Cost of brewing

[Baz Chaz]

I've just had our gas / electric bills for the last quarter, during which time I started AG brewing :idea:

I was horrified to see the extra electric consumption :shock:

I've done 6 AG brews and a Fiery Ginger Beer since 17th Sept :!:

the extra electric consumed works out at about £8 thats about £1.30 a brew (not counting the FGB) per 40 pints :?

thats over 3p a pint ........ is it worth continuing will my pension run to it should I just give up drinking

some of this beers now looking at being as much as 35 to 40p a pint when you add it all up :hmm: :whistle:

good innit :party: :thumb:

 

[Mark1964]

Marvellous carry on

 

[robsan77]

what about the water bill? Does anyone know average cost for 40pints?

 

[Mark1964]

Im not on a meter so i dont care :lol: :lol:

 

[Baz Chaz]

Im not on a meter so i dont care :lol: :lol:

likewise :!:

 

[evanvine]

If you're not careful Baz, you're going to get yourself into serious financial difficulty :shock:
You might even be able top top up your savings account :rofl:

 

[Aleman]

I have an electricity monitor connected to the brewery feed . . . and yesterdays Brew day used 7.6 KW at 11p a KW . . . so I'm not to fussed as to the electricity costs

 

[snail59]

I started brewing this year and according to my electricity bill consumption has DROPED on average by .02kwh per day?????????. Compared to last year. :wha:

 

[screamlead]

My electric costs work out at 0.19TL per KW - 0.19/2.31 = 8p
Water on a meter - last bill in was for 2 months 9.58 TL - 9.58/2.31 = 4.14p

 

[rabbie]

I started brewing this year and according to my electricity bill consumption has DROPED on average by .02kwh per day?????????. Compared to last year. :wha:

Since you've got your own supply of ale at home now I'm guessing you'll be wearing a beer jacket a lot more this year, so you'll not need the heating on as often. Only sensible answer I can come up with!

 

[Wez]

I dont think if it cost me as much to brew a 500ml bottle of beer as it would to buy from the shop it would put me off.

The results are far better, the cost saving is an added bonus.

 

[BarnsleyBrewer]

Im not on a meter so i dont care :lol: :lol:

likewise :!:

Me too :party: :party:

 

[craigite]

Please, don't put me off brewing, and don't let SHMBO think it cost a lot to brew.
Just making a starter for tomorrow. It'll be cold in the garage, next I'll be factoring the cost of the gas heater :nono:

Some things are best not asked :hmm:

Anyway, it's worth it :thumb:

 

[Hawks]

I dont think if it cost me as much to brew a 500ml bottle of beer as it would to buy from the shop it would put me off.

The results are far better, the cost saving is an added bonus.

:thumb: :thumb:

 

[Chris The Masher]

Just reading the responses to this interesting post. I've never really worked it out in terms of coists. But with the likes of Sainsbury's and Tesco's now selling 72 bottles or so of lager for around £30 or so and also Aldi selling premium brand Ale's for a quid a bottle I think if the sole reason you are brewing is cost saving alone, then stick with your supermarkets !

Have you taken into account, heating bills for the various stages of brewing, water bills, cost of shipping of your ingrients, cleaners / sterilisers. More importantlym the man hours, especially if you iinto A.G, the minimum time I can do an A.G brew in is around 6 hrs, and even on minimum wage that would equate to around £36 / Brew ! (plus all the above mentioned items - not even including the ingredients). Gosh we must be at £100 / Brew now, (just joking). But my real point here is, why do you brew ?

My sole reason, is for the enjoyment of the hobbie and the various bonuses that come with that, experimentation with flavours / the science behind it, playing around with making my own mash tuns, temperatures, water treatments.... etc etc etc. I think you get my drift, I think you need to ask yourself a question, why do you brew ? If the answer is for cost saving alone, then stick with your supermarkets ! If it os for my reason (hobbie) then stick with it, becuase I love it and cost saving is probably toward the end of the list of reasons to brew.

Thanks,

 

[crasher]

Im not on a meter so i dont care :lol: :lol:

I am on a water meter and I still dont care :rofl:

 

[Sean_Mc]

My metered water is down this year from 2009 :party:

I was worried that brewing every other weekend would push it up, I've bought a water butt for the garden and encourage the stroppy teens so have showers. Think our biggest money saver has been getting a decent dishwasher.

 

[dennisking]

The cost of utility's seems to be rising, poor sods only made a few billion each last year, and we will all have to pay more. Stop brewing - no chance.

 

[evanvine]

I love it and cost saving is probably toward the end of the list of reasons to brew.

I could not agree more :thumb:

 

[battwave]

Scary coincidence seeing this topic!

I bought an electricity monitor (£8.99 from Aldi) on Friday and metered my boiler (inc mashing) which revealed the electricity costs for a 90 minute mash and 60 minute boil as 97 pence at 21 pence per unit. Gas costs for boiling extra water will probably put a few extra pence on.

Worth knowing as it's a significant sum in brew economics.

My money saving tip is to use the hot water from an immersion chiller to do the washing-up at the end of brew-day.