How much did yours cost.

[Anyhowe]

How big ( max gallons) and how much money did your existing brewing set up cost. Let's keep this separate from fermentation chambers and dispensing kegerators and Keezer systems.

My Zymatic makes 2.5 gallons. When I add in a stirrer, a chiller, a grinder and misc flasks and fittings etc, i think I am around $2600. And that does, by default, include a 5 gal fermentation keg.

Not a contest of cheapest or most expensive. Just curious.

 

[WIBrewer83]

220v eBIAB recirculating setup for 5g or 10g batches. It's setup in my basement, so with ventilation, dedicated outlet....about $2k all in. Brew days are so easy and predictable...money well spent in my opinion.

 

[day_trippr]

I'm not inclined to tally the score at this point, but there are 5 Blingmann kettles and a pair of their floor burners setting the baseline.

To paraphrase a sagely observance, my worst fear of death is my wife will sell all my brewing equipment for what I told her it cost...

Cheers!

 

[DurtyChemist]

Blichmann burner about $120
Igloo cooler $10
Conversion $25
Chugger pump and chiller $100
Keggle $85 probably
Pretty sure that's it. I did BIAB for a couple years which was much cheaper. I wanted more equipment.

 

[55x11]

How big ( max gallons) and how much money did your existing brewing set up cost. Let's keep this separate from fermentation chambers and dispensing kegerators and Keezer systems.

My Zymatic makes 2.5 gallons. When I add in a stirrer, a chiller, a grinder and misc flasks and fittings etc, i think I am around $2600. And that does, by default, include a 5 gal fermentation keg.

Not a contest of cheapest or most expensive. Just curious.

I can make 15G batches, but usually it's 10G.
Hot side: 20G pot with a ball valve, about $120. Propane burner, about $60. Immersion chiller 50' (made myself), about $50. Coleman 70qt cooler mashtun, converted, about $60.

So probably $300 on the hot side.

EDIT: I forgot the cold side, I have 5 large fermentors (6-7G), and 5 3G fermentors (nice for splitting batches). All were about $30 average, so that's another $300 in fermentors alone. Refractometer, hydrometers (I have 3 and I broke 2), starsan, mineral additions, fermcap, tubing, winethiefs, bottlers, siphons, caps, airlocks, stoppers, wing capper, bench bottler, bottle cleaner, oxygen stone, oxygen tanks - it all adds up quickly. Oh, and brewometer. So maybe another $400?

My biggest "investment" by far is on the cold side (serving). Keggerator, kegs, gas cylinders, regulators, connectors etc. - I have probably close to $2-3K tied up in that.
20G CO2, 5G CO2, Nitrogen tank, two regulators (CO2, N2), 10 kegs ($35-40 or so each), 8 lines/taps with all sort of connectors, 8 faucets, (probably easily ~$60-70 per tap line, times 8) etc., fermentation fridge ($100), keggerator freezer ($300 plus collar, another ~$50), both with temperature control (~$30 each), additional heating belts/heating elements, various random buckets etc etc.

 

[MaryB]

Mish mash of kettles, homemade brew stand, low cost Bayou burners, all the accessory bits and pieces... about $1k total!

 

[bonecitybrewco]

About $1k for an AG cooler system capable of 10 gallon batches. That includes everything though from grain to bottle.

 

[Funkychef]

Simple BIAB set up.
$30 stainless 30l pot
$110 grain mill
Home made bag
Couple of buckets and other small stuff
All done in my half commercial kitchen so dont need burners/propane tank and other stuff
Probably under $200 all up

 

[yeahfairly]

2 - 30 gal Blichmann Kettles, custom 3 burner brew stand (constructed by my son in law for $0 at his shop), immersion chiller, MM2 grain mill, pumps, TC connections, valves, miscellaneous fittings, Igloo mash tun, dial & digital thermometers, hydrometers, PH Meter and hoses and clamps..... less than $2,600...

With that said... When I first started out in 2007... I was making good beer with my Turkey Fryer and basic equipment that I got from Mid West for less than $500.....

 

[unionrdr]

Well, that's tough to remember, being collected up over some 5 years?...
Set of 4 polished SS stock pots with lids & steamer trays, 1.5G to 5G-$28
BC grain mill- $139
Various nylon BIAB bags- $40?
Cooper's Micro Brew set- $120?
Midwest 7.9 shorty pail- $26
Ferrari Super Agata bench capper, 45 bottle tree & avinator- $100?
2' X 6' back folding table from Home Depot.com- about $60
6.5G bottling bucket & spigot- $13
2/12G flip-top totes for grains & power tools- $14
2/5G buckets for grain mill & general brewery use- $10
2G pails for vinegar & wine making- $6
Long-handled spoons, paddles, Fine mesh strainer, lid prying tool, rubber mallet, SS colander, 1L Erlenmeyer flask, spray bottle, measuring cups & spoons, funnels, bathroom 3oz cups, tubing, airlocks- about $200
Various chemicals, like PBW, Starsan, Whirlfloc, Super Moss-$30
Miscellaneous- $100
So that's about $886 all in.

 

[AZCoolerBrewer]

2 One Gallon Glass Carboys - $10.90
1 10 Quart Brew Pot - $20
Thermometer - $6.95
Red Baron Capper - $15.95
1 3 Gallon Plastic Bottling Bucket - $4.44
2 3 Ft. Plastic Tubing - $3.00
1 Syphon Pump - $9.95
1 Bottling Wand - $3.95
144 Caps - $3.95
Bottles From Beer I Would Drink If I Didn't Brew - $0.00
2 3 Piece Airlocks - $2.90
1 Hydrometer - $12.95
1 Igloo Cooler - $29.99
Test Cylinder - $2.95
Two Drilled Stoppers - $1.90
Long Bottle Brush (Bottles and Carboy Cleaning) - $2.95
Tubing Clamp - $0.79

$133.52 - Total Retail

This is retail for the things I have, not necessarily what I actually spent. I already had the cooler and some things from the kit my family bought me as a birthday present. I make 18 12oz. beers per batch. Each time I make a batch it costs me around $25 depending on what I make. That includes supplies like Oxiclean and Starsan. I don't buy bulk. I get my ingredients and supplies from a LHBS. I've spent some money on things that I don't use now like EZ-Cap bottles. I got my bottling bucket free from my mother in law who works at Fry's in the bakery and had some 3 gallon frosting buckets. If I bought all the things that I didn't have retail and hadn't spent money on things I don't use it would have cost me around 100 bucks for my set up.

 

[Aristotelian]

16 quart stainless pot $11
Paint strainer bag $5
large stainless collander $7
1 gallon glass jugs (3) - $5 each (one was $8 but came with cider)
2 airlocks - $3
1 homemade airlock + rubber bung - $1

Total: $42

That's the essential stuff. I also have your standard racking, bottling, and measuring stuff.

 

[catdaddy66]

initially had a $70 starter kit and have added a mashtun for free(!) and burner/8 gallon brewpot for $50. Some thermometers and scales and sundries set me back about $75...

About $200 total.

 

[TasunkaWitko]

How much did yours cost.

A hell of a lot more than The Beautiful Mrs. Tas thinks it cost....

...but still definitely under 200 for the whole she-bang (mash to bottle)...probably around 150, leaving me lots of money for ingredients!

 

[Dan_K]

Hmm. I just spent:
$85: bottling gear, auto-siphon, and tubing (starter kit)
$145: Kettle and burner
$11: Wine thief
$11: BIAB.... bag
6 gallon glass carboy - free, was given to me

I still need a wort chiller and mash tun. I have a couple options.
I also eventually want a stir plate, and more fermenters.

 

[kh54s10]

Not that I really even want to know, But here goes.
Original equipment kit -$150
Turkey fryer and pot $45
Cooler mash tun $80
SP10 burner $45
Home made IC $50
Wood stand $25
2 ten gallon pots $100
sight glass and valves $110
$605

First brew was with the equipment kit, a NB Irish Red Ale extract kit and a 5 gallon pot that I already had.

Additional equipment and ingredients = many thousands of $$$$$$$$$$

 

[55x11]

A hell of a lot more than The Beautiful Mrs. Tas thinks it cost....

...but still definitely under 200 for the whole she-bang (mash to bottle)...probably around 150, leaving me lots of money for ingredients!

wait what? - $150 for all-grain equipment, mash to bottle?
My first setup was $50 kit, but I couldn't mash. Or do 5G batches.

 

[TasunkaWitko]

Well, I do 1-gallon batches, which work for me. My estimate includes the initial kit, kettles, mini-siphon, mesh strainer, bottle wand, capper, etc.

 

[SpentBrains]

3 used kegs, $100
2 PIDs, SSRs and Thermocouples $34
a amp/volt meter $10
Various switches and lights $35
Some wire and cable $100
A can of paint $7.
Eherms coil, fittings and hoses? $250-300?
2 elements 4500 and 5500 KW $35

 

[brick_haus]

So, we were supposed to keep track? I am NOT lying when I say that I Don't recall. I do give all of my receipts to my wife and they added up to a combined total of $98.21. Those 2 20g conical fermentors accounting for almost half of that!!!

 

[Qhrumphf]

Not gonna part it all out, but on the brewing side alone (not including fermenters and such) I'm probably $1200 or so.

Working on the plans for the bigger and better system though (amongst all the other stuff also involved). Once I find a bank willing to give me a three quarters of a million...

 

[Braufessor]

I bought a MoreBeer 3 tier gravity system, 10 gallon kettles ( 5-6 gallon batch size) about 16 years ago. $1200. Stand, Kettles, burners all there. Free shipping and they threw in a 50lb bag of grain too..... Best money I ever spent in my life. I am literally down to cents per hour of entertainment at this point. Still as good today as the day it was delivered. Just checked their website - they don't even sell it any more. Cheapest thing they sell is $4200 and it quickly escalates from there.

Won't even get into the rest of my insanity as far as $ spent on brewing. But, still does not add up to an RV or a Boat and gas expense like lots of the neighbors I see .... so, I got that going for me

Ooops.... looks like they do have it in a different section. Only 10 gallon batch size now.....
https://www.morebeer.com/products/original-gravity-allgrain-brewing-system.html
No free shipping anymore ($500+).

 

[Dfitz]

2-Keggles boiler/mash tun $30
Associated hardware $100 ea.
1- False bottom $100
1-20 gal stock pot HLT 40ft SS tubing and associated hrdwr $120
2- chugger pumps $300
Silicone hose $60
MM3 $275
Fast Ferm conical $100
Used Freezer/ Ferm chamber $50
2000ML flask and stir plate $75
1-1/2 bbl keg $30
50 GPD 6stg RO+DI $115
Custom built 50A B2B Kal Clone sorta Control Panel $2000 give or take a few $

And I haven't even brewed yet!
Soon enough though.

Need at least 2 1/6 bbl to get going so add another $140

Edit; and another freezer... Yeah
So add another $200

$3,695... Not counting some odds & ends.

 

[sd_brewbie]

Bought a single tier propane brew rig with 3 15gallon kettles (one of which is a converted keg with a false bottom) two pumps, silicone hoses and a SS immersion chiller with a pump for $700. I have bought many other odds and ends between fermenters, hydrometers, refractometers, ph meter, chest freezer, keg system, more kegs. I have no idea how much I have total in this hobby, a few grand at least. but expenses have slowed down now... except I want to expand the number of taps I have, I want a counterflow chiller, converting from propane to natural gas... yikes....

 

[unionrdr]

I have to agree at this point. Brewing is a lot like they say about racing or other fast cars..." Speed's just a question of money. How fast ya wanna go?" You can go simple, basic brewing equipment, like many of us. Or you can go for the bling, three burner set-ups with pumps & all the bells & whistles. It's your choice, but, this way lies madness. Are you sure you really wanna live like this?

 

[bendog15]

Like any other hobby, you can go as crazy as you want on equipment. Some of us are economical, some of us like the bright shiny things. I keep my setup pretty simple and am happy with it.
Modified keggle w parts, 150
Bayou classic burner 100
Propane tanks 50
Grain mill 75
Food grade buckets free
10 gal igloo cooler used 80
Collapsible table to brew on 75
2 Carboys from a friend, free
Hoses, airlocks, etc 200
Stir plate and flask 75
Airtight grain storage containers 150
Scale 40
Refractometer 40

Wow the more i write the more I come up with stuff. And I keg and have a 4 tap keezer. Maybe I don't keep it that simple after all. I think I'm around $1000 range just in makin wort hahahaha.

 

[Xernex]

I don't even want to know at this point...now of course if the wife asks...only a couple hundred bucks because I got fantastic deals haha

 

[ericbw]

I would say around $500 MAYBE. 5 gallon water cooler bottles, 4 gallon buckets, 2 gallon buckets, stoppers, airlocks, strainer bags, 5 gallon cooler.

The kettle and burner were a big expense. Everything else is small.

Kegging made it expensive!

 

[k1ngl1ves]

Not 100% sure, but I'd guess less than $300 on the hot side. I can do up to 15g batches. I trade a lot to get the gear I really want. Just about everything I have is used, but still very nice. Lol!


Now the cold side is a different story (from chilling the wort to serving). I'd say I'm over $4000 there.


I hope my wife doesn't catch on...

 

[Baja_Brewer]

How big ( max gallons) and how much money did your existing brewing set up cost. Let's keep this separate from fermentation chambers and dispensing kegerators and Keezer systems.

My Zymatic makes 2.5 gallons. When I add in a stirrer, a chiller, a grinder and misc flasks and fittings etc, i think I am around $2600. And that does, by default, include a 5 gal fermentation keg.

Not a contest of cheapest or most expensive. Just curious.

Why keep ferm chambers separate? I understand kegs+ keezers being out of bounds, but temp control is important.

This is all spread out over about 8 years, including a 4-year break where I sold some stuff (obviously not listed)

Woof -
$1900 in to the Zymatic
$90 Grain Mill
$80 SS cart
5x$30 (5-gallon kegs)
10x$40 (3-gallon kegs)
$90 Perlick 650SS + QD shank
3x$15 Stir-plates
$20 flask+stir bars
$150 Mini-fridge (ferm chamber)
$100 Brew Pi (ferm chamber)
$500 Misc.... thermometer, o-rings, QD's, 5#& 20# CO2 Tanks, Regulator, stout faucet, cheap taps, Perlick something SS, shanks, hose, scale, hydrometer...
I have carboys I no longer used, a tower (for sale!), etc.

Sooooo... $3500 to $4k

I don't count, it doesn't matter - I have a project car on the other side of the garage with $8k+ into it, it just sits there (soooo close to being done, for the past 3 years)

 

[Stillraining]

I thought you were going to say divorces but...

< 1.5 K for my 1bl system. Including fermentation control and kegarator set up.

 

[NastyNate]

conical, some cleaner, and other minor supplies.....200 or so for 5 gallon setup. Rest of it borrowed in trade for beer from a buddy who doesnt brew. I plan on getting a refractometer (sp?) tomorrow. Trying to buy something eat time I brew.

 

[unionrdr]

I wanna take the old 32CFM comp fan on long screws for legs I cooled my high-timed racing slot car motors with for a stir plate. That fubared hard disc drive has one more use left...

 

[pdxal]

Generally 5 gallon batches
7.5 gallon pot $49
Paint strainer bag(s) <$5
Cooling rack to keep bag off bottom of pot $5
Kitchen stove top to heat
Rubbermaid tub to cool pot in $10
Funnel and stainless strainer to transfer to carboy $15
Multiple 6.5 and 5 gallon glass carboys, assume $35 each
Airlock and musting cap <$10
Bottling bucket with spigot, tubing $15
Auto siphon and tubing $15.
Bottles- free.
This does not include ingredients or bottle caps.
So, assume rig is about $160, amortized over many, many batches.

 

[Pantherjon]

Too much...really...I am sure I am leaving a lot off the list but off the top of my head:
Grainfather ~$700(got a good deal from eBay seller)
20G kettle $100
8G tall boy $100
Propane burner $85(I think)
Parts for my eBIAB control panel I plan on building before I retire $300
Carboys, buckets and other sundries I would probably put at around $300

Getting close to the $2k mark..This does NOT include ingredient kits and other supplies(cleaning/sanitizing) cause that would probably tack on another $500 or so..lol..

 

[snowveil]

So much of my equipment has been slowly upgraded over the years...but I currently have a 16.5 gallon Penrose kettle with a triclover electric element, stainless chugger pump, 12 and 15 gallon cooler HLT/MLT, 50' stainless immersion chiller.

A rough estimate puts me just over $1k. That's not including the conical, carboys, temperature control, kegerator...etc.

It's the little stuff that you don't think about that really adds up. Quick disconnects, hoses, valves, etc.

I'm really happy with my system, with a few tweaks I'd make if I were to do it again. For the space I brew in I've done pretty well, though!

Here's a picture of my *mostly* assembled rig...there were still a few upgrades done to it since :rockin:

 

[Cyclman]

2x 15G, 1x20G boilermakers, 3 blich burners, hop blocker, false bottom, leg extensions, Seville Classic 3-tier metal shelves, chugger pump / valves: $2,500.

Thermometers, Ph meter, grain mill, refractometer, scales, 50' 1/2" copper chiller, funnels, BIAB, strainer, hop bags, tubing, spoon, mash paddle, carboy washer, carboys: $1,000

Beer fridge, Ferm chamber, temp controls, kegging system, portable kegging, bench capper: $1,100

Glassware, bottle openers, stainless growlers, bottles: $400

Easily $5k of stuff, boy I need to brew more. So if you consider the savings in homebrewing (and ignore labor) in 10 years I'll break even

 

[jddevinn]

Yall are making me feel bad....

 

[Cyclman]

2x 15G, 1x20G boilermakers, 3 blich burners, hop blocker, false bottom, leg extensions, Seville Classic 3-tier metal shelves, chugger pump / valves: $2,500.

Thermometers, Ph meter, grain mill, refractometer, scales, 50' 1/2" copper chiller, funnels, BIAB, strainer, hop bags, tubing, spoon, mash paddle, carboy washer, carboys: $1,000

Beer fridge, Ferm chamber, temp controls, kegging system, portable kegging, bench capper: $1,500

Glassware, bottle openers, stainless growlers, bottles: $400

Easily $5k+ of stuff, boy I need to brew more. So if you consider the savings in homebrewing (and ignore labor) in 10 years I'll break even

OK I had to go look at my stash, add oxygenation, stir plate, water filtering, 8G kettle for small batch BIAB, grain totes, 1/2" drill, and hop bag vacuum sealer $600. Oh yeah, easily $400 in brewing books.

I am glad my SWMBO doesn't review my posts. Still cheaper than a sports car or most middle aged hobbies.

 

[unionrdr]

Yeah, my tuner costs way more than my retiree pension can handle. So more beer, no car for awhile...