The high cost of a late start

Cause and effect: The weather was real nice yesterday, so I opened the windows all over the house, so the cats went nuts because of the fresh air, so they kept me awake last night even more than they usually do, so I didn't even get out of bed until 9:45 this morning, so I didn't brew any Hefeweizen today.

I did do a little paperwork, including comparing the cost of our major ingredients from 2004 to the present. Malt prices are up 20-40%, hop prices have doubled (or more), root beer extract is up 21%, and even the stuff I clean the lines with is up 27%. And that doesn't include the increased freight costs due to the near-doubling of fuel prices. Meanwhile, we're still charging the same prices that we were in 1995.

And the worst is yet to come. Probrewer.com includes a forum post outlining next year's dire hop situation, and this USA Today article is one of many describing the skyrocketing price of malt. Both malt and hops may double in price again before the end of 2008.

Anyway, I also dumped the dregs (spent yeast) from a couple of fermenters. Maybe I'll get that Hefeweizen brewed tomorrow.