Deskoze38192
Member
I generally like all your posts but this one is not correctHome brewing is not that much of a savings when you consider equipment cost to do it properly vs the prices at a place like GA.
Raws do degrade, and do not necessarily last longer than properly brewed gear. In oil, the active ingredient is completely isolated from exposure to oxygen, and the alcohol and benzoate create a bacteriostatic environment.
There's also the time and learning curve.
Then there's the unlikely, but possible legal exposure for "manufacturing".
20 vials will easily cover you for 5-6 years. and cost around $150. Just keep topping off your buffer as long as things remain as they are now, and if things go to hell, you'll have years to find some other source.
The point here, imo, is not to prepare for the apocalypse, but to have enough to ride out any drought until alternate sources inevitably develop.
Home brewing is a huge savings. The initial set up cost is very low including magnetic stirrer still under $100
Cost $3 to home brew a vial of test. At 4 vials of test you have already paid for your initial setup cost and you have 4 vials of test.
Also Raws last much much longer than when in oil