Brewing Kits

[LILJONNYWV]

Are most of the brewing kits the same or are there a couple that are better quality? I have looked at them from a few places and they look the same and have the samethings with them but one will be $20 more. I just want to get the best for my money.

 

[HickoryMike]

There can be a huge difference between suppliers. For my first brew I went with a cheap kit from one of the more popular vendors. The kit was a stout with a starting gravity of 1.042 and I ended up with a low alcohol, watery stout (the flavors were nice, but the body was unacceptable). In this case, I got what I paid for.

I am now a loyal AHS customer. Their kits are a tad more expensive, but their kits are far better than what I had used from the other vendor.

A friend of mine just started brewing and also decided he wanted his first brew to be an oatmeal stout. He purchased his kit from AHS though which had .5 lb more extract and 1lb more specialty grains. He is going to end up with a stout that TASTES like a stout (i think the AHS kit was $5 more than the cheapo I had purchased).

I have become an AHS apologist. In the last 2 months I have done $300 worth of business with them and have yet to be disappointed.

 

[erock2112]

Just to clarify, are you asking about ingredient kits or about equipment kits? I think what Mike said is definitely true for ingredients - you get what you pay for. As for equipment, the basic kit is essentially a couple of food-grade buckets, maybe a carboy, and a whole bunch of small stuff - hydrometer, capper, etc. I found a great deal on craigslist for my equipment: $125 for 3 glass carboys, a ton of bottles, a bench capper, wine corker, 8 extract cans (long expired - my first brew with these was pretty awful), hydrometer, bottles brush and various other things. I suggest trying to find used equipment. However, be careful about used plastic for fermentors (buckets, better bottles). The tiniest scratch can harbor infection.

 

[CiscoKid]

I am now a loyal AHS customer. Their kits are a tad more expensive, but their kits are far better than what I had used from the other vendor.

Amen. I've also been very happy with AHS and their beer kits. It's now the first place I shop for anything.

As for equipment kits - my only advise would be to get a 2 bucket kit instead of one with a bucket and a glass carboy. But I just don't like the glass carboys. Things I think should be in a kit:

* 2 buckets... if they're both 6.5 gallons even better (you now have 2 primaries so you can get started on your 2nd batch)...
* Hydrometer
* 2 X Airlocks
* Autosiphon
* 2 X 6 ft. runs of 3/8" hose
* Bottling bucket (plastic bucket with port and spigot)
* Immersion wort chiller
* Bottle caps
* Bottle capper
* Bottle brush
* PBW or some equivalent
* Star-San
* The complete joy of homebrewing, 3rd edition

What am I missing?

 

[Jimmies]

I've done two Brewer's Best kits (Weizenbier and Russian Imperial Stout) and I've been happy with both. But it seems lots of folk here really swear by the Austin Homebrew Supply (AHS) for their kits. My next one will be AHS so I have something to compare it to. I can't go all-grain because of space limitations.

 

[maida7]

I have had great success with Austin Homebrew kits. Morebeer kits are equaly good as AHS. I have yet to try one but Northern brewer looks to have a good selection of kits as well.

I'd stay away from the can extract kits.

 

[eljefe]

The only thing I would add to CiscoKids list is a thermometer (one to slap on the side of a bucket), a bottling wand (the one that shuts off automatically when a bottle is removed) and a boiling kettle assuming you don't have. Other than that it is a very comprehensive list for someone new to the hobby.

 

[LILJONNYWV]

Thanks for all the help guys. I'm wanting to do some PM or AG brewing. I have a MR. Beer kit so its time to step it up.