Beer Brewing Kits
If you are interested in starting your brewing career with one of the many beer brewing kits you may will also want to know how involved it will be and how much space you are going to need to devote to the project. Here is a list of what is included in one of the typical “starter” beer brewing kits available from a well known US distributor for under $100. Basically, it contains everything necessary, except the beer recipe ingredients, to successfully brew beer at home.
- instructional video
- instruction book
- 6.5 gallon Fermenter and lid
- 6.5 bottling bucket with spigot
- cleaner
- airlock to keep air out of the fermenter
- a hydrometer to determine alcohol content of the brew
- bottle brush
- bottle capping tool
- bottle caps
- thermometer
- bottle filler
- racking tube and bucket clip
- siphon tubing
Like everything else in life you can spend quite a bit or you can spend just a little on beer supplies to get your feet wet and see how you really like it. One note of caution is in order: To keep costs down the fermenter, fermenter lid, and bottling bucket are food grade plastic. While that is perfectly fine, there are those who swear that beer fermented using glass instead of plastic tastes better. My advice for the beginner is to start with the plastic containers and replace them with glass carboys if desired.
There are also more complete beer making kits available that offer additional beer brewing supplies such as the brew equipment required for two stage fermentation recipes.
While that is a very complete list, it is not all you need to begin your new hobby. You will also need bottles and ingredients. You may be able to use bottles you have from commercial beer, but they cannot be the screw top type. They have to be the type that needs an opener. Another option is to buy a case or two of bottles at the start and recycle them. Or, you can purchase larger bottles and use fewer. As well as the 12 oz bottles, you can choose 16, 22, or 32 oz. bottles. One note of caution regarding glass bottles; they are heavy and shipping costs are correspondingly high. Also recommended is a high quality brew kettle made of stainless steel or enamel. These can be obtained individually for around $40 or, they will be included in some of the higher priced beer making kits.
As for the ingredients, let your imagination guide you. There are literally hundreds of recipe kits available for any kind of beer you might like. All these online beer recipe kits come with all the necessary ingredients to create a specific flavor and type of beer. Beer supplies and recipe kit prices can vary widely between retailers so do your homework and choose carefully.
As you browse through all the different options available you will very soon notice that this is a hobby that can be as simple, or as complex as you want it to be. For example, once you are adept at home brew beer from beer making kits, you can move up in complexity and begin buying the grains, hops, malts, yeast, etc. individually and doing the work yourself.
For a complete discussion of homebrewing techniques, equipment, and tips, check out some inside secrets from The Beer Bible and learn how to get a successful brew each and every time — and get the most enjoyment out of your home brewing experience! It is inexpensive, has a money back guarantee and is a super resource for home brew beer.
