janzik

Recipes 

There is definitely the convenience factor, and it really had nothing to do with AHS. I don't have a problem them at all!

I was really just responding to McK's comment saying it was a decent price. It just really didn't wow me at all. Not including the cool factor of the usb bottle opener, of course.

I didn't want to say I was unimpressed w/o doing the math...

To me this isn't a kit that the uninitiated would try (maybe or even most likely, I'm wrong). I would honestly guess someone digging right into a 1.090 recipe with a pound of hops would have the room for a sack of grain, but I'm sure there are 20 people that will respond that they dont/cant, so either way. poe-tay-toe, poe-tah-toe.

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-Joe

Austinhomebrew

Recipes 

You didn't do the math correctly because you don't know the ingredients in the kit. The kit is based on the ingredients price.

Anyone that calls a homebrew store that sells things at a fair price for a homebrew store a rapist is rarely going to be "wowed".

A homebrew store cannot compete with wholesalers.
It is not fair to compare hop prices or grain prices of homebrew stores with the place the homebrew stores buys their hops and grain.

There are many people that don't need homebrew stores and that is fine. You should buy where you find the best overall price.

Forrest

janzik

Recipes 

I had no intentions of arguing with you. I don't have a problem with you or your store. I don't think you are ripping anyone off, but it isn't any cheaper than my LHBS, which I believe over charges on many of their items (not just ingredients). McK said it was a decent price. I said it wasn't anything special. I backed up what I said with some math. That's all. Sorry if I incited a riot...

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-Joe

Austinhomebrew

Recipes 

My point is that the hops that you buy at Hops Direct for 70 cents is the cheapest anyone can buy them (including homebrew stores). Homebrew stores buy the hops from Hops Direct and charge more for them to pay for employees and rent. Since you can pay 70 cents for hops I can't blame you for wanting to buy them for that price, and you should.

Comparing a wholesalers price and a retailers price will always look like the homebrew store is charging too much.

Its all cool.

Forrest

McKBrew

Recipes 

It's a convenience factor as well. I could make a Lasagna from scratch. If I didn't have a recipe I might spend time looking up a recipe, buying ingredients, etc... Or I might spend a bit extra and just get a lasagna from the store or at a restaurant.

With a recipe like this, a person who has limited brewing experience, or limited time pays a bit more but knows what the end result is going to be. Instead of putting all the effort into designing a beer that might be cheaper, then having to go and get all the ingredients (which the LHBS may or may not have) you give Austin HomeBrew Supply a few extra bucks and they do all the work for you.

On top of that, say that this recipe uses 2.5 ounces of 7 different types of hops. Any order from Hops Direct is a minimum of 2 oz, so then you have to order 4 oz of each leaving you with extra hops that you could repurpose, but then you have to find a recipe for these.

For the brewer who has a big grain stockpile, plenty of hops, yeast, etc... this might not be a bargain, but for the guy who is going to make on IIPA a year it's probably a very reasonable deal.

FWIW, I've never ordered a kit from Austin Homebrew Supply, so maybe I'm just talking out my butt. But if I were going to try to clone a specific beer and wanted a guaranteed result I'd consider spending the extra cash.