extract kit companies

I've brewed up 7 batches of extract kits so far. The first was a true brew kit (instructions were horrible) for the rest i've used brewer's best kits. What kits has everyone used and which ones have been your favs?

I like the brewers best kits, the price is fair, ingredients good, instructions very clear; but i'm trying to expand on my experience brewing.

I didn't do too many extracts, but I really liked northern brewers kits.

Wolfhound180 said:

I didn't do too many extracts, but I really liked northern brewers kits.

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I've looked at their kits and some look real tasty, what were your favs?

I made a Wheaton beat down kit that I really liked. It tasted just like north peak's vicious wheat IPA.

NOrthern brewer has great kits - I can vouch for the Caribou slobber, american rye ale, and the SS minnow. Great kits from real brewers!

Northern Brewer has great kits and a super wide selection. I've also used breworganic.com. Tasty brew kits that are 100% organic and a pretty good section under those parameters.

Northern brewer has some good kits. I order most of mine through Midwest, and haven't had any problems, so far. High Gravity has good kits (they're my LHBS), but they're a little more expensive than the larger company's due to being a smaller operation. Austin has the biggest selection I've found, but I haven't tried any of their kits yet. I'm hoping that soon, I'll just start ordering ingredients, and creating my own recipes.

Northern Brewer and Midwest make really good kits. Although I have never ordered from them, I have heard that Austin Homebrew Supply makes good kits as well.

Northern Brewer has some great kits, as does Austin Homebrew. Favorites would be NB's Bourbon Barrel Porter, and Austin's Stone's Imperial Russian Stout clone. But there are so many more to choose from that I haven't had the time to get to yet.

I know some people don't them because they don't label what's in their kits, but Williams brewing has some great kits that are affordable and very tasty. They consistently give me the best results. Their Amarillo Ale kit is sublime.

NB's extract kits have all been great so far. I have done Hefe, Innkeeper, Belgian Wit, and a couple others. All produced good results.

I got my starter brewing kit from Midwest as well as my first kit (HopHead IIPA) and I was very impressed. My other kits have been from Adventures in Homebrewing. I've made an Oberon clone and a Fat Tire clone and they were both great as well.

I am planning on ordering more from AIHB as well as NB and Austin as well...

My favorite extract and partial mash kits came from austinhomebrew. They have hundreds of them, and they all came fresh and nicely packed with great instructions. I did a bunch of them- Fat Tire, Red Hook ESB, Pete's Wicked Ale, and quite a few more than I can't recall at this moment. All were great!

My first was brewers best robust porter that I picked up ay my lhbs. I have switched to nb and like their kits a lot. Done caribou slobber, phat tyre and Chinook ipa. Have a chocolate milk stout going now. The best so far has been phat tyre, everyone has liked it that tried it. I want to try Austin, but their prices seem to run a bit higher.

Midwest kits have never let me down.

I really like Austin Home Brew. Tons of variety, and just about all their kits have the options of dry extact, liquid extract, partial mash, or all grain.

I've ordered and brewed several kits from each, extract, PM and All Grain:
Northern Brewer
Midwest Supplies
Annapolis Home brew
Austin Home Brew

All were excellent and can't go wrong with a kit from any one of the four. Annapolis is a little more expensive but their Belgian Wit, Cervesa and PA lager are some of my favorites. From NB their Irish red, cream ale, honey brown, rye ale and many others I've lost count of over four years were all good. Austin's Octoberfest and several clones are very good and Midwest I've done short boil kits as well as cream ale, irish red and a couple of others, none let me down.

I have used True Brew extract/grain kits. I made a porter and added some coffee to the last 2 gals and the beer came out great. I added some extra hops to it but so far every bottle has not let me down.

definitely northern brewer!

I am getting back to the hobby, and am trying out kits from different sources.

Brewers Best- fine, good directions, tasty, no problems

Midwest- fine, good directions, tasty, no problems

Austin- Made one last night, the mini mash is more fun, enjoyed the process, felt more.... advanced (even if it isn't, felt it)


So far, they all have tasted great, and been fine.
I think I learned that I enjoy mini-mash kits the most.

H-Balm said:

So far, they all have tasted great, and been fine.
I think I learned that I enjoy mini-mash kits the most.

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How do the mini mash kits differ from steeping grain kits? I don't have the equipment to do full boil and would like to eventually do grain.

scottab said:

How do the mini mash kits differ from steeping grain kits? I don't have the equipment to do full boil and would like to eventually do grain.

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Google mini mash and the first link will be a pdf from morebeer.com. I didn't know either, looks pretty easy and you could probably use a bottling bucket for it.

scottab said:

How do the mini mash kits differ from steeping grain kits? I don't have the equipment to do full boil and would like to eventually do grain.

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A mini or partial mash requires some base malt (2-row, Munich, pale ale, etc.) and more attention to temps. Steeping is just making a tea with specialty grains, whereas mashing (partial or AG) is getting fermentable sugars from the malt. Check out the "Easy Stove-top Partial Mash" sticky by Deathbrewer, that'll get ya started.

wilsojos said:

Google mini mash and the first link will be a pdf from morebeer.com. I didn't know either, looks pretty easy and you could probably use a bottling bucket for it.

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I've done some searching and steeping/mini-mash are pretty similar though with much different results. Will prob stick with extract kits for a while till i can upgrade my equipment.

The Mini mash kit, just really steeps it longer.

Malt grains steep a long while, at high temps.
Then you add the liquid extract.
The rest is standard (hop, cool, pitch)

H-Balm said:

The Mini mash kit, just really steeps it longer.

Malt grains steep a long while, at high temps.
Then you add the liquid extract.
The rest is standard (hop, cool, pitch)

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Well, not it's not about steeping it longer. It's about a more prescribed "steep" (mash) since you pay attention to the amount of water and the temperature. With steeping, you're essential making a grain tea so anywhere below 170 degrees is fine, in any amount of water, and 15-20 minutes is fine.

In a mash, you must have the correct pH, so you'll want to use 1-2 quarts of water per pound of grain. Certain enzymes are active at certain temperatures, so you'll definitely want to stay at 150-155, and not go above 160, during the mash. The technique looks similar in many respects, but it's not just about holding temperatures longer. It's easy, though, and no more trouble so it's worth doing!

I really like AustinHomeBrew. It frustrates me that most companies won't allow to remove the yeast from the kit. With AHS, I can save money on yeast and they are already at a great price with great kits as well!

I think Brewers Best kits are just fine. Local and reasonably priced. Always seem to turn out good brew. I'm wanting to move into BIAB.. but, while I'm waiting to do that... BB.

Since getting back into the hobby, I have brewed two different styles. The first was a Porter from a True Brew kit. I had good luck with it and the instructions were not to bad if you researched the process ahead of time. I brewed a second batch of IPA this weekend from a True Brew kit. No problems with it and only time will tell with it.

i have done cooper's kits and munton's. there is very little difference in taste but i would not reccomend the wheat beer for a quick n easy brew, i find even after 4 weeks it has a green or overly hoppy flavour. this is from an unrefined pallet

NB's is my fav, but your on batch 6 you might want to look up a good recipe and make your own kit

Cashscraft said:

NB's is my fav, but your on batch 6 you might want to look up a good recipe and make your own kit

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I've been modifying the kits somewhat but thinking of going with ingredients separately.. the kits are just so easy though.

scottab said:

I've looked at their kits and some look real tasty, what were your favs?

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I agree.....When I was doing extract, NB was my HBS of choice. My favorite was the Tongue Splitter. You can customize the yeast you want(dry or liquid), the malt is fresh and instructions are great. Just about any kit should be good. Depends on your preference. They offer a lot of kits too. The prepackaged ones are iffy at best. You don't know how old they are, or the the storage conditions prior to arriving at the HBS.

My only complaint the the crush of the grains. They tended to be under crushed. I solved that by purchasing a Crankandstein.

Also look in to Brewmasters Warehouse. Go the recipe section and look through those. The Shoutz-Meyer recipes are the house recipes. I've never tried one, but I know the guys there and I trust them.