Is home brewing worth it? Craft beer has become more popular than ever. From hazy IPAs and crisp lagers to rich stouts and experimental ales, there is now more choice available than at any point in history.
But with craft beer prices rising, many people ask the question:
Can you really save money by making your own beer at home, and is it worth the time and effort involved?
The answer depends on what you are looking for. Home brewing is not just about saving money, it is about creating something yourself, learning a new skill and enjoying beer made exactly how you like it.
In this guide, we compare the cost of home brewing against buying craft beer and look at whether brewing your own beer is worth it.
How much does craft beer cost?
The cost of craft beer varies depending on where you buy it.
A typical UK craft beer might cost:
- £2.50–£3.50 for a 330ml bottle or can from a brewery or specialist shop
- £5–£8 for a pint in a craft beer bar
- £30–£50 for a mixed case from a craft brewery
A 330ml can at £3 works out at roughly:
£9 per litre
A pint in a bar can easily work out at:
£7–£14 per litre
For occasional drinking this may not matter, but for regular craft beer drinkers the cost can quickly add up.
How much does it cost to brew your own beer?
The cost of home brewing depends on the method you choose.
There are two main approaches:
- Extract Beer kits
- All Grain Beer Kits
1. Homebrew Beer kits: the easiest way to start
Beer kits are the simplest introduction to home brewing.
A typical beer kit includes:
- Concentrated malt extract
- Hops
- Yeast
- Instructions
You usually add water, ferment the beer and bottle or keg it.
Most of our beer kits are available as a 40 pint or 8 pint recipe.
A typical cost might be:
40 Pint Beer kit: £20–£30
Additional ingredients (if required): £5–£10
Total: around £25–£40
That works out at approximately:
60p–£1.00 per pint
This is significantly cheaper than buying craft beer while still producing a genuinely enjoyable beer.
2. All grain home brewing: maximum control
All grain brewing is the traditional method used by professional breweries.
Instead of using concentrated malt extract, you start with:
- Malted grains
- Hops
- Yeast
- Water
It requires more equipment and more time, but it gives you almost unlimited control over the flavour, aroma and character of your beer.
Many all grain brewers start with a pre-weighed all grain recipe kit. These kits take away the guesswork, reduce ingredient waste and help ensure great results while you learn the brewing process.
Dark Rock Brewing offers a wide range of award winning all grain recipe kits, giving you the opportunity to brew a variety of different beer styles at home.
For brewers who want complete creative freedom, you can also purchase individual ingredients and design your own recipes from scratch, experimenting with different malts, hops and yeasts to create something truly unique.
Typical costs:
Ingredients for a 40 pint batch:
- Malt: £10–£15
- Hops: £3–£8
- Yeast: £2–£5
Total ingredient cost:
Around 40p–75p per pint
The initial equipment cost is higher, but over time the cost per pint can become very low.
What equipment do you need to start home brewing?
The good news is that you do not need to spend hundreds of pounds straight away.
A basic setup might include:
- Fermenting vessel
- Airlock
- Syphon
- Hydrometer
- Sanitiser
- Bottles or a keg system
A beginner setup can often be put together for around £50–£100. A Dark Rock Brewing starter kit is a great option for beginner brewers.
More advanced brewers may invest in:
- temperature controlled fermentation
- stainless steel fermenters
- all grain brewing systems
- kegging equipment
The great thing about home brewing is that you can upgrade gradually as your experience grows.
The hidden benefit: making beer you cannot buy
Cost is only one part of the story.
One of the biggest advantages of home brewing is the ability to create beer exactly how you like it.
Want:
- a stronger IPA?
- a less bitter lager?
- more tropical hop flavours?
- a traditional English ale?
You can adjust recipes to suit your taste.
Many home brewers start with kits and eventually move into recipe design, experimenting with different:
- malts
- hops
- yeast strains
- fermentation techniques
It becomes a hobby as much as a way of producing beer.
Is home brewing time consuming?
This is one of the biggest misconceptions.
Modern home brewing can be as simple or as involved as you want it to be.
An extract beer kit might only require:
- 30–60 minutes to prepare
- a few weeks of fermentation and conditioning
More advanced all grain brewing can take:
- several hours on brew day
- a few weeks of fermentation and conditioning
The advantage is that much of the process happens while the beer is fermenting without you needing to do anything.
Home brewing vs craft beer: cost comparison
| Option | Approximate cost per pint |
|---|---|
| Craft beer bar | £5–£8+ |
| Bottled/canned craft beer | £2.50–£3.50 |
| Beer kit brewing | 60p–£1.00 |
| All grain brewing | 40p–75p |
From a purely financial perspective, home brewing is significantly cheaper.
However, the real value comes from combining lower costs with the enjoyment of creating something yourself.
Is home brewing worth it?
For most people who enjoy craft beer, the answer is yes.
Home brewing gives you:
- Great tasting beer at a fraction of the cost
- The ability to experiment and create your own recipes
- A rewarding hobby to enjoy at home
- The satisfaction of sharing beer with friends and family
- A deeper understanding of how beer is made
It is not just about making cheap beer. It is about making beer you are proud of.
Start small and learn
The best advice for anyone starting out is not to buy everything immediately.
Start with a basic equipment starter kit and a quality beer kit, such as a Dark Rock Session Series or Signature Series kit, learn the basics, and upgrade your equipment as your passion for brewing grows.
At Dark Rock, we have been helping home brewers make great beer since 1971. Whether you are brewing your first batch or looking to take your brewing to the next level, our team can help you choose the right ingredients, equipment and techniques for your brewing journey.
Happy brewing!
