Brooklyn Brewery Kit is Insane

[Bassman]

What I mean is that anyone is insane for spending $195 for a 1 gallon kit. I appreciate boutiquey BS gifts but I just don't get it. I love Brooklyn Brewery and drink their beers, I support my local brewers. But this is just plain stupid.

Okay, rant over. Here is a link to it: http://store.brooklynbrewery.com/box-brew-kit

[Beer-lord]

Well, at least it looks as though each of the components are of good quality.

[swenocha]

That is crazy and seems like a huge overkill (rustic pine box? really?), but I'll note that they also sell the normal BBS kits for $45 in addition to this deluxe version. That, of course, seems expensive for a 1 gallon setup, especially considering refill kits are $15, and I can darn near source my 3 gallon batches at the LHBS for that), but I guess you're paying for convenience. This is the one Hindy and company brought with them to the Brooklyn events I attended in Nashville over the summer... linky

[swenocha]

As a side note, I notice that BBS has a collab with Evil Twin for their Bikini Beer. I'd highly recommend that beer if you find it anywhere. It's an IPA that's only 2.7%, but it really presents bigger than that. It's very interesting. Not thin at all, considering the smallness of the beer.

linky

[BlackDuck]

Yea...that price is ridiculous. But it would look really sweet.

Swen...the Bikini Beer is only 2.7%??? That is some session beer for sure. I think I saw that at the beer store last week. Going to have to take a double check tomorrow if I can make it in there.

[The_Professor]

What I mean is that anyone is insane for spending $195 for a 1 gallon kit....

I guess it's about finding a market.

One choice is a simple Mr. Beer kit during the holidays. Another choice would be a $200 dollar kit for one gallon batches? It does have the equipment you'll need. Minus the rustic pine box all that could be had much cheaper though.

[ScrewyBrewer]

Yeah, I'm not hipster enough to spend two hundred bucks on a gallon kit, or for that matter forty five bucks either.

[jimjohson]

I can't understand why anyone would want to make only a gallon. Same amount of work as 5

[RickBeer]

Agree. Only reason would be to try different yeasts or similar.

[mashani]

I've considered getting one of these sets:

http://home-brewing.northernbrewer.com/ ... /Quad-Core

To split 2 or 4 gallon batches and use different dry hops, or different candi syrup feedings, etc.

[DaYooper]

I could MAYBE see a 1 gallon EXTRACT kit if the price was right for the refills, but spending all that time doing a 1 gallon AG is imho silly.

[ScrewyBrewer]

I've considered getting one of these sets:

http://home-brewing.northernbrewer.com/ ... /Quad-Core

To split 2 or 4 gallon batches and use different dry hops, or different candi syrup feedings, etc.

Interesting concept beer kit but what happens to the ubiquitous fifth gallon of beer? Another gallon fermentor would have rounded out a five gallon batch.

[mashani]

Interesting concept beer kit but what happens to the ubiquitous fifth gallon of beer? Another gallon fermentor would have rounded out a five gallon batch.

They intend them for their own small batch kits, but sell singles for $9 I think, so someone could always add one to get the 5th gallon, and it would still be way cheaper then that Brooklyn kit, even if you add a siphon, a brew pot, bottling bucket and even more useful stuff.

[FedoraDave]

I can't understand why anyone would want to make only a gallon. Same amount of work as 5

Their whole philosophy is to provide urbanites and other people with extremely limited space with the opportunity to brew their own beer. So I support that idea, in spite of the fact that I wouldn't consider it a hobby, but more like "dabbling," in that case. Still, if you want to brew and all you have room for is a one-gallon carboy, this could satisfy that yearning.

I agree that the price is insane, though, but I'm sure they know their target market.

My daughter bought me their recipe book a couple of years back (and actually got it signed, so that's cool, too). It does scale the ingredients up for a 5-gallon batch, which I think was wise of them. I tried a couple of their recipes, and while they were okay, they kind of had too many special additions, like spices and apples and whatnot. But I would say the base recipes are solid. Again, they're marketing to a specific niche, and if it gets more people brewing, and is profitable for them, more power to them.

I wouldn't buy one of their kits myself, but when I made the recipes, I bought the stuff at the LHBS, so my cost was no more than any other recipe I make.

[Bassman]

I'm an urbanite, 1 bedroom apartment in Queens. The LBK is a perfect size for my little kitchen. Although when I previously brewed I did 5 gallon batches, the kitchen got tight.