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Ever wonder what brewing costs?


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#1 LeftyMPfrmDE

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Posted 14 November 2019 - 06:52 AM

Got bored last summer- decided to create a basic spread sheet, to go over a one year period, of what i spend; raw materials, hardware, propane, everything within the brewing process. not to look where to cut costs, just something to do. 

 

Now, I buy in bulk, and catch whatever sale I can for stuff I need. I have a budget in mind, but that's already blown over :)

 

If anyone is interested to see what it costs Lefty to brew: here you go


Edited by LeftyMPfrmDE, 14 November 2019 - 06:53 AM.


#2 Big Nake

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Posted 14 November 2019 - 07:01 AM

Nice. I did determine the amount it cost me to make a batch of beer one time years ago. It would be hard to know what the filtered tap water cost or the fraction of a propane tank but it came to around $12 for this particular five gallon batch which came to about 25¢ a bottle (yes, I was bottling at the time).  



#3 LeftyMPfrmDE

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Posted 14 November 2019 - 07:08 AM

Nice. I did determine the amount it cost me to make a batch of beer one time years ago. It would be hard to know what the filtered tap water cost or the fraction of a propane tank but it came to around $12 for this particular five gallon batch which came to about 25¢ a bottle (yes, I was bottling at the time).  

Didn't even bother with partial inputs like that- especially water usage. If its going to be used in the brewery, I'll just add up the cost. 



#4 Big Nake

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Posted 14 November 2019 - 07:34 AM

Didn't even bother with partial inputs like that- especially water usage. If its going to be used in the brewery, I'll just add up the cost. 

So did you determine what it cost you to make a pint of beer?  :P  I like the idea of an "inventory".  I know some of the apps do this and it would be cool to go to your phone or PC and see, "Hey, I have 16.5 pounds of dark munich left!" but I have never used it.  Nice work.  



#5 LeftyMPfrmDE

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Posted 14 November 2019 - 08:01 AM

So did you determine what it cost you to make a pint of beer?  :P  I like the idea of an "inventory".  I know some of the apps do this and it would be cool to go to your phone or PC and see, "Hey, I have 16.5 pounds of dark munich left!" but I have never used it.  Nice work.  

I don't use any brewing software like that- its easier for me to do it manually. I did a deep dive, included water and how many uses of a propane tank, and depending on boil time, hop schedule and grain bill. a beer ranging from the 1.050-1.070 range $20-$30 a batch. so on the high end, .75 cents a pint? 

 

I've never passed Algebra I either- Im a bit of a dummy when it comes to math- but if its beer math- no problem! 



#6 Big Nake

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Posted 14 November 2019 - 08:08 AM

I don't use any brewing software like that- its easier for me to do it manually. I did a deep dive, included water and how many uses of a propane tank, and depending on boil time, hop schedule and grain bill. a beer ranging from the 1.050-1.070 range $20-$30 a batch. so on the high end, .75 cents a pint? 

 

I've never passed Algebra I either- Im a bit of a dummy when it comes to math- but if its beer math- no problem! 

HA!  Beer math!  I'm using that one.  :P



#7 denny

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Posted 14 November 2019 - 01:30 PM

In all these years, I have never once calculated how much I spend on brewing.  It's a hooby.  either I have the money and brew, or I don't have it and don't brew.



#8 Stout_fan

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Posted 14 November 2019 - 03:15 PM

SO!!!

interesting question...

Favorite lawnmower beer is Morehouse's Black Cat a dark English Mild.

Cost here is $7 a pint the last I checked.

I brewed up 32 gal of a clone for about $50 IIRC.

32 gal of the original would have cost me $1792. That's $1971 if you include the Socialistic Republik of Merlen's tax on enjoyable fluids.



#9 HVB

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Posted 14 November 2019 - 05:14 PM

SO!!!
interesting question...
Favorite lawnmower beer is Morehouse's Black Cat a dark English Mild.
Cost here is $7 a pint the last I checked.
I brewed up 32 gal of a clone for about $50 IIRC.
32 gal of the original would have cost me $1792. That's $1971 if you include the Socialistic Republik of Merlen's tax on enjoyable fluids.


Can you post or point me to a recipe? I have been wanting to get a mild on tap.

#10 TonyBrown

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Posted 14 November 2019 - 09:26 PM

doing the DIY Batch sparge setup with an old coleman and parts I mostly had lying around my rig only cost about $100 with the burner and stainless pot, that amortized over the years to pennies per batch.  My biggest cost savings came when i started harvesting my commonly used yeasts (London Ale, American Ale, London ESB, American Wheat).  Last time I did the math on my oatmeal stout recipe it was about $17-18 per 5gal batch.  it was inexpensive and good, hands down my favorite beer that I consistently brewed once I got the recipe and temps where I wanted them.  I'm sure grain and stuff has gone up in price since I last brewed, probably 7-8yrs ago, maybe more.



#11 LeftyMPfrmDE

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Posted 14 November 2019 - 10:58 PM

doing the DIY Batch sparge setup with an old coleman and parts I mostly had lying around my rig only cost about $100 with the burner and stainless pot, that amortized over the years to pennies per batch.  My biggest cost savings came when i started harvesting my commonly used yeasts (London Ale, American Ale, London ESB, American Wheat).  Last time I did the math on my oatmeal stout recipe it was about $17-18 per 5gal batch.  it was inexpensive and good, hands down my favorite beer that I consistently brewed once I got the recipe and temps where I wanted them.  I'm sure grain and stuff has gone up in price since I last brewed, probably 7-8yrs ago, maybe more.


Yeast harvesting is a real cost savings. About a year ago, I started doing this with liquid yeast: get a fresh pack, make a 5L starter, cold crash and decant, and store in pint sized Mason jars. Leaves about 2-3oz of slurry, in four jars. make a starter before brew day. Down to my last jar? Make another 5L starter, and repeat.

#12 Stout_fan

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Posted 15 November 2019 - 04:20 PM

Yeast harvesting is a real cost savings. About a year ago, I started doing this with liquid yeast: get a fresh pack, make a 5L starter, cold crash and decant, and store in pint sized Mason jars. Leaves about 2-3oz of slurry, in four jars. make a starter before brew day. Down to my last jar? Make another 5L starter, and repeat.

Yea, I use the sterile water method described eons ago by Graham Sanders on the OZ home brew podcast. I resurrected a 4 year old jar of Wyeast 1968 Last year and brewed a fine stout with it. To quote:"No worries mate!"



#13 Stout_fan

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Posted 15 November 2019 - 04:31 PM

Can you post or point me to a recipe? I have been wanting to get a mild on tap.

I can't put my hands on my recipe right now, but I looked around on the web and noticed a few used invert sugar. Beers that low suffer from a serious lack of mouthfeel. Sugars only exasperate the problem. Definitely use a good Brit base malt. Golden Promise has worked well for me. If you're looking for the standard Brit hop you can't go wrong sticking to the traditional Fuggles/EKG combo, just don't overdo it. We're going for a mild, not a bitter. The rest was chocolate and a smidge of Black patent. No roast as I recall. I want to throw in some oats on my next version to bump up the mouthfeel. Not that the original was bad, I think I can do better.



#14 jimdkc

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Posted 16 November 2019 - 09:52 AM

This was my attempt at a dark mild. It's been a while, but I remember it being pretty good. Body was very light. (I know... corny name!):

 

Born to be Mild

 

6.0 lbs Maris Otter Pale

0.25 lbs English Chocolate Malt

0.50 lbs British Crystal 55°L

0.50 lbs Dark Brown Sugar

0.75 oz East Kent Goldings (Pellets, 5.50 %AA) @ 60 min.

0.50 oz East Kent Goldings (Pellets, 5.50 %AA) @ 10 min.

Yeast : Wyeast 1968 London ESB Ale

 

Original Gravity 1.035

Terminal Gravity 1.011

Color 17.97 °SRM

Bitterness 22.3 IBU

Alcohol (%volume) 3.2 %

 

(Note: Black Cat Mild above is described as "roasty"... this is not!)


Edited by jimdkc, 16 November 2019 - 10:14 AM.


#15 neddles

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Posted 16 November 2019 - 10:33 AM

The only mild I ever made was a pale mild which was delightful. 

 

1.037

IBU 20

SRM 6

 

92% MO

7% Carastan (37L)

1% Pale Chocolate

 

EKG @60

10g EKG @15

 

1469 West Yorkshire



#16 LeftyMPfrmDE

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Posted 17 November 2019 - 02:00 PM

Mild recipe that has worked well for me. It's a 10 gallon batch.

10.75# marris otter
.30# UK C-60
.50# UK C-40
.30# UK C-150
1# flaked oats

60- Fuggles 19 AAU

Notty yeast and 1098- split the batch with each yeast.

Finished at a hair above 3% ABV

Edited by LeftyMPfrmDE, 17 November 2019 - 02:02 PM.


#17 positiveContact

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Posted 17 November 2019 - 04:26 PM

sound great except maybe the fuggles??  i'm not sure if I'm an anti-fuggite.  it's been a long time since I've used nottingham.



#18 LeftyMPfrmDE

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Posted 18 November 2019 - 07:04 AM

sound great except maybe the fuggles?? i'm not sure if I'm an anti-fuggite. it's been a long time since I've used nottingham.


EKG is a classic choice, but I've my taste has changed on them; after about 20 AAUs, i dont care for for their flavor, early in the boil.

#19 Stout_fan

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Posted 18 November 2019 - 12:02 PM

This was my attempt at a dark mild. It's been a while, but I remember it being pretty good. Body was very light. (I know... corny name!):

 

Born to be Mild

 

IIRC that is so close to what I used... Except for the sugar. It has no place in a mild IMHO.

I gotta be honest here.

The truth is I made a promise to the guy who gave me the recipe that I'd never divulge it.

And I try to be a man of my word. But jim is darned close! The yeast was proprietary but I also used 1968 and the malt was Crisp (Brit) at the time for the first batch. Golden Promise was an acceptable substitute in my second batch. The biscuit taste of MO wasn't in Black Cat but rather it was malt. Yer choice!



#20 Stout_fan

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Posted 18 November 2019 - 12:16 PM

I forget who's podcast I was listening to. I might be offering some apologies to Drew B in the future as I think it might have been his.

But calling a commercial brew a 'mild' is the kiss of death. Yard's in philly succeeded in marketing it as a pugilistic ale.

 

At 4.2% ABV it exceeds the standard British definition of a mild. in the BU/GU ratio it falls into that malty sweet spot around 1/4.

The bad news is I can't find the stuff locally. And Philly ain't that far away.

 

DANG!


Edited by Stout_fan, 18 November 2019 - 12:16 PM.



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