Tired of paying $10 for a decent 6 pack

[Hatesfury]

Bought myself a nice kit off amazon (lots to be desired, but enough to get the job done), and embarked on the adventure. I just finished on my first boil and have my wort sitting in the sink cooling right now.

Grabbed a Irish stout kit by Mountmellick from the LHBS. Also ran into a fellow homebrewer while i was there, and at his advice tossed the kit yeast into the bin and picked up some Safale S04 for my stout. I would like any recommendations on good kits, or good kit companies (meaning they make lots of varying kit types that are all good). I have no intention of ever going grain (at least not without tons of convincing) because I'm not in it for the art. I would gladly buy nothing but bottle micro-brew and guiness, if i could get it for the same price per gallon as homebrew.


I have 1 gallon of cider already bubbling like mad (1\2 organic pasteurized cider, 1\2 tap water, champagne yeast, 1\2cup dextrose, no boil). I do have a question on this. I'm making the cider in a glass jug purchased from the LHBS (they had an assortment of jugs and stoppers) that basically the "old school moonshine jug" you'd see in old TV shows except glass. large bodied jug tapering to a screw top, with a loop handle. At present all my yeast has floated to the top. Is this a problem (should i try to get it to settle back down into the liquid) or not? As for the "quick and dirty" part of this, 1) i was in a rush and 2) it's basically an experiment to cure curiosity. I know brewing is 1000's of years old, and was done before there even was a germ theory, so i want to see if my tap water, no boil turns out alright (i did sanitize all vessels\utensils). I figured i've only got $5 invested in this batch, so even if i tip it into the sink, i'm still ahead (because curiosity eats at you ).

So that's all for the starting of brewing. I'm just an average 25 yr old guy from VA over on the east coast of the USA. A colleague started homebrewing and sold me on the idea so i'm off on my first adventure. I'm near to Blacksburg VA, so if anyone is local please hit me up, i'd love to discuss local stores, have someone to swap brews with, etc.

Last thing on this page long rant, could anyone point me to a thread dedicated to the TAD (tap a draught) if one exists, or relate personal experience. I'm not relishing the thought of botteling all this beer, and prefer draught to bottle anyways. I don't want to invest in a kegerator just yet (i move far too often, and don't have the scratch at present) so the TAD seems like exactly what i'm looking for.

 

[logan3825]

Austin Homebrew Supply, Midwest Supplies and Northern Brewer all have good kits. I can't speak personally about AHS but they are well liked by others.

You won't see much money saving at least at first. It's a hobby and like all hobbies it costs money. I am at $10.63 per 6-pak everything included(equipment, ingredients, ice, water, etc.) and $6.73 just for ingredients after 7 batches, all extract. If you can stop buying odds and ends here and there you will be ok.

 

[Hatesfury]

Of course your cost is high if you're factoring in the equipment. I would never factor that in, because the equipment is an investment. Capitol Expenditure, if you were doing your business balances. I've got roughly $20 in supplies for this first batch. Average that across 9 six packs, and you've got a great price. The money that you saved over buying a 6 pack, will eventually pay for the equipment.

When i was asking about kits i was more interested in brand names, or does those companies you listed have their own "sam's club" extract kits?

 

[logan3825]

Of course your cost is high if you're factoring in the equipment. I would never factor that in, because the equipment is an investment. Capitol Expenditure, if you were doing your business balances. I've got roughly $20 in supplies for this first batch. Average that across 9 six packs, and you've got a great price. The money that you saved over buying a 6 pack, will eventually pay for the equipment.

The money you save will eventually pay for the equipment but you don't know when unless you count everything. I have still not broken even.

When i was asking about kits i was more interested in brand names, or does those companies you listed have their own "sam's club" extract kits?

As far as I know there are only a few brand names and they are not as good as the kits from the stores I listed. I am not really sure about a retail equivalent. Computers maybe?

Those 3 I listed put together their own kits and are highly reputable. AHS has a very large number of clone kits. Go and look up your favorite beer. Chances are they will have a kit unless it is regional. I have done several kits from Midwest that have turned out very well. I have only done one Northern Brewer kit so far but it was our favorite.

 

[Homercidal]

Kits from the Online Supply stores are essentially the same thing as the Boxed kits, but likely fresher and less a generic style, and more like a clone of a specific beer. I'd suggest doing a kit from an online place, over a boxed kit for that reason.

But true savings won't show up until you buy in bulk, and especially when you brew All Grain instead of extract. It will cost a bit more to get started, but the savings will be tremendous over the cost now. And more fun!

 

[Revvy]

*Laughs uproarioulsy* Ah, the naieviity of the new brewer...

I probably spend MORE on commercial micros of an expensive nature since I started homebrewing....it's called research.

Especially hanging out on here, you read about so many interesting beers that you just have to try. You want to brew a new style, so you have to try a bunch of different versions. You want to make a clone of something so you have to keep buying to try to nail it. You have a full pipeling, with 3-4 beers drinkable, but you just happen to be in the mood for a double chocolate bourbon jalapeno porter, so you drop 12 bucls for a bomber of it.

When you start brewing your beery horizons broaden so much, you really can't escape buying beer.

 

[Nova5]

I bought my equipment kit from Midwest, however my two extract kits are from AHS. they seem to have a much better selection of kits.

I will brew one tomorrow.

For now.. the bed calls me to it. this post reminds me to pull the yeasties out to warm up for tomorrow.

 

[Bryggehus]

When people find out I homebrew, they immediately think it is cheaper than buying it. First, when you factor in the equipment, it isn't. Second, I like beer so much that I will always buy it. That's a fact for MOST homebrewers.

 

[lumpher]

ah, yes, as revvy so wisely states, the expense does go up in a way. my brother lives close to me, and when we get together and go to the homebrew store, we always have to get a couple of new beers to "research" the styles. we've found a few that i've brewed 11 gallons to split (he does extract, i do ag), so the "research" does pay off