Kits. Midwest, Northern Brewer or BB??

[logan3825]

The thing I find to be a pita with midwest is that its pretty much a minimum of $10 to ship anything. So it doesn't make sense financially to do small orders with them. So I'll wait to put together a big order and shipping will usually be $12/13.

That is what I have found as well. I prefer to order kits or supplies in 3 batch blocks.

 

[preddy08]

Just for the fact that Austins is on the forums promoting his product speaks wonders about his personality and business. I deal with a local brewing shop that charges almost twice the amount for nearly everything and quite frankly I'm getting sick of it. I for one love to support someone local, but at those prices I flat out can not afford to do it. I've got 5 BB kits (one I'm drinking now, and 4 in the fermentors) and I've loved ever second of it. Great kits, but I wonder what else is out there.

For every order from here on out I will be dealing with Austins! I'm apart of alot of forums (ATV related) and a dealer that is apart of the forums and supports his buyers will get every penny of my money. That right there tells me he has faith in his product and is'nt afraid to be in the public.

 

[BeerBDrew]

I work for a large company and know what we pay for UPS vs what UPS.com says it should cost. if you're shipping a lot every day your going to get a pretty good discount. so to charge what Fed-Ex.com says its going to cost is well making a few bucks off shipping as well.

example ups.com says $28, but we get billed $4.46

-=Jason=-

That may be true, but I work for a catalog/internet company in the accounting department and I can tell you that when we run a free shipping promotion (out of desperation at the end of a bad month) we get boocoo sales but we also lose our ass on the shipping. We do it to inflate our revenue (we are a subsidiary) but it kills our bottom line. Austin Homebrew is smaller than my company (I can only guess) so it must be equally hard or maybe slightly easier for them given that my company sells furniture which of course weighs more. Still, I do hate it when people assume they're getting ripped off just because they don'y fully understand the real economics behind the prices they are paying. My $.02 - take it or leave it. Cheers.

Just wanted to add that I love AHS for their superior website and ease of shopping, great selection, quality and customer service. I have also bought from Northern Brewer and their customer service is is great too.

 

[Wingfan13]

For those of you that have never ordered from Austin Homebrew I highly reccommend them. Luckily for me they are local. I am glad they are only a mile down the road because I am in there a lot. They are very helpful, the directions are super easy to follow and they have tons of kits.

By the way Forrest, I have a quick question for you that doesn't belong in this thread but if you are hanging around, is the tap water here in Austin OK to brew with ? I have been using bottled water but I am wondering if it is necessary.

Thanks !

 

[Austinhomebrew]

For those of you that have never ordered from Austin Homebrew I highly reccommend them. Luckily for me they are local. I am glad they are only a mile down the road because I am in there a lot. They are very helpful, the directions are super easy to follow and they have tons of kits.

By the way Forrest, I have a quick question for you that doesn't belong in this thread but if you are hanging around, is the tap water here in Austin OK to brew with ? I have been using bottled water but I am wondering if it is necessary.

Thanks !

Austin has great water for brewing. One of the reasons Pierre Celis chose Austin is because of the water. According to Forbes Austin is number 2 in the best water in the country. It is good to take the water and put it through a charcoal filter such as Brita or Pur.

http://www.forbes.com/2008/04/14/water-cities-drinking-forbeslife-cx_avd_0414health_slide_10.html

Forrest

 

[Delorean1981]

Never made one of their kits but that recipe for Caribou Slobber
looks awfully good. Anyone ever made it?

Ray

Getting that in the mail saturday. Can't wait to try it.

 

[flabyboy]

will be brewing our 6th BB kit this weekend. all have turned out great. last weekend brewed the "red ale" for the second time. we really like our LHBS and have no question as to the freshness of their kits.

I made the red ale kit and didn't care for it. our LHBS only carries Brewers Best, so thats why I ventured onto the web