or $0.68 a bottle? easy!

 

[sean_0]

This is my second incarnation as a brewer, a move between hemispheres stopped my first one. First time round I spent far too much and ended up with a lot of stuff I didn't need.

This time I was determined be as frugal as possible (for a while anyhow), and with the benefit of hindsight I could buy only exactly what was needed. I've now spent about $220 on equipment, and have done 3 brews at an average cost of $30. Each brew is 23L, which is almost 3 slabs of beer. If I was to buy 9 slabs of megaswill, it would cost me about as much as I've paid for all of my equipment and ingredients so far. So I'm breaking even right now (better really as my beer is top quality). If I don't spend any more on equipment (and i don't really need to), I'll end up a fair bit ahead.

But then I've been using a mate's burner, so eventually I'll need to get one of my own. Then I might need to upgrade the kettle a bit, ball valve etc, then . . . . . . . . . . it's easy to get carried away

 

[Spork]

...snip...
Are we going to put a monetary figure on weekend bbqs and other social events now?

Hmm good idea. Would that make them tax deductible?
*Spork to tax accountant. "My job is very stressful, to wind down I need beer therapy. To reduce the burden to the taxpayer for this therapy I have done the right thing by my country and started to brew my own. Here are my receipts. Can I claim it?"

Woohoo! Quick, spend up big before end of financial year!

I agree with the sentiments of many in this thread. I don't think you can count the monetary cost of what your work pays you per hour for a hobby that you do for your own enjoyment.

 

[[email protected]]

dont do it spork!

i had a conversation with a mate if mine the other night...... princess gillard and her tax on alcohol come up...... so the question was raised..... would the tax be put on home brews?

the deduction that we came up with is no! i wouldnt be! it cant be! reason being is because they are just selling us the gear to make the beer, not the actual fluid itself!if they made the brew on the premises of out LHBS, then that may be different.....

beer and tax dont mix!

 

[jakethedog]

I know a bloke who brews homebrew for the sheer cost saving. He buys the cheapest malt can from the supermarket adds sugar(sucrose) and then bottles it in 2L plastic coke bottles - YUK!!!

 

[Golani51]

I've saved enough to buy myself a small chicken.



Don't know how it balances up, don't really care. I love drinking beer, brewing beer, talking beer, learning about beer and sharing beer.

Manticle: Don't forget- the is no taking a piss like the post- session piss. YEAAAAHHHHH

 

[Aus_Rider_22]

No idea really anymore. My brews cost less per bottle than a commercial equivalent (presuming there is one available) but I invest a lot of time and a fair bit of my non-disposable income in ingredients, equipment building, brewing books etc.

As long as I can afford it without starving and as long as I keep enjoying it, I figure I'm ahead. That's enough for me.

I also spend more money on commercial beer than I used to because the commercial beer I now buy is far more expensive than that I used to buy (I get less of it for more money).

Don't know how it balances up, don't really care. I love drinking beer, brewing beer, talking beer, learning about beer and sharing beer.

Pretty much the same for me.

When I find myself waiting for stocks to build or going somewhere for a few drinks (bbq/fishing/etc) I am now purchasing dearer beer as I don't like just drinking Tooheys or XXXX. I don't enjoy drinking them and now that my palate has been opened up to the great world of real beer I seek different styles and brands I haven't tried.

 

[donburke]

i just prepared a comprehensive 15 year cashflow projection on my capital and consumable costs of home brewing

it has necessitated the making of numerous assumptions in relation to future events

i have taken steps to verify that these assumptions are reasonable, but no warranty can be given as to the general accuracy of the assumptions made and hence the conclusions of the projection

The projection demonstrates a breakeven in the 11th year, and profitability from the 12th year onwards

i have entered into forward contracts for the malted barley purchases,

a put and call option was needed for the hop acquisitions, with a sunset clause

the spot rate is taken for water,

shares in a carbon filtration company have been acquired, which carries carbon offset credits

key man insurance on me will keep the enterprise in operation should anything happen to my health

a succession plan is also in place, so that offspring can benefit

​

BRING ON 2022
​

 

[jakethedog]

Definitely cheaper than ***!!

*** is very expensive (and I am not talking by the hour). Count the cost of dinner/movies/flowers etc. And there is still the risk of the headache card being played!! Or count the cost of what a wife spends per year divided by the number of times you "do it".