I'm surprised at how much I have spent on brewing in 2018

[beernutz]

I was curious so I looked up all my LHBS debit transactions, looked at my paypal account transactions, and logged into the online HB stores I know I've bought from and the grand total was almost a grand. Zoinks, before this I would've guessed maybe a little more than half that amount.

The most expensive single item was a Tilt for $135. All the LHBS, morebeer, and spice shop purchases were ingredients and the rest were equipment. I brew 10 gallon batches and have done 12 so far this year. No regrets though--just don't tell my wife.

The Wine Smith - LHBS $447
Morebeer.com $160
brewhardware.com $64
lionbrewingsolutions.com - TILT $135
Michael Wilser $38
NorCal Brewing Solutions $77
Savory Spice Shop $12
$932 total for 2018

EDIT Doh, I forgot to check amazon purchases, mostly small stuff
amazon $83
$1,015 actual total for 2018

That doesn't include the two 6 gallon wine kits I've made this year.

 

[Schreiner]

Looks like a good start. Don't despair! There's still a month left in 2018!

Seriously, that isn't bad.

I probably spent that much on homebrewtalk marketplace alone.

If you get caught by the Mrs., you have lots of examples in here to show her how bad it COULD be!

 

[Sailingeric]

Once you get the equipment you can amortize the cost over the batches. Once you buy you should be good for many years.

 

[beernutz]

Looks like a good start. Don't despair! There's still a month left in 2018!

Seriously, that isn't bad.

I probably spent that much on homebrewtalk marketplace alone.

If you get caught by the Mrs., you have lots of examples in here to show her how bad it COULD be!

I know, we haven't even gotten to black Friday yet.

Quick and dirty 12 batches x 10 gallons = 120 gallons or 1280 12oz bottles or 213 six packs. $1,015 spent / 213 = $4.77 a six pack!
"See how much money I'm saving us honey!"

 

[RM-MN]

I know, we haven't even gotten to black Friday yet.

Quick and dirty 12 batches x 10 gallons = 120 gallons or 1280 12oz bottles or 213 six packs. $1,015 spent / 213 = $4.77 a six pack!
"See how much money I'm saving us honey!"

Figure out the cost to drive to the bar, the cost for the beers you would have consumed there, and add in the cost of a DUI while driving home. It makes your cost seem pitiful.

 

[OG-wan Kenobi]

[QUOTE="
$1,015 actual total for 2018
[/QUOTE]


Look at it this way some people spend that on a single fermentation vessel you got a year of beer sounds like a deal to me

 

[balrog]

...and some people build a walk in fridge in their basement and hold so many kegs they don't remember what they have...

I think you're on the average to low side of things at this point.
I don't look at what I spent. It's like a bald spot on the back of the head--I don't see it, it's not there.

 

[bracconiere]

here's my alcohol spending chart....

the unassigned was a twelver of InBev IPA....

 

[Vale71]

I don't look at what I spent. It's like a bald spot on the back of the head--I don't see it, it's not there.

Your wife sees it all. The money that's gone as well as the back of your head...

 

[gnef]

...and some people build a walk in fridge in their basement and hold so many kegs they don't remember what they have...

Haha, that seems aimed at me!

I don't even want to think about how much I spend on this hobby, or my other hobbies every year! I buy more gadgets and equipment every year, so it's difficult to amortize it. haha. I upgraded all 14 of my faucets in 2015, went electric in 2016, have done maintenance and other purchases since then as well, along with the bulk buy every year where I typically buy at least 6 sacks of grain. Maybe I'll slow down now? Haha.

Woodworking is another hobby of mine that I sink a good amount of money into (I also just got into chainsaw milling and drying flitch slabs in the basement), as is coffee (I roast 40-60 pounds of coffee per year for espresso and bought a new grinder last year, an ECM S-Automatik 64, and plan on upgrading the Rancilio Silvia to an ECM Classika PID soon).

I've got other hobbies that I'm not as active into, but still dabble in (flashlights, air rifles, charcuterie, computers, etc.), plus two kids!

I've said it all along though, hobbies were never meant to save you money, they were meant to keep you sane and give you an outlet for recreation, recalibration, enjoyment, and relaxation. If the hobby isn't doing at least some of that for you, it is time to move on.

 

[Jtk78]

Haha, that seems aimed at me!

I don't even want to think about how much I spend on this hobby, or my other hobbies every year! I buy more gadgets and equipment every year, so it's difficult to amortize it. haha. I upgraded all 14 of my faucets in 2015, went electric in 2016, have done maintenance and other purchases since then as well, along with the bulk buy every year where I typically buy at least 6 sacks of grain. Maybe I'll slow down now? Haha.

Woodworking is another hobby of mine that I sink a good amount of money into (I also just got into chainsaw milling and drying flitch slabs in the basement), as is coffee (I roast 40-60 pounds of coffee per year for espresso and bought a new grinder last year, an ECM S-Automatik 64, and plan on upgrading the Rancilio Silvia to an ECM Classika PID soon).

I've got other hobbies that I'm not as active into, but still dabble in (flashlights, air rifles, charcuterie, computers, etc.), plus two kids!

I've said it all along though, hobbies were never meant to save you money, they were meant to keep you sane and give you an outlet for recreation, recalibration, enjoyment, and relaxation. If the hobby isn't doing at least some of that for you, it is time to move on.

Do you have 40 hour days where you live??

I only have 1 kid, and between him and coaching his teams, other family obligagions, maintaining the house (currently remodeling kitchen, including building my own countertops), work, and brewing I find myself short on time.

 

[yeahfairly]

LOL... I've got a list of stuff I plan to upgrade to in the next 6 months...... SS 15 Gal Conicals, 20 Gallon SS Brewtech mash tun, glycol chiller and a few more... All high end gear.... I figure around $5,500..... Anyone got a room to rent when my wife kicks me out??? I have friends who have dropped $25,000 to $30,000 on a bass boat... I fail to see the difference... a hobby is a hobby..... At least this hobby keeps me at home close to the wife.......

 

[madscientist451]

My biggest brewing cost reduction happened when I bought a mill, a scale and started buying grain in bulk. Also with an inventory of grain on hand I can brew whatever I want without running out to the store (saves gas and time).

 

[kh54s10]

I am surprised at how LITTLE I have spent brewing in 2018. I need to brew more!!!!

 

[gnef]

Do you have 40 hour days where you live??

I only have 1 kid, and between him and coaching his teams, other family obligagions, maintaining the house (currently remodeling kitchen, including building my own countertops), work, and brewing I find myself short on time.

Ha! The nice thing about the hobbies I choose to engage in, is that they don't require constant monitoring for the most part, and I can invest as much or as little time into them as I feel.

For example, when I was tuning the PCP air rifles, that took me at least a few solid weeks of doing something every night, but once I got it right, I didn't have to spend time fiddling with it any more.

Same with coffee, it took me weeks of fine tuning every time I changed something (new roaster, or new grinder, etc.), but once I find the right settings, I don't have to mess with it (until I break something or replace a piece of equipment).

And for charcuterie, I have a prosciutto hanging that I've been air drying for nearly 6 years now, but that doesn't mean I've had to do anything to it once I hung it up to dry. I do bacon, duck prosciutto, and some others regularly, and I just started a guanciale for the first time.

There are some great hobbies out there, including homebrewing, that take time to learn how to do, but once you know what you are doing, don't actually require that much active time. Woodworking on the other hand, does require a good amount of time, and also tools...

 

[kevin58]

A thousand dollars is less than a quarter of what I spent this year. But then again, I bought a turnkey electric brewing system this fall so....

 

[Shawn3997]

$1000 bucks for 10 batches of 10-gallons (about 100 beers) = $1 a beer
Just LHBS and morebeer = $0.60 a beer

(I approximated a lot)

 

[rhys333]

I probably spent around $1K to get all the bits and pieces I need for brewing and serving. Maybe it's a bit more because I did upgrade to a four-tap kegerator early this year.

I'm pretty much set now, though. Just ingredients and cleaning stuff now and then.

 

[seatazzz]

The biggest purchases I made this year (besides ingredients) was a plate chiller at $100, and a new house fridge for $150 which allowed the old one to become the ferment fridge. Has made all the difference in my brew days. I get "paid" at my brewery job in a bag of two row once a month, so all I need to buy for grain is adjuncts if the boss doesn't have it, and yeast. My water bill, however....ouch.

 

[4of7]

Try not to look at the cost. The cost is a problem if you are in and out of brewing.I look at this hobby long term.If you buy something that is high dollar that you use alot it is worth it,, but if 5k 3v ebrew sits ,no good, When I started I wanted to spend $200.and run $20 batches.The only way is keep it simple and keep brewing. I am not saying that it's for everyone just my way. I built my breehouse over 3 years due to the cost and time.I approach my hobbies in small bites to my wallet and time..I got@1500 of discretionary income this year,mainly due to the room updating

 

[SEndorf]

I don't bother tallying the cost.

I've said it all along though, hobbies were never meant to save you money, they were meant to keep you sane and give you an outlet for recreation, recalibration, enjoyment, and relaxation. If the hobby isn't doing at least some of that for you, it is time to move on.

This.
Added to the list is the satisfaction from your beer drinking posse who frequently comment that your beer is better than anything they've had commercially.
Yes. I've occasionally made some pond swill. They're quick to point that out as well, so I know their comments are sincere.

Sure beats a bass boat.
I hate bass......

 

[small_b_brewing]

I got into brewing this year, so it was a pricey year

ETA: Specifics
$530 on start up equipment
$1100 on Kegging setup
$560 on ingredients and other consumables (Starsan, PBW etc)

 

[small_b_brewing]

$1000 bucks for 10 batches of 10-gallons (about 100 beers) = $1 a beer
Just LHBS and morebeer = $0.60 a beer

(I approximated a lot)

I've kept track: $2200 on gear, kegging and consumables....
I've made 13 batches of 2.5 gallon beers. That amounts to 325 12-oz bottles of beer.
So I'm at $6.75 per bottle of beer- ie. it would almost be roughly equivalent to going to the bar!!!!

That said- worth every cent! I've loved the learning, the people in the community I've met and being able to share tasty beer I've made.

Also, with each trip to the LHBS, I tell myself I've bought all the gear I need, my 'cost-per-beer' will start going down...

 

[wepeeler]

I've spent roughly $3K, but this was diving in head first for me. I was strictly doing extract kits in a 5 gallon turkey pot with a propane burner. Since have switched to all grain and bought a new kettle, a few brew buckets, co2 tank, 4 kegs, some flasks, a stir plate, a thermapen, a refractometer and a lot of knick knacks and ingredients this year. Totally worth every penny.

 

[OpenSights]

Here’s my embarrassing story. After buying up two equipment set ups (awesome deals off of Craigslist) I started adding to it from my my LHBS.

I stopped in with the wife to buy something, nothing big but the manager said, you just got your first $50 credit. I had only been a customer there for about a month and a half. I made the mistake of asking how much I needed to spend to earn the gift card... $750! I got the evil glare.

I easily have a couple $K invested in equipment.

At one club meeting the stores manager even commented that I was the only new brewer to have so much equipment.

 

[Shawn3997]

I've kept track: $2200 on gear, kegging and consumables....
I've made 13 batches of 2.5 gallon beers. That amounts to 325 12-oz bottles of beer.
So I'm at $6.75 per bottle of beer- ie. it would almost be roughly equivalent to going to the bar!!!!

That said- worth every cent! I've loved the learning, the people in the community I've met and being able to share tasty beer I've made.

Also, with each trip to the LHBS, I tell myself I've bought all the gear I need, my 'cost-per-beer' will start going down...

You should amortize those long-term investments.

 

[small_b_brewing]

You should amortize those long-term investments.

I hope to be brewing a long time!