Introductory Kit: ~$50
Mr. Beer (www.mrbeer.com) is probably the most commonly known supplier of homebrew kits for people just getting started. These kits allow you to get started for a little over $50 are are intended for casual introductory brewing. They only make 2 gallons of beer (~20 12oz bottles). They are the easiest to brew, but there have also been many reports of beer gone bad in these kits. This is typically due to lack of emphasis on proper sanitation which leads to a bacterial infection (yuck). They are plastic based fermentation vessels and bottles. Once the plastic is scratched, it becomes nearly impossible to sanitize. The Mr. Beer ingredient kits are very simple, including hopped malt extract, which keeps the brewing process a simple as possible, but also can keep the beer flavor profile simple. The cost of the Mr. Beer kits works out to about $8-$10 per gallon ($0.80 – $1.00 per bottle), which is a bit on the high side for simple tasting beer.
Recommended Standard Kit: ~$186
The Brewer’s Best Deluxe Starter Kit (www.brewersbestkits.com) is the recommended option (we have no financial interest in this company). These kits are more common for the serious homebrewers, including most all Mr. Beer customers that decide they really do want to engage this hobby. If you are serious about getting started, you may want to save some money by skipping introductory kits and starting with this option. The attachment is our personal recommendation which includes the Deluxe Starter kit (~$100) and a few additional items which are required (~$45) bringing the total cost to about $150. This kit brews a 5 gallon batch (~50 12 oz bottles) which is a standard homebrew recipe size. The recipes include actual leaf hops (not just hopped malt extract) and specialty grain (barley) in addition to some malt extract. The brew process requires a few extra steps to steep the specialty grains and to boil the hop leaves to extract the hop oil. However this is easy and you are rewarded with a much fuller, more complex flavor profile. The cost for kits at most homebrew supply shops is about $7-$8 per gallon ($0.70 – $0.80) per bottle, and therefore less cost for better tasting beer. We can say from personal experience that these kits make some amazing beer that can win awards at beer tasting contests.
Recommended Premium Kit: ~$280
There is an additional $100 of recommended add-ons that supplement the Brewer’s Best Deluxe Starter kit listed above. This brings total cost to $190. The additional equipment is outlined in the attachment. It includes:
- 6.5 gallon glass carboy for primary fermentation – to replace the plastic fermentation bucket which limits visibility of the fermentation process (fun to watch) and can harbor bacteria in scratches.
- Stainless Steel Brew Spoon – to replace plastic spoon which can be difficult to sanitize when scratched.
- Thief and/or test tube to aid in measuring the wort and beer gravity – to know when it is finished fermenting and % alcohol in final brew
Download the Recommended Brewing Equipment PDF above, which also includes the options for the premium kit
5 gallon Kegging System: ~$210
Most everyone starts brewing by bottling the beer. However you soon learn that washing and sanitizing ~50 bottles, and then filling/capping them takes a little bit of time. Additionally, the carbonation process using priming sugars, pressurizes the beer in the bottle but can lead to flat beer or over pressurized beer (and exploding bottles) if the final fermentation in bottle does not go as anticipated.
These leads homebrewers to adopt a kegging system (although not normally until they get the hang of brewing). The keg allows you to adjust the carbonation level until you reach the best level. It also allows you to carbonate your beer much quicker, and start drinking it much quicker after it is fermented. Without question, the most common keg used by homebrewers is the Cornelius keg (aka Corny keg), because it is a perfect size for a 5 gallon batch of beer. Corny kegs were used in the past to deliver Coke and Pepsi syrup to restaurants, however they are not used anymore and there are warehouses of used Corny kegs that you can find for $35-$50. You can even find them acid washed with new seals at this price, but many sources will also sell you a keg that requires you to acid wash and replace the seals. There are two main types of Corny kegs, with ball lock fittings or pin lock fittings. Most homebrew shops carry connectors to interface with either type of keg.
You also need to CO2 tank, which can be refilled at local welding shop or fire extinguisher shop. Most homebrewers pickup a 5lb or 10lb tank. They need to be checked and re-certified (~$20) every 5 years for most shops to refill them, so keep that in mind when comparing the price of new and used tanks.
You can simply store the keg in a fridge, or you can modify fridge by adding a tap or tap tower. Small dorm fridges work well, and some can even fit two kegs comfortably.
Download the Recommended Brewing Equipment PDF above, which also includes the options for the premium kit