Northern Brewer kits

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.

Blackhawkbrew

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jan 17, 2008
Messages
478
Reaction score
0
Location
Cleveland, Ohio
What's the thought about the kits from Northern Brewer? I'm looking for a new kit, perhaps an Irish Red or an ESB. Has anyone had good luck with the kits from NB? I noticed in their general instructions that they recommend boiling in only 1 1/2 gallons. It seems low to me. What's the reason for the low volume?
 
I just received an order from Northern Brewer. It's very similar to their altbier kit, with a few changes of my own. Everything arrived on time and the ingredients seem to be good quality. One thing I've noticed about their extract kit's that I appreciate is that they consist of grains, extract (they make the liquid extract), hops and yeast (Wyeast Activator). There's not a bunch of stuff like maltodextrin or corn sugar that, IMO, you don't really need. I love my LHBS, but when I shop online it will always be from Northern Brewer.
 
NB is the ticket. DO Not hesitate to order from them. I like the fact that their kits don't contain some old packets of dry yeast, but contain wyeast instead. Their kits are solid, the directions are great, and the stuff is great to deal with.

Greg
 
I just received an order from Northern Brewer. It's very similar to their altbier kit, with a few changes of my own. Everything arrived on time and the ingredients seem to be good quality. One thing I've noticed about their extract kit's that I appreciate is that they consist of grains, extract (they make the liquid extract), hops and yeast (Wyeast Activator). There's not a bunch of stuff like maltodextrin or corn sugar that, IMO, you don't really need. I love my LHBS, but when I shop online it will always be from Northern Brewer.

Just for clarification: They do not make their own liquid extract. They imply that they make it, but it is made by Breiss.

Nothing to hold against NB.

Forrest
 
Northern Brewer is a fantastic place and I highly recommend them. Great people and excellent customer service. AUSTIN HOMEBREW SUPPLY (who actually spends a lot of time on this forum) and Midwest Supplies are also great places to order from.
 
Just for clarification: They do not make their own liquid extract. They imply that they make it, but it is made by Breiss.

Nothing to hold against NB.

Forrest

Interesting. I just assumed (you know what happens when we assume ;) ) that they made it because they put Northern Brewer labels on it. Oh well, I like Briess and I still like Northern Brewer. Thanks for the info Forrest.
 
they are a great company never had any problems with them at all and i have made their irish red and it was pretty damn good.
 
Northern Brewer is a fantastic place and I highly recommend them. Great people and excellent customer service. AUSTIN HOMEBREW SUPPLY (who actually spends a lot of time on this forum) and Midwest Supplies are also great places to order from.

+1 for all the above!

You can't go wrong with Northern or Austin Homebrew. I have ordered many kits from both and had great results. The one place I have had some bad stuff come in from was morebeer, I stopped ordering from them last summer.
 
The only NB kit we have ever had that was inferior was the NB Phat Tire kit. There was nothing wrong with the quality of the ingredients in the kit, only that the recipe used for the kit was a bit inferior if you were looking for a Fat Tire clone.

It still made good beer, just not as good as other Fat Tire recipes available.

Every other NB kit I have bought was excellent.



Gedvondur
 
NB and Austin are both excellent places. I also like the brewers best kits. You should check their recipe on their website though to see what you are getting. My current IPA kit that my bro sent me, is LME with grains. I much prefer DME. I may do some substituting of 2 row or DME and use one of the LMES for another beer later.
 
I love that NB is my LHBS! I have gotten a couple of kits from them, all turned out very well with excellent ingrediants.
 
i reccomended them too - i actually alternate my orders (sorry Forrest!) among AHS, Midwest Supplies, NorthernBrewer, and More Beer...all great places so far.

Chicago has a serious LHBS shortage, in my opinion. Within the city limits there's one I believe, and its more a growing store than a brewing store. Nice guys but not a lot of selection. Two if Bev Art is within the city limits...
 
My first 2 kits were from there. An IPA and and English Pale. I loved the pale, but the ipa was so-so (it was my first batch though and more than likely messed it up). Also, for the IPA, i did a partial boil and have never done so since. The ingredients were fresh and great customer service (They forgot to send me one of the yeast packs, but were happy to send it out the next day with no questions asked). I have ordered from several places and definetely prefer NB or AHS over all others.
 
Northern Brewer is top notch. Good customer service, fast shipping at a decent price, and fresh ingredients....what more could you ask. I have two all grain kits in the secondary from my first Austin Hombrew order, so the jury is still out. I was a little disappointed that Austin took so long to get my order out.
 
Thanks everyone! I had heard good things about NB, but I really think highly of the posters on this site. I have an AHBS Double Chocolate Stout in primary now and look forward to trying it. All my other brews (4) have been Brewer's Best kits. I like the opions of other yeasts in the NB and AHBS kits. I really need to do a starter next time.

Thanks again!
 
i reccomended them too - i actually alternate my orders (sorry Forrest!) among AHS, Midwest Supplies, NorthernBrewer, and More Beer...all great places so far.

Chicago has a serious LHBS shortage, in my opinion. Within the city limits there's one I believe, and its more a growing store than a brewing store. Nice guys but not a lot of selection. Two if Bev Art is within the city limits...

When I lived in Chicago I went to a store on W Belmont. Forgot the name. :confused:
 
Back
Top