Brewer's Best vs. MoreBeer kits

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Hey all--

I'm about to order some brewing kits; I prefer extract types with some grains added for flavor, etc. I've tried one BB kit (Steam style) and it came out pretty well. Has anybody tried the custom kits from MoreBeer.com, and can you comment on whether they are better/worse than the BB ones?

I know I should just try them both, but time and $$ precludes a lot of beer making right now.
 
I'm in the same boat, but check a post I send out...I think it's here somewhere. Some of the responses were that Austin Homebrew Supply had pretty good kits. I haven't tried them. Like you, all I've ever used are BB. The American Amber is OK, not great. Got the Continental Pilsner in bottles right now and will be brewing the Weisen this weekend. The one thing I have to say is that morebeer.com and AHS don't make it PERFECTLY clear whether they use steeping grains or not. I also agree with you, steeping grains makes for better beer. Price wise, they aren't all that much different. I think morebeer.com has free shipping on anything over 50 bucks and AHS has a 5.99 flat rate for shipping.
 
I'm pretty sure I have done a MoreBeer kit at some point in the past, but I'd have to hit the notebook to remember. I did want to post, however, to mention to check out Seven Bridges Co-op. They are an all-organic homebrew/coffee supply joint out in Santa Cruz, Cali and they have a good web page HERE.

My bro and I have tried a bunch of their kits and they are all top-notch - never been dissapointed. My 'home' store is beer-wine.com - they are local to me and have some good stuff but their kits are not a consistent as Seven Bridges. You aren't going to get the wide variety that some other homebrew companies have, but the quality of ingredients and dedication to authenticity is unbeatable.

I would highly suggest giving organic a try! :mug:
 
I've brewed some Midwest kits, they're pretty nice. I'd imagine that any of the bigger internet site kits would be fine - they have good turnover.

The ones that come to mind are Midwest, Northern, AHS and MoreBeer. I sure there are others too
 
Fiery Sword said:
I'm pretty sure I have done a MoreBeer kit at some point in the past, but I'd have to hit the notebook to remember. I did want to post, however, to mention to check out Seven Bridges Co-op. They are an all-organic homebrew/coffee supply joint out in Santa Cruz, Cali and they have a good web page HERE.

My bro and I have tried a bunch of their kits and they are all top-notch - never been dissapointed. My 'home' store is beer-wine.com - they are local to me and have some good stuff but their kits are not a consistent as Seven Bridges. You aren't going to get the wide variety that some other homebrew companies have, but the quality of ingredients and dedication to authenticity is unbeatable.

I would highly suggest giving organic a try! :mug:

Very expensive. It is amazing how adding the word "Organic"" can make for such a higher price.
 
Yes, Seven Bridges is not going to win anyone over who are trying to pinch pennies. Then again, they are no more expensive than beer-wine.com - which is where I'd get the kits if I didn't feel like waiting for shiping.

In the end, the price jump really doesn't bother me - I know I could brew for a lot less by buying bulk ingredients, yeast farming, etc. but the trouble is not something I have time for these days. As it is, it always seems like my homebrewing time available is always under pressure from work/outside influences so spending what amounts to a few dimes per bottle more doesn't bother me. If I had more time and more space, I would probably shy aways from these kits. money aside, the end products are wonderful.

I'm also not earthy-crunchy about the organic thing - to me it is usually indicative more of a philosophy of having fresh ingredients than the organic part itself. And I will say the the ingredients, hops especially, are definitely fhesher and more alive than beer-wine.com and other places I've used.
 
OK, I have done some research and have found the Holy Grail on prices for Brewers Best kits. Of course, there is a 4 dollar handling charge and shipping, but still the cheapest if your going to go via internet. I called them up and its a 4 dollar charge per order, not item, so order a couple.

www.leisure-time.com
 
Ol' Grog said:
OK, I have done some research and have found the Holy Grail on prices for Brewers Best kits. Of course, there is a 4 dollar handling charge and shipping, but still the cheapest if your going to go via internet. I called them up and its a 4 dollar charge per order, not item, so order a couple.

www.leisure-time.com

Wow, they have a 'Get Netscape Navigator 3' button on their page.. That was released in 1996!

I hope their kits are more up to date than their website...
 
I've done 2 BB batches and just got 3 morebeer kits in. One is in the primary now. The morebeer kits have more LME and WAY more steeping grains than the Brewer's Best kits. The only poblem was that the morebeer kits didn't come with a bag to steep the grains in. So I had to make a last minute trip to Walmart last Sat. night to get some cheesecloth. The kit said to use a reuseable nylon mesh bag. I wish they had told me the kit didn't come with one. I guess I should have read the directions sometime before I got my water up to 160°. I'm pretty excited about the morebeer kits, it looks like quality stuff. Of course, I've made 4 whole batches so what do I know?
 
Ive done about 12-15 brewers best kits. They were the first ones i started with.
I like the choices they have but I feel that the kits are often very old.
I just went through my first 3 morebeer kits and they seem a lot fresher.

The reason why I mention this is because ive done an american light and rasberry wheat from both.
The difference in crispness and clarity was huge. The morebeer was much better.

I have gotten my BB kits from 2 different sources.
 
I just ordered from leisure-time. Got BB kits for micro pale ale and steam style, both extracts and a 5 pound box of One step for 57 dollars. Pretty DANG GOOD, don't you think???
 
Ol' Grog said:
I just ordered from leisure-time. Got BB kits for micro pale ale and steam style, both extracts and a 5 pound box of One step for 57 dollars. Pretty DANG GOOD, don't you think???

Wow, that's a great price. Does that price include shipping as well?
 
No, this is one of those "we'll email you to cost of shipping" kind of things. But what can that be for standard rate with UPS? Those three items...what.....10 to 15 pounds? Then use standard ground rates....can't be that bad. All in all, still cheaper than what I've ever seen.
How's that American Amber tasting? My SWMBO thinks it's the best beer she's ever had.....she always was a cheap date.
 
Ol' Grog said:
No, this is one of those "we'll email you to cost of shipping" kind of things. But what can that be for standard rate with UPS? Those three items...what.....10 to 15 pounds? Then use standard ground rates....can't be that bad. All in all, still cheaper than what I've ever seen.
How's that American Amber tasting? My SWMBO thinks it's the best beer she's ever had.....she always was a cheap date.

I went to their site and put two kits in my shopping cart in the hopes if getting it calculating the shipping. It wouldn't calculate the shipping until after I gave them my credit info. I'll do a rough calculation on the UPS site and see if it is still cheaper than going to my lhbs.

The amber is just okay. It was my first brew and I accidently let the grains steep at too high of a temp...came to a boil a few times. It is much better after having aged for a few months though. I guess I've got a good excuse to brew it again. :D
 
Are we brothers????? I did the EXACT same thing with the grains, I didn't get to boil, but was really, really close. Then I read some stuff that said to steep around 170, and I know it was higher than that. So I waited patiently for a month and it wasn't too bad. Wonder how it would taste if I'd pay more attention to the water temperatures.
I got a receipt from leisure time that acknowleges what I paid:
YOUR ORDER

Item # Description Min # Price Quantity
1013 AMERICAN MICRO STYLE PALE ALE 1 $ 20.95 1
$20.95
1036 STEAM STYLE BEER 1 $ 20.95 1
$20.95
6016B ONE STEP 5 LB 1 $ 13.99 1
$13.99

Total: $ 55.89

Products shipped by UPS Ground Track. Costs depend on weight.
There is an additional $3.99 handling charge.
Illinois residents add 7.75% sales tax.

Haven't heard anything yet on shipping, but the BB kits I've seen are all pretty much starting around 27 bucks. Like I said, how high can shipping be plus the 4 dollar handling charge? If it comes out even, I still feel I'm ahead because the LHBS is about 50 miles NE of here, plus I have to pay highway tolls. So for me, it's about a 1/2 day wasted on weekends, not only that, but my SWMBO will want to go and that means a "shopping" trip.....Who knows what the end cost would be.
 
I don't think we're brothers. I think I/we are actually the same person with a split personality. Did I/we drink too much once or twice? Did I/we hit my/our head too hard in a previous car wreck? Did mommy drop us/me on my/our head? Ahhhh! :mug:

My Amber sat for a good month at room temp and has now been sitting at 44*F for a month. It made a huge difference. It just has a wheat-ish taste. My brother (other brother, I guess :D ) thinks it tastes like a dark wheat as well. I've only got about 4 bottles left too. I guess I acquired a taste for the stuff.

Definitely give me a PM or post here when you get your shipping total. These kits are ~$25-27 at my lhbs, which is about 40 minutes away. Great guys own that shop but the only time I can get up there is on Saturday and sometimes it is hard to manage that.
 
I'm with you "bro". I didn't let mine sit at 44, more like 70-ish in the pantry closet. This was the 1-1-2 method. Was surprised how well carbed it was. This weekend the Continental Pilsner is ready for it's maiden voyage to "get into my belly." I have heard that your first brew will always be you best brew.
 
Oooh-oooh, is that a BB kit as well? Lemme know how it is after you try it.

I am going to brew/bottle a batch for my dad for Christmas. He's typically a Miller guy but also enjoys Ybor Light and Medalla. I plan to either do the Cont. Pls or the AmericanLight. My American Cream had too much flavor for his liking. I bet if I had used some Irish moss and topped my secondary to 5 gallons he would have liked it just fine. ;)
 
Yeah, that's from BB. I tried one just for grins after one week in the bottle,
a 1-1-1 if you will, and it was WAY different the American Amber. To me, it tasted like a Helles, or at least the Helles I get from our local brewery on Fort Sill. You could smell the hops on this one. So I'll pop a few more open Friday night and see if it passes my test. It wasn't bad, not a sweet as the Amber, but good. I guess I tend to like maltier brews but I've pretty much decided that I'm going to try just about everything BB makes. At this point, it sure is nice knowing that everything is there in the kit and they work. I'm now concentrating on my technique rather than ingredients. I've managed to reduce my brew time to about 3.5 hours as opposed to 5 for my first brew ever. Also been reading that you don't necessarily have to boil for an hour. The bittering hops give off 75% of their properties within the first 30 minutes. So, I'm still perfecting my technique.
Tell me about the Cream Ale, was it BB?
 
The Cream Ale was a BB kit. From what I understand, it is basically an American lager but using an ale yeast. It is quite a tasty brew that reminds me of a Genesee, though slightly sweeter.

For my kits that have steeping grains I've been taking a shortcut. I start heating my two gallons and at the same time I have a 3qt pot that I heat for steeping. I can get my half hour steep done about the same time as it takes for my 20qt to boil. Then I sparge from the 3qt into the 20. My new stove is slow as poooo. I also only add my DME at the beginning of the boil. LME comes at the last 15-20 minutes.

Of the four BB kits I tried, I favor the Russian Imperial Stout the most. I added 3/4lbs of corn sugar and 1/3lbs of lactose to the recipe for good measure. :drunk:

I totally screwed up with my EPA...kind of angry about that. I have excessive sediment in all of my bottles. I'm thinking that I churned up the carboy while moving it, prior to racking to my bucket. It looks like crap while warm in the bottle. After sticking in the fridge everything settles and I can pour most of the bottle. Great hoppy taste. I wonder if the hop taste will increase over time with all of that crap in each bottle.
 
You add your LME at the last 20 minutes of the boil.....hmmmmmmmmmmm that's something new to me. Drat, I almost ordered the Cream Ale, but was really curious about the micro pale ale and the steam style that I've been reading about. Still haven't got a confirmation on the shipping charges yet. Like some others have said, these prices may have been too good to believe.
 
I add the lme at the end of the boil so it has less time to scorch/darken. I heard that it needs at least 15 minutes of boil so that it can sterilize.
 
debtman7 said:
Wow, they have a 'Get Netscape Navigator 3' button on their page.. That was released in 1996!

I hope their kits are more up to date than their website...


They updated the page in september...still curious why they havent updated the actual page
 
If those prices are still good, then I don't care. Still haven't gotten anything back from them. I'm just going to call them and find out what's the problem. I'll let you know. I just got a feeling that they didn't realize how low their price was and now holding back. Let me call....
 
OK, just called them. They ship out one day a week and after the intial charge for the products, there is a 4 dollar surcharge across the board, not for individual items. They said that it will get picked up today and UPS determines the shipping costs, they don't fool with that at all. Makes sense. It's just that these things are probably heavy, but still, I just can't imagine it costing more. I mean, look at the prices......I could be wrong, but when all other factors are added up as mentioned before, I don't think I'll lose any money. They also have a bunch of other brew stuff.
 
That's just the first time I've known of a webstore that didn't calculate their own postage. Kind of odd. I'm still curious to do business with them at this point.

Heading up to my lhbs Saturday regardless. I'm going to try my hand at a Boddingtons clone.
 
Well, I'll take the first plunge and see what the total costs are and let ya'll know. Believe me, it won't be the first time I ever got ripped off. They seemed friendly when I called them and helpful. But, you know the old saying....BS walks and money talks.
 
Ol' Grog said:
Well, I'll take the first plunge and see what the total costs are and let ya'll know. Believe me, it won't be the first time I ever got ripped off. They seemed friendly when I called them and helpful. But, you know the old saying....BS walks and money talks.

I thought the saying was "BS talks and money walks." Which is why my boss is always talking and I'm always sitting at my desk while he walks away. :D

(weak stab at a joke)
 
Continental Pilsner was finally ready for consumption this weekend and boy, did it get consumed. Pretty freaking good. Taste almost like the Helles at the local microbrew. One thing I did notice and maybe this has something to do with my techniques getting better, but there was WAY less sediment in the bottom of the bottles. I primed and all as usual, nothing really changed. But you could just about drink it out of the bottle. Racked the Weizen Saturday after watching OU kick some butt.....and boy, that stuff was really active. Be forewarned, you almost need a blowoff. In fact, if you use a primary smaller than 6.5 gallons, I'd use a blowoff.
 
I've heard that weizen beer typically has a more active fermentation. I've yet to give that a go.

I decided Saturday to hold off on the Continental Pilsner for now. I picked up the ingredients to brew a very light American ale for a Christmas gift. The guy at the lhbs chose the ingredients for that batch.

I also picked up what I need to do my Boddington's clone. I just need to wait for my digital scale to come in the mail so I can measure out my hops. :rockin: I think my next two will be the Cont. Plsn (because of your review) and an Old Speckled Hen clone.
 
Well, I'm going to try out the Cream Ale based on your inputs as well. Trust me, you won't be dissapointed by the Pilsner. The weizen, by far the most "active" one I've ever brewed. When I racked it, it smelled STRONG but I didn't taste it as my siphon techniques are a lot better and I didn't want to have to worry about it for 3 weeks. This is the one that I had a big boil over and lost a lot of my bittering hops. Curious how this puppy comes out. Oh, by the way, just got an email from UPS that my shipment is scheduled for delivery Thursday, but no final price. Not to bad, I ordered last Thursday and getting it a week later. If the price is right on that order, I can wait a week in the future, no problem.
 
Lots and lots of companys sell brew kits, and most make acceptable beer. The differance that I've found is in the shipping. For example Northern Brewer has exceptionally high shipping rates where others don't. More, More beer is about middle of the road where Home Brewery is fairly low in shipping. What I do is shop for style and what I want to brew and then shop different web sites. My favorite is probably William's Brewing since I'm in California the shipping rates are fairly low.:rockin:
 
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