Waste is good

[FedoraDave]

Not excessive waste, but here's something that struck me while I was making my yeast starter tonight.

I've tried to set my pre-boil volume for yeast starters, and I thought I had it down pretty well. But tonight, I realized I ended up with maybe 1/4 cup (maybe less, actually) of excess wort, after filling the flask to 2000 ml and allowing for some wort to triple-rinse the yeast vial.

Now, I could moan about that "lost" or "wasted" wort. But in the overall scheme of things, I'd rather have a little extra than fall a little short. It only costs pennies, and having a healthy amount of wort in my yeast starter is worth it.

Too much waste is a bad thing, obviously, but I see this more as "erring on the side of caution." I'd much rather hit my volume spot-on, but given a choice between a little too much and a little too little, I'll dump a little bit down the drain.

[zorak1066]

och! the Scotsman in me says 'boot yer wastin perfectly gud wort laddie! sprinkle a wee bit of dry yeast in the extra wort and turn it into beer!'

[FedoraDave]

The economics of home brewing don't make any sense anyway. I do like to see what the cost of my grains, hops, and yeast are, and then pat myself on the back because I'm going to get X amount of beer for Y dollars. Last week I bought ingredients for three batches (one fiver and two 2.5), and it was under $60. I like that I'm going to get four cases of beer (in three different styles) for such a small sum.

But that kind of figuring doesn't take into account the other costs. There's the water I'm using, the electricity in my kitchen and basement during brew time, the gas for the stove, not to mention the equipment I've already bought, although that cost is amortized over every batch, and much of it is already paid for and then some. And then there's my time. I don't pay myself for the six or seven hours it takes to brew a batch, but what's my hourly time worth? Don't get me started on the gas it takes me to get to/from the LHBS, either. It's a good 45 minute drive one way, but it's worth it, because my LHBS is a great place. I wouldn't be surprised if these three batches actually cost me a total of over $100, which would make each case more than $25, which is approaching the cost of commercial beers.

We never take those numbers into consideration when we're talking about this hobby, but unless your hobby is sitting in the park watching the grass grow, a hobby is going to cost money, and probably a good amount of money. Unlike some other hobbies, I get a practical result with the beer I make. But I can't say I'm saving money when there are so many hidden costs.

[zorak1066]

making beer is a better hobby than sitting in the fields watching the sheepies munch grass, or whacking their dung about with a stick. at least when yer done making beer ye can drink it!

if I actually sit down and start adding up all I have spent on equipment and supplies, and electricity I would have a stroke. if I look instead at the enjoyment, the beer, the fellowship of the various forums, the joy of watching yeast go absolutely nuts fermenting beer, the pleasure when a batch comes out superbly... etc.. 'cost' fades into the background. it helps having a wife who encourages me, helps with the washing up, and is not a harpy about the cost as long as it doesn't get too ridiculous.

[Rebel_B]

"erring on the side of caution." Having a bit too much is a vastly different consequence than having too little. I would apply that to any purchasing or production decision; not just my hobby.

[RickBeer]

If you don't put a cost on your time, and you're brewing non-HME, then based on the cost of commercial beer you're likely making money. I'm at $6.41 lifetime average for a 12 pack. Comparing that to Killian's (what I would have bought in the past) I'm saving $4.58 per 12 pack, compared to Sam Adams even more. I've brewed approximately 117 12 packs, so I've saved over $500. To Dave's point, that covers all my equipment, AND gas (both stove and car), so without valuing my time I am saving money. Time is used in any hobby.

Edit - of course SWMBO would point out that prior to this hobby we would probably have consumed 4 or 5 twelve packs a year... Well, what does she know?

[jimjohson]

Personally I think the brew is the payment for my time.

[Dawg LB Steve]

I wouldn't be surprised if these three batches actually cost me a total of over $100, which would make each case more than $25, which is approaching the cost of commercial beers.

Actually we as homebrewers are producing Craft Beers and taking into consideration, at least around here, that a sixer of Craft Beer is anywhere from $8.99 - $12.99. Say we average it out to $10.00 a six, we're a little ways from that $40.00 a case!

[JohnSant]

I think the pleasure I get from brewing and drinking is well worth the cost, and won't faze me at all.

[FedoraDave]

Don't get me wrong; I'm not saying that this hobby is more expensive than it's worth. Nor am I saying it's more expensive than we think (well, maybe a little).

Any hobby is a money pit, whether it's photography, music, painting, model train building, or star-gazing. Perhaps it will save you money in one way or another (developing your own film is probably cost-effective and time-efficient, after all). But the whole purpose of a hobby is to get enjoyment out of it; to find satisfaction in something. And that's worth whatever money you need to put into it.

I'd probably plotz if I actually sat down and figured out how much money I've spent over the years just on brewing equipment. Three different-sized kettles, the lumber for my brewing/bottling station, the carboys, the buckets, the mill, the bottle capper, the books, the AHA membership, the whole keezer thing, including three kegs.... I could go on. And obviously, none of that includes the raw mats to actually brew a single batch of beer.

Doesn't matter. I've budgeted and saved for the stuff I got; it's not like I didn't pay the gas and electric bill in order to buy a grain mill. And I've put off buying something because the budget couldn't include it at that time. I may be obsessed with brewing, but I'm not stupid/irresponsible.

One of the best things, for me, is my wife. She doesn't drink. At all. Never touches alcohol of any kind. And yet she supports and encourages my brewing, and even takes some interest in it when I talk about a new recipe, or a competition. Because she knows it's important to me. As I've often stated, brewing is more than my hobby; it's my therapy. She understands this creative need of mine, and she recognizes the joy and satisfaction I get from it. So even though she's never tasted a drop of any beer I've made (nor will she), she is behind me 100% in my pursuit of homebrewing.

Gotta like that.

[Rebel_B]

On this topic of having a bit more than enough... I throw away old hops at times. I always keep enough in the freezer so I can do batch of 'whatever'; but at some point, they lose their aroma. I was brewing up a batch last night, looking through my frozen hops. I ended up throwing away some 4-5 oz. Why take a chance that the beer wouldn't be as good as it could be.

[jimjohson]

It's better to have a thing and not need it. Than it is to need a thing, and not have it. lol, It's the boy scout motto: be prepared

[FedoraDave]

It's better to have a thing and not need it. Than it is to need a thing, and not have it. lol, It's the boy scout motto: be prepared

JJ, my father always says this, and I believe it! I don't know if he was ever a Boy Scout, but maybe it's an Army saying, too. I know he always told us at mealtimes, "Take all you want, but eat all you take" and I KNOW that's an Army saying, since my father-in-law used to say the same thing to his kids.

[jimjohson]

Yeah, that's where I learned the whole "It's better thing", typing it out I realized it's the Boy Scout motto. By the time I got in the Army it was more "Here's all your getting, live with it.". When I was stationed in Hawaii , on the weekends, I would eat in the Navy and Air Force mess halls (meal cards are accepted by all armed forces). At the time ('74-'77) Hickam Field had the second best mess hall in the AF, and the longest mess lines on the island.

[DaYooper]

On this topic of having a bit more than enough... I throw away old hops at times. I always keep enough in the freezer so I can do batch of 'whatever'; but at some point, they lose their aroma. I was brewing up a batch last night, looking through my frozen hops. I ended up throwing away some 4-5 oz. Why take a chance that the beer wouldn't be as good as it could be.

Do you vacuum seal it? I have hops in my freezer sealed up that from what I can tell are almost as aromatic as when I put them in. I recently had some tested and even the alpha degradation was not as bad as I would have expected. Although another toy (as the wife would call it), that FoodSaver has saved me countless dollars in both brew supplies and buying food in bulk. FYI my freezer is also not a frost free so I dont get the temperature cycling so that may have something to do with it as well.