Where is a good place to buy a beer kit?

Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum

Help Support Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

Crash 2006

Active Member
Joined
Mar 27, 2008
Messages
39
Reaction score
0
I would like to use an extract kit again as I am new at this. This will be my second batch.

Thanks!!! :drunk:
 
Where did you get your first one?

There are a bunch of preferred online sites if you look around here ... Austin Homebrew, Northern Brewer, just to name a few.
 
Where do you live? Is there no Local Homebrew Shop in your area?

If not there's plenty of online shops you can order brew kits and equiptment from..... I'll put a plug in for the one Online Retailer who is an active participant of this forum, and is always available if you have questions. It's Austin Homebrew Supplies....He also runs specials on brew kits, which he usually announces here.. I think he had a special on kits on a thread today even....
 
I have found the cheapest between Austin homebrew, Northern Brewer, and listermann when it comes to extract kits. These all make there own extract which is much better and cheaper than the canned alternatives. I've also tried Annapolis hombrew which was a really quality kit, but on the pricey side.
 
Austin Homebrew and Midwest supplies were both good to me, in fact I just made another order with Austin Homebrew today. Midwest prices seem a little lower, but AHB's 6.99 flat shipping can offset that on many orders. I do like that Midwest lists their kit instructions on the website so you know what to expect though:
austinhomebrew.com
midwestsupplies.com
 
i really like williams home brew kits. You dont have to soak grains or anything and it comes with everything measured out and ready to go all you have to do is pop the yeast and wait 1-2 days. plus they have a ton of different recipes
 
Here's another vote for Austin Homebrew Supplies. Aside from the good service and cheap shipping as previously mentioned, if you're on a budget, there are always some good kits on sale.
 
reaper79 said:
i really like williams home brew kits. You dont have to soak grains or anything and it comes with everything measured out and ready to go all you have to do is pop the yeast and wait 1-2 days. plus they have a ton of different recipes

Soaking grains isn't hard at all and is the only way to really replicate a number of delicious beers. I'm not sure why you'd have a stigma against it. If you can make a cup of tea/coffee, you can steep grains at 150ish degrees for 30 minutes.

That said I've used kits from Northern, Midwest, and AHS, and I'd say I prefer Midwest most, because of their proximity to me and great shipping speed/deliveries on saturdays.
 
I have been looking at Austin homebrew, and they look like very affordable kits. However, are they a quality brew as is? Are they lacking in quality to make the prices so affordable? Just wondering...because the LHBS has much higher prices even after the shipping from austin.
 
Go Gators said:
I have been looking at Austin homebrew, and they look like very affordable kits. However, are they a quality brew as is? Are they lacking in quality to make the prices so affordable? Just wondering...because the LHBS has much higher prices even after the shipping from austin.
They are good.

I made their clone of Sam Smith's Oatmeal stout. Good stuff. :mug:
 
Go Gators said:
I have been looking at Austin homebrew, and they look like very affordable kits. However, are they a quality brew as is? Are they lacking in quality to make the prices so affordable? Just wondering...because the LHBS has much higher prices even after the shipping from austin.

I just bottled my AHS Mini-mash Cream Ale, and the hydrometer sample of the warm, uncarbonated beer was absolutely delicious. I'm trying the promotional Amber Ale next, once I pick up some polystyrene to build a custom cooler lid for my Igloo coolers - it's getting too warm here in Titletown to brew good beers without some form of temperature control. I like Hogtown Ale Works, but their prices for some things do tend to be a bit on the high side.

Now, go cure cancer! ;)
 
Go Gators said:
I have been looking at Austin homebrew, and they look like very affordable kits. However, are they a quality brew as is? Are they lacking in quality to make the prices so affordable? Just wondering...because the LHBS has much higher prices even after the shipping from austin.

I hate to say it (not really) but we have the best kits. Log in on our site and read the comments for my kits.

Forrest
 
Go Gators said:
I have been looking at Austin homebrew, and they look like very affordable kits. However, are they a quality brew as is? Are they lacking in quality to make the prices so affordable? Just wondering...because the LHBS has much higher prices even after the shipping from austin.

I wouldn't use that as a gauge... My LHBS is over 2x the cost of AHS on DME/LME alone, so its no surprise that yours would charge a lot more for the kits.

That said, I have used AHS and Northern Brewer and had good results both times.
 
Go Gators said:
I have been looking at Austin homebrew, and they look like very affordable kits. However, are they a quality brew as is? Are they lacking in quality to make the prices so affordable? Just wondering...because the LHBS has much higher prices even after the shipping from austin.
Austin Homebrew kits rock! They are packed as ordered. They are not kits that sit on shelves like I have seen at other LHBS in other states. Because they create your kit when you order it, it is the freshest of fresh.

Add to that, that the recipes Austin Homebrew has are winners in my book (many are real award winners), every one of them and you get the freshest, best ingredients, with a great recipe and instructions, so your beer turns out fantastic (as long as you do your part ;)).

Bottom line is you cannot go wrong with an Austin Homebrew Kit. They rock. :rockin:
 
So far I've enjoyed the Coopers Microbrewery Kit. It doesn't have a secondary and the primary has a spigot for bottling. With my miniscule amount of homebrewing knowledge I get the feeling that the Coopers kit is a very basic brewing kit but designed with extracts in mind (though usable for full/partial mash according to the kit). Plus the Coopers Beer Extract kits are reasonably priced (IMO).

With all that said...I am still 1.5 weeks away from tasting my first beer. So maybe it will suck. Maybe it will be as good or better than any other kit for extract brewing. All I know is that home brewing has quickly become a favorite hobby...and that seems strange since I haven't tasted it yet.

EDIT: Oh, and www.makebeer.net appears to be the best place to buy the Coopers microbrewery and beer kits (slightly cheaper than elsewhere from what i've seen).
 
Look to the left and you will see a line that says "Beer and Wine Rankings and Reviews" Click there.
 
Back
Top