Just been adding up my receipts. Over the past 3 months I’ve spent $2500 on brewing supplies and equipment. :shock: I knew I bought a lot of stuff but Damn!!
I need help, I still have a long wish list of items! This hobby is all consuming! :mrgreen:
On the plus side, I do have a garage full of quality beer :cheers:
Anyone else fall off the deep end like this?
The most I did in a small time period was sold a guitar signed by Kirk Hammett for around $800 and bought a Blichmann kettle and Blichmann burner and a bunch of other odds and ends.
My motivation for watching the spending on this stuff is if i start spending too much then my wife thinks it means she can go on a shopping spree for clothes :twisted:
Yeah that happens as this hobby becomes an obsession. Just keep in mind that people have made GREAT beer with the bare minimum. Just because it costs more doesn’t mean its going to give you better results.
With that said I’m like you. If I want it I buy it. My problem… I like shiny things.
Everyone has their own spending threshold but I’m willing to spend money that makes brewing quicker or easier. Things like kegging while costing some cash are well worth it for the time saving. I also like my therminator for how quickly I can cool down 10 gallons for wort; immersion chiller certainly worked but not nearly as fast. Also while my gravity setup worked fine I do like now having a pump since I can keep everything at a more comfortable height. Spent a fair bit of money while buying a equipment up front but there are isn’t much for costs other than ingredients and somewhat unnecessary upgrades (eg - 3 roller mill)
I haven’t spent $2500 yet but if I got many of the things I have on my wishlist I’d be right up there.
Then there is the “pretend wishlist” that puts me close to about 10,000… Someday, not for a while.
I’m only in it about $500 (not counting recipes of course) but I’m about to triple that in the next 2 months as I move into kegging and burner/pot combos.
The way I see it (and spin it to the GF) is that we get good beer out of the deal, AND most of the equipment costs can be recouped if I give up and sell it on craigslist.
I’m kinda the same way; I buy what I want, but I like to buy quality stuff that I’ll have for a long time so I put a lot of research into my purchases.
Yes it’s an expensive hobby but a cheap addiction.
Agree 100%. Everything I’ve bought has been well planned as I read and learn with every batch. Friends and neighbors all seem to really like my beer so that only feeds the addiction LOL!
My wife is actually pretty supportive. She bought me a dual tap kegerator and 2 ball lock kegs for x-mas so I could start kegging.
Oh, yeah… I have one of those lists too. Dream big, accomplish bigger I always say.
My wife is actually pretty supportive. She bought me a dual tap kegerator and 2 ball lock kegs for x-mas so I could start kegging. [/quote]
Mine’s supportive too. “Here I bought you this chest freezer and temperature controller, now I’m gonna go buy a $300 outfit”
I think I spent about a grand last year when I was putting my keezer together. Otherwise, not much going out except for the grain/yeast.
On the bright side, since kegging I’ve saved $$$$ on not buying bottle caps. 
:cheers:
Yup, obsessed too. Spent at least that much in my 1st year ( thanks to my wife being supportive). Don’t read fiction anymore, just brew forums, books, recipes, etc… Welcome.
[quote=“LJb”]Just been adding up my receipts. Over the past 3 months I’ve spent $2500 on brewing supplies and equipment. :shock: I knew I bought a lot of stuff but Damn!!
I need help, I still have a long wish list of items! This hobby is all consuming! :mrgreen:
On the plus side, I do have a garage full of quality beer :cheers:
Anyone else fall off the deep end like this?[/quote]
I only WISH I could afford to fall off the deep end like that. I think I’ve spent about that much on my car in the last 3 years or so in maintenance costs. In retrospect, I’d almost rather ride the bus and spend that kind of money on brewing supplies.
I can see ending up there…
My brother bought me everything to get started. I started adding up my wants and the next couple extract kits I want to run with and the price rapidly exceeded my winter budget. Since then I’ve been praying for lots and lots of snow so I can expand my budget accordingly (I plow snow in the winter, residential work).
I spent about twice that but over the course of 12 years. It (spending) tapers off after you start on 20 gallon batches LOL.
TWICE that? From the looks of your bar I’d say you spent at LEAST 5x that amount, at least!
I was actually curious when I saw you had commented because I was wondering what the grand total was for your brewery, after going through your website a few times I’ve found it a bit of an inspiration to what I grow my lil brewery into.
TWICE that? From the looks of your bar I’d say you spent at LEAST 5x that amount, at least!
I was actually curious when I saw you had commented because I was wondering what the grand total was for your brewery, after going through your website a few times I’ve found it a bit of an inspiration to what I grow my lil brewery into.[/quote]Well I design and build all my own stuff. The bar was cheap. Just a few sheets of mdf, paneling, Formica lights etc. oops then the 14 bar stools and two granite tables. Ok it adds up. Probably $2k bar/cellar, $2k for kegerator and freezer, $2k for brew cart. Maybe $8k all together.
20 gal batches wow! I can’t handle a 10 gal yet LOL.
Bottom Line! Golf is more expensive, and ya’ can drink a nine iron! When I was young motocross was more expensive with all the broken parts and bones.
Well, I’m still around $200 in equipment. I’m ready to make that $350 or so, because I want a bigger pot and better thermometer. I can’t get too crazy because I don’t have the space or the cash. But a year ago I thought I’d be okay brewing hopped extracts, and they are completely in the past. This is an obsession.
One thing about progression, you can sell it or give it to someone who’s interested in brewing, and teach them. I did that to a newbie a few years back.
