Northern brewer all grain kit deal- good for biab?

[BaylessBrewer]

What he said, if I'm brewing from recipe this is what I do. I have a NB a mile away, I buy all the ingredients separately and then brew. Much cheaper. If I have to I convert the 3 gal batches to 5 gal.



Just picked up the ingredients for the 100% kolsch to brew today!

That's a good beer! I did that one this past summer and used 2565 for the yeast. Very bready and refreshing.

 

[grizzly2378]

I jumped on this deal when I saw it....I'd been eyeing the bourbon barrel porter for awhile and that alone was around $20 savings from the normal price. I also grabbed the Kama Citra IPA and Bavarian Hefe.

As for efficiency, I've brewed a few all grain kits as BIAB and have never had serious efficiency issues...I always come within a few points of the projected OG, which is close enough as far as I'm concerned. In fact, the most recent kit I brewed (Irish Red), I ordered unmilled and used the new Barley Crusher I got for Christmas and my OG was higher than predicted by a few points.

Never hurts to have some DME on hand for starters or if you drastically come in under, but BIAB is not necessarily as inefficient as it's made out to be.

 

[thunderwagn]

I know this is an old thread, but NB is having another kit sale. Buy 3 and get each for $19.99. There's a small selection to choose from but still a good deal. At least for me. While most of the kits offered are fairly cheap grain wise, some like Kama Citra are a decent savings on hops alone. Anyway, goes till mid-night if anyone is interested.
I ordered up:
Caribou Slobber
Dead Ringer
Kama Citra
All grain, no yeast or sugar option and total came to $67 and change shipped.

 

[wilserbrewer]

total came to $67 and change shipped.

With some recycled yeast and a few cups of sugar you have 6 cases of beer, that is a deal!

 

[MaryB]

I grabbed 3 of the kits today with uncrushed grains. Caribou Slobber(this one is really really good after 4 weeks aging), Chinook Ale that I love after working outside, and Dead Ringer Ale. No yeast or sugar, I will order those when I get around to making these. Probably won't get around to brewing these until mid next month or later but couldn't pass on the price.

 

[wilserbrewer]

No yeast or sugar, I will order those when I get around to making these. .

No need to "order" sugar IMO, plain super market table sugar works fine, I think you use a little less, around 10% less I think....check a priming calculator to confirm if you like.

One yeast, liquid or dry can easily be re pitched to ferment all 3 batches if you want to save a few more $$$.

Or if you want a little project, but a 6 pack of bottle conditioned beer and culture the yeast for your 3 kits, it's not that difficult.

 

[eadavis80]

I got the saison, Cairbou and Kama Citra. I've only had the Slobber before so I'm looking forward to the oher two. I did do an extract farmhouse they sell with 3711 and it was good.

 

[thunderwagn]

I use regular table sugar and it works just fine and cheaper and always on hand. I use brewers friend priming calc and a scale for accuracy.

 

[BeardedBrews]

For anyone who is concerned, or just curious, I picked up 4 kits back in the early January sale, all with pre-crushed grains. The grain quantities all seemed to line up for ~70% efficiency, which meant that they were almost spot-on for my BIAB system (I increased the fermentor volume slightly to hit gravity if my efficiency was high).

I kept the crushed grains in their bags (double plastic bagged from NB) in a tote in my garage for a couple months. I brewed the last of the batches at the end of March/Beginning of April and had no issues with stale malt or efficiency problems at all.

I would highly recommend these kits when they are $20 for anyone interested in saving a drive to the LHBS.

 

[PADave]

I grabbed 3 of the kits today with uncrushed grains. Caribou Slobber(this one is really really good after 4 weeks aging), Chinook Ale that I love after working outside, and Dead Ringer Ale. No yeast or sugar, I will order those when I get around to making these. Probably won't get around to brewing these until mid next month or later but couldn't pass on the price.

Same 3 that I got. Only problem is when they have sales like that, they take so long to ship. Ordered mine on Sat. and still has not shipped. In a previous order I got the Dead Ringer 3 gal kit, doing it this weekend. So I got my next 18 gallons planned. Now I just need enough empty bottles.

 

[MaryB]

After a 30 year break I am just rebuilding an all grain setup so I will stick to commercial yeast until I get all the kinks out of the new setup. Working on the brew tower now... I will check the calculator for table sugar...

No need to "order" sugar IMO, plain super market table sugar works fine, I think you use a little less, around 10% less I think....check a priming calculator to confirm if you like.

One yeast, liquid or dry can easily be re pitched to ferment all 3 batches if you want to save a few more $$$.

Or if you want a little project, but a 6 pack of bottle conditioned beer and culture the yeast for your 3 kits, it's not that difficult.

 

[MaryB]

When I am out of home brew (GASP) Fat Tire Ale is a go to beer for me so I have LOTS of bottles. If you were closer I could spare a case or 2 of them! Washed, stacked upside down in the boxes, stashed wherever I can find empty space!

Same 3 that I got. Only problem is when they have sales like that, they take so long to ship. Ordered mine on Sat. and still has not shipped. In a previous order I got the Dead Ringer 3 gal kit, doing it this weekend. So I got my next 18 gallons planned. Now I just need enough empty bottles.