STONEMAN BREWING
A Journey in Homebrewing and Beyond
Friday, July 23, 2010
Saving Money on Homebrew
So we are all wanting to save money here and there with the economy the way it is, but you don't want to give up your homebrewing. There is a solution, you can save some money by buying ingredients in bulk. Most homebrew clubs will do bulk buys maybe once every other month depending on how often members brew.
Example:
As you can see, the malt supplier is the best choice. Even with buying by the in stock 1/4 sack (13.75 lbs or 12.5lbs) you are spending between $12.24 and $11.13, respectively. Comapred to the LHBS you would be spending $18.25 to $16.75, respectively.
Now if you can plan ahead, you can order from the supplier (a full sack) and pay $26.60, but you save $0.358/lb, so your 13.75 lbs would really cost you $7.32 which is a savings of $4.92! If you brew once a month, that is a savings of $59 on 2-Row ALONE! Now add in your other base malts and some of the specialty grains, and you could hit $100-$200 easily. Thats enough to pay for that new keggle you've been wanting, or to buy your wife that new purse she has been eying.
Example:
- I can buy 8 lbs of Rahr 2-Row Pale Malt at a homebrew shop for $1.34/lb. If you don't have LHBS nearby you have to add shipping, and the cheapest online is $7.99. That takes the LHBS malt to $2.34/lb.
- The local homebrew club is doing a bulk buy and I can get Canadian 2-Row (different brand I know) for $0.49/lb, and with fuel surcharges and shipping it can come out to $1.00/lb or less depending on how much is bought (the more bought lowers the shipping cost).
- I can get malt from a Malt Supplier, right now I can buy 13.75lb of Rahr 2-Row for $0.89/lb. The drawback here is that I am limited to buying 1/4, 1/2, or full sacks of malt. That is only what they have in stock as well.
- Bulk buys through the supplier are in full sacks only. You can split with another brewer, but YOU have to buy the full sack. This comes to $0.532/lb ($26.60/55lb sack).
As you can see, the malt supplier is the best choice. Even with buying by the in stock 1/4 sack (13.75 lbs or 12.5lbs) you are spending between $12.24 and $11.13, respectively. Comapred to the LHBS you would be spending $18.25 to $16.75, respectively.
Now if you can plan ahead, you can order from the supplier (a full sack) and pay $26.60, but you save $0.358/lb, so your 13.75 lbs would really cost you $7.32 which is a savings of $4.92! If you brew once a month, that is a savings of $59 on 2-Row ALONE! Now add in your other base malts and some of the specialty grains, and you could hit $100-$200 easily. Thats enough to pay for that new keggle you've been wanting, or to buy your wife that new purse she has been eying.
1 Comments:
Tara said...
Buy me a purse!