Is home brewing really worth it? That is a good question. What is the value of a hobby that brings you immense pleasure and satisfaction? High-end bicycles, ATVs, motorbikes, electronic gear, all cost thousands or even tens of thousands of dollars. The ‘coolness’ of having your own automated brewery in your basement, and the satisfaction of hearing your friends tell you that your beer is the freshest, tastiest beer they have ever had . . . priceless.
But another benefit of brewing your beer is that it can save you money. Let’s do the math. A low-end beer at the store is about $1/bottle. A high-end beer can be over $2/bottle. So let’s take a middle number of $1.50/330mL, ($4.50/L) knowing that this is a conservative number since your beer will be just as good as any of the specialties. Brewing with BREWHA equipment will produce two Corny kegs of beer or 38L with a store value of $171 (38 * $4.50/L).
The ingredient cost for 38L of beer is about $50.
$38 for grain
$8 for two packs of yeast
$4 for hops
The difference is about $120/batch ($171-$50=$120). Each time you brew beer you save minimum $120.
The price on the BREWHA BIAC complete homebrewing package is $3907. Add in $200 for other brewing gear (pH probe, mash paddle, hydrometer and a few other small items and $625 for kegging equipment you have spent $4732 to be the proud owner of a top quality home brewing system that will last a lifetime.
At $120/batch saved, after 40 batches your equipment is free. How long this takes depends on you and your friends but at a couple brews/month it would be under two years. Once friends taste your amazing beer, it will surprise you how quickly keg requests for parties start pouring in.
Just having a hobby that brings immense satisfaction is priceless. But a hobby that also that saves you money . . . almost too good to be true!
