Morebeer or Austin Homebrew?

[Shoemaker]

I'm switching to all grain....I'm about to buy some kits but I'm debating between buying from morebeer or austin homebrew. Which makes better kits? I've heard good things from austin, but morebeer's free shipping is appealing.

Any thoughts?

 

[The Pol]

I'm switching to all grain....I'm about to buy some kits but I'm debating between buying from morebeer or austin homebrew. Which makes better kits? I've heard good things from austin, but morebeer's free shipping is appealing.

Any thoughts?

Morebeer typically sells things online that they dont have in stock, this has been a 24 month issue with them that seems to never get resolved. They have more out of stock items than any vendor I have ever seen.

I think hands down, AHS... flat rate shipping, and if you need anything Forrest will be here on HBT to answer your questions. I learned a while ago, you get what you pay for. And Forrest is here supporting HBT nearly daily.

 

[Beerrific]

Just to make your decision harder....

Welcome to Brewmasters Warehouse // Brewmasters Warehouse...I bet Ed can get it to you faster.

 

[The Pol]

Id also choose Ed at Brewmasters over the other online stores. He also supports the HBTers here on the site daily. But you didnt ask about him

 

[Rick500]

I've ordered from Northern Brewer, Midwest Supplies, Austin Homebrew, and Brewmasters Warehouse.

I only use Brewmasters Warehouse and Austin Homebrew now.

 

[The Pol]

There is a lot to be said for doing business with someone from HBT. I mean Ed or Forrest... think about it. They have a vested interest in providing the best service to you, because they are a part of our community, they are a part of this forum. They have to answer to you here in a public forum is something isnt taken care of.

 

[elkdog]

Here in NJ, Ed's stuff gets to you in 2 days using his flat rate shipping. Austin Homebrew takes 3-4 days. It's not as simple as shipping time, though.

Ed (Brewmaster's Warehouse) is great, but the selection and quality of kits at Austin Homebrew is probably the best anywhere. I'd go with Austin for a kit, especially a commercial clone, but I've been using the Brewbuilder at Brewmaster's Warehouse for my AG recipes, based solely on the quick shipping (over a smaller distance), and the fact that Ed is great to do business with. You can build and order any recipe you want there, which is great.

You can't get this one wrong. I've had great experience with both sites and the folks behind them. Both owners are active on this site and are great guys.

Have fun with AG. I made the jump this spring, and am having a lot of fun with it.

 

[Malticulous]

Every morebeer kit I've done was excellent. They support the homebrewing community and they are often cheaper.

 

[Jkane101]

Just to make your decision harder....

Welcome to Brewmasters Warehouse // Brewmasters Warehouse...I bet Ed can get it to you faster.

GA to NJ...2 days. I did my first AG with BW's precrushed grain and hit 71% eff, which I'm thrilled with for my first attempt!

Austin Homebrew Supply is fine as well, just takes longer to get here.

 

[The Pol]

The Brew Builder function at Brewmasters is phenominal, that was an ingenious idea. Ed has great pricing, FAST shipping and you call the owner and he will talk brewing with you.

Morebeer may have "free" shipping, but they charge more for many items, and that shipping means it leaves the store in many cases, 4-5 days AFTER you order it.

Also, AHS and BMW have an excellent grain crush... Morebeer will ship you a crush with whole grains left in it. I got 68% eff. for a full year with them, jumped to 78% with BMW crush and to 83% when I got my own mill.

 

[elkdog]

Yeah, for kits, I'd forget Morebeer. Wrong coast, inconsistent inventory. Great folks, and supporters of the homebrew community, but as an East Coaster, they're just not your best option.

 

[The Pol]

Really it depends on what YOU value.

Shipping price: B3 is "free" but it is SLOWWWW/AHS flat rate and pretty fast/BMW flat rate and FASTEST to your location

Service: B3 has probably had more gripes about service, out of stock items that show IN STOCK when you order etc than any of the 5 major stores/AHS great service and Forrest is an HBT member, always throwing HBTers deals and support/BMW great service and Ed is again an HBT member and throws us deals and asks US what we want to see just like Forrest

Kits: AHS has the most, and they are kick arse kits/ BMW has great kits from what I hear, not quite as many as AHS though/ B3 doenst have a large variety of kits, but I have liked the recipes

Grain Crush: this WILL matter to you. AHS and BMW have excellent crushes, B3 has a reputation as having a bad crush. I thought my system was maxed at 68% eff for a year while using thier crush... only to use BMW once and it shot up to 78%, then I bought my own mill and it stuck at 83%....

Shipping time: You are in NJ? BMW will be fastest, AHS and then B3... as stated earlier, if you choose the "free" shipping option it will take a week or more to get to you.

 

[elkdog]

Really it depends on what YOU value.

Shipping price: B3 is "free" but it is SLOWWWW/AHS flat rate and pretty fast/BMW flat rate and FASTEST to your location

Service: B3 has probably had more gripes about service, out of stock items that show IN STOCK when you order etc than any of the 5 major stores/AHS great service and Forrest is an HBT member, always throwing HBTers deals and support/BMW great service and Ed is again an HBT member and throws us deals and asks US what we want to see just like Forrest

Kits: AHS has the most, and they are kick arse kits/ BMW has great kits from what I hear, not quite as many as AHS though/ B3 doenst have a large variety of kits, but I have liked the recipes

Grain Crush: this WILL matter to you. AHS and BMW have excellent crushes, B3 has a reputation as having a bad crush. I thought my system was maxed at 68% eff for a year while using thier crush... only to use BMW once and it shot up to 78%, then I bought my own mill and it stuck at 83%....

Shipping time: You are in NJ? BMW will be fastest, AHS and then B3... as stated earlier, if you choose the "free" shipping option it will take a week or more to get to you.

+1. That sums it up.

 

[The Pol]

By the way, I have used all of these guys... FWIW

I buy everything in bulk now, so I dont online shop, but I did for a very long time and let me tell you, nothing is "free".

 

[The Pol]

I DO have to recant something. I just looked at Brewmasters Warehouse recipes section... they have more than anyone I have seen! Ed must have changed this since I looked last (I dont shop online now, so I dont check often) He has FIVE frakin Oktoberfest recipes ALONE! Go look at it!

Brewmasters Warehouse has 70 styles and 382 recipes available to order

 

[elkdog]

I DO have to recant something. I just looked at Brewmasters Warehouse recipes section... they have more than anyone I have seen! Ed must have changed this since I looked last (I dont shop online now, so I dont check often) He has FIVE frakin Oktoberfest recipes ALONE! Go look at it!

Brewmasters Warehouse has 70 styles and 382 recipes available to order! BEAT THAT!

But there's no quality guarantee- those are just recipes users have shared. I still think Austin Homebrew has the edge on consistently great kits. Brewmaster's Warehouse is the wikipedia of kits. Eventually, it'll be pretty reliable, but if it doesn't say "Bee Cave Brewery" at the beginning, I don't know who thought it was good.

 

[The Pol]

But there's no quality guarantee- those are just recipes users have shared. I still think Austin Homebrew has the edge on consistently great kits. Brewmaster's Warehouse is the wikipedia of kits. Eventually, it'll be pretty reliable, but if it doesn't say "Bee Cave Brewery" at the beginning, I don't know who thought it was good.

Ahhh, see this is what I get for not shopping online... wikipedia of kits, who'd a thunk?

 

[elkdog]

I'm sure there's a ton of good recipes on there, but maybe not all up to the standard of AHS. I think Ed's website if the best by far, but its newness means the user-generated aspects of it haven't necessarily taken effect yet.

 

[Malticulous]

Morebeer has been shipping next day to me lately. Don't listen to Pol, He's just bitter.

 

[The Pol]

Morebeer has been shipping next day to me lately. Don't listen to Pol, He's just bitter.

Bitter?

You probably dont know this, since you obviously dont know me... but I will indulge you. I was for the longest time B3's staunchest supporter here on HBT.

The fact is I was OK with it taking a week or more to get my stuff with "free" shipping, and I was even OK with having whole grains left in my crush. I supported them here when everyone else was fully against them.

 

[Beerrific]

I'm sure there's a ton of good recipes on there, but maybe not all up to the standard of AHS. I think Ed's website if the best by far, but its newness means the user-generated aspects of it haven't necessarily taken effect yet.

Unless you know who uploaded it. There are a lot of beers there that HBT members have brewed/mastered.

Speaking of which....
Daniel's Killer Beers Janet's Brown Ale // Brewmasters Warehouse ....my upload. A great beer, click to buy, great idea. (Even though I can't )

 

[elkdog]

Unless you know who uploaded it. There are a lot of beers there that HBT members have brewed/mastered.

Speaking of which....
Daniel's Killer Beers Janet's Brown Ale // Brewmasters Warehouse ....my upload. A great beer, click to buy, great idea. (Even though I can't )

Agreed. If you know who uploaded (a lot of those recipes are talked about here), it's a safe bet.

 

[Malticulous]

Bitter?

You probably dont know this, since you obviously dont know me... but I will indulge you. I was for the longest time B3's staunchest supporter here on HBT.

The fact is I was OK with it taking a week or more to get my stuff with "free" shipping, and I was even OK with having whole grains left in my crush. I supported them here when everyone else was fully against them.

Come on you used to be the biggest B3 proponent on the net, one mishap and you latterly hate them. Their just a bunch of drunks not criminals.

AHS has had more people complain about slow shipping than anyone, do a search. But don't read the one thread of Pol's--worthless.

 

[The Pol]

Come on you used to be the biggest B3 proponent on the net, one mishap and you latterly hate them. Their just a bunch of drunks not criminals.

AHS has had more people complain about slow shipping than anyone, do a search.

I dont hate them, but I dont ignore the facts either.

 

[Malticulous]

The fact is both B3 and AHS have improved. You ignored that didn't you?

 

[The Pol]

The fact is both B3 and AHS have improved. You ignored that didn't you?

I can only speak from experience. I have not experienced this... our opinions are based on our experiences. I cannot attest to something that I have not personally experienced.

Like I said earlier, I dont buy online anymore, but when I did...

 

[Nurmey]

AHS has had more people complain about slow shipping than anyone, do a search.

This is a little out of context. AHS has had complaints by people that like to complain knowing the owner is a member here. They don't want to pay for fast shipping, then complain when it doesn't get to them the next day. Wah!

 

[The Pol]

This is a little out of context. AHS has had complaints by people that like to complain knowing the owner is a member here. They don't want to pay for fast shipping, then complain when it doesn't get to them the next day. Wah!

This is true... and I think in at least one scenario it arose out of sales volume from a sale that Forrest was running for HBTers.

 

[Malticulous]

Nurmey there were some real problems, Forest would probably admit to it as he has in most of those worthless threads. He seems like good guy.

 

[pretzelb]

This is getting really snippy but I have some unclouded observations to share.

I'm very new but I've ordered from MoreBeer and AHS and have had good experiences with both. But I have to say that AHS seems to be much more customer friendly. I've emailed some very stupid questions to them and they have responded quickly and nicely. That alone is enough to keep me as a customer but they also seem to do a great job on recipe kits. I've ordered 2 so far and everything about the orders from packaging to instructions (which may not be important to those who are experts) has been outstanding. Shipping has been insanely fast but I'm in Texas.

I can't say that MoreBeer is bad but I get more of a personal vibe to AHS. Same goes for Northern Brewer but I haven't had a chance to order from them much.

In the end it depends on what the OP values most.