Why is it that anvil foundry, and the grain father get top billing with all podcast and YouTube channels. While the brewers edge really get no love. They are up there is sales, and from my understanding a strong number 2 just under the foundry. It’s successful without all the support from YouTube or any podcast. I am not really complaining as making an observation just something I was thinking about last night
Maybe because the users aren’t saying anything about it? Maybe because it doesn’t measure up to the other 2? I’m saying that’s a possibility, not a fact. Although I can tell you that I was given one and I gave it away because it just didn’t work well for me.
Name recognition, just like Budweiser beer. Also, the need many feel for all the latest bells and whistles.
I would defer to those who have the make and model, but I do use fewer bells and whistles (I own an Anvil Foundry and a larger batch Electric Stout Kettle, InfuSSion Mash Tun and HERMS coil HLT set up.) One thing I like about the Foundry is the ability to select 110V or 220V operation with the same unit and to set the % of heating for maintaining temperature once a full boil is achieved. The Mash & Boil allows selecting different heating watts, so it is similar in that regard.
Here is a dated, but favorable review: https://www.homebrewfinds.com/2017/09/hands-on-review-brewers-edge-mash-boil-electric-brewery.html
The new Grainfather setups are pretty slick, though, so I can see the appeal there.
They place the others in a more videos. Most of those guys will tell you they were given the equipment to demonstrate. If one mfr does it more than the other then the perception is one is more popular that the other. After that, it’s like a flywheel effect: more sales = more promotions, more promotions = perceived popularity = more sales, and the cycle continues.
I feel the same way about the BrewZilla. I’m guessing earlier versions had problems? I’ve seen negative posts about it a few places. I love mine. does everything I want it to do.
The Mash and Boil series 2 looks almost identical to the foundry now, but I bought a foundry when it came out because the original Mash and Boil didn’t have the features I wanted. So maybe other systems just saw wider adoption first.
- I think Anvil gets some boost from the Blichmann brand and John Palmer.
- I think Anvil has done a lot more marketing.
- The Foundry is 3 gallons larger.
- The Foundry allows for both 110/220 V usage.
The Foundry just seems like a more capable tool. It looks like it’s about $75 more expensive than the Mash & Boil right now, but being able to go to 220V can easily save 20-30 minutes on a brew day. That’s pretty huge, just look at the Zymurgy articles and Homebrewcon seminars over the years. There’s always one or two about how to save time on your brew day.
I have a M&B that I use as an electric HLT for my grainfather G30. I think the primary thing I didn’t like about the M&B was some build quality issues that I noticed. Can’t beat the price and I’d be curious about the newer version to see if those issues have been resolved.
Bottom line for me is marketing spend, both in trade (homebrew magazines) and social (Podcast, Forum, YouTube) platforms, especially hardware reviews and comparisons.
Blickmanm/Anvil, SS Brewtech, Spike, and Grainfather have really spent globally on the marketing front.
There should, IMO, be little correlation of marketing spend to actual quality, etc. And many of these all-in-one systems are late to the game GF clones, although some apparent differentiation with features and software.
Market has to be fairly saturated by now.
That was a good read. Thanks for posting that