# Is Homebrew Expensive To Make?



## barcaragu (Aug 22, 2012)

After the initial investment for the necessary equipment and bottles, brewing at home is relatively inexpensive. In fact, if you prefer imported or micro-brewed beer you’ll be surprised to learn that you will save a lump of dough. An average 6-pack of micro-brew can cost up to $10, even more; Whereas the average cost of a 5 gallon recipe kit at Midwest sells for about $25-$30After capping 54 twelve-ounce bottles you are looking at a cost of about 55 cents a bottle, about 66% cheaper!

•	All-grain brewing is considerably cheaper than extract brewing due to the simple fact that grain is much cheaper than extract. 
•	All-grain brewing requires more of an initial investment in extra equipment but this is rapidly offset by the low production cost. 
•	All-grain brewed beer also takes a good deal more of time to produce. The average infusion mashed batch takes roughly 4 hours to complete.

The all-grain brewer has the added advantage of greater control over the subtle nuances of his/her beer. As an example of the difference in cost, consider that an average pale ale might cost $25.00 for an extract kit where as the ingredients for a pale ale for an all-grain brewer will cost roughly $15.00, for 2 cases of beer! Either way it is inexpensive in comparison to shelling out full retail for quality imported or micro-brewed beer. Homebrew is relatively inexpensive to make versus many beers that are available. If you are trying to make a cheap version of Budweiser, then this is not the hobby for you. All-Grain brewing ingredients are able to be bought on a large scale which makes all of their ingredients cheaper, so the beer costs less. However, if you want to compare the price of making your own versus a micro brewery, the homemade beer will be cheaper.
For most beer makers, this hobby becomes more than just a hobby, it becomes a passion. You start looking at commercial beers not for the alcohol in them, but for the flavor. Remember flavor in your beer? Many years ago our government decided it would be best that no one drink. Then they decided, “you know what? People like to drink, and they should have that ability.” The only issue, in the beer world at least, is the only breweries that survived prohibition were making the same style of beer. Americans had lost part of their brewing heritage. We’d forgotten that a beer can have color and flavor. We’d forgotten what hops taste like. Thank goodness that someone came to their senses over time and started making beers with taste. Although making beer at home has never gone away, the availability of ingredients were difficult to get. Only the big breweries were able to get the proper yeast, grains, hops, etc. Today we have everything available to us that the “Big Boys” do. So help us, help yourself, help your fellow neighbor to bring back flavor in beer. If we all pitch in together, we can overcome no taste. My fellow Americans, it is time to pick up your brew pots, and correct the injustices done to us for all these years. It is time to bring back flavor in your beer!

I have found a good site for homebrew check it out


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## mmadmikes1 (Aug 22, 2012)

Gets ready to drink faster so start some brew before you start your wine and drink beer while you wait for wine to mature


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## Wade E (Aug 22, 2012)

They are a good site but so are all of our sponsors and they support our site and most of them if not all beat their prices.


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## DoctorCAD (Aug 22, 2012)

A good kit for wine will cost around $120.

A bottle of comparable wine will cost $10.

30 bottles @ $10 = $300.

You saved $180 by making your own. How much home brewed beer would be needed to equal that?


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## mmadmikes1 (Aug 22, 2012)

Blackberries: Free
Package of Yeast; $.99
5 pounds sugar; $3
24 bottles of wine at $.017 per bottle. Boy now that is cheap


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## DirtyDawg10 (Aug 22, 2012)

mmadmikes1 said:


> Blackberries: Free
> Package of Yeast; $.99
> 5 pounds sugar; $3
> 24 bottles of wine at $.017 per bottle. Boy now that is cheap


 
$0.17

Still cheap though 

Do you grow your own blackberries?


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## bob1 (Aug 22, 2012)

I like the good beers especially the beers with a more pronounced hop flavor and aroma. They are getting to be upwards of 30.00 a case now. An all grain equivalent can be produced as low as 12.00. It takes me all day though. Getting things ready early in the morning, warming water, mashing, brewing then an ungodly clean up. But I sometimes just feel like setting a day aside and brewing beer and drinking it. Its like having a BBQ. If you do it plan on large batches over 10 gallons maybe more. And if you have a friend that also like beer so you can have help upwards of 20. Get it done and get it over with in a day. Sit back and enjoy for a while.


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## mmadmikes1 (Aug 22, 2012)

Blackberries grow so wild here it is nuts. Noboby needs to grow them, we try to kill them or they take over everything


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## DirtyDawg10 (Aug 22, 2012)

That's a nice problem for a winemaker to have.


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## ibglowin (Aug 22, 2012)

I picked two pounds of Blackberries when i was a young foolish thing and living in Houston. By the time I was finished I looked like I was on the loosing end of a fight with a Mountain Lion.........

I think I would need something like this next time. (LOL)


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## mmadmikes1 (Aug 23, 2012)

I picked 3 5gallon buckets today. that is about 90 pounds


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## BeerAlchemist (Sep 20, 2012)

mmadmikes1 said:


> I picked 3 5gallon buckets today. that is about 90 pounds



Brave man...I need some kevlar sleeves next time I go for them.


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