The next step on one's journey as a homebrewer seems like it could go to either all grain brewing, temperature controlled fermentation, or kegging. Kegging seems like it's mostly about convenience instead of economy (plus I kind of like bottles - easier to share and transport), and temperature control is a little more of an investment. After looking at prices on Northern Brewer, all grain brewing seems to cost ~$3 less for a batch than extract, so after brewing 18 times, it'll be like I've made money! But you also have a lot more options with what kinds and quantities of malts you can use, and I assume that finding a recipe and buying the grain will save even more money.
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| And here's what a savings of six cents per bottle looks like! |
