tennesseean_87

Recipes 

If you want to buy bulk base grains, but not keep tons of specialty malts on hand, it might be a good idea. I don't have room to store a big variety of bulk grain and bulk hops, and if you want a large variety, you could split the difference between bulk base grains and kit specialty stuff. But this is where BMW shines--flat rate shipping and you can make your own kits with 10% off and still save on the base grains.

__________________
#8 Corks in Belgian Bottles Hold Carbonation
Drinking: Graham's Cider, Sour mash Red, Rochefort 8 clone, Yeti Imp Stout clone, Brown Sugar Spiced Cider, Split batch IPA/SBitter, Oatmeal Brown Ale, Belgian Pale Ale, Oatmeal Dry Stout
Bottle conditioning: Graham's Cran-Apple Oaked Cider, Raspberry Apfelwein, Split batch Tripel, Split Batch Pilsener
Fermenter: Graham's Cran-Blue-Pom-Apple Cider
On Deck: Gun Stock Old Ale, BC Haus Pale (half nugget, half columbus), Berliner Weisse

scone

Recipes 

I don't think there's a premium on their kits. I was also under the impression that the price of the "kit" is exactly the price of buying the component ingredients individually. They're just unpublished recipes, right?

the_bird

Recipes 

The shipping must be killing him on the bulk grain component of the kits. It's a somewhat interesting idea, although I'm not particularly overwhelmed with the recipes. Does seem a little spendy for the ingredients you are getting; the Irish Red Ale is charging $12 for a pound of malt and I can't imagine too many hops (given the beer style).

Wondering why he didn't just make the "Advanced Recipe" an option for any of the all-grain beer kits he sells? If they're all made-to-order, why not just offer an option to buy any of the recipes without the base malt? The "Advanced American IPA" doesn't look particularly interesting; why not let me buy something like the 06-06-06 Vertical Epic clone (or any of the other recipes you can buy) without the base malt?

__________________
Come join Yankee Ingenuity!

"I'm kind of toasted. But I looked at my watch and it's only 6:30 so I can't stop drinking yet." - Yooper's Bob
"Brown eye finally recovered after the abuse it endured in Ptown last weekend, but it took almost a full week." - Paulie
"no, he just doesn't speak 'stupid'. i, however, am fluent...." - motobrewer

originalben

Recipes 

Ding ding ding- that's the ticket, bird, offer the AR option on all kits- the shipping is the same so AHS wins for not having to pay smaller margin on fixed rate shipping w/ added weight...and make the mark up less flopsided for the specialty grains and hops vs. normal $.

__________________
Sometimes, I doubt your commitment to Sparkle Motion!

Transamguy77

Recipes 

I think this is one of those times where it depends on the brewer and how local a store is, I have 3 places I can get ingredients from relatively close to my house. This is how I usually do it, I buy my grains in bulk and buy specialty grains, hops and yeast (if I need it) for my recipes when I make them.

If you are looking at it from a dollars and cents point then it's prob a break even with shipping (depending on what you already have on hand) it might be a bit more, but if you want a tried and true proven recipe it might be worth a few more dollars for that recipe.

cincydave

Recipes 

I hadn't heard of these kits, but like the idea. Agree with The Bird about making this an option for all kits. Maybe just include info on what base grain the recipie is made with. Pricing does seem a bit on the high side, but had to say without knowing exactly what specialty grains and hops you're getting.

I'll be getting first bulk bag of grain this weekend and plan to get hops and specialty grains at LHBS. This "advanced" option would be a viable option if priced competitively.

Vellum

Recipes 

I've ordered quite a few kits from ahs. All have turned out very tasty. They do add about a five dollar premium for the kit price.
If you order the kit it gives you the recipe and then you can order the ingredients on their own your next time. Usually it is around $2-5 more for the kit. Not too much more but still a recipe premium price.
The new advanced kits look a little pricy to me but when you subtract the $2-5 premium the price for ingredients returns to close to normal (at least on first glance).
Just my two cents. I think it is a good idea, think about it as paying for a proven recipe as well as the specialty grains/hops and the price isn't as hard to swallow. I personally probably won't be ordering them as since free shipping went away brew masters warehouse always comes out cheaper for me.

Mikethepoolguy

Recipes 

I think its a great idea. And I don't care if its not a bargain. I would order 3 right now but I have some NB gift cards...

__________________
Wahoo Hunter

doctorRobert

Recipes 

Wrong. One example is the Pliny kit, which when released was ridiculously priced and they lowered it when people complained. Obviously they didn't lower the price to a loss, and the recipe is widely available.

Forrest has said he pays people just for to formulate recipes, and I believe that is factored into the price, maybe not every recipe but for some.

I also hate buying a kit blind, like when I ordered one of their kolschs and it came with a **** load of English hops.

Kits are good for beginners. But if you're advanced, man up and formulate your own recipes

__________________
Yo, What's Wrong With The Beer We Got? I Mean the Beer we got drank pretty Good Don't It? I Ain't Never Heard nobody complain about the beer we have..... It Drank Pretty Good. Budweiser...What's the name of some of them other beers ?

scone

Recipes 

Interesting... I've only bought a couple of them but the ones I got (double choc., northumberland brown, and a few others) didn't *seem* to have a premium over the ingredients, but then again I didn't calculate the cost of the ingredients separately.