Who makes the best extract kits?

[carbon111]

... is the irony in your post intentional?

Probably no more than the acerbic snarkyness in yours.

 

[taylornate]

Probably no more than the acerbic snarkyness in yours.

Giving constructive criticism is acerbic and snarky? Here I thought I was being helpful

 

[PhoenixCoyote]

In the past when i lived in Phoenix, i bought all my extract kits from my LHBS, and they were all Brewers Best kits. I did i think 5 of them, but to me, it seemed like they all had the same taste. Maybe that was because i drank them all before they matured?

I bought a kit form Midwest though, i believe it was Midwest because i got the DVD. I was surprised when i got it though. It was delivered through fedex or ups, can not remember. This is what happens when you drink too much lol. Not sure if they still ship kits this way or not, but back then, 2006 the flavor of the kit was plainly on the box with all the ingredients etc., for everybody to see when in route to me. I thought it would be shipped in a plain box. But the way they shipped it is also a good marketing tool too. Is it shipped this same way today?

When i moved here, i sent out a request to the 3 major companies. Got the catalog form Midwest, Northern but not from Austin Homebrew Supplies (per Forrest, spell it out). Midwest has a bigger catalog than Northern Homebrew, but Northern Homebrew has flat rate shipping, where Midwest does not. But i am told that Austin Homebrew Supply has a bigger variety of kits than the other 2. I will now have to compare this with all 3. I wanted to compare all 3 with the mailed catalog. Austin Homebrew Supply also has the flat rate shipping too, and since i am moving back to Phoenix in a week, it would be best for me to order through them to get my product sooner, and if they have the best selection of kits, then it will not be a choice. But, i am still confused as to why i never got their catalog? Do they still mail them out, or is it only online now? If it is mailed out upon request, can i ask why i did not get yours Forrest??

Either way Forrest, i will still buy from you if you have the bigger selection of kits. And not only kits, but everything else as well. Thanks!

 

[carbon111]

Giving constructive criticism is acerbic and snarky? Here I thought I was being helpful

"I can understand his mindset"

 

[Austinhomebrew]

In the past when i lived in Phoenix, i bought all my extract kits from my LHBS, and they were all Brewers Best kits. I did i think 5 of them, but to me, it seemed like they all had the same taste. Maybe that was because i drank them all before they matured?

I bought a kit form Midwest though, i believe it was Midwest because i got the DVD. I was surprised when i got it though. It was delivered through fedex or ups, can not remember. This is what happens when you drink too much lol. Not sure if they still ship kits this way or not, but back then, 2006 the flavor of the kit was plainly on the box with all the ingredients etc., for everybody to see when in route to me. I thought it would be shipped in a plain box. But the way they shipped it is also a good marketing tool too. Is it shipped this same way today?

When i moved here, i sent out a request to the 3 major companies. Got the catalog form Midwest, Northern but not from Austin Homebrew Supplies (per Forrest, spell it out). Midwest has a bigger catalog than Northern Homebrew, but Northern Homebrew has flat rate shipping, where Midwest does not. But i am told that Austin Homebrew Supply has a bigger variety of kits than the other 2. I will now have to compare this with all 3. I wanted to compare all 3 with the mailed catalog. Austin Homebrew Supply also has the flat rate shipping too, and since i am moving back to Phoenix in a week, it would be best for me to order through them to get my product sooner, and if they have the best selection of kits, then it will not be a choice. But, i am still confused as to why i never got their catalog? Do they still mail them out, or is it only online now? If it is mailed out upon request, can i ask why i did not get yours Forrest??

Either way Forrest, i will still buy from you if you have the bigger selection of kits. And not only kits, but everything else as well. Thanks!

We have never had a printed catalog. Printed catalog will soon be a thing of the past with the fact that you can update a website instantly. I assume most people have internet access. Printed catalogs are very expensive to make and once it is complete you have to print a very large number of them in order to get the price down, so you are stuck with the same catalog for at least a year. Also, by the time they get printed they are incorrect on many items. Prices go down, items get discontinued, new items are available.

We do have the largest selection of kits (over 700 and growing) and by default we would have the best kits. If you are ever not happy with a kit let me know.

 

[PhoenixCoyote]

We have never had a printed catalog. Printed catalog will soon be a thing of the past with the fact that you can update a website instantly. I assume most people have internet access. Printed catalogs are very expensive to make and once it is complete you have to print a very large number of them in order to get the price down, so you are stuck with the same catalog for at least a year. Also, by the time they get printed they are incorrect on many items. Prices go down, items get discontinued, new items are available.

We do have the largest selection of kits (over 700 and growing) and by default we would have the best kits. If you are ever not happy with a kit let me know.

Hi Forrest,
Thanks for your reply and information. You do have a lot of kits. I will for sure order from you once i get moved back to Phoenix and set up. Thanks again.

 

[jaynik]

Annapolis Homebrew Supply makes a great blond extract kit.

 

[rico567]

Almost all my kits have come from Midwest....I think I ordered one from AHS, too. I've had great products and service from MW, see no reason to change.

 

[r2eng]

I have brewed several all-grain kits from Forrest at AHS. First rate, very good clones of either the brand being cloned, or the style.

My favorite is the AHS IPA (their own recipe). Excellent beer, and I know the extract version would be every bit as good.

 

[JVD_X]

I have only made Northern Brewer and "Brewer's Best". By far I have been as pleased with NB as I have hated BB... My guests say the BB is very good (they don't know, so it's a blind tasting kind of thing) but I was extremely disappointed with all the BB I did this year.

The BB Red Ale was by far the worst of the bunch.

The NB Maibock is very very good but I used Wyeast in it.

 

[Neomich]

It's Austin Homebrew Supply for me all the way. Great kits and like someone else said, shipping where I am is practically overnight. As hot as it gets in TX during the summer, next day is important. I was once given another kit for a gift and it just didn't compare. Plus, I'm keeping my $ in state.

 

[JVD_X]

To add to the discussion... Brewers Best always uses the same yeast in their kits. At least all the ones I have made did. Using a yeast that is to the style is very important IMO. Also, some kits are sold in a style that simulates lagers using an ale yeast, which I think is a waste.

Austin Homebrew has the best kit web interface for configuration options (something I don't believe any one has mentioned).

Northern Brewer comes in second in configuration options.

Williams Brewing has no configuration options.

 

[Dagatris]

I'm biased, as I haven't ordered from anywhere else online, but I love the AHS website. They've got more kit options than I'm able to browse through in one sitting. They make it easy for an extract brewer like me. Out of of the 10 or so kits I've ordered in the last year, I've had 10 awesome beers.

 

[Tlylebrew]

I've ordered from nearly everyone mentioned here except wind river, and maybe I'll have to try them next.. Haven't really had any issues with any of them, but I will say Midwest is probably the cheapest.. Austin seems to be the most expensive, but they are all good.

 

[frostyone]

I've only ordered from Midwest so far, but I'm definitely going to check out Austin Homebrew Supply (there you go Forrest, no AHS, lol). I like the flat rate idea. It would have saved me ~$20 on my last order. The kits that I've gotten from Midwest have been great so far, but I don't think ignorance is bliss, so I'm definitely going to have to branch out and try some of the aforementioned companies.

 

[Austinhomebrew]

I've ordered from nearly everyone mentioned here except wind river, and maybe I'll have to try them next.. Haven't really had any issues with any of them, but I will say Midwest is probably the cheapest.. Austin seems to be the most expensive, but they are all good.

Midwest seems to be cheaper on a lot of things. Just compare delivered price. While we can't have the lowest price on everything, if you compare delivered price on several things together (people don't generally order just one thing) I should have the best price.

Forrest

 

[bkov]

a "we'll beat any other competitors price or better" thing would be awesome by anyone

 

[Austinhomebrew]

If it is a match price kinda thing then I should be able to match it if it is higher on an item as well. Just look at your total delivered price for comparison.

 

[knotquiteawake]

wow, i'm glad to see this thread, after checking out the AHS website I'm definitely going to order my next kit from there. On my first visit to my LHBS I got a bit of flack for asking if they had kits... they don't do kits apparently. Being still kind of new (4 batches down, two in the fermenters) I like the simplicity of not having to create or lookup a recipe.