Four million Brits brew their own beer

Around four million adults in the UK currently brew their own beer or wine at home, according to the financial advice website, www.allaboutmoney.com.

The research found that around 8% of us either regularly or occasionally make our own beer or wine, and another 24% have done so in the past. According to All About Money the practice of home brewing can cost drinkers less than a tenth of the price of a pint down the pub.

Ian Williams of All About Money commented: “When you’re looking for ways to save money, a nice pint after work is probably the last thing you want to give up. But our research shows you can have that pint and save money, and you might just have fun doing it too.

“There’s no substitute for a good pint in your favourite pub or restaurant, but there’s a lot to be said for enjoying something you’ve put your own time and effort into making.”

The majority of home brewers (41%) say they do it because it’s an enjoyable hobby, but there are financial reasons too: 27% do it to save money, and 9% plan on selling it.

Based on a £12 homebrew kit that produces 40 pints of beer, each pint costs just 30p – less than a third of the cost in the supermarket and less than a tenth of a typical pub beer (£3.21 for a pint of lager, according to Camra).

There is also the one-off cost of the brewing equipment, but All About Money said that starter kits available for less than £70, so “it should pay for itself after a few uses”.

As well as money-saving reasons, it appears that the results of home brewing are not too bad either as 23% of brewers said they created their own beer “because it tastes good.”