Total Cost per Bottle(?)

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PPBart

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Does anybody track the actual cost of the wine you make? I did it for several years early on, carefully recorded cost of every item purchased for or used in the batch, even added a "usage charge" for the primary, secondary and bottles to amortize their costs. After a while it seemed that any kit wine cost about $4.00 -- $4.50 per finished bottle; fresh fruit and grape wines (pear, strawberry, blueberry, muscadine, etc.) cost an average of about $2 per bottle.

Didn't change anything I was doing, but it was an interesting exercise...
 
I did it also for awhile but avent done it in many years. I was averaging just about the same with kits but much cheaper with fruit as I get all that for free as long as your not coulnting compressed discs and lots of blood. Never factored in the Bandaids and bug spray though so maybe those costs are somewhat closer to yours now that I think of it! :)
 
Well some of my costs are only for yeast, nutrient, clearing agent and chemicals. I got a bunch for fruit last year and so far some this year FREE !
 
Well some of my costs are only for yeast, nutrient, clearing agent and chemicals. I got a bunch for fruit last year and so far some this year FREE !

I get muscadine "free" -- neighbor has vineyard, so he provides grapes and I make the wine, we split results. Used to have some native pear trees that provided plenty of pears, but sold that property. Blueberries are plentiful locally, pick-your-own is $1.25 per pound -- wife and I will make do another picking Saturday.
 
I mostly make kits ranging from RJ Spagnols
Grand cru int $60 to
Winery series $90
so $2 to $3 per bottle plus 20c for cork, + time and energy to clean and re-use bottles and carboys etc.....
Consumables such as cleaners, sanitizers, tubes, labels etc add a few cents to each batch.
Most equipment is used over and over and I think that after making 70-80 kits has already paid for itself.
So I think a total of $2.50 to $3.50 per bottle is fairly accurate for my kits.

On the other end, batches made from minute maid or welches frozen concentrate are way down the price scale at 50c to $1 per bottle but I dont make many of these so far as we prefer the mist style kits for fruit wines
 
If we are looking at out of pocket cost, I would have to say that I am in the $4.00-5.00 price range depending on the kit I buy, including cork, sleeve, chemicals, added extras, etc.

(Now, here comes the "but") I do credit against this cost the enjoyment I get from making the wine, working with and teaching my Grandchildren and the enjoyment my Bride gets from all this. Ergo, my wine is virtually free. :ib
 
I make mostly fruit wines with free fruit. 3 yrs ago when I started, I kept track...50 cents a bottle. Sugar has really gone up. I usually have around 100# on hand. During the Christmas baking season, sugar is usually on sale... I stock up!
Using honey raises the cost a bit, but it hasn't risen as fast as sugar, thus far!

Debbie
 
I just ran some numbers on last years batch and we came out to $6/bottle. Higher this year unfortunately, but thats all new bottles, good corks and some more expensive fruit than I normally buy. Still 1/3 of the cost of a comp. bottle from the store...
 
I do credit against this cost the enjoyment I get from making the wine, working with and teaching my Grandchildren and the enjoyment my Bride gets from all this. Ergo, my wine is virtually free. :ib

Not free . . . priceless!
 

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