Kegerators save you very little money

[smokedave11]

It depends on your beer of choice. My favorite beer is 471 IPA by Breckenridge Brewery. It's $13/6-pack. I live 2 miles from the brewery. They sell sixth barrels (55 beers) for $60.

The math:
$2.17/bottle or $1.10/12oz draft.

I think it's a pretty simple decision.

[BartenderPlease]

Besides some of those situations, its also fun to work with the kegs and kegerators, as an experience...to me it has nothing to do with saving money. I love bars and bar experiences, and this is as close to having it at home without an actual bar...

[golfnmotorcycles]

Originally Posted by BartenderPlease

Besides some of those situations, its also fun to work with the kegs and kegerators, as an experience...to me it has nothing to do with saving money. I love bars and bar experiences, and this is as close to having it at home without an actual bar...

I'm with you. While it didn't go as I had planned, the idea of taking something that didn't work (piece of crap Avanti kegerator) and fine tuning it with tips and tricks from the seasoned home bar guys like we have in here, presented a welcomed challenge.

And in the case of the current keg, I am saving money and a DWI. Where I would otherwise have to drive 20 miles to enjoy a Blue Moon drawn in a cold glass (and pay $4.50 for it) I can enjoy it at home for less than a buck each.

Besides, without the kegerator the neon beer signs would just look all "white trash"

[jfs999]

Well, if your not going to buy into the savings argument then you can always play the "going green" card. Look at all the bottles and cans that your not using - your being much more enviromentaly friendly by using kegs instead of cans and bottles.

[jhon]

Originally Posted by reboot

With hopes of saving money as the big driver for building my kegerator. The savings just dont add up.

Here are the numbers:

$46.00 Cost of 1/4 barrel of domestic beer (Miller Lite).
$7.47 for 12 pack miller lite (on sale Kroger)


I crunch the numbers like this:
82 beers at $44.00/quarter barrel cost of $0.54 per beer.
12 beers at $7.47 has cost of $0.62 per beer.

So, I am only saving $0.08 per beer or about 13%.

So having spent $400.00+ for the kegerator Conversion I will have to drink 5000 beers to pay for the investment.
That is about 2.5 years of beer drinking (at 1/2 barrel per month) just to pay for the kegerator.

The bottom line is....you save about $13.00 per month starting after 2.5 years of use. This does not take into account the additional Utility costs! You may want to think twice before investing! Mileage may very.

The Spirits chain in NJ sells Miller lite for $59.00 a 1/2.
That would up my savings, but I don't care to do the math as it cuts into my drinking time.

I did not buy a kegerator to save money, I bought it to enjoy my beer.

But, you an also enter the cost of electricity and the initial cost of the machine and further talk yourself out of it if you would like.

Buy anyway, enjoy your beer no matter which way you drink it.

[mattmc1973]

I don't do the price comparison using keg vs bottled beer. In my mind, it's an apples-to-apples comparison of draft beer at home vs. draft beer in a bar. In other words, how much does a pint of Newcastle cost me at a bar, vs. the cost from my kegerator? A pint of Newcastle in a bar is going to cost about $4 on average. My $140 keg of Newcastle is going to yield me 105 pints. That's $420 worth of beer in a bar. So that's a no-brainer.

[TheMick]

New here, thought I'd chime in.

Just completed my first freezer conversion (480 bucks). I LOVE Switchback, BUT they only sell in kegs or at the bars.... So i save even more!! muahahahaha

Pony Keg cost = $65.00
Pints in Pony ~ 45
Pint at bar: = $4-5
Pint from Pony = $1.56.

Savings per Pint = $2.44-3.44
Savings per Pony = $109.8-154.80 and that doesnt even include the tip savings!!!

4-5 Kegs and it'll have paid for itself.

[eoster]

Yeah i build mine for the enjoyment of my own homebrew as well as commercial beers. But i also enjoy the DIY aspect of it, and not having a million bottles and cans building up in my recycling bin

[jhon]

Originally Posted by eoster

Yeah i build mine for the enjoyment of my own homebrew as well as commercial beers. But i also enjoy the DIY aspect of it, and not having a million bottles and cans building up in my recycling bin

There you go......My new reason for having a Keg.

It's green!!!!!!!

[JBUNGIE]

If your worried about the extra calories just bang out 20 push ups in between beers...

[bonefish]

I've enjoyed my kegorator now for one year. I have 20 of the caps that cover the keg at purchase.
Rough calculation, I spent about $900 less than drinking from the bottle.
It paid for itself in less than a year.
SEAN
P.S.
Now, how do I grow a Marlboro Tree?
__________________

[cubby_swans]

Originally Posted by bonefish

Now, how do I grow a Marlboro Tree?
__________________

You could buy a plantation...

[jub jub]

You do it for the love of beer, and better tasting then what comes out of a can.

[klg]

"I drink Light Lagars (Miller or Bud) because I dont like using a Wheel Barrel to carry my Beer Gut around. A few less empty calories never hurt anyone."

What its hurting s your taste buds, to each his own, but dude- these aren't even beers.

AS far as cost savings, I've figured it saves me about 30% by volume(all factors included- had to really prove this one to my wife to get it!), and as previously stated- the faster I drink, the quicker the kegerator pays for itself!

[Skinsfan1311]

My kegerator was given to me, along with a spare 5lb C02 bottle.I even get my C02 fills for free

I dumped about $150.00 in rehab/improvements.

I save $130.00 vs the case price for each time I buy a 1/2 keg.

It has paid for itself many times over

Even if it didn't pay for itself, it's all about having fresh draft beer at your disposal, not for the savings....

[jhon]

And it is also about watching men's faces light up when you tell them you have a kegorator and watching the wives eyes roll.........

It adds two inches to my.... Well you know...

[vinfamous]

my brain just exploded.

on the calories note though, its called running. when you run you burn off the calories from drinking beer, then after the run, you can drink more. its science.

Beer after sport 'is good for the body' - Telegraph

[vinfamous]

Originally Posted by jhon

And it is also about watching men's faces light up when you tell them you have a kegorator and watching the wives eyes roll.........

It adds two inches to my.... Well you know...

four my 4 kegger, its directly proportional, so it adds 8. hooray!

[aaastinkie]

Drinking water saves money!!!!

NEXT!!