Mustachian Beer?

[mak1277]

No love for Budweiser (the standard, NOT Bud light)? Cheap, doesn't taste bad, often on sale.

I love a good brew at $10 a pack as much as every NPR listener, but I also like not giving a damn and drinking unpretentious, mass-produced, overly-patriotic, cheap belly filler.

+1...."who's drinkin' the King?!?"

I'm surprised to see Sierra Nevada mentioned in a post on affordable beer.  Where I'm from, Sierra Nevada, Fat Tire, etc. are all right around $10 per six pack and that's basically the same price as any other craft beer.

For me, if I'm not buying a $10/6 beer, I'm buying Yuengling most often.

[RedefinedHappiness]

I brew my own.

My 6.5% ABV 60 IBU IPA cost about 18$ in grains and hops. This is equivalent to about 55 commercial sized beers so 0.32$ per beer.

If you wanted to go cheaper (both in terms of flavor and price), you could probably do a light blonde for like 6-9$.

I brew my own as well. Just got back into it, but I'm brewing from malt extract kits which gets you two cases for $30-40. Is all grain the main reason you can get to $18 on your IPA?  Any other websites or cost cutting measures you can recommend?

[dcheesi]

I've been doing a lot of Miller Lite lately for "health" reasons (lowest carb beer that I can tolerate --Whatever they do to Mich Ultra renders it undrinkable to me). It's gotten pricier lately, but at my local store there's one specific pack/can configuration that's always much cheaper than the others, and I make sure to buy that one.

[MMMarbleheader]

I like a mix 24 pack that they sell at Costco.. either Sams or Sierra Nevada.

Cheapest I will go in a bottle is Molson

Via a pitcher I can do bud light if it is Under $8

[Guses]

I brew my own as well. Just got back into it, but I'm brewing from malt extract kits which gets you two cases for $30-40. Is all grain the main reason you can get to $18 on your IPA?  Any other websites or cost cutting measures you can recommend?

I'd say most of my savings come from brewing All Grain (BIAB). Extract is very expensive.

I get a 52 pound bag of pale 2 row malt for about 40$ (0.79 cents per pound). You can figure a 8-13 lbs grain bill for a 5%+ ABV recipe. Figure 1-3 lbs of specialty grains, depending on style. I get those for about 1.99$ a pound.

For hops, I usually buy by the pound and can get non fancy (i.e., Cascade or Chinook) for around 10-12$ per. Fancier is around 15-20$ per pound.

I culture my own yeast and keep it in the fridge. I figure I can brew about 20 batches (about 4 generations) on 1 sachet. I could stretch it more but I like trying different kinds. Currently using NW-1332.

By the way, this is all in Canadian money, you can probably do it cheaper in the states. The best part of this is that none of the ingredients are taxed as they are considered basic food.

[Gone Fishing]

I brew my own as well. Just got back into it, but I'm brewing from malt extract kits which gets you two cases for $30-40. Is all grain the main reason you can get to $18 on your IPA?  Any other websites or cost cutting measures you can recommend?

I'd say most of my savings come from brewing All Grain (BIAB). Extract is very expensive.

I get a 52 pound bag of pale 2 row malt for about 40$ (0.79 cents per pound). You can figure a 8-13 lbs grain bill for a 5%+ ABV recipe. Figure 1-3 lbs of specialty grains, depending on style. I get those for about 1.99$ a pound.

For hops, I usually buy by the pound and can get non fancy (i.e., Cascade or Chinook) for around 10-12$ per. Fancier is around 15-20$ per pound.

I culture my own yeast and keep it in the fridge. I figure I can brew about 20 batches (about 4 generations) on 1 sachet. I could stretch it more but I like trying different kinds. Currently using NW-1332.

By the way, this is all in Canadian money, you can probably do it cheaper in the states. The best part of this is that none of the ingredients are taxed as they are considered basic food.

Interesting, might explain why I like my beer ice cold, I am much more of fan of hoppy flavors than malty ones.

[brandino29]

+1...."who's drinkin' the King?!?"

I'm surprised to see Sierra Nevada mentioned in a post on affordable beer.  Where I'm from, Sierra Nevada, Fat Tire, etc. are all right around $10 per six pack and that's basically the same price as any other craft beer.

For me, if I'm not buying a $10/6 beer, I'm buying Yuengling most often.

Very oddly, here you can typically get a six pack of Sierra Nevada Pale Ale for $9-10, or a 12 pack for $14.  I've noticed it generally holds up with Sierra Nevada whether I'm at a gas station, grocery store, or specialty store.  So I don't think I've ever bought a six pack of Sierra Nevada but it is our go to "house" beer. 

[mak1277]

+1...."who's drinkin' the King?!?"

I'm surprised to see Sierra Nevada mentioned in a post on affordable beer.  Where I'm from, Sierra Nevada, Fat Tire, etc. are all right around $10 per six pack and that's basically the same price as any other craft beer.

For me, if I'm not buying a $10/6 beer, I'm buying Yuengling most often.

Very oddly, here you can typically get a six pack of Sierra Nevada Pale Ale for $9-10, or a 12 pack for $14.  I've noticed it generally holds up with Sierra Nevada whether I'm at a gas station, grocery store, or specialty store.  So I don't think I've ever bought a six pack of Sierra Nevada but it is our go to "house" beer.

Six packs are $9.99 and 12 packs are $17.99 here.  If I could get a 12 pack of Sierra Nevada for $14 I'd never buy anything else.

[Gone Fishing]

+1...."who's drinkin' the King?!?"

I'm surprised to see Sierra Nevada mentioned in a post on affordable beer.  Where I'm from, Sierra Nevada, Fat Tire, etc. are all right around $10 per six pack and that's basically the same price as any other craft beer.

For me, if I'm not buying a $10/6 beer, I'm buying Yuengling most often.

Very oddly, here you can typically get a six pack of Sierra Nevada Pale Ale for $9-10, or a 12 pack for $14.  I've noticed it generally holds up with Sierra Nevada whether I'm at a gas station, grocery store, or specialty store.  So I don't think I've ever bought a six pack of Sierra Nevada but it is our go to "house" beer.

Six packs are $9.99 and 12 packs are $17.99 here.  If I could get a 12 pack of Sierra Nevada for $14 I'd never buy anything else.

I've seen Torpedo on sale for $12.99/12 not too long ago, but seems like all the beer companies recently increased prices, so I'm not sure if you can still get it for that.  It's probably more likely $13.99 on sale and $15.99 regularly priced now. 

[slackmax]

Here in Pa my mustachian beer is Hamm's 30 pack for $12.29. That's right. twelve twenty-nine.

But I confess I have not been buying it lately since the distributor has been having outrageous sales of "old" ( as in best-by date has expired) expensive beer. For example, a $51 per case beer (maybe  an imperial IPA 9 % abv) is marked down to $24.99.  I would never pay $51 for a case of beer, that's insane, but $24 for good stuff, I can't resist.

The Hamm's will have to wait. I hope they don't go out of business since I stopped buying them!! ha ha

[Bettis]

If you're in New England, Narragansett has the cheap, often hated, but I love it taste.  Plenty of different varieties but those will cost a bit more.  The standard and lite beer are $22 for a 30 rack and occasionally you can get a similar price per can for the 16oz tall boys.

[DJStrong]

If you're in New England, Narragansett has the cheap, often hated, but I love it taste.  Plenty of different varieties but those will cost a bit more.  The standard and lite beer are $22 for a 30 rack and occasionally you can get a similar price per can for the 16oz tall boys.

I just came in to post gansett, it has a few varieties that are solid too.

[zarfus]

I brew my own as well. Just got back into it, but I'm brewing from malt extract kits which gets you two cases for $30-40. Is all grain the main reason you can get to $18 on your IPA?  Any other websites or cost cutting measures you can recommend?

I'd say most of my savings come from brewing All Grain (BIAB). Extract is very expensive.

I get a 52 pound bag of pale 2 row malt for about 40$ (0.79 cents per pound). You can figure a 8-13 lbs grain bill for a 5%+ ABV recipe. Figure 1-3 lbs of specialty grains, depending on style. I get those for about 1.99$ a pound.

For hops, I usually buy by the pound and can get non fancy (i.e., Cascade or Chinook) for around 10-12$ per. Fancier is around 15-20$ per pound.

I culture my own yeast and keep it in the fridge. I figure I can brew about 20 batches (about 4 generations) on 1 sachet. I could stretch it more but I like trying different kinds. Currently using NW-1332.

By the way, this is all in Canadian money, you can probably do it cheaper in the states. The best part of this is that none of the ingredients are taxed as they are considered basic food.

+1

To get even cheaper, consider a recipe like Cream of Three Crops: http://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=66503

I used to keep this in a keg constantly, varying the types of hops or yeast to try new things.  With corn and rice adjuncts, I got this beer down to 5-8 USD per keg (~50 12oz bottles).

Since kids though, I can't brew as often anymore, so I just get High Life and keep the kegs for more of a "microbrew" quality.

[yuka]

I brew my own as well. Just got back into it, but I'm brewing from malt extract kits which gets you two cases for $30-40. Is all grain the main reason you can get to $18 on your IPA?  Any other websites or cost cutting measures you can recommend?

I'd say most of my savings come from brewing All Grain (BIAB). Extract is very expensive.

I get a 52 pound bag of pale 2 row malt for about 40$ (0.79 cents per pound). You can figure a 8-13 lbs grain bill for a 5%+ ABV recipe. Figure 1-3 lbs of specialty grains, depending on style. I get those for about 1.99$ a pound.

For hops, I usually buy by the pound and can get non fancy (i.e., Cascade or Chinook) for around 10-12$ per. Fancier is around 15-20$ per pound.

I culture my own yeast and keep it in the fridge. I figure I can brew about 20 batches (about 4 generations) on 1 sachet. I could stretch it more but I like trying different kinds. Currently using NW-1332.

By the way, this is all in Canadian money, you can probably do it cheaper in the states. The best part of this is that none of the ingredients are taxed as they are considered basic food.

I'm sure tons of people must do it up there, but you're my hero for getting around the Canada beer taxes! My family used to have huge problems going up for a week when 6 people were drinking, but only 2 were eligible for cases at the duty free on the border going in. Now we manage with a whole lot more legal drinkers, and generous amounts of liquor stashed in the bags.

"Glorious and free", hmph!

[Metric Mouse]

Could there be something more Mustachian than a company that makes fantastic beer and donates 100% of its profits to charity? Maybe it's not the most efficient form of charity, but if I'm going to pay $8 for a six pack, I'd much rather have the money go to feed the hungry than line the pockets of investors.  http://finnegans.org/

[chemistk]

When I was in college a few years back (in michigan), there was a beer called "Pong" it was $16.99 for 30 and it included a few ping pong balls. You can imagine a lot of that was purchased. It was terrible.

Usually yuenglung is my goto for inexpensive or when at a restaurant. You can't beat the quality for the price.

[Willbrewer]

Anyone remember back in the day (the '70s, I think) there was generic beer? White can with the word BEER printed on it in black. That was in Lawrence, KS. Maybe it was a local thing.

I don't remember how bad it was because all I was interested in back then was a cheap route to inebriation. And it did work for that.

[Metric Mouse]

Looks like a prop from "Lost."

[gooki]

Tsingtao, because I can buy individual bottles. And the bottles are a proper size 650ml.

[Monkey Uncle]

Also with cheap beers, try drinking them at different temperatures. An ice-cold beer tastes much different that one that's at 50-55 degrees.

I discovered a couple of years ago that drinking a standard crappy beer (e.g. Bud heavy) at room temperature actually makes the beer much more flavorful and worthwhile.  For whatever odd reason, we as Americans have determined that the closer to the temperature of ice a beer is the better it is, turns out that is flatly wrong.  (Though it does work great for light beers on hot summer days)

The colder the beer, the more pronounced the bittering (hop) flavors. As it warms, the malt flavors become more evident. After prohibition, breweries started pushing colder, lighter bodied beers because it was more profitable to adjust consumers' tastes to lighter beers made using corn and rice as adjuncts, which don't have the same good flavor as the more expensive malted barley used to make "real" beer.

My wife likes to put her Icehouse in the freezer until it is on the verge of freezing.  She can hardly tolerate drinking beer that is a normal refrigerated temperature (40 F or so).  I myself find that the cheap macro-brews are a little more tolerable when they are ice cold.

I started brewing my own beer about a year and a half ago, and I can't see myself going back to mass produced beer.  By buying ingredients in bulk and keeping it simple, I can brew a passable craft brew for about 2/3 the price of Icehouse or Bud.  So I'm probably cost-competitive with the really cheap shit like beast light.  And that's on a volume basis.  My ABV is typically in the 5.5% to 6.3% range, so on a total alcohol basis, I'm probably brewing it cheaper than the beast.  Of course there's a time investment trade-off.  Each 2-case batch involves probably 7-8 hours of work.

[Davids]

Yuengling Lager is the perfect mustachian beer. Cheap and good.

[SaskyStache]

And on the home brewing front, I don't know if anyone has tried Mister Beer. It comes with a little yeast packet and depending on the variety a hop capsule that looks like a Nyquil .

I tried one of these for shits and giggles and was surprised how well it turned out. Not going to be as cheap as other home brewing options, but it truly doesn't get any easier than this (for brewing at home) and who doesn't want to buy a beer kit from Mr. Clean's estranged German cousin.

[Bettis]

Anyone remember back in the day (the '70s, I think) there was generic beer? White can with the word BEER printed on it in black. That was in Lawrence, KS. Maybe it was a local thing.

I don't remember how bad it was because all I was interested in back then was a cheap route to inebriation. And it did work for that.

My dad drank that!!  We were in RI so nowhere near KY.  Later on it turned into red print on can, must have had a budget increase.  He's no longer with us so I couldn't ask him what it was.  From what I could track down a few years back, it was made by Falstaff.

[otter]

New Glarus, whatever variety I feel like at a given time. I have to cross the Cheddar Curtain to get it, but I'm not far. I even like

I'd rather drink water than cheap, crappy beer. I'll take a Spotted Cow every day and twice on Sunday over Bud/Coors/Miller/PBR/Old Style/etc.