True cost of Homebrew

[dad311]

I've been brewing 6 months now, started with a few extract kits, then jumped into all grain very quickly.

I was wondering tonight how much I spent to date making my own beer and trying to save money, pasted below is the list.

The bottom line, is just short of $1200.00. Sure adds up quickly

Im a long way from the $50 Mr beer kit that I was originally going to purchase

Oh well,

Item cost note
startup kit $100.00 Groupon deal plus extras
100 Swing top bottles $80.00 Ebay
bottle tree $45.00
bottle washer $25.00
7 gal pot $40.00
13 gal pot $80.00
Mash tun cooler $45.00
freezer and temp control $70.00 criagslist and ebay
15 gal keg, frig , 20lb c02 tank $100.00 package deal didn't really need a frig GREAT DEAL.
misc kegerator parts $100.00
keg/carboy washer parts $70.00
kegs $79.00 Ebay
better bottle $40.00
c02 regulator $100.00
frig $150.00 beer 2010 frig from craiglist.
bargain fittings $40.00 For 15.5 keg

Total $1,164.00

[BDawg]

Start throwing in plane tickets, hotel, and event tickets to NHC, and you'll really start to piss your pants.
This is not a hobby where you save money.

[dad311]

Start throwing in plane tickets, hotel, and event tickets to NHC, and you'll really start to piss your pants.
This is not a hobby where you save money.

I'm not saving any money, but I do have more friends!

[spiderwrangler]

This is not a hobby where you save money.

Same reason you have to do more than just make decent beer to succeed as a commercial brewer!

[grod]

Start throwing in plane tickets, hotel, and event tickets to NHC, and you'll really start to piss your pants.
This is not a hobby where you save money.

Steve,

Speaking of NHC tickets, I intend to track you down and make you pay for not meeting me in Seattle all those years ago. Philly will set me back $3k in airfares alone, I love my hobby and those douche bags that make it even better. Just sayin'

love

g

[Ozwald]

It always makes me chuckle when someone wants to get into the hobby 'to save money on beer'. After brewing for ~10 years I've spent far more money on buying and building equipment (never mind the ingredients) than I would have just buying the beer for the rest of my life... probably the next generations life as well.

[spiderwrangler]

On top of all that, homebrewing is what got me into drinking good craft beer, so that's an additional cost. The more you know about beer the better and more expensive stuff you end up drinking...

[EagleDude]

Shit ... Yeah I spend a lot of money on homebrewing equipment and ingredients, but I also spend a lot of time brewing and enjoying the results. If I go to a bottle shop, I'll end up walking out with $30 to $100+ spent on beers that will get drank within a few days. Instead, I just brew the beers I want and save the bottle shop for trying new things, getting to know different styles, and inspiration for the next recipe development. By buying hops and grains in bulk and reusing yeast, brewing is by far cheaper than buying the beers I like to drink .... i.e $25 for 10 gallons of tasty blonde ale that would cost me $9.00 a six pack to buy at the store ($160 for equivalent volume). By the time I finish drinking my blonde ale, I have ~$135 that would have been spent for commercial craft beer if I didn't brew it myself. That is just a "cheap" beer example, so yeah homebrewing is cheaper and equipment costs are made up for over time.