What's your budget formula?

I'm a student so I usually keep it around $60 CAD a week (including visits to the bar). I don't drink much from Sunday to Wednesday (One beer a night max, if I drink at all).

I will typically buy a 12-pack of an AAL or a 24-pack and then get a growler of a local brew.

 

No budget for me. I just buy what I want. That said, I'm not Rockefeller. I'll spend a lot when I'm on vacation, but most weeks I'll just grab a couple of singles or a TG bomber. I'll occasionally splurge for a special release. That's about it.

It helps that I don't drink every day, and I usually stop at one when I do.

 

Haa Haaa! I only "budget" when the bills come in and I'm out of money! Sad but true! I'm a cheap bastard in general though so I'm always aware of the pricing. For certain items I'll spend the money though and get myself into trouble. Fortunately my saving grace is that I'm not a beer snob though, and I can enjoy a mass-produced beer as well as something with more malt and hops to it. I generally keep a case of Hamm's or Moosehead on hand in case I run out of good beer.

 

Do you remember the name of the store in Hudson? I'm in the Twin Cities and always looking for good beer shops.

 

Beers = Money on hand times interesting beer available times general mood times random factor

 

Used to have a strict budget when the kids lived at home and before the divorce. Drank lots of homebrew and pulled lots of nickel returns at the Recycle Center I managed so I could stay within limits.

Now I don't budget, and thanks a lot for making me think about and realize just how much I spend.

 

I spend a fair amount compared to when I drank Bud. But I don't take expensive vacations, drive sports cars, or have a 25 yr old mistress. That's justification for craft! Next up Bells Black Note, $6 bottle of beer, Jeezzz

 

That's a pittance. Ever price a bottle of Modern Times Monster's Park ($30 to $35 each) or Eclipse by Fifty Fifty Brewing? If you have a two bottle night, you realize you drank nearly $65 worth of beer... in one evening. That's more than some high end wine snobs do. It adds up SUPER fast. $6 a bottle is priced right, IMHO.

 

If I needed to strictly budget, I wouldn't buy beer. There are better places for that money to go.

 

I'd gladly trade craft for the 25 yr old!

 

Casanova. If you can, go any day but Sunday so you can go to their attached Nova restaurant. They have the best damn burger I've ever had, almost too thick to eat. They have decent craft on tap in the restaurant.

Casanova is a liquor/wine/beer store with an incredible craft section. They also do growler fills. The staff is great and quite knowledgeable. I've been in there when no other customers are, and the staff comes back to help you hunt down what you're looking for.

 

I don't set a budget at all but I also won't allow myself to spend crazy amounts either. I guess I treat myself to items I like but if I feel I am spending a lot I just cut back or snag lower cost items. I like to snag seasonal items or rare stuff when I see it so that kicks up my costs a lot but then part of the year I get routine items and it evens out in the end. With kids my bar days are far less so the savings I see from that and eating out all the time more than offsets my craft hobby. I remember the single days of eating out and being at the bar most days of the week, that was a far more expensive habit than this LOL.
Cheers.

 

Man I am ashamed to say I usually spend $60 - $80 a week unless I travel then all bets are off.

 

I buy what I want, but a lot of what's around doesn't excite me much. It doesn't make it bad or mediocre, it just doesn't excite me. On Friday I buy a 12 pack of a beer I want, might be a Pils, might be an IPA. That's for football weekends, then maybe an AAL of some flavor during the week. So maybe $ 20-25 a week.

 

My guess is that I will pass those by-enjoy !

 

I really don't budget anymore but I do keep my purchases limited to one six-pack and I will pick up some new beers to taste along with special releases. Lately, I've been getting a lot of overtime adding a few hundred extra dollars to my overall budget, so I've been spending more than usual on beer. I've also been drinking more Sierra Nevada as I really enjoy their beers and I can get them at reasonable prices.

 

Hamms is a really excellent example of beer ready to drink. It is satisfying, generally; but some Sierra Nevada Celebration and Guinness 200th Anniversary augment it well, over time. A neighbor brought over some Hamms the other day, and it was quite good....It is a kinda communal beverage.

 

Hard to tell sometimes over 100$ a week sometimes not that much, I have the problem that I buy more than I drink as many of us. I need to choose my favorite breweries and let go some beers I won't be able to taste. I have to say that everytime I visit Hill Farmstead the $/per week goes much more higher but well the quality is top notch!

 

I find crossing an international border is always..interesting. When you visit the US these days, how does it go? And how is traveling with beer (either way)? Back in the day, I never had to use a passport, but I did have to say who I was, sometimes hitchhiking, sometimes driving, but never carrying beer. I have always admired Canadian border policy. Strict and concise.