Just remember, it all depends on how you account for your hobby.  My hobby started as I kicked another habit: cigarettes.  The first year of my "smoking allocation" went into stainless steel, burners, and general industrial junk most people would ignore.  After absorbing those costs, my only current expenses are raw materials, cleaning chemicals, and energy.  Water is a non-cost since our daughter is in college and the water bill actually dropped. 

 

For a 15 gallon batch, I typically use 20-25 lbs of base malt ($10-$25), hops ($3), yeast ($4.25), energy ($2.50) which averages out to about $25 per batch.  Now if I didn't enjoy my hobby, I would charge for my time but this would be kind of like trying to justify your time spent fishing.  It is a value added activity that I enjoy - not a task that I dislike. 

 

My wife has also questioned my expenses and every time this happens, I bring out the fishing literature, boat and motor books brochures, and the truck catalog.  Somehow, the cost concern quickly fades. 

 

Take care - will stop by Midwest this Saturday but we have a tight schedule with visiting relatives from Danmark.   

>>> Mark Glewwe <mark@glewwe-castle.com> 06/05/02 06:28PM >>>
Have a heart, Steve.  My wife has questioned the expense, but I think she
still believes it is an economical hobby.  I'll let you all know when I get
below $10/bottle average expense.  8-)

Mark

At 09:04 AM 6/5/02 -0500, Steve Piatz wrote:
> From an economics point of view Rick's suggestion of using the store's
>mill is the wy to go but this is a hobby and based on economics I
>wouldn't have all the other equipmemt in the brewery - I would just buy
>beer :-)

Engineer, Gentleman, & Brewer,
Mark D. Glewwe
http://www.glewwe-castle.com/mark/