Costs of Making Beer

[nzbrewer]

I thought this could be a place to record all the increases we are dealing with in the production of beer, which have to be ultimately passed on to the consumer.

Malt has been increasing at double digit figures.

Hop have been hit by a global shortage after years of over production and low prices.

Fuel prices are adding to the cost of everything getting ingredients and materials to the brewery, as well as shipping finished product.

Details to follow

[James P]

At a long shot, try Grain and Feed in Darfield (Canterbury).

[denimglen]

Same here, I would happily choose a NZ base malt (as long as it's up to scratch, which I'm sure it would be) but have never heard much above mentions of it.

[Jessica Josheph]

Total beer cost= aggregate ingredients cost + labor cost + Utilities + excise taxes

Total beer cost%=  Total beer cost/ revenue from house beer sales.

[Peter Smith]

a 500ml bottle of craft beer IPA is about $8-10    thats about $160-200 per 20L batch

Spend the money on hops and good yeast and fresh malt there is plenty of room, an ipa is 90% base malt 10% crys

Reuse you us-05 2/3/4th gen even better then first anyway way better atten,  

so a 20L of 6.5% ipa with 300g of hops is still only $35

sure you have to throw out (dark mild disaster) or drink through a few initial mistakes but I think after 12-24 months or 10-20 brews  with the help of knowledgeable friends and enough budget to buy the fermenting fridges carboys and bits, you should be making great beers for $1 a 500ml or less vs $10,   still I buy everything that epic/garage project/8 wired/schippers makes just to try, you still need inspiration.  

GP - the eiderflower pilsner grows on you I really wanted a 2nd pint but ...

If you support NZ malt suppliers they support you back...

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Gladfield-Malt/344576849011551?hc_lo...

[Paul Finney]

I started brewing as it seemed a cheaper way to get beer. Now I am brewing for the enjoyment (and now own a brew shop!). You would spend at least $40-$50 on a night out, a new T-shirt, or on a golf club you use once a year, so why not put that money into a beer that you can have 10 nights out on.

I think at a point in your home brewing "career" you get to that point when you worry less about the cost and concentrate more on what is going to make your beer great so days like today (the NHC) that pays off.

 

We are lucky in New Zealand that we have great hops, and are now getting great grain. And things can only get better.

 

Happy brewing

[Adam Sparks]

You forgot to add the cost of your time Peter. Calculate your hourly rate and add that in, you'll find your $35 batch of beer costs more than the commercial price ;) Just for the sake of actual cost breakdown! You get a pretty good deal when you buy that 500ml bottle!

edit… coming into an old post but still relevant I think :)

[Peter Smith]

You are assuming that you have the ability to "monitise" the time you use brewing, if you where not brewing, many companies no longer pay overtime etc,  thus that $5-9 is coming out of you disposable income

My Robust Porter brewing last night was interfaced with 

• Cooking steak on BBQ, making rocket salad
• Reading "readers" with kids in bed.
• Printing and framing some canvas prints.
• Having a pint.  (Epic pale ale clone on tap)
• Sorting out a family members new win 7 box.

I am not saying craft beer should be "cheaper" in retail or on tap at all, just sayin you can make good beer at home for not much $$$   I estimate the porter at about $1 per L not taking in electricity or labour....  

 

Ok so lets imagine that home brewing goes mainstream and say 25% of kiwis start home brewing... what happens   firstly DB/Lion take a big hit as people use there own HB rather then take a 6pack to the BBQ, second the craft guys sell more as brewers hunt out new flavours examples, clone brews etc etc.   I know some craft beers are "sessionable" from an ABV perspective but I cant session them from a $$$ perspective unless I brew them myself.

[James P]

Don't think about it as "How much does it cost me to brew?" rather "How much does it cost me not to brew?"

Like Peter says, think about the other interactions with brewing (my kids spend time with me when I brew, I read, catch up with family overseas via skype etc).

And besides a pint costs $14 for something awesome, my big beers (which are known to be awesome too) are about $3 (including monitised hourly rate based on the minimum wage, because it's not my day job!)

[Adam Sparks]

Hmmmm, you gentlemen are far superior at justifying your brewing time to the family than I am :)

I think my time is always worth something. It could be spent on a new business or preparing for the weeks work ahead so that Im more effective which always translates into more money somewhere down the line. Mixing it into time with the kids well who can argue with that! Time well spent for sure!

There is however one other aspect thats worth considering….See that commercial beer is always on the shelf and you can go and buy it any time you want. For you to have a vast selection of different homebrew always packaged and ready to drink takes a significant investment in your time and that would likely come at the expense of something else in your life.

I really do enjoy the time I spend brewing and justify it in much the same way. But to say that commercial beer costs $200 for 20L and homebrew costs $35? I dunno, its an interesting debate!

[Dan]

30 litres

5 hours of sporadic time at $32 an hour = $160

ingredients approx $20

Power ect $5

Total $185 dollars/ 30 litres , $6.16 litre.

$3 a 500ml home made, emmersons 500ml at liquorland $8.

No Show!

[Dan]

Depends what value you put on your time!

If your a lawyer or a plumber you might have to adjust it to $100 an hour + in which case you may as well go to work and buy it at the shop.

[Scott H]

Brewing is my Hobbie I do it for the personal satasfaction. Its also my 1/2 a day every 2-3 weeks of 'cave time' but for some reason I still seem to end up watching peppa pig with my brewing assistant.
I also class my spare time out of work considerably more valuable than my hourly rate at work. But I brew because I enjoy it and I like the beer I make.