Online ingredients

[jakehale]

No offense to any of the forum venders.

Are online ingredient kits "good"? I know everyone says to ensure thier ingredients are good and not old. and im not saying that the only place you can get "good" ingredients is your local store. but i have been leary about ordering kits on line (extract). I know when i get my yeast at the local store it is COLD and they say to keep in the fridge until a few hour before brew. so i know shipping it wouldn't stay cold (in that case).

just wondering. I know online they have more kits available than at my local store so i have been wanting to order some but was just curious.

thanks
jake

 

[rwagner23]

I have been brewing for two years now and probably have over a dozen or so orders from austin homebrew supply and EVERY one has been phenomenal. They were all extracts too.

http://www.austinhomebrew.com/

Since June though I switched to all-grain, but have yet to order an all-grain kit from them.

 

[onipar]

I've only made one kit from an online store thus far (Northern Brewer), and it's still in the primary, but everything looked good. They packed the yeast is a padded manilla envelope with a "cold pack." It still felt fairly cold when it arrived, and the yeast worked fine when I pitched.

Even if the yeast got a little warm during shipping, it won't kill them. they need to get well over 100 degrees to die, and with the ice pack, it should keep them okay for the trip.

Their hop pellets are in vacuum sealed foil packs, and smelled awesome when I opened them up. Oh, and the extract is proprietary (not in cans), and much cheaper. I think they must have pretty good turn around time on them.

I had no reservations about the freshness of the ingredients, and at about half the price of the kits at my LHBS, it's a no-brainer for me. Plus they gave me free hop candy!

Just my 2 cents.

 

[bucfanmike]

unless you have a super active LHBS, i bet the ingredients you get from any of the big online suppliers will be more fresh. Just check the big sponsors here and you will be more than happy. I have ordered from Austin Homebrew, Midwest, Northern Brewer, Brewmasters warehouse and have always been happy with the quality of the ingredients.

 

[jakehale]

thanks folks. Like i said, i was just courious. I have no doubt the venders have really good suplies.. but i had to see what folks who have ordered before would say.

thanks again
Jake