Brewers scoop
How to brew on a budget
What we have experienced this year has been unprecedented in our lifetime. We will continue to feel the aftershocks of this virus for quite a while longer as our economy rebuilds and recovers.
However, one thing we didn’t foresee is that the virus is starting to impact on our brewing. We all have to be careful with our finances, and we need to save money where we can. So, how can we save money with our brewing?
Shop local
Malts and hops grown in New Zealand are usually cheaper than those imported. This is simply because they don’t need to travel from other countries.
I would normally recommend using products from the country where that style of beer originates. If making a German Pilsner, then use German-grown malt and hops. However, to save dollars try putting a New Zealand slant on an overseas style. For example, try making your German Pilsner using New Zealand– grown Pilsner malt with a New Zealand– grown noble hop such as Wakatu (New Zealand Hallertau), thereby saving money and also buying local.
Take advantage of specials
Everyone likes a special — brewers are no different. Taking advantage of discounted, dented, or dated stock at your local home-brew store could lead to a well-priced brew. Dented cans don’t look good on a shelf at the retailer so are often discounted for a quick sale. The quality of the brew shouldn’t be any different from that of an undented can.
Same if you are brewing all-grain. Take advantage of specials and
“I would normally recommend using products from the country where that style of beer originates”
discounts — especially on base malt, as that makes up the greatest part of your grain bill.
Raid the pantry
We all like making big-flavour beers but it doesn’t all need to be malt. Adding ingredients that are already in the pantry can contribute extra flavour without extra cost. Brown ales, porters, and stouts could benefit from cocoa, oats, and coconut, which add flavour without you having to buy extra malts. Oats add mouthfeel and a creamy head while chocolate and coconut are a natural marriage of flavours.
Darker beers are more popular in winter so now is the perfect time to experiment with a few extra flavours in your pantry. Just think about which ingredients work well together in food recipes. Can these also work in a beer? Think about a Bounty Bar — chocolatecovered coconut. That same flavour combination works in a chocolate stout!
Make lower strength beers
Big hoppy IPAs and APAs are the most popular beers brewed by home brewers. They are also some of the most expensive, as they have hefty grain bills to get to six to eight per cent ABV and are loaded with costly
American hops. Now, I’m not saying don’t make IPAs and APAs — far from it; I love them! But what if we made every other brew a lower strength sessionable beer? Lower strength beers need less malt and fewer hops so they are cheaper to make. Also, because of the lower alcohol, you can enjoy a few more without feeling too wobbly.
Create a cost-effective sessionable ale
The challenge in making a sessionable ale is to make a beer with a similar mouthfeel and hop aroma to a seven per cent IPA but in a beer of only 4.5 per cent.
Using 300g flaked oats for added mouthfeel will compensate for the reduced malt in the beer, and adding 500g of Munich and 250g each of biscuit and Caramunich III will compensate for the reduced flavour of using less base malt.
For the base malt in a 23-litre allgrain recipe, use 3.5kg of New Zealand pale malt. Or, if you are extract brewing, use a 1.7kg can of unhopped liquid malt plus an additional 600g jar of unhopped liquid malt — both available straight off the shelf in your local home-brew shop — along with the steeping grains described.
The secret is to keep the beer in balance. With less malt and alcohol you need fewer hops. Even with fewer, the hops are still noticeable in these beers. Ten grams of New Zealand Southern Cross or Green Bullet boiled for 60 minutes gives you bitterness; 30g of Taiheke boiled for the last 10 minutes gives flavour; and then add 50g dry hop of your favourite aroma like Riwaka, Nelson Sauvin, Citra, or Mosaic.
Keep the yeast clean and costeffective. You can’t go past a Safale US-05 American ale yeast.
We will survive recession brewing
Tightening the belt on your brewing might be necessary but it doesn’t mean we have to give up our favourite hobby. Remember, brewing is cheaper than buying the same style of beer in the local bottle store. So fine-tune your brewing recipes and find ways to make cost-effective brews.
“Also, because of the lower alcohol, you can enjoy a few more without feeling too wobbly”