Best Beer Brewing Kit For Value and the Money
Northern Brewer
Deluxe Homebrew Starter Set
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It’s really amazing years how popular the craft beer industry has become all over the world. It is a phenomenon that is becoming so widespread, that it is prompting DIY people from around the globe to buy their own homebrewing kit, and get in on the action by making their own personal creations at home.
If you are a looking to join the millions of people who are brewing their own craft beer at home, but need a little help and advice on what is the best homebrewing beer kits for beginners, and what equipment is really needed to get you started, you are in the right place.
We will guide you through all the confusing clutter by giving you the needed information, so you can choose the right home beer brewing kit for you.
Contents
- 1 6 Of The Best Homebrewing Kits For Making Beer At Home
- 2 Under $100 - Northern Brewer Essential Brew Share Enjoy Beer Kit
- 3 Most Value - Northern Brewer Deluxe Homebrew Starter Set
- 4 Most Complete - MoreBeer Premium Homebrewing Starter Kit
- 5 Northern Brewer Premium Craft Brewery in a Box Beer Kit
- 6 Craft A Brew 1-Gallon Beer Making Kit
- 7 Mr. Beer 2-Gallon Premium Gold Edition Craft Beer Kit
- 8 Is Brewing Your Own Beer Hard?
- 9 What To Look For In A Home Beer Brewing Kit
- 10 Things That Should Be Included In Your Beer Kit
- 11 Final Say
6 Of The Best Homebrewing Kits For Making Beer At Home
Because there are so many different beer kits available on the market, from basic, to intermediate, to premium kits, we listed some of our favorite home brewing starter kits.
Whether you would prefer to brew small 1-gallon batches, larger 5-gallon batches, or something in between, one of these beer kits will get the job done.
In this post, we are going to look at 6 home brewery kit reviews for making your own craft beer at home. But if you are in a hurry, these are a few beer making kits that will get you started.
- Best Homebrewing Beer Starter Kit Under $100: Northern Brewer Essential Brew Share Enjoy Starter Kit
- Best Homebrewing Beer Kit For Value and Price: Northern Brewer Deluxe Beer Kit
- Most Complete Beer Making Kit: MoreBeer Premium Home Brewing Kit
- Most Complete Beer Kit Runner Up: Northern Brewer Premium Beer Making Kit
- Best 1-Gallon Beer Making Kit: Craft A Brew 1-Gallon Beer Making Kit
- Best 2-Gallon Beer Making Kit: Mr. Beer 2-Gallon Premium Gold Addition
Start Here - Learn To Brew Beer At Home In 6 Minutes
If you are wanting to brew your own beer, and starting from scratch, this Essential Brew Share Enjoy beer kit from Northern Brewer is it. Except for a brew pot or kettle, it comes with everything you need to start brewing 5-gallons of beer the same day it is delivered.
Even though this set-up is considered a basic “starter kit”, and is perfect for a complete beginner, it is not lacking at all in the quality of the equipment.
Many homebrewers get started with this exact set-up, so if this is your first time brewing beer, you can feel comfortable knowing that this beer kit will get you on the road to brewing 5-gallons of delicious beer. It also makes a great gift for anyone who is interested in brewing their own beer.
For a more detailed review of the Essential Brew Share Enjoy beer kit, check out our post here.
What's Included
- Block Party Ale recipe kit
- 6.5-gallon fermenter with lid and spigot
- Airlock
- Bottling bucket with spigot
- Spring tip bottle filler
- 21″ stainless stirring spoon
- Transfer tubing
- No-rinse cleaner/sanitizer
- Bottle brush
- Bottle caps
- Bottle capper
- Printed instructions
Required But Not Included
- 5-gallon/20-quart brewing kettle
- (48) Beer Bottles
Optional But Not Needed
- Hydrometer
- Wort chiller
Most Value - Northern Brewer Deluxe Homebrew Starter Set
This Deluxe Homebrew Starter Set from Northern Brewer is one of the best-selling starter kits on the market, so you know you are getting a quality beer brewing kit.
Except for a few household items you might already have laying around in your kitchen, like a large stock pot, this kit includes everything you need to make 5-gallons of your very own craft beer.
This deluxe kit includes two glass carboys which allows for beer recipes that recommends a “two-stage” or “secondary fermentation” which can produce a clearer beer.
Even though this deluxe kit is a slight step above the Essential Brew Share Enjoy kit, it is still great for any newbie homebrewer, regardless of their brewing experience. It is also made with the same Northern Brewer quality equipment, that will satisfy the more experienced and advanced brewer as well.
What's Included
- Choice of recipe kits (Freshed Squished IPA, Irish RedAle, Caribou Slobber Brown Ale, Bavarian Hefeweizen
- 6-gallon glass carboy for primary fermentation
- 5-gallon glass carboy for secondary fermentation
- (2) Bung and airlock
- Funnel
- Adhesive thermometers
- Auto-siphon and tubing
- Blow-off hose
- Bottling bucket with spigot
- Bottle filler and tubing
- Bottle caps
- Bottle capper
- Carboy brush and bottle cleaning brush
- Brewery cleaner
- Carboy dryer
- No-rinse oxygen wash cleaner
- Instructions – Printed w/visuals, Digital instruction manual, Online videos, free text message guided instructions
Required But Not Included
- 5-gallon/20-quart brewing kettle
- Large stirring spoon or paddle
- (48) Beer Bottles
Optional
- Hydrometer
- Wort chiller
Most Complete - MoreBeer Premium Homebrewing Starter Kit
Sometimes you just want to jump right in and get a beer kit that has all the bells and whistles that already includes some advanced equipment usually not found in other home beer making kits.
This MoreBeer Premium Homebrewing Starter Set is the one.
It’s no secret that once a newbie gets a “taste” of home brewing (pun intended) they often start adding and upgrading their brewing equipment which will make the entire brewing process much more efficient.
One of the first things that is often added after they buy their original kit is a larger brewing kettle and a wort chiller. The larger kettle will allow for full-boil brewing, and of course the larger volume of liquid will need to be cooled down much more rapidly, and this immersion wort chiller will do the job.
The reason we chose this MoreBeer beer kit as our “Premium Pick” over Northern Brewer’s Premium Craft Brewery in a Box, was mainly for the slightly larger brewing kettle and the size of the primary fermenter, but the price was factored in as well.
The larger sized brew pot can be a benefit when it comes to brewing larger batches of beer and a larger ferementer can be an advantage when making a beer that will go through a more aggressive fermentation.
This premium homebrewing starter kit will also let you brew 5-gallons or (48) 12-ounce bottles of craft beer.
What's Included
- Pale Ale Recipe Kit
- 7-gallon Fermonster fermenter with spigot, stopper, and airlock
- 8.5-gallon stainless steel brewing kettle with thermometer port, stainless ball valve, internal volume markers, and silicone handle grips
- Copper wort chiller for rapid cooling
- Food grade bottling bucket
- Mesh bag for grains and hops
- Large stainless-steel spoon
- Hydrometer
- Thermometer
- Transfer tubing
- Bottling wand with shut-off valve
- Bottle capper
- Bottle caps
- Bottle cleaning brush
- Star-san sanitizer
- Large stainless steel spoon
- Cleaning tables for easy cleaning
- Pale Ale beer ingredient kit
Required But Not Included
- Beer bottles or kegging system
Northern Brewer Premium Craft Brewery in a Box Beer Kit
Another quality brewing kit from Northern Brewer is this premium craft brewery in a box beer kit. This “craft brewery in a box”, can be used as a starter set, or as an upgrade from older equipment.
This premium beer kit also has a few items that are not usually found in other kits, along with some advanced items included with this set, which eliminates the need to purchase these items later on down the road.
The two main upgrades of this beer kit is the included stainless steel wort chiller, and the heavy-duty stainless 8-gallon MegaPot 1.2 brewing kettle with a ball-valve, which allows for full volume boils instead of 2 or 3-gallon partial boils.
This beer making package is the 3rd beer kit from Northern Brewer that made our list, and is an upgrade over the deluxe kit with the addition of the included brew pot and stainless-steel wort chiller.
What's Included
- Choice of two recipe kits (Freshed Squished IPA or Caribou Slobber Brown Ale)
- 6.5-gallon plastic siphonless Big Mouth Bubbler with harness
- Stainless-steel wort chiller
- Bung and airlock
- 8-gallon MegaPot with ball-valve
- 21″ Stainless stirring spoon
- Bottling bucket with spigot
- Bottle filler and tubing
- Bottle caps
- Bottle capper
- Triple scale herculometer and test jar
- Lab thermometer
- No-rinse oxygen wash cleaner
- Instructions
Required But Not Included
- Beer bottles or kegging system
Craft A Brew 1-Gallon Beer Making Kit
If you want to buy a starter beer kit, but looking to brew a smaller size batch, this Craft A Brew beer making kit is the answer.
Except for a few items like a small brewing kettle, everything that you need to make 1-gallon of your own craft beer is included in the box.
Every beer kit comes with pre-packaged fresh ingredients, and all of the equipment is reusable. Once you are done brewing your first batch of beer, all you need to do is clean and sanitize the equipment, get another beer ingredient kit, and start the brewing process all over again.
What's Included
- Choice of one ingredient kit (Dry malt extract, specialty grains, hops, yeast)
- 1-gallon glass carboy
- Airlock
- Drilled rubber stopper
- Racking cane
- Siphon hose
- Funnel
- Tube clamp
- Grain bag
- Sanitizer
- Thermometer
- Instructions
Required But Not Included
- Brewing pot
- Stirring spoon or paddle
- (10) Bottles
- Caps
- Bottle capper
Optional
- Hydrometer
- Fine mesh strainer
Mr. Beer 2-Gallon Premium Gold Edition Craft Beer Kit
Okay so you are shopping around for a beer kit, and you really don’t want to start off by making 5-gallons of beer, but brewing only 1-gallon of beer is not enough. This two gallon beer kit will be the perfect amount.
The 2-gallon complete starter kit from Mr. Beer, also known as the Premium Gold Edition Craft Beer Kit, is also great for new homebrewers, especially if you are interested in brewing a medium batch size.
This kit will make two gallons of beer, and is quite affordable, especially if you compare it to other home beer kits, which are often around twice its price.
One thing that beginners in home beer brewing do not have, is the patience to wait. The good news is, other than fermentation, carbonation, and conditioning the beer in the bottles, Mister Beer has a much shorter brew time, which will allow you to finish brewing a batch of beer much quicker than many other kits.
In fact, you can complete the entire brewing process in just about one hour, thanks to the pre-hopped malt extract that already comes in the package. The quicker brewing time also helps in reducing the risk of contamination and ruining your creation.
What's Included
- 2-gallon fermenter and lid
- Spigot
- (11) 25oz/750ml reusable bottles
- Bottle caps
- Bottle labels
- Can of “hopped” liquid malt extract
- Yeast packet
- No-rinse cleanser packet
- Carbonation drops
- Detailed instructions
Required But Not Included
- 1-gallon or larger brewing kettle
- 1-gallon container to mix cleaning solution
- Whisk or stirring spoon
- Measuring Cup
- Can Opener
- Mixing Bowl
Optional
- Hydrometer
- Fine mesh strainer
- Flashlight
Is Brewing Your Own Beer Hard?
While some people might think that home-brewing sounds like a difficult process, it is actually quite the opposite.
Homebrewing is a simple process once you have a basic understanding of the brewing steps, and when you get the right brewing equipment.
In fact, to brew a great batch of beer, you don’t need to be a professional brewmaster, or even have any previous experience, and you certainly don’t need to buy a bunch of expensive brewing equipment.
With so many kits and equipment on the market to choose from, how do you know what kit you should buy?
Most beer kits are tailored to the beginner brewer, but many also come with high-quality equipment that will even satisfy the more advanced brewer as well.
What To Look For In A Home Beer Brewing Kit
There are many beer kits on the market that has just the minimal amount of equipment needed to brew between 1 gallon and 5 gallons of craft beer. Basically a “home beer brewing kit” is just a collection of individual brewing equipment that is sold as a “complete kit”.
Every item in a beer kit can be bought separately online, or at any retail beer brewing supply store, but it is often less expensive to buy a kit that already has everything you need to get started right out of the box.
Just because they are often called complete kits, that doesn’t mean that you won’t need a few other items. A couple of items that are not usually included in a beer kit, are the things that many people already have in their kitchen, like a brew kettle or stock pot, long stirring spoon, and a thermometer.
And of course, most will require you to purchase beer bottles as well. The reason that bottles are not normally included with a kit, is because some people like 12-oz bottles, 750ml bottles, plastic bottles, or prefer to keg their beer instead. Besides, just like your beer brewing equipment, your beer bottles can be used over and over.
Things That Should Be Included In Your Beer Kit
No matter what beer kit you ultimately end up getting, they should at least have the minimum amount of equipment needed to brew a batch of home brew.
Some kits will come with extra or more advanced equipment that can make the brewing process a little more easy. But for now, listed below are the items that should always be included when you purchase your first home beer kit.
Fermenter & Airlock
The fermenter is technically where all the beer magic will happen. Once your liquid is done boiling, it is now wort. This will be where the sweet wort will stay for the next week or two while it starts turning into beer.
The fermenter that you get will depend on the particular kit, but it could be a 5 or 6 gallon food-grade plastic bucket with lid, or a glass carboy, or both.
Many kits and recipes recommend that the wort start in a “primary” fermenter, which is usually just a plastic bucket, and then finish it’s thing in a secondary fermenter, which is most likely a glass carboy.
Although it’s debatable, the purpose of using a glass carboy for secondary fermentation, is to give the beer more clarity while the yeast and sediment settles to the bottom of the vessel.
The airlock is a small piece of equipment, but also a very important piece too.
Once the yeast starts feeding on the sugars in the wort, it will start producing CO2 during the fermentation process. The airlock will allow these gases to escape while keeping any unwanted bacteria and visitors out of the fermenter.
Cleaner and Sanitizer
Proper cleaning and sanitation is without a doubt the most important part of the brewing process. Cutting corners with the cleaning and sanitizing can be the difference between enjoying a bottle of you special home creation, or possibly creating your own form of penicillin.
Everything that comes into contact with the wort must be cleaned and sanitized.
Cleaning is not the same as sanitation, and sanitation is not the same as cleaning. If you follow the directions on the labels of the cleaner/sanitizer, you will be fine.
Bottling & Transfer Equipment
Eventually you will need to transfer the wort from the primary to the secondary fermenter, then from the secondary fermenter to the bottling bucket, then from the bottling bucket to the beer bottles.
All kits will usually have some type of bottling bucket, a racking cane, bottle filler, and an auto siphon or transfer tubing. If your kit came with a plastic bucket for primary, and a glass carboy for secondary, you can just use the plastic bucket again for bottling. Just don’t forget to clean and sanitize it again.
Beer Recipe Ingredient Kit
Cream Ale, IPA’s, Oktoberfest, American Amber, Irish Stout, on and on and on.
There are so many different styles of beer kits available online or at your brewing retail shop, but a recipe kit is almost always included as part of the complete beer kit. When ordering, you often have the choice between a few different recipes, and the one you would like to try.
These beer kits are great for beginning home brewers because all the necessary ingredients like the liquid malt extract, specialty grains, hops, yeast, and priming sugar, is all measured and pre-packaged, which almost makes the brewing process fool-proof.
Final Say
So there you have it. As you have just seen above, we have given you our top 6 favorite brew kits that give you the best options for brewing any size batch, from 1 to 5-gallons. And you honestly can’t go wrong with anyone you choose.
But if you are looking for a recommendation and a good place to start, our favorite pick is this Northern Brewer Deluxe Beer Kit.
What makes this particular starter kit stand out above the others is the additional items like the two glass carboys, and a few pieces of advanced equipment.
The glass carboys will allow you to see the fermentation taking place, plus it gives you the option to do a “secondary fermentation” when adding other ingredients like fruit to your beer. A two-stage fermentation can also give you a much clearer finished beer.
Happy Brewing!
P.S. If you want to brew your own beer, but would like more of a hands-off approach with an automated system, check out our review page on the best automatic beer brewing systems.
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