5 Things We Love About Satchel Kits’ Light Ale
With a few more days left in our month dedicated to Cascade hops, we thought we would talk about Satchel Kits’ Light Ale - a 100% Cascade hop ale worth talking about. This is the second kit we’ve brewed from Satchel Kits (The first being an APA) and both have left us very pleased. Here are five reasons why.
A complete kit
When we first started homebrewing, we figured all kits were created equal and that they all showed up with the ingredients needed to complete the job. This is not true. Before we got the hang of things, we often found ourselves scrambling to get sanitizer that wasn’t included or running to the store to get a priming sugar substitute we had overlooked on bottling day.
This is not the case with Satchel kits. Both kits we ordered showed up with everything we needed, including: Grain, muslin bag, hops, 2 liquid sanitizer packs (one for brewing and one for bottling), Irish moss, yeast, and priming sugar. The fact that all these things are included is really important to a new homebrewer because things can get hectic the first few times. Which leads me to our next point.
2. Ease of Use
This is so important. When I freestyle a recipe, ease isn’t always at the top of the list, but when I order a kit I like it to be as straightforward as possible. And Satchel Kits makes that so.
Each item that comes in the kit is specifically labeled with what it is and when it is used. All of the hop additions are separated and labeled with times to drop into the boil, along with the Irish moss, and the yeast is labeled with when and at what temperature to pitch. It really is very simple. A seasoned pro can complete the recipe by just looking at the individually packed ingredients, and the beginner will be confident in what they are doing with the labeled ingredient and online instructions.
3. The Final Product
Our first ever attempt at brewing did not turn out great. Most first batches don’t. When considering all the factors that go into brewing that the novice doesn’t understand or know about, this is a common theme. But I also think it is important to consider the ease of use of the kits and the ingredients that come with them.
I can say that the success we have had with the Light Ale (and APA) is great. Not only are they simple to use, but they also appear to have some good quality ingredients that help make a final product a homebrewer can be proud of. This is really important for those just starting out. Some people quit after that first bad batch, not knowing that it’s a right of passage in some ways. But the simplicity and ingredients in Satchel Kits’ Light Ale help ease around the learning curves to create a great final product.
But when considering all the things that are important to any homebrewer, one of the most important things for me is:
4. The Price
I’m cheap—it’s as simple as that. And I know many homebrewers are with me on that one (We brew our own beer for goodness’ sake!). But this point can be especially important to those just getting started. Homebrewing can be a money pit, and some people (somehow) don’t fall in love with it or lose hope after brewing one batch. So, the less expensive at the start, the better.
Satchel Kits offers a homebrew starter kit for $59, and it comes with everything a new homebrewer needs to get started, including a recipe. I think this is a pretty fair price for one just dipping their toes in.
And if you already have all the basics the beer recipes are very reasonable. They sell their refill kits for around $16, plus shipping, of which they actually refunded us some of the money.
This leads me to my final important point about Satchel Kits.
5. The Customer Service
Satchel Kits refunded us the money they saved on shipping, and that was pretty cool of them. They have been more than willing to give us discounts on future orders, which honestly gives us great incentive to continue to shop with them.
They are eager to help with the brewing process and have made themselves available via Instagram. Several times when they have been tagged or reached out to, they respond immediately and offer tips or suggestions. And whether they were congratulating us on our brew or offering advice, we thought that was pretty cool. Plus, having that extra support can be a great help to those new homebrewers that find themselves in the weeds.
They were also willing to answer some questions we had about the ingredients used, and in a timely manner.
The team at Satchel Kits is dedicated to creating a high-quality beer and a high-quality experience for their customers. Anything they can do to help, they do.
This was a great kit and I would recommend it to anyone just getting started or to anyone who wants to give Cascade hops a try in their purest form.
Cheers!
Mr. Brew