Still Smarter

I have been prompted to "bean count" the current cost of making my own.

On my current electrickery tariff, plus the current grain and adjunct costs, my best beer, THE best beer in the known world, comes in at 50p/litre @ 6% ABV.
Tonight I made and measured the costs of a neutral spirit run, £1.39/litre @ 40% ABV. All in.

I have to exlude my time and labour (plus equipment costs, blah, blah) from these sums.
These costs will rise slighty at the end of the month, when our fixed price contract electrikery swithces to a rolling tariff, ( and I ask for a pay rise).

So, I make spirit @ 4p a unit and beer at 6p a unit.
I live in a country with a minimum 50p a unit sale price.
I am stiil smiing.

Robert

Yes, it just proves that some of us are still (Ha Ha) ahead of the game.
Great to hear from you ED

Easydrinker wrote: Thu Jan 19, 2023 1:14 am ( and I ask for a pay rise)

Robert

Hi Robert.... you're not going on strike are you??? thanks for the breakdown at those prices that means I can have another nightcap.

Ice.

I am trying to only brew on sunny days as I have 4Kw of Solar panels.
Doesn't always work out to my advantage.

Its winter, low sun angle, and short days. But at least the panels are helping during the rest of the year.
I'm a pensioner that has to watch his pennies... A bit like most of us on here!

Ele.

I have not seen a ducks arse that is as tight, with such a small aperture as my purse.

I can make nuetral at just less than £0.04 per unit, taking into account the latest robbery increases, including filters and other consumables. Then of course bots, essences, fruit etc. However I cannot think of an instance where a 750ml bottle at 45%Abv would ever cost me more than £4.00. I am not including my time, I do it for Looooooove.

I am most impressed with our local sweet shop. They have the big jars and weigh out what you request. My wife's treat through out the year and at Christmas (makes the present easy) is £2 worth of Lyons midget gems. And I have to say I have been buying them for years and the price hasn't changed at all during that period.

An aquantance contacted me earlier this morning. We had a discussion re the cost of producing your own spirit. I revisited the calc necessary to work it out. Now/today, cost for me either using SS SRS or SS Airstill is app £0.041 - £0.045 per unit of alcohol i.e. 10ml/cc at 100% Abv (which is exterpolated from actual production Abv). Plus flavouring of course.

He is picking me up later to visit local brew shop to purchase Airstill and the necessary as he wants a new hobby, doesn't want to ride his bike too much anymore due to pot holes etc. He also commented that while riding in the dark new car headlights are blinding him all of the time...I agree with that, just haven't discussed it with anyone.

So another one joins the fold, he likes Whisky and Gin. He has been drinking my Gin and the SS fine reserve Whisky.

Better still buy a water distiller!

viewtopic.php?p=31253&hilit=Buy+airstil ... 9d4#p31253

My fried Brian, like many of us makes purchase decisions based on one factor. Fortunatly not price.

Security.

Secure that he is making the correct decision. I was not going to add to the bewilderment in this. Whether it be cans of beans or cars, you want/ need to be secure in the decision you make. He is secure in the decision of the purchase of a SS Airstill. It is not wrong, just not as cheap as it could be. ......if he gives me a bollocking at a later date, I will be pleased. He will only have absorbed what is on this forum, and digesting your comments. All good.

Stop bloody moaning and accept another one into the creed!

How can I be moaning when the title of this thread is "cosy of living crisis".

And to be completely honest, my point wasn't price but based on the process.

Moaning indeed

Good lad.

OK. Brian's pennies. He is happy with his decision. He has a wash on and is polishing his Still, collecting bottles and nagging me for Rhubarb.

We all have to start somewhere.

He will be still (like that word), saving those pennies compared to his previous habits.

One for the fold.

I am hoping this is not a sign of the times, cost of living and commodities being
short, but when is Costco's buying some sugar it was being rationed, is there a
supply issue ???

Not around here there isn't.

But you might have caused me to panic buy....

The last time I went to Sainsbury's I bought 5k bags of sugar for £3.75 only 2 weeks ago, today's price was a fiver a bag. Robbing bastards!!!

My Friend living in west west Wales recommended joining the CO OP, their offer to members is a 2Kg bag of cane sugar for £1.60, with £0.50 off in selected weeks. So that's £1.10 for 2kg, £0.55 per Kg. I joined you have offers announced each week, when the sugar is on offer it goes quickly, good value.

buffalobob wrote: Thu May 18, 2023 7:46 pm The last time I went to Sainsbury's I bought 5k bags of sugar for £3.75 only 2 weeks ago, today's price was a fiver a bag. Robbing bastards!!!

FFS. Didn't see that. Me too

Now this is robbing buggers

Tate & Lyle TS-150002 Granulated Pure Cane Sugar Bag, 2kg, White https://amzn.eu/d/bLdStQR

Mash wrote: Fri May 19, 2023 8:32 am Now this is robbing buggers

Tate & Lyle TS-150002 Granulated Pure Cane Sugar Bag, 2kg, White https://amzn.eu/d/bLdStQR

Someone will fall for it....and the seller only has 6 bags left....

Ice.

It does say it is easy to use!

You barstewards leave that 2kg T&L alone its mine and I need it.
It could be the last of its kind!!!

Who the F111/ does this twat think he is kidding guys, lets get 'im.

Yeah. It was 'im that flogged us all them bog rolls. Wish I could ferment them, still got loads.

Join the co op, then speak kindly to the shop assistants. (Even more helpful than at Waitrose she was)

12 kg, they had sold out of the 2kg bags, so they supplied at same price. 2kg at £1.60, less £0.50 per bag as a member.
£0.55 per Kg. 12kg for £6.60. Offer appears once a month in my postcode area. You receive a notification by email each week of offers.

What was interesting was the assistant/managers comment, 'Why always 6kg at a time', as it was my first time in there buying sugar, I was curious. She said it's always male customers. I came home and called my friend David in same village, no not him.

Why would men be buying 6kg of sugar at a time when on offer? I assume some men are better at 'not telling' than me.

Tate & Lyle, cane sugar too. Best get a wash on.

WelshGin wrote: Sun May 21, 2023 4:19 pm
What was interesting was the assistant/managers comment, 'Why always 6kg at a time', as it was my first time in there buying sugar, I was curious. She said it's always male customers. I came home and called my friend David in same village, no not him.
Why would men be buying 6kg of sugar at a time when on offer? I assume some men are better at 'not telling' than me.

Just say "I'm making jam" always works for me..

Ice.

Icefever wrote: Thu May 25, 2023 9:15 am

WelshGin wrote: Sun May 21, 2023 4:19 pm
What was interesting was the assistant/managers comment, 'Why always 6kg at a time', as it was my first time in there buying sugar, I was curious. She said it's always male customers. I came home and called my friend David in same village, no not him.
Why would men be buying 6kg of sugar at a time when on offer? I assume some men are better at 'not telling' than me.

Just say "I'm making jam" always works for me..

Ice.

This actually winds me up. I only really drink when on holiday. All my home brewing is to keep my wife stocked up, but I drink a lot of Aldi Pepsi Max alternative-48p a bottle rather than £2.20.

I have had checkout oiks mention that 10 bottles of pop is a lot to buy at once.

10 bottles of beer or wine wouldn’t raise an eyebrow.

Tell ‘em to mind their own beeswax!

Best not to say you are making dynamite

I, tbh was just pleased they sold me the sugar at a lower than normal cost. My friend in Wales tells me that certain staff have made him go through the till repeatedly buying 1 x 2kg bag at a time, to be in strict accordance with the 'offer'.

He doesn't object to that he likes the mature ladies in his local co-op. Not Waitrose I know but beggars etc etc.

When he was 66 years old he rolled up at my house in his camper van with a 39 year old dolly with him, he was amongst other things modelling for her as he had a pony tail and she had a commission for the art work on a book cover relating to North American Indians.

I remember his Dad, many years ago on discovering his son was sporting said pony tail, saying to me "the only thing under a pony's tail is a pony's arse and shit". That was probably the same evening that his Dad and I were asked to leave the local pub as his Dad refused to let me pay for the beer we were drinking as it had increased in price by 3p.

My friend Dad was an x miner, ...need I say more.