Best starter kit for beginners.

[bsanch8]

Hey guys!

First off I do not want to be repetitive with the topic, because I now this has been asked a lot, so sorry in advance! I'm new here, just registered a few minutes ago. I've been wanting to get to get into home brewing for while now and I am finally going to start! I would like to start off brewing with extracts and hopefully moving onto AG in the future. What would you guys recommend as the best kit for a beginner?

Thanks!!

 

[webby45wr]

Welcome to the hobby! I started out just like you with extract and then moved to All-Grain. Here are a few thoughts:

I'd try to find a local homebrew shop in your area. They'll sell a kit, but also be able to give lots of advice.

Otherwise, most the kits are pretty similar. Some things to keep in mind are the size of your kettle - bigger is better. I went with 9 gallons thinking it would be enough, and it is for 5 gallon batches, but I'm wishing it was 15 at this point so I could do some 10 gallon batches.

I think the biggest difference between the kits is ale pales or glass carboy. There's a big debate about which is best, but for me, it's the ale pale. I didn't want to risk breaking a glass vessel with 5 gallons of brew in it (I'm a bit clumsy).

Good luck to you!

 

[E_Marquez]

Best depends on a lot of things.. Money available, space to store and brew, desired outcome now, and 6 months from now.
You can make beer with a $40 Mr Beer kit.... You can produce undrinkable beer like stuff with a $300 kit...

June of this year I started with a Kit from Austin Homebrew Supply.
• 7.9 gallon plastic primary fermenter with a lid and stopper
• Two 3-piece airlocks for weekly brewing
• 5 gallon glass carboy secondary fermenter
• Universal stopper
• Plastic Bucket Opener
• Bottling bucket with spigot
• 6 feet of Siphon Hose (3/8" Thin Wall)
• Auto-Siphon (3/8")
• Auto-Siphon Clamp (3/8")
• Plastic Thief (Fermtech)
• Bottle Filler (3/8")
• Red Baron Bottle capper
• Bottle caps
• Nylon grain bag
• Triple scale hydrometer
• Floating thermometer
• 21" stainless steel spoon
• 20 foot wort chiller for quick cooling
• 15 foot prechiller
• Kitchen sink to garden hose adapter
• Cleanitizer (ABHS version of a sanitizer)
• Ultimate Brewery Cleaner
• 30 QT pot

June 17th I brewed my first 5 gal partial mash batch from a LHBS recipe and provided supplies, it made darn good beer.

Yesterday I brewed my 12th batch, today will be 13th.

Since June I found I don't use my secondary much (twice)
I've added more fermentation buckets, huge funnels and strainers, blow off tubes, PBW cleaner and StarSan sanitizer, spray bottless, two home built digital controlled freezer/ ferm chambers, kegging system, bottle filler, better hydrometer, new thermometer, Digital thermometer (Thermapen), Irish moss, gelatin, carboy cleaner, bottle cleaner, bottle bench capper, O2 infusion system, wort IC / prechiller coolant recirc pump / tank and more..

All of that to make Beer, which can be done with a $40 mr Beer kit...

Find a local brewer that uses the type of brewing you want to do (All Grain, extract, Partial mash, Brew in a bag, ect).. ask if you can watch him (her) on a brew day... see what equipment they use, need, state they would like to have. Or take this same person with you to your local homebrew supply store and ask them to assist in building a kit.. I say building, because some places will let you build from scratch a kit (discounted over the individual parts) or start with a kit and swap as desired. Austin HomeBrew supply is that way, as they build their kits in house.

Want a different (larger) pot, swap it in, extra bucket, third bucket for that carboy have at it..

Good luck.... just remember when someone tells you MUST HAVE this or that.. Keep in mind; Benjamin Franklin was brewing beer long before hydrometers were available, O2 infusion stones and cylinders of O2 ect ect ect.. Oh, and you can brew beer with a $40 Mr Beer kit

 

[unionrdr]

But Mr Beer kit doesn't make 5 gallons of beer. Here's some kit suggestions to start with;
http://www.austinhomebrew.com/index.php?cPath=178_33_52
http://morebeer.com/category/personal-home-brewery-equipment-kits.html
http://us.diybeer.com/
http://www.homebrewhq.com/ProductList.aspx?CategoryID=103
http://www.midwestsupplies.com/homebrewing-equipment/equipment-kits/compare-all-kits.html
http://www.northernbrewer.com/starter-kit-buyers-guide/?icn=NBHomepage&ici=BrewmasterHOMEBREWINGKIT_Tile
These should help you decide,depending on where you are & what you need to get started...

 

[E_Marquez]

But Mr Beer kit doesn't make 5 gallons of beer. Here's some kit suggestions to start with; http://www.austinhomebrew.com/index.php?cPath=178_33_52 http://morebeer.com/category/personal-home-brewery-equipment-kits.html http://us.diybeer.com/ http://www.homebrewhq.com/ProductList.aspx?CategoryID=103 http://www.midwestsupplies.com/homebrewing-equipment/equipment-kits/compare-all-kits.html http://www.northernbrewer.com/starter-kit-buyers-guide/?icn=NBHomepage&ici=BrewmasterHOMEBREWINGKIT_Tile These should help you decide,depending on where you are & what you need to get started...

Nope it does not, but it does make beer .. Which was my point.

As well as the best kit used poorly will make bad beer as well.

The OP asked for info on which kit ( what items needed )
The links you provided are general in nature to dozens of kits from each place...

Might help the OP if you could answer his question: what kit is best!

What kit or parts would you suggest?

 

[WileECoyote]

Hey guys!

First off I do not want to be repetitive with the topic, because I now this has been asked a lot, so sorry in advance! I'm new here, just registered a few minutes ago. I've been wanting to get to get into home brewing for while now and I am finally going to start! I would like to start off brewing with extracts and hopefully moving onto AG in the future. What would you guys recommend as the best kit for a beginner?

Thanks!!

This, http://www.windriverbrew.com/apprentice.html , $59.95 for this kit is a great price and you get to chose 1 of 12 recipes they have and its included in the $59.95 price.

These people are really nice to deal with too, they are also willing to work with you on customizing your kit too.

Its the best deal you will find anywhere...

Cheers

 

[unionrdr]

Nope it does not, but it does make beer .. Which was my point.

As well as the best kit used poorly will make bad beer as well.

The OP asked for info on which kit ( what items needed )
The links you provided are general in nature to dozens of kits from each place...

Might help the OP if you could answer his question: what kit is best!

What kit or parts would you suggest?

Each site def doesn't have "dozens of kits",just a few,but with things you can add on,depending on what you do/don't have or wanna get locally. So don't be overly critical till you look. But to pick what I think is best,here goes...
From midwest,which has options you can add-http://www.midwestsupplies.com/brewing-basics-equipment-kit-2.html
From Northern Brewer-http://www.northernbrewer.com/starter-kit-buyers-guide/?icn=NBHomepage&ici=BrewmasterHOMEBREWINGKIT_Tile&siteID=TnL5HPStwNw-y_SlYzP0U20Lu5Nqas6xjQ&ls_affid=TnL5HPStwNw&utm_campaign=TnL5HPStwNw&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_source=linkshare
Homebrew headquarters-http://www.homebrewhq.com/ProductDetails.aspx?productID=1064
Morebeer-http://morebeer.com/products/personal-home-brewery-kit-1-standard.html
Hope this is clearer,out of the few kit variations each one has,these are the most "alike". Be back in a while,shoppin calls...

 

[scubasteve03]

Northern Brewer (and Im sure other places too) has a 1 gallon batch starter kit as well that might be more appealing for someone just starting. The initial investment is smaller but the process is the same and the cost of ingredients are cheaper than 5 gallon batches. Northern Brewer has a few selections to choose from for 1 gallon extract kits, and you can do 1 gallon all grain batches as well if you so desired.

 

[bsanch8]

hey thanks for the replies! So far I'm looking at:
http://www.kegerator.com/gold-complete-beer-equipment-kit/K6COMPKIT.html
as a kit since it looks like it comes with a fair amount of equipment. Does this look like a solid kit or should I go for another from a different company?
Thanks again!

 

[WileECoyote]

Did you even look at the kit I posted ? ? ? add a kettle to it and you will have about the same equipment as in your link, and it will come with the ingredients to make a batch for about $100 total.

Cheers