We here at Brew with Kits created this blog to help empower people like you to realize they can make great tasting beer at home easily using beer kits.
That is why this site even exists.
We Love People and Beer
We want people to experience the feeling of joy and accomplishment that comes along with drinking beer that they have made themselves. It’s an amazing feeling that we hope you have either had or are going to have in the very near future.
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BREW AND DRINK YOUR OWN BEER IN 30 DAYS CHALLENGE
Whether you want to participate in our beer making challenge or you are just starting to check out kit brewing, one simple question remains:
What is the best starter kit for me?
This is an important question which we are going to answer in this blog.
**** HEY Y’ALL, I WANTED TO LET YOU GUYS KNOW THAT AS AN AMAZON ASSOCIATE I EARN A SMALL COMMISSION FROM QUALIFYING PURCHASES YOU MAKE FROM MY LINKS. HOWEVER, THIS DOES NOT AFFECT MY SUGGESTIONS OF WHAT I RECOMMEND FOR YOU TO USE. IF YOU DO DECIDE TO MAKE A PURCHASE, OUR FAMILY HERE AT BREW WITH KITS WANTS YOU TO KNOW HOW MUCH WE VALUE YOUR SUPPORT. ****
Which Starter Kit is Best
There are a ton of starter kits from a ton of different companies. What is included in the starter kit options will basically vary depending on your budget.
Under $100 you will get the basics which you will be able to make (this is a super import word to remember) great beer with.
From the $100-500 price point, you are going to get the same equipment as the cheaper option but only with better quality equipment and possibly more ingredients.
The over $500 mark gets you into fully automated brewing machines which is a whole different level of brewing that I haven’t even explored yet.
For the sake of this blog, we will look at each of those three price points and show you some of the differing equipment. We will also then provide you with the Brew with Kits recommended starter kit.
What, Exactly, is a Starter Kit?
A starter kit is a brewing kit that usually includes everything you will need to brew your first batch of beer. However, these starter kits widely vary and sometimes while you will be able to brew your first batch of beer, you will not be able to bottle, and thus drink your first batch of beer with everything that is included.
Not being able to bottle and drink your first batch of beer with the purchase of your starter kit is a huge bummer!!!
Don’t do this!
A starter kit usually will include either all of this brewing equipment or partial pieces that have been selected by the starter kit’s provider. This brewing equipment consists of:
Brewing/Fermenting Equipment
A fermentor
At different price points, you will have different options for your fermentor. There is a bucket fermentor, a glass carboy, and a sweet barrel looking fermentor. In my opinion, the bucket and the barrel fermentors are easier to clean.
Although I have never used a carboy, I have read that the traditional ones can be hard to clean. *At a higher price point, you can get a “Big Mouth Carboy” which is easier to clean*
A Brew Paddle
Brew paddles are included in starter kits to help you to stir sugar into your wort (your beer’s main ingredient) after you pour in boiling hot water. These are generally made out of either plastic or metal. Check out how you can win the first ever handmade olive wood Brew with Kits paddle here.
A temperature strip
This is a thermometer sticker strip that sticks to the outside of the fermentor. It will roughly tell you the temperature of your fermenting beer.
At least 1 Airlock
An Airlock is a device that you put on top of your fermentor to keep air and contaminants in the air from reaching the inside of your fermentor. You first fill the airlock with purified water and then place it on top of the fermentor. This allows carbonated air to be pushed up and pass through the water during the fermentation process. While the airlock allows this air to escape, it doesn’t allow any air which could potentially contaminate your beer to return back into the fermentor.
Bottle capper *Usually not included with kits that come with reusable PET screw on cap bottles*
Usually included in a starter kit is a simple 2 handle bottle capper. This helps you to cap you beer bottles once they are filled. These are not typically the best bottle cappers in the world (and we highly suggest here that you should upgrade this bottle capper A.S.A.P.), but it will definitely get you through your first batch of beer.
Bottle Filler
This is a piece of equipment that attaches to your fermentor’s spout that helps you to bottle your beer. This bottle filling attachment is long enough to touch the bottom of your bottles so that once pressed against the bottom of the bottle, beer starts to fill it up. When you take the pressure off the end of the bottle filler attachment, then the end of it closes and beer stops pouring into your bottle.
Measuring equipment
Hydrometer
A hydrometer is
A useful tool in determining the status of fermentation activity. It can also indicate the amount of ingredients and alcohol percentage in your brew. Taken from Charlie Papazian’s The Complete Joy of Home Brewing 3rd Edition.
Different kits include differing tubes for extracting your beer and different cylinders for holding your beer while measuring its gravity. While these may differ most of them do include a hydrometer and some sort of cylinder.
A Measuring Scoop for Sugar
This little piece of equipment helps you to measure the amount of sugar you need to prime your beers during the bottle-conditioning phase. This helps make the bottle-conditioning process easier by being able to measure your sugar accurately while priming your beer.
Cleaning supplies
Cleaning and Sanitizing Solutions
Almost all kits come with the supplies to be able to initially clean and sanitize your equipment. Of course, there are probably kits that do not include this stuff, which is crucial for the brewing process, but any starter kit worth its salt should.
Bottle Brush
This is a long brush that is used to clean the inside of your beer bottles.
Bottles
Some starter kits include bottles and some don’t. Obviously, if your starter kit does not include bottles you are going to need to come up with something to hold your beer in.
Lucky we have written a blog article on this subject to help you out. We suggest second-hand bottles which are cheaper (though there is more work involved).
There are a lot of options for you to choose from. Check out your beer bottling options in more detail here.
Beer Ingredients
Ingredients
We love beer kits and here at Brew with Kits, we are all about how to make good beer easily by using them. With that said, some of the ingredients in the beer kits will be more “ready-made” than others. This fact doesn’t make one worse than the other nor better than the other. Depending on which you choose will affect the ease of which it will be to brew and time consumption.
For example, there are kits that the wort (main ingredient for beer) is 100% ready to pour into your fermentor after being heated. Others require that you boil the malts to extract the wort from a malt mixture yourself and then pour it into your fermentor.
We suggest the former while again emphatically stating that this is just a choice from our preference.
Sugar
Kits vary on whether they come with brewing and priming sugars. Some kits do not include a brewing sugar and this is not a huge problem because you can just use regular granulated sugar.
Whenever I brew my beer I do tend to try to use dextrose (brewing sugar) since I have noticed it gives my beer a better final taste. Some options give you dextrose tablets to drop in your bottles for bottle conditioning.
I drank a lot of beers brewed both ways and really when all is said and done, I think you will be just as stoked with whatever sugar you choose to use for your brewing and priming processes.
Additives
Hops, Charred wood chips, elderflower, spray malts, liquid malt extracts, Belgian candy sugars, etc. are all on the list of things that may or may not be included in any given starter kit. These are by NO MEANS NECESSARY for creating a quality beer that you will enjoy. These are only additives to give your beer a distinct flavor.
The Very Basics
At the very least the cheaper options for your starter kits should include a Fermenter, Airlock, a Brew Paddle, a Bottle Brush, a bottle filler attachment, a bottle capper (for bottle-conditioning your beer) and cleaning sanitizing solutions.
We got your back and are here for y’all. As we stated earlier, we don’t want you to only be able to brew and ferment your first beer. We want to help you see all the details you might miss while purchasing your starter kit.
With the starter kit that we suggest, you will you not only be able to start, brew, and ferment your first batch of beer, but also bottle, bottle-condition, and then finally drink your first batch of home brew with one single purchase. I know that all sounds pretty sweet right?
Let’s Check Out Some Starter Kits
Under $100
This is the level that I started my brewing journey in and have remained in until this day. You may or may not know that I am an American, but I live overseas. The lack of good beer here in my current country is one of the main reasons I started to brew my own beer in the first place.
A company started to sell home brewing equipment here, but the starter kits are very limited to just a few options. It was basically a fermenting bucket with a bottle brush, a brew paddle, a bottle filler attachment, a bottle capper, a scooper for measuring your sugar (for bottle conditioning your beer), Hydrometer/measuring equipment, and cleaner and sanitizer.
That was my only option. The same cannot be said about those living in the U.S. There are so many options, these are just a few.
Here is a great option from Midwest Homebrewing & Winemaking Supplies. This option is 59.99 and includes, as their slogan says, “everything you need, nothing you don’t” for making your first batch of beer.
This Kit Includes: Beer. Simply Beer – Pale Ale Recipe Kit, 6.5 Gallon Fermenting Bucket, Grommeted Lid, Airlock, 6.5 Gallon Bottling Bucket, Bottling Spigot, Bottle Filler, Bottling Tubing, Siphon, Siphon Tubing, FermagraF° Adhesive Fermenation Thermometer, Triple Scale Hydrometer, Test Jar, Beer Bottle Brush, Bottle Capper, Instructions, Oxygen Wash Cleaner/Sanitizer
****Required but not included: a 4 to 5-gallon kettle, Roughly 50 empty 12oz beer bottles that accept pry-off caps, Roughly 50 crown bottle caps.****
Do not forget about this!! You do need something to put your beer into once it is done fermenting so even though this option is cheaper and overall a great deal, you are going to need to shell out some more greenbacks for something to store your beer in.
Over $100
Here is an excellent option from Coopers DIY Beer Home Brewing
This option INCLUDES ALL HOME BREWING ACCESSORIES. In addition to a patented fermenter and 100% natural premium quality ingredients, this kit includes additional accessories such as a hydrometer, bottling valve, reusable oxygen-barrier PET bottles and much more.
**This kit includes bottles and you will not have to worry about anything except for following the simple directions.**
Here is another great option,
Northern Brewer Deluxe Home Brewing Equipment Starter Kit
Includes: Chinook IPA Recipe Kit, 6 Gallon Glass Carboy (Primary Fermentor), Bung & Airlock, 5 Gallon Glass Carboy (Secondary Fermentor), Bung & Airlock, Blowoff Hose, Funnel & Adhesive Thermometers, Auto-Siphon & Tubing, Bottling Bucket & Spigot, Bottle Filler & Tubing, Bottle Capper & Caps, Carboy Brush & Bottle Cleaning Brush, Brewery Cleaner & Carboy Dryer.
****REQUIRED BUT NOT INCLUDED: a 4 to 5-gallon brew kettle and roughly 50 empty 12oz beer bottles that accept pry-off caps.****
Do not forget about this!! You do need something to put your beer into once it is done fermenting so even though this option is cheaper and overall a great deal, you are going to need to shell out some more greenbacks for something to store your beer in.
Just under $500
I’ve never used this level of starter kits at all. The old saying is true for me that this option “is too rich for my blood”. Never the less, it is pretty stinkin’ awesome!
BrewArt BeerDroid comes in at a whopping $499.99
Included with your BeerDroid is the American Pale Ale BrewPrint. BrewPrints have been designed by BrewArt master brewers and are inspired by the world’s most popular beers. BrewArt ingredients are 100% natural and free from additives and preservatives.
**NOT INCLUDED: BOTTLES BREWING, CAPS & SUGAR/ BREWING SUGAR- GEEZE FOR ALMOST 500 BUCKS YOU THINK THIS THING WOULD COME WITH EVERYTHING TO BE ABLE TO ENJOY YOUR FIRST BATCH OF BEER, BUT YOU WILL NEED SOMETHING TO STORE AND BOTTLE-CONDITION YOUR BEER IN.**
****UPDATE- THE BREWART COMPLETE BEER BREWING AND DISPENSING SYSTEM INCLUDES EVERYTHING YOU WILL NEED TO BREW AND CONSUME YOUR FIRST BATCH OF BEER. THIS IS CURRENTLY PRICED AT 999.98****
You can be the judge, but to tell you the truth, I don’t think you need a Beer bot in your life. You could just put your money towards buying more beer refill kits, sugars, and additives.
Our suggestion
Here at Brew with Kits, we recommend this TOTALLY AWESOME starter kit for you to begin your brewing journey with.
Mr. Beer Premium Gold Edition This starter kit is only $49.99 & FREE Shipping and is an Amazon #1 Best Seller
The fact that this is the #1 Best Seller is no surprise to us. This is ONE HECK OF A DEAL!
Product Description:
Mr. Beer’s Premium Gold edition complete home brewing Kit provides aspiring brewers with our patented brewing equipment and high-quality ingredients that simplify the Homebrewing process. Our patented brewing system includes a compact, lightweight fermenter that is modeled after the design of professional brewing equipment. Eleven 25 oz. Reusable and shatterproof bottles that are specially designed for carbonating beer. We also Include a can of brewing extract – a concentrated form of all natural malted barley and hops – produced in a state-of-the-art facility by Australia’s oldest family owned brewery, as well as no-rinse Cleanser and unique carbonation drops to simplify the sanitization and carbonation process. This kit includes our classic American light and Oktoberfest lager refills.
****Not only does this kit include bottles, and caps, cleanser, and carbonation drops (Sugar for bottle conditioning your beer), it also comes with an extra wort to make your second batch of beer!****
Seriously this is an amazing offer. We suggest you save yourself a ton of money and go with this option. You will be able to brew just as good of a beer as the beerbot that costs roughly 16 times more. Save your hard earned bucks. You will be able to buy so many more re-fill kits with that extra 750 beans.
Conclusion
There you go! Even though we can’t tell you 100% which starter kit is best for you without knowing your specific situation, we can highly suggest that you go with the Mr. Beer Premium Gold Edition. Even if you could afford the most expensive beerbot doesn’t mean that it is the best, or that you should go with that option.
The beer that you can make at a fraction of the cost of the mid to high price point is going to be just as good, and the fruit of your labor will be all the sweeter knowing you saved yourself some cash.
Go ahead and get you a starter kit and remember,
YOU CAN BREW IT!
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L’Chaim!!!