Ingredient instead of kits
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In the case of AHS, you'll get a nice recipe/instruction sheet with a kit, but not if you buy the ingredients on their own. No idea if the pricing changes, but convenience is worth quite a bit to many.
mosquitocontrol
Well-Known Member
Usually its about $5/kit cheaper on average if you buy the extract and most used hops in bulk. If you plan on replacing kits with "homemade kits" based from recipes I highly recommend using brewmasters warehouse brewbuilder. If you take the extra couple minutes to add it to the database all your ingredients will be measured, sealed, and labeled by the recipe. And I've done the comparison, prices are slightly cheaper there because they do not have a minimum amount for crushed grain. If you only need 1oz they only charge you for an ounce. The higher IBU/gravity recipe you choose, generally the more you can save.
Three years in and I'm still brewing extract.
Only thing I overlooked when I switched is GRAIN BAGS. AHS always came nicely with those ready to go. If you make your own I'd buy a few paint strainer bags from HD to use for grain bags. They're even better because they are reusable.
Three years in and I'm still brewing extract.
Only thing I overlooked when I switched is GRAIN BAGS. AHS always came nicely with those ready to go. If you make your own I'd buy a few paint strainer bags from HD to use for grain bags. They're even better because they are reusable.
I've only bought 1 kit since starting. It was roughly $35 dollars. Since then, I haven't done 1 kit. I find a good recipe on here or online and buy the ingredients. It runs me roughly $20-$30. That includes hops, specialty grains, etc. So, I have gone that route with my LHBS. It works for me.
So are the muslin ones. Either way you have to clean them.
kits are usually more expensive than buying the ingredients separately. especially if you start buying your ingredients in bulk. my 5 gal PM batches cost under $20 in most cases, and under $15 if i'm reusing yeast. my AG batches are even cheaper. if you're brewing extract, the difference may only be a few dollars because of the cost of extracts.
homebrewdad
Well-Known Member
There really isn't much savings in kit versus ingredients. I've done one AHS kit, and one recipe from ingredients. That being said, I like being involved in the process as much as possible, so I don't know how many more kits I'll be doing.
Disclaimer: I'm planning to try a partial mash for my next brew, so my level of ambition may not match your own.
Disclaimer: I'm planning to try a partial mash for my next brew, so my level of ambition may not match your own.
I have found that buying ingredients sometimes costs less and sometimes more. That is, if you are getting the exact amounts.
If you shop around and buy in bulk for discounted rates you should almost always be able to beat a kit price.
I like being able to do a brew on the spur of the moment rather than ordering and waiting for ingredients/kits to arrive. (I cannot always get to my LHBS when they are open. They are about an hour drive away and only open late afternoon/evening W,TH,F and Sat and a few hours on Sunday.)
If you shop around and buy in bulk for discounted rates you should almost always be able to beat a kit price.
I like being able to do a brew on the spur of the moment rather than ordering and waiting for ingredients/kits to arrive. (I cannot always get to my LHBS when they are open. They are about an hour drive away and only open late afternoon/evening W,TH,F and Sat and a few hours on Sunday.)
Same here,+/- a few dollars depending on the length of a beers' ingredients list. But at least I'm using what I want in it.
mosquitocontrol
Well-Known Member
These are just some quick examples I worked up now. The majority might cringe if you see some of my more complicated examples in excel.
Case #1: 5% ABV amber ale
30.60 - Well known online retailer complete kit
25.98 - Exact same recipe buying ingredients separately (w/ bulk hops only at $1/oz):
21.79 - hops and dry extract in bulk, all other ingredients bought separately on regular site
Generally the higher IBU and ABV the more money you can save separately buying the ingredients. Another case to consider is the clone recipes. The cost of the kit on these is inflated due to all the work done on the store's part to create the recipe.
Case #2: Winter beer, higher ABV and IBU
39.60 - Online kit
33.37 - only hops in bulk, rest ordered separately
27.99 - hops and malt extract in bulk
Mainly you just have to decide which way fits how you brew. Personally, I have no interest in creating or editing recipes at this time. Also, (when I'm not slacking) I will brew about 15-20 gal/month. Cost is also a very important factor. So for me taking the time to input recipes from homebrewtalk and carefully consider my bulk purchases is worth the $5-$10 savings per recipe.
Case #1: 5% ABV amber ale
30.60 - Well known online retailer complete kit
25.98 - Exact same recipe buying ingredients separately (w/ bulk hops only at $1/oz):
21.79 - hops and dry extract in bulk, all other ingredients bought separately on regular site
Generally the higher IBU and ABV the more money you can save separately buying the ingredients. Another case to consider is the clone recipes. The cost of the kit on these is inflated due to all the work done on the store's part to create the recipe.
Case #2: Winter beer, higher ABV and IBU
39.60 - Online kit
33.37 - only hops in bulk, rest ordered separately
27.99 - hops and malt extract in bulk
Mainly you just have to decide which way fits how you brew. Personally, I have no interest in creating or editing recipes at this time. Also, (when I'm not slacking) I will brew about 15-20 gal/month. Cost is also a very important factor. So for me taking the time to input recipes from homebrewtalk and carefully consider my bulk purchases is worth the $5-$10 savings per recipe.
jwalker1140
Well-Known Member
+1, at least with respect to extract and PM batches. No experience with AG.
Easy enough to determine yourself though. Just go to Midwest's or Northern Brewer's website, find a kit you're interested in (I like these sites because they post the recipe so you know what you're getting), jot down the ingredients and then add up the price of each one if bought separately. There's your answer.
LHBS owner recommends kits to most people, because of the ease and the piece of mind knowing that you have "everything" you need. But he said that the first upgrade he usually recommends to people is not equipment, but rather upgrading the yeast. The stuff that comes with kits will work fine, but in his opinion, using the best yeast for what you're trying to make is half of the battle in going from a good tasting beer to a great one.
I'm a newb, so I can't speak from experience on it. I will say, however, that I'm going to regular ingredients instead of kits for my small batches, because I want to do short runs and experiment. For 5 gallon batches, until I have things dialed in right, or until I find a kit that I want as a launch point for experimenting, I will probably stick to kits.
I'm a newb, so I can't speak from experience on it. I will say, however, that I'm going to regular ingredients instead of kits for my small batches, because I want to do short runs and experiment. For 5 gallon batches, until I have things dialed in right, or until I find a kit that I want as a launch point for experimenting, I will probably stick to kits.
homebrewdad
Well-Known Member
I think this varies on the kit. AHS kits come with liquid yeast specifically chosen for the style of beer in the kit (and they typically give you several similar choices as alternates). I wouldn't consider buying a kit that came with some generic yeast.
If you are talking a kit from the manufacturer (coopers, brewers best, etc), yes that yeast is the most basica of yeast, and going into the lhbs fridge and picking out a (hopefully) fresher and more stylized yeast is better.
If you are talking like Midwest or AHS, then they build the kit for you and that comes with yeast options (usually one is a dry and 2 liquid yeasts).
Well if I'm reading this right, and the key here is 'in bulk' that you can save.
If I go to the lhbs, or w(eb)hbs, and order exactly what is in the kit, I'll probably save maybe less than $1? It looked that way when I looked at it. I only ask becasue I often brew and then don't for a while - love brewing, hate bottling, and don't drink fast.
I guess what I'm asking/getting at is that if I don't buy anything in bulk, then I'm paying about the same building out exactly what is in the kit as I am if I buy the kit. Is that about right?
mosquitocontrol
Well-Known Member
Without buying anything in bulk I would estimate that you would save <$5 everytime. That's why I say it comes down to your brewing "profile". How much, what styles, order online/instore, etc.
The hops can be the primary savings in most cases. Some stores will charge up to $2.99/oz when you can get for much less. You can buy an entire lb for what they would charge for 4 oz. Of course, the price is strongly dependent on the variety so if a lot of your brews use common hops you can save some $. Another option for this is 8oz packages. Obviously they aren't as cheap per oz as when buying a lb. But its a good compromise for ones you will use a lot.
If you brew enough to buy DME in bulk it is worth it. Even with the recent price increases of ~$30/bag it comes out to about $3.00/lb and will last about 7-8 brews.
The hops can be the primary savings in most cases. Some stores will charge up to $2.99/oz when you can get for much less. You can buy an entire lb for what they would charge for 4 oz. Of course, the price is strongly dependent on the variety so if a lot of your brews use common hops you can save some $. Another option for this is 8oz packages. Obviously they aren't as cheap per oz as when buying a lb. But its a good compromise for ones you will use a lot.
If you brew enough to buy DME in bulk it is worth it. Even with the recent price increases of ~$30/bag it comes out to about $3.00/lb and will last about 7-8 brews.
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