Best Gift for a Future MicroBrewer...

[Srfldybg]

My boyfriend is a Beer Lover and enthusiast, and is quickly turning me into an appreciator as well. His dream is to one day (in the near future) open up his own Microbrewery. He's taken some classes on Brewing and what not.

I want to get him a Microbrewery Kit of some kind for Christmas to help him start up/practice and enjoy. So far, Mr.Beer's Kit is looking like the best.

What is the best one out there? With these kits, are there any must have accessories or things I should take into account before purchasing?

Please help!!!

 

[jeepinjeepin]

It's all a matter of how much you want to spend. What is the budget? How many quarts is his largest pot in the kitchen? Do you have a local home brew shop nearby? It may seem intimidating going in without much knowledge but a good shop owner will be willing to help you out.

 

[buffalobrewer]

I would start him off with something like one of these Personal Home Brewery Equipment Kits | MoreBeer . There should be a homebrewing shop near you (not real familiar with the area) that sells something similar. THe advantage of this type of kit is the equipment will be usable as his brewing advances.

 

[Farwalker]

get him a couple carboys and a nice thermometer and hydrometer and thats all he will need!! way to be supportive
for your mans passion yo!!!

 

[nukinfuts29]

Get him a kit from MoreBeer and a paid membership here!

 

[Fid]

I'm with buffalobrewer... grab whichever kit at morebeer.com that falls within your budget. Mr Beer kits, by and large, consist of opening a can, adding water and yeast and letting it sit. Sure, the end result is still beer, but, at least as far as I'm concerned, you loose alot of that connection to the finished product. Sorta like making biscuits from scratch vs opening a can of Pilsbury and tossing it in the oven. A nice starter kit from morebeer will give him something to grow into.

Cheers to you for supporting his hobby!

 

[Fid]

Also, make sure you read the descriptions of each of the MoreBeer.com kits. They do a pretty good job of explaining what each kit contains and what else would be needed to brew beer. For a new brewer I'd say that kits 1 through 3 are your most logical options depending on your budget.

I know that Mr. Beer is less than half the price of the minimal kit on MoreBeer.com but if it was me, I'd be much happier and much more impressed if I were given a more legitimate setup for Christmas. Mr. Beer is a fine starting point, but once you outgrow the Mr. Beer kits there's little use for most of the supplies that it comes with.

 

[Fid]

Also, a Mr. Beer kit limits production to around 20 - 12oz beers per batch. A kit similar to the ones that buffalobrewer linked to from MoreBeer.com will allow for more than double the number of beers per batch. OK, I'm done now.

 

[Srfldybg]

Thanks everyone!!!! This is some great advice! He's so passionate about it, I want him to feel supported and love the kit.

MoreBeer Kit #3 is seeming like a winner.

Thanks!!! Happy Brewing!

 

[shorthope]

Or, you could start him off with one of these 1-gallon kits from Brooklyn Brew Shop: Beer Making Kits

1) starts him off with all-grain brewing, which, if he likes the hobby (or, certainly if he wants to get involved enough to consider opening a microbrewery), is where he'll end up anyway

2) stove-top method, requires 3 stock pots, but no other specialized equipment beyond what is in the box and the whole thing is really easy to store

3) cheap ($45) compared to the all-in MoreBeer kit

4) gives him a chance to try the process and see if he really likes it before he has a whole bunch of brewing stuff in the garage that he never uses again. hey, I love the hobby, but I'd be a fool to deny that that's where a lot of these all-in-1 kits wind up

5) The beer is really good! The IPA turned out well for me, as did their bourbon dubbel.

So, that's my 0.02. Good luck whatever you decide!

 

[cracked1]

It's pretty awesome that you are ready and willing to spend that much to help get him up and running. I would have been STOKED to get kit #3 as a gift. As a matter of fact, any of the kits would be spectacular. But, if you can swing the cash, then kit #4 would probably allow the most flexibility in the future. It would certainly allow him to step up to brewing full all-grain batches without having to add much more equipment. And brewing all-grain is definitely something he will have to know how to do and have LOTS of practice with if he wants to brew on the nano or micro level.

 

[agsensi]

I just got a nice full kit from town here for 100. Not sure if u can order and have it shipped. Included everything including first batch ingredents

 

[mikeysab]

EVERYTHING - Complete Brewing Package Equipment Kit

This kit has everything you need, plus ingredients, at a better price than morebeers comparable kit. If you have the pot and the bottles they also have a bunch of other starter kits, with ingredients and free shipping right now. Just check their home page, and it's the first offer.

 

[KevinW]

Thanks everyone!!!! This is some great advice! He's so passionate about it, I want him to feel supported and love the kit.

MoreBeer Kit #3 is seeming like a winner.

Thanks!!! Happy Brewing!

As others have said, just the fact that you are so supportive in his endeavor is gift enough.

This forum as well as palmers howtobrew.com is a great "free" source of reference!

Good luck to the both of you and be prepared for the long dark trip down obsession alley:cross:

 

[Tyrone]

can't go wrong with morebeer #3! Hopefully he'll make you some delicious elixir in return for the gift!