Where to find cheap extract kits?

The cheapest kits I have found so far would be at northernbrewer, but I was wondering if anyone has seen them cheaper? I don't want to do the Coopers or the canned kits because they only come with I think about 3- 3 1/2 pds of extract.

I'm looking for ale kits mostly, just about any kind.

Is northern brewer the cheapest I'm gonna get?

i'm about to order a few from austin homebrew supply, they have a big sale going right now, if you order on the day that your state is listed you get 10% off your whole order, and they always have flat rate shipping @ $6.99

and listermann.com looks good too. (i hear listerman has free shipping east of the mississippi, but i haven't ordered to find out yet.)

hey it might be interesting to post some local prices,,,, here in PA i can get "brewers best" kits for 30-50.00 depending on the style....

IT looks like northernbrewer is still the cheapest even with those deals at austin.

EDIT: Yeah the kits in memphis seem expensive, the LHBS close to me is asking about $40 a kit.

What kind of beer are you looking to make? The price of the kits at the stores are based on the price of the ingredients. Since the recipes are not the same from store to store, some kit will be more than others and some less.

Are you looking for a type of beer or just the price?

Forrest

The price is really my only concern, besides hopped kits. The first kit I made was from northernbrewer( the irish red ale). It was around $23 and the other kits on there that are similar cost about $22-26.

Do your kits have anything that the NB kits don't?

I would think that the lower gravity, SMaSH type kits would be the cheapest. As stated the cost of the kit is directly related to the amount of stuff neded to brew it. A belgian strong might call for 9lbs of extract where a lawnmower beer may call for 5lbs you wouldnt expect those to be the same price.

If money is the biggest concern go with simple kits like you mentioned from NB.

Of course, drinking one Belgian strong ale will hold you over for as long as two or three lawnmower beers. So maybe that's the bargain. If comparing to what you'd pay for commercial beers of the style, 'big beer' homebrews are usually the best bargain.

Aside from that, I think AHS and Midwest have kits around or just under the $25 range. I think NB's costs include dry yeast but not priming sugar; AHS is the opposite. AHS has the cheapest shipping I think. If you don't sweat a buck or two either way, you have lots of choices.

Midwest has usually been cheaper for me when factoring in shipping (I am close).

If you're buying 1 kit, Midwest supplies is the cheapest. But they charge actual shipping, so if you're getting more then 1 kit, then you need to go purchase from the flat rate shipping people (austin, northern)

With over 500 kits we have a lot that would be in your price range.

Here is one for example:
Texas Blonde

Anyone know of good and cheap vendors in Europe? Trying to keep shipping cost down so I thought I would check.

Often it is cheaper to order from the US though, but it's worth a look

Austinhomebrew said:

With over 500 kits we have a lot that would be in your price range.

Here is one for example:
Texas Blonde

Click to expand...

That is a good kit for the price, but I've got one quick question... Is the liquid yeast recommended for that kit or would dry yeast work just as well?

Patton191 said:

That is a good kit for the price, but I've got one quick question... Is the liquid yeast recommended for that kit or would dry yeast work just as well?

Click to expand...

Dry yeast will work with any kit. Wheat beer and Belgian kits need liquid yeast to get the correct flavor. The beer would still be fine with dry yeast but not how it is supposed to taste.

Yes, use dry yeast.

Forrest

Patton191 said:

IT looks like northernbrewer is still the cheapest even with those deals at austin.

EDIT: Yeah the kits in memphis seem expensive, the LHBS close to me is asking about $40 a kit.

Click to expand...

Midsouth Malt, or the Winery & Brew Shoppe on Cooper? Not that there seems to be any difference in their pricing, AFAICT

I just ordered my first kit from Austin Homebrew, as Tennessee is the 10% off State of the day today. I got a more expensive kit (Bishop's Finger, at $54), but they have other stuff too...

I haven't been to the one on Cooper, but it seems like the guy at midsouth malt's prices are about $10-15 more expensive then everything online. ingredient-wise