Need advice on a beginner kit..

[yuppicide]

Someone I know has a Mr. Beer kit. He enjoys it and beer. I'd like to ween him off the nipple and get him into real brewing.

Could someone recommend me the best kit to buy for a good price? I'm in New Jersey. There's a store about an hour from me that has a kit for $140. I'm not sure I want to spend that much. It's a deluxe kit in a box. I'm not sure of everything it came with, but he said I'd need a pot also, so then I'm up to $160.

This place is near me also.. is this any good?

https://www.brewapp.com/shop/product.php?productid=16227&cat=250&page=1

I don't want to give a gift and then have him need 8 million other things.. sure I understand he'll need actual beer ingredients. Fine he can get them. I'll get a pot.

 

[GilSwillBasementBrews]

Wow that seems expensive. The LHBS to me in PA has astarter kit for 65$
http://www.keystonehomebrew.com/sho...kit.html?SID=6cab6ca10838bd8053ebec87d52205aa

Everything but ingredients and pot.

 

[zeg]

It's hard to say whether $140 is a fair price or not without knowing the contents. If it's like this one (http://www.midwestsupplies.com/brewing-intermediate-kit-w-two-5-gallon-glass-carboys.html), then it might be a good deal. The $70 one you linked is certainly fine. You definitely want a hydrometer test jar in addition to that, though.

Unless shopping for myself, I'd probably get the $70 one. The additional equipment in the more expensive kits may or may not be useful, depending on the types of beers and methods that the brewer adopts. Even for myself, I'd probably start with the minimal kit and add exactly what I wanted. (In my case, I didn't start with a kit at all, actually.)

 

[Paulgs3]

I'm also piecing together a kit for a newbie. I don't like the inclusion of secondaries, even more so two secondaries that are glass carboys. A lot of kits seem to come that way.

 

[blackrockbrewer]

Not for nothing look around on the internet. Northern Brewer is like one stop shopping and you could get up and going for way less than $140. For that price you can get the beginner's set up, a pot and two beer kits.

 

[RIC0]

Check around at some of your larger party stores/liquor stores. A couple in KY carry brewing supplies and kits.

I started out with the basic Brewers Best kit and it was like $75

Stainless 40qt pot was $35 at walmart

Ingredient kit can be between $30 and $50 depending on what you want to brew.

This is enough for a batch of beer in say 6-8 weeks....:rockin:

 

[BrewKid]

I started out with the basic Brewers Best kit and it was like $75

That is a very good question. I have been brewing now for 3 months and just did my first all grain batch this week. So far so good.

But now I'm looking to get my brother a beer kit to get him started. Though he lives in Houston so I need something he can take back with him on the plane.

So my question is which is small enough to fit on the plane but will still get him hooked into home brewing.

We all know what Mr. Beer has to offer. Now here is the link for Northern Brewers small batch kit.
http://www.northernbrewer.com/shop/...t.html?icn=NBHomepage&ici=SMALLBATCHKit_Slide

 

[zeg]

I'm also piecing together a kit for a newbie. I don't like the inclusion of secondaries, even more so two secondaries that are glass carboys. A lot of kits seem to come that way.

I agree about glass, but if it's what you want (and it's what the kit has), then the price is about right. If it is just the buckets, it's a bad deal.

Also, there's nothing magical about a carboy or better bottle that makes it a "secondary." A bucket and two carboys can just as well be three primaries.

 

[BansheeRider]

Someone I know has a Mr. Beer kit. He enjoys it and beer. I'd like to ween him off the nipple and get him into real brewing.

Could someone recommend me the best kit to buy for a good price? I'm in New Jersey. There's a store about an hour from me that has a kit for $140. I'm not sure I want to spend that much. It's a deluxe kit in a box. I'm not sure of everything it came with, but he said I'd need a pot also, so then I'm up to $160.

This place is near me also.. is this any good?

https://www.brewapp.com/shop/product.php?productid=16227&cat=250&page=1

I don't want to give a gift and then have him need 8 million other things.. sure I understand he'll need actual beer ingredients. Fine he can get them. I'll get a pot.

I am a newbie and looking for a kit as well. I am currently brewing with my first Mr. Beer kit and looking to upgrade for my next batch. I found what appears to be a good price for a beginners kit at MidWest Supplies.......

http://www.midwestsupplies.com/brewing-starter-plus-kit.html

This includes everything you need, including a pot, ingredients for your first brew, and bottles. I am not sure how much shipping would be though. Maybe call them and ask about possible free shipping.

 

[BrewKid]

I found what appears to be a good price for a beginners kit at MidWest Supplies.......

http://www.midwestsupplies.com/brewing-starter-plus-kit.html

This includes everything you need, including a pot, ingredients for your first brew, and bottles.

This looks like a very nice kit. Since it also includes a 5 gallon kettle and even bottles. For the price, it seems very reasonable. Then again it just depends on what equipment you already have. If you just have a Mr. Beer kit then this would be quite the upgrade. My first equipment kit was the Brewers Best kit which I bought from my LHBS for $65. But then I had to buy an 8 gallon kettle for $80 at walmart. Beer kits from Brewers Best are $45 at least. So my total was $190. Which doesn't include bottles.

This kit seems like a steal.

 

[RIC0]

After a month or so of brewing you'll be out buying more primaries... LOL

I've currently got 4 not including my bottling bucket.

Will be getting another one this weekend. $20 for a bucket, lid and airlock versus $40 for glass carboy and airlock. The glass carboys are cool an all but dam they ain't cheap. Keep in a mind a blowoff tube is needed for a 5 gallon carboy.

 

[GeorgiaTiger]

I am a newbie and looking for a kit as well. I am currently brewing with my first Mr. Beer kit and looking to upgrade for my next batch.

DONT throw that Mr. Beer keg away or get rid of it. That LBK is a great little fermenter. I brewed my Mr. Beer Kit brew and my very next one was a partial mash that is now fermenting in that LBK. I have moved up to fermenting buckets now, but will still brew and ferment with the LBK.

 

[adman]

DONT throw that Mr. Beer keg away or get rid of it. That LBK is a great little fermenter. I brewed my Mr. Beer Kit brew and my very next one was a partial mash that is now fermenting in that LBK. I have moved up to fermenting buckets now, but will still brew and ferment with the LBK.

GeorgiaTiger makes a great point. Particularly if your friend wants to occasionally brew smaller batches, there is nothing at all wrong with the LBK as a fermenter. My first extract (non-Mr. Beer) batch, my first partial mash batch, and my first all grain batch all fermented just fine in my LBK. Once I made the decision to move up to 5+ gallons, I stopped using the LBK, but until that time, it made a great fermenter. I still miss the ability to take a gravity reading straight from the spout.

 

[BansheeRider]

GeorgiaTiger makes a great point. Particularly if your friend wants to occasionally brew smaller batches, there is nothing at all wrong with the LBK as a fermenter. My first extract (non-Mr. Beer) batch, my first partial mash batch, and my first all grain batch all fermented just fine in my LBK. Once I made the decision to move up to 5+ gallons, I stopped using the LBK, but until that time, it made a great fermenter. I still miss the ability to take a gravity reading straight from the spout.

I just took a reading from the spout. It does seem convenient however I haven't experienced anything else.

DONT throw that Mr. Beer keg away or get rid of it. That LBK is a great little fermenter. I brewed my Mr. Beer Kit brew and my very next one was a partial mash that is now fermenting in that LBK. I have moved up to fermenting buckets now, but will still brew and ferment with the LBK.

I wouldn't dream of it lol!

This looks like a very nice kit. Since it also includes a 5 gallon kettle and even bottles. For the price, it seems very reasonable. Then again it just depends on what equipment you already have. If you just have a Mr. Beer kit then this would be quite the upgrade. My first equipment kit was the Brewers Best kit which I bought from my LHBS for $65. But then I had to buy an 8 gallon kettle for $80 at walmart. Beer kits from Brewers Best are $45 at least. So my total was $190. Which doesn't include bottles.

This kit seems like a steal.

I think so too. I'm waiting to see how much money I get for my Bday and Xmas before I buy this kit. Although I have a feeling shipping could be very expensive for all those items.

 

[yuppicide]

Thanks for the replies. Actually I remembered the website for the store I saw the kit at.. it's $130 and they will give me a discount on a pot if I buy together:

It says "Deluxe Brewer's Best"

http://www.kegandbarrelhomebrewsupply.com/Pages/Equipment.aspx

Just doesn't describe it any further. I think someone here recommended Brewer's Best in this thread.

 

[yuppicide]

Even though the first kit I showed here for $70 and the $65 one someone here posted have different descriptions, looking at the picture I think they're the same ones. So, by driving a little bit I'll save on shipping. The one near me also says it comes with a booklet.. I'm sure the other one does too, but just to be sure I think I'll get this.

 

[BrewKid]

Even though the first kit I showed here for $70 and the $65 one someone here posted have different descriptions, looking at the picture I think they're the same ones. So, by driving a little bit I'll save on shipping. The one near me also says it comes with a booklet.. I'm sure the other one does too, but just to be sure I think I'll get this.

That was me!!

Yes that Brewers Best kit will work perfectly! Good luck to you.