Saw the email about free shipping for 4 kits. I pretty much know what ones I want to brew next but I can only do 1 kit at a time since I only have 1 primary carboy. If i buy 4 now, how long would it be before the grains and everything get old and effect the taste?
If you’re brewing, freeing up the carboy/bucket and then brewing again until you’re done you’ll be fine. Extract will last a good long while and the grains themselves for extract kits are more for color and flavor than anything which will hang in there for a long time even if pre-crushed. Go for it, start the quick turnaround kits first if there is a difference in time.
Thanks for the info.
I’m thinking I’ll have time to brew 3 of them pretty quickly but I’m going to Europe for 17 days in July so the 4th one will most likely need to wait until August to be brewed.
I used to buy 3-4 extract kits at a time and would only refrigerate the yeast. Some kits I held for 2-3 months and they were fine.
I got excited when I got the email, then saw where it’s ONLY for extract kits. No 1 gallon batches (understandable), no BIAB (uh, ok), and no all-grain (what??!).
Lame. 
If all grain was included (which I thought since the email said “free beer kit”), I’d been all over it.
Good point about the yeast. Keep it in the fridge. That goes for hops as well and I toss liquid malt extract in there as well. If you have time to brew before you leave you can always just condition it in a carboy or bucket while you’re gone. Depending on what kind of beer it is I’ve let beers age over a year in the carboy.
And yes, this is yet another weak offer by Northern Brewer if you are not a beginning brewer or an extract brewer… That said, if you are this is a great deal!
[quote=“inhousebrew”]Good point about the yeast. Keep it in the fridge. That goes for hops as well and I toss liquid malt extract in there as well. If you have time to brew before you leave you can always just condition it in a carboy or bucket while you’re gone. Depending on what kind of beer it is I’ve let beers age over a year in the carboy.
And yes, this is yet another weak offer by Northern Brewer if you are not a beginning brewer or an extract brewer… That said, if you are this is a great deal![/quote]
That’s what I was considering. My last batch of the 4 was going to be the bourbon barrel porter which has quite a long secondary time anyway. If I can get that ready before leaving, I’ll let that one sit for quite a while before bottling it for fall and winter drinking.
I concur. Just refrigerate your yeast, and the rest will be just fine.
I see NB has done another “extract only” deal with the summer brews (three ships free promo).
Does Northern Brewer ever have deals like that for all-grain brewers? That’s 7 kits I would have bought if all grain kits were included in those promos. That’s a lot of money that NB is, imo, pissing away by excluding those of us who like to brew the all-grain way.
I have a local home brew store nearby, so I plan on buying three kits without the yeast and then just bopping over there when I need to 4-5 days before brew day.
I just fear, with my crazy schedule ( 3 kids, summer) I would buy 3 and not get to one of them for 4-5 months
ugh, I just saw it is only for 3 select kits. Still may do it, but not sure now…
[quote=“fullhousebrew”]I have a local home brew store nearby, so I plan on buying three kits without the yeast and then just bopping over there when I need to 4-5 days before brew day.
I just fear, with my crazy schedule ( 3 kids, summer) I would buy 3 and not get to one of them for 4-5 months[/quote]
My daughter is just turning 4, and is already involved in helping me brew and bottle beer. She thinks it’s great fun, and she is actually old enough to be a help now instead of just asking a ton of questions… LOL I put her little apron on, and away we go. It’s pretty neat spending time together (just daddy and her), and she loves it.
[quote=“panduji68”][quote=“fullhousebrew”]I have a local home brew store nearby, so I plan on buying three kits without the yeast and then just bopping over there when I need to 4-5 days before brew day.
I just fear, with my crazy schedule ( 3 kids, summer) I would buy 3 and not get to one of them for 4-5 months[/quote]
My daughter is just turning 4, and is already involved in helping me brew and bottle beer. She thinks it’s great fun, and she is actually old enough to be a help now instead of just asking a ton of questions… LOL I put her little apron on, and away we go. It’s pretty neat spending time together (just daddy and her), and she loves it.[/quote]
I will say one thing I love about this hobby is you can slip in brewing at different times. If I just have to get a batch done, I can start it at 10pm at night in the garage is my point. Can’t do that with golf. well… not easily…
