Hi,
I'm just wondering how much everyone ends up spending on home brew in a year?
And whether all the equipment and brew supplies works out cheaper in the end.... Ignoring the pleasure of the process of course!
Cheers
Andrew
How much do you spend on brewing?
hOW MUCH DO YOU SPEND ON BREWING
Shit yeah,
It is stacks cheaper to brew than to buy commercial stuff, especially if you buy the equivalent quality such as Coopers! As for how much you spend in a year, how long is a piece of string? It depends on how much you drink! The differential varies of course on the amount of trouble you go to when you brew, I use Coopers with the brew enhancer 2 as a rule, If you use the heritage range it is about three to four bucks dearer, I do some of each, (mainly because we have no brew shop here in Alice and I have to order the heritage in from Coopers.) If you go to a bit more trouble as a lot of brewers that probably have more time do, then you could make it all a bit more expensive, but overall, unless you are doing something fairly wrong, you would have to be financially way in front, and get a better beer as well! That's my opinion and I'm stickin' to it!
It is stacks cheaper to brew than to buy commercial stuff, especially if you buy the equivalent quality such as Coopers! As for how much you spend in a year, how long is a piece of string? It depends on how much you drink! The differential varies of course on the amount of trouble you go to when you brew, I use Coopers with the brew enhancer 2 as a rule, If you use the heritage range it is about three to four bucks dearer, I do some of each, (mainly because we have no brew shop here in Alice and I have to order the heritage in from Coopers.) If you go to a bit more trouble as a lot of brewers that probably have more time do, then you could make it all a bit more expensive, but overall, unless you are doing something fairly wrong, you would have to be financially way in front, and get a better beer as well! That's my opinion and I'm stickin' to it!
Ross
Yeah, hmmm... I'm going to have to be drinking pretty hard to recoup what I've spent so far. But it's not really about the money for me. Having beer on tap is a big plus (in most ways), and if you really wanted to you could do it a hell of a lot cheaper.
As for the cost of a can and some malt and hops or whatever, yeah, you'd be hard pressed brewing something more expensive than the rubbish you can buy, but add it ALL up (fridge, thermostat, carboys, taps, gun, steraliser, hydrometers that I smash regularly, co2, blah, blah) and it may not be as cheap as first thought. Like I said though, I don't give a toss about the money. Drinking the bock and the lager that I have on tap at the mo is well and truly worth it.
As for the cost of a can and some malt and hops or whatever, yeah, you'd be hard pressed brewing something more expensive than the rubbish you can buy, but add it ALL up (fridge, thermostat, carboys, taps, gun, steraliser, hydrometers that I smash regularly, co2, blah, blah) and it may not be as cheap as first thought. Like I said though, I don't give a toss about the money. Drinking the bock and the lager that I have on tap at the mo is well and truly worth it.
Evo - Part Man, Part Ale
I'm with Evo on this for me it is not about the cost. For me it is about, having beer on tap that is of good quality, the satisfaction of sitting back with mates saying what a great beer this is and the pleasure of trying something new and having it work. I do not look at the price when buying supplies for my brews as long as they are good quality I'm not fussed.
I know there is a lot of brewers who brew because it is cheap or for super strong beer for me it is about good quality beer.
Shaun
I know there is a lot of brewers who brew because it is cheap or for super strong beer for me it is about good quality beer.
Shaun
At the moment I'm spending a bloody fortune, but when compared to what commercial brews would cost it seems to pale into insignificance. I'm still getting kegs, just acquired another fridge, making crates for my bottles etc
Anyway, now I'm drinking what I want to drink, the way I want to drink it! And lets face it there's nothing better than having a beer you crafted and knowing exactly what's in it! Especially when the boys are round, I've now converted 3 of the boys into having a go, tow with their own kit, one using mine until he can convince his wife!
And as has been said, sh!t it's only money, we can't take it with us so we may as well enjoy it
My missus is happier too, coz she knows where I am now, can't remember the last big session I had in a pub. BUt in my brew room well that's another story
Anyway, now I'm drinking what I want to drink, the way I want to drink it! And lets face it there's nothing better than having a beer you crafted and knowing exactly what's in it! Especially when the boys are round, I've now converted 3 of the boys into having a go, tow with their own kit, one using mine until he can convince his wife!
And as has been said, sh!t it's only money, we can't take it with us so we may as well enjoy it
My missus is happier too, coz she knows where I am now, can't remember the last big session I had in a pub. BUt in my brew room well that's another story
Some people say I have a drinking Problem....
I drink, I get drunk, I fall over....
What's the problem?
http://www.brodiescastlebrewing.com/
I drink, I get drunk, I fall over....
What's the problem?
http://www.brodiescastlebrewing.com/
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Dogger Dan
- Posts: 3168
- Joined: Thursday Aug 26, 2004 10:43 am
- Location: Lucan, Ontario, Canada
I think you'd be hard pressed to brew with any reasonable frequency and keep it under $500, unless its just straight supermarket kit + sugar. Between yeast, a couple kg of extract, some grains, hops, bottle caps etc. $35-50 a batch becomes the norm, and once you move into the world of high gravity brewing (barleywines, belgians and imperials; not the kiddie brew with tons of sugar and an awful taste) it only goes up.
For a simple brew I spend about $15. Coopers form K-mart on15% off days and 1 kg Dextrose HBS.
Otherwise about $20 - $25 a batch. (2 1/2 slabs)
compared to $30- 40+ a slab
My equip has paid for itself many times over. All up about $200.
I now have 4 fermentors - 60L, 2x 30L, 20L.
A bottle draining tree, bottle washer and a homemade capping stand
It's more about making something yourself than the money.
My wife doens' complain too about how much I drink, but she certainly would if i was buying commercial
Otherwise about $20 - $25 a batch. (2 1/2 slabs)
compared to $30- 40+ a slab
My equip has paid for itself many times over. All up about $200.
I now have 4 fermentors - 60L, 2x 30L, 20L.
A bottle draining tree, bottle washer and a homemade capping stand
It's more about making something yourself than the money.
My wife doens' complain too about how much I drink, but she certainly would if i was buying commercial
BPJ
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Longbeach Brewer
- Posts: 35
- Joined: Monday Sep 13, 2004 10:00 pm
- Location: Melbourne