beginners kit for a wedding gift

Two of my best friends are getting married in may, and I have yet to decide on what to get them for a wedding gift. all the crap on their wedding registry sucked lol, so i'm going to deviate and get something fun. they're both big beer drinkers, so I thought getting them a home brew kit would be awesome.

I know absolutely nothing about home brew, so I need some guidance in what to get for them. I was thinking something along the lines of a base kit to brew something they would enjoy drinking, along with a book to read to learn how to do it.

They both drink mich light like it's the only beer in the world. I've on very rare occasions gotten her to try some easier stuff like red stripe and shock top. She said they weren't horrible, but won't ever buy them herself if mich light is available (which it is, everywhere, in minnesota) HE on the other hand will try new stuff once in a while. If its gonna be just us dudes hangin out drinkin beer, he'll buy a variety pack from schells, but 95% of the time drinks mich light. she's hopeless, but there's hope for him.

any suggestions? thanks

 

I'd be very hesitant about a brewing kit if they're not really into craft beer. If brewing isn't a passion, it would be drudgery.

 

i think those coopers kits at around a hundred bucks would be a great place to start them ...buuuut ... if he does what a lot of guys do and gets totally into brewing she will probably not be talking to you anymore ... lol

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0002F0O7W/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

 

I know a lot of craft drinkers that aren't brewers.

I'd LOVE a beer kit, they may love a case of expensive Begian ale.

 

check out http://www.midwestsupplies.com/. live chat or call them, they'll take care of you. I swear by them.

 

I DID buy my friends a beginners brew kit as a wedding gift (actually for my friend's husband-to-be, she got a spa gift cert.)

I played it safe and got him a gift cert to Midwest... he hasn't made beer yet though he did get himself a kit. I did a chat with them when I had a question and they were great - helpful and forthcoming. Figured even if they just make one batch and decide it's boring and not for them, I can get their extra equipment (mostly just kidding), and it's more fun than something that's just going to sit around with all the other registry gifts.

In short - I approve of this plan!

 

If they drink Mich light exclusively, I have a hard time thinking that they'd enjoy brewing.
One thing to think about - you might think that the gifts on their registry suck, but those are the gifts that they chose, so it's likely that they don't suck to them.

 

My thoughts exactly

 

I've got the Coopers kit and love it. Great gift idea for a new home brewer IMO.

 

Exactly. A lot of the time, boring stuff on a gift registry are actually things that a couple just starting out together actually need when combining their houses. If they solely drink Mich lite and are hessitant on trying other beers, a brewing kit sounds like a bad idea. If you're hell bent on getting them a brewing kit, do it on a more appropriate occasion like a birthday or Christmas. Op for the lame set of plates or curtains that's on their registry.

 

Seriously. I am all about getting more people into brewing, but if they drink Mich Light, the won't be able to make anything like Mich Light, and even if they had the ability to lager, making anything like Mich light is damn near impossible. And then, once they finally get good enough to make Mich Light (no offense, but highly unlikely), they couldn't make it for cheaper then they can buy it. I would pick something off of their wedding registry. It may seem boring to you, but it is what they chose. Just my thoughts bro. Sorry to burst your bubble though. Good Luck

 

Definitely this ^ Trying to force a hobby on someone sounds like a bad idea in general, but especially bad as a wedding gift. It's about the couple after all, not what you think would be fun. It would be different if they were both craft beer drinkers who had expressed some interest learning. If you want to stick to the beer theme maybe you can find something else they would enjoy - custom glasses, stuff for a home bar, etc. - plus a case of mich lite to go with!

 

I was mostly joking when saying the items on their registry sucked, because I can tell that she was completely behind picking the items out, and he was just along for the ride. She has mentioned before, while belly up at a bar sucking beer, having thought about buying him a home brew kit. After posting this, I remembered that she had mentioned that, and called him to ask if he had received one. Instead of keeping it a secret, I told him I could tell she picked out everything on the registry, and wanted to get something out of the ordinary, and this was my idea. He loved the idea, and being that wifey had considered getting him one, it should get her approval too.

He does drink other beers, but goes with mich light almost always because its readily available everywhere he goes.

Does the coopers kit linked to come with -everything- to make a first batch? assume you're talking to a child here, does it come with the ingredients and everything?

and where would be a good place to recommend my friend to get ingredients for followup batches?

kinda wish i was buying this for myself

thanks again

 

the kit will come with everything except the pot to boil in, a spoon to stir, sanitizer, the ingredients, bottles and caps.

You can look for a Local store that sells that stuff or if its too far, google for a store. Midwest is a great place to look at.