1) it is only $61 if you add the "domestic 2-row", but at AHS you are adding Rahr malt, which is not the same. 40lbs of Rahr at MB is $68something
2) It is much cheaper if you buy the 50lb bags of 2-row, but at AHS for the same price, for whatever reason, you only get 40lbs. Since everyone gets their grain from the same places, and AHS is the only one that has the same price for 10lbs less, that one has me scratching my head.
1) Rahr brand is the cheapest 2-Row malt offered at everywhere *but* MoreBeer. MoreBeer's cheapest is Great Western brand. I meant to note that, but got in a hurry. Either way - unless I am using "brand name", e.g. Maris Otter or Golden Promise, then
I am using the cheapest 2-Row that each vendor offers. I will edit to reflect that - Like I said, I just got in a hurry, and didn't clarify that point.
Edit: I edited the original post to clarify this.
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2) Austin Homebrew 40# cases have been discussed before in a few different threads - They sell wine kits in a very sturdy box that just happens to hold exactly 40# of grain. Forrest says this saves money on buying one less size of box and on the lower shipping cost for the standard-sized box.
Me, personally... I prefer buying an actual, sealed sack, and putting it into my metal grain bin in the basement. That's just personal preference.
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As far as what you mentioned re: MoreBeer, and 40# of by-the-pound grain, if their site allows me to purchase it, and allows me to put it under the MoreSaver! shipping, then I would expect them to honor it. If they called to re-quote me, then I would probably thank them politely, cancel my order, and move to the 2nd cheapest place on the list.
And I don't think it would be 40 1# sacks - that's just how their checkout system works. I would suspect they'd do multiple paper sacks with 10# or 15# or 20# in each. That's how they do the base grain on their kits, at least.
Flip that around the other way, phission, from Austin Homebrew, would you expect there be a $10 surcharge on 4 bags with 10# grain in each bag, as opposed to the 40# box?
Remember, in the spirit of this experiment, we are buying (4) 5-gallon recipe kits, or (2) 10-gallon recipe kits, not bulk ingredients per se. We are trying to simulate batches. Not just a storeroom.