tommysauder
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- Joined
- Mar 5, 2013
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In Canada home brewing saves lots. 5 gallons of beer here is $100. So 1 batch with equip cost almost the same as just the beer here. So now it's just profit
Then there is the whole cost of your time to brew versus to buy pre-made and ready to drink. [...] They obsess over saving $2-3 on a pound of hops, but figure that the 6 hours they spent brewing is somehow "free".
Why should you count the time involved brewing? If you enjoy it it is not work it is fun. Plenty of people have other hobbies that not only cost more money but are less fun with no benefit of producing a consumable good.
You should be counting it if you are making the assertion that you can make homebrew cheaper than commerically made beer. The commercial brewery has labor charges wrapped up in their $8-10 per 6 pack retail cost. Of course the price per six pack of homebrew is cheaper; you guys aren't counting one of the most expensive aspect of making beer...the labor!
OK...so your time is worth nothing. Got it. If that is what it takes to validate the time you spend brewing, then go for it. You should start making your own clothes and growing your own food too while you are at it. After all, its cheaper to do all that yourself. Oh, you don't do that? I wonder why....
I happen to enjoying making things in my free time instead of wasting it as a couch potato.
Time it takes to make it can't be accounted for unless you take time off work. Must cost you a suit load to watch tv, sleep, go for a walk etc. Time off of work is called leisure.
But I think that is the magic answer. If the only reason you brew is to save money, it is a lot of effort that could be spent on something you enjoy more. Personally, I do not track how much I spend on a batch of beer. I brew it because I enjoy doing so.
Time it takes to make it can't be accounted for unless you take time off work. Must cost you a suit load to watch tv, sleep, go for a walk etc. Time off of work is called leisure.
You should be counting it if you are making the assertion that you can make homebrew cheaper than commerically made beer. The commercial brewery has labor charges wrapped up in their $8-10 per 6 pack retail cost. Of course the price per six pack of homebrew is cheaper; you guys aren't counting one of the most expensive aspect of making beer...the labor!
Of course it is a hobby and therefore you discount your time in the name of fun. Obviously I do this too or I wouldn't be a homebrewer (or bake bread, or woodworking, etc).
My only point is if you are doing a true price comparison then it should be done fairly...or at least recognize the fact that you are discounting your time to pursue the hobby.
But I think that is the magic answer. If the only reason you brew is to save money, it is a lot of effort that could be spent on something you enjoy more. Personally, I do not track how much I spend on a batch of beer. I brew it because I enjoy doing so.
this is well said.
Thanks, I have my moments.
My point is that your time is absolutely worth money. Whether you lose out on actual money to brew beer certainly depends on your profession and compensation base (do you work for yourself or do you have your work day set in specific hours?).
But even without the "did I miss work to brew" analysis, there have to be SOME things in your life you enjoy doing. If brewing is not one of them, and you spend 7 hours on a Saturday brewing beer to save money, then you cost yourself nearly a whole day of doing something you want to do...playing with your kids, golfing, camping, hunting Sasquatch, etc.
That's why I don't track the cost of my brews, even though I am an anal Type-A person with an accounting background. You have to just say "screw it" sometimes and do the things you want to do.
As the OP I feel obligated to share my view on the value of time.
Time is the only thing we are limited on. You can always get more money.
Again though bob, it depends on your purpose. I like it for giving me access to styles I wouldn't otherwise have in my self righteous hypocritical living environment. To be competitive, the gas expended to acquire such things (not even addressing questionable legality as you're limited to how much you can bring across state lines but then again homebrewing is allegedly illegal here too but then again it's a felony to own pots and pans for that matter) I would be spending a fortune. Even $40 for a batch is more reasonable from that perspective. Some of the beer we enjoy we can get locally for $10/12pack when on sale making this a better option than homebrewing and we do so fairly regularly as well. At least with Homebrewing it gives me something productive to do with my time. Let's face it... Programming on tv blows now a days.
(not even addressing questionable legality as you're limited to how much you can bring across state lines but then again homebrewing is allegedly illegal here too but then again it's a felony to own pots and pans for that matter)
Thanx for the advice and encouragement. I have been going to The Best Damn Brew Shop in Down Town. It is cool to know that experience will equal better Beer.
You should be counting it if you are making the assertion that you can make homebrew cheaper than commerically made beer. The commercial brewery has labor charges wrapped up in their $8-10 per 6 pack retail cost. Of course the price per six pack of homebrew is cheaper; you guys aren't counting one of the most expensive aspect of making beer...the labor!
Of course it is a hobby and therefore you discount your time in the name of fun. Obviously I do this too or I wouldn't be a homebrewer (or bake bread, or woodworking, etc).
My only point is if you are doing a true price comparison then it should be done fairly...or at least recognize the fact that you are discounting your time to pursue the hobby.
tommysauder said:In Canada home brewing saves lots. 5 gallons of beer here is $100. So 1 batch with equip cost almost the same as just the beer here. So now it's just profit
I am very happy with the decision to skip bottling and go straight to Kegs. Washing dishes is my least favorite chore. I enjoy sweeping up the alley more.
@NadoHawk
Where is the store that you are referring to? I do not click on links in Forums anymore due to receiving a nasty Trojan virus on a different forum a while ago.
The guy in Down Town has been very helpful to me. He even took the time to explain the different Malts and how they are baked. Along with a small taste of each from Light to Dark. So I was able to get a better sense of what each one brings to the Brew.
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