Was kinda shocked by the price of honey AUD$23 for a 1.5kg tub, which is probably the minimum, using your calculations for a one gallon brew. Noticed you started exploring sugar and other cheaper base substances.

The plan now is to to invest in a Flow Hive, which has simplified beekeeping - the honey comes out a tap attached to the hive - you just turn it on. Of course you still need to learn about beekeeping but it sounds doable. Turns out the inventors (now multi-millionaires) are from Byron Bay, which is close to where i am.