Where should I buy my 1st kit?

[mattrobertson]

I am new to this whole beer brewing thing. I already have a dual tower kegerator so I won't need bottling stuff. But I want to know if someone can give me a few names of some reputable online retailers that I should but a equipment kit from.

 

[Brew-boy]

Northern Brewer and Midwest are top Notch.

 

[maxamuus]

Got my first from Austin Home Brew Supply. Very fast ordered it and it shipped then next day.

 

[Wade E]

Heres 3 places that also contribute to this site!

http://www.austinhomebrew.com/index.php?cPath=178_33_52

http://www.brewmasterswarehouse.com/equipment/equipment-kits

http://www.rebelbrewer.com/shoppingcart/categories/Brewing-Equipment/Getting-Started/

 

[ICanHazBeer]

Northern Brewer and Midwest are top Notch.

+1 for these guys, they are only a couple hundred miles away and shipping is very fast. Recently tried BrewMasterWarehouse.com and was very happy with them. And, one last one, MoreBeer.com, for the free shipping.

 

[JOHN51277]

I have been using Northernbrewer, Midwest Brewing, Austin HomebrewSupply, and Williams for years...All are pretty good.

 

[Moose777]

I started with Midwest, then went to Northern. Good luck.

 

[Moose777]

Check out Midwest's very helpful how to videos on their site..helped me when I was starting.

 

[user 53515]

I got mine from costco.com! Brewcraft kit.

 

[Grinder12000]

I vote for Austin Home Brew just for their great website and fantastic kits and pricing and their owner belongs to this group - but those are the only reason.

 

[Floody]

I would go to a homebrew store if there's one nearby. The people who work there are usually experienced brewers and there's nothing like talking to them about your recipes and getting advice from them. After I brewed my first batch I gave my guy a bottle and he gave me lots of helpful feedback. Plus their prices are pretty much comparable to what you would pay online + shipping costs.

 

[parratt1]

I have ordered from Midwest,Austin,and brewmasters warehouse. All are fantastic. I will say this, brewmasters has $7.99 (I think that is the price) shipping and they will usually get your order out the same day if you place it early which is a huge plus in my mind. They have a really cool brew builder which lets you make and save recipes on their website as well.

 

[jjyoung]

Floody said:

I would go to a homebrew store if there's one nearby.

I agree with this. If you're new to brewing go to your local shop to get your ingredients. Having a real person to talk to can be a big help when you're getting started. However, be careful about buying equipment...you don't really need much to get started so don't over-buy until you find out what all you'll really use.

 

[hal2814]

I helped a friend find a beginner kit online. He went with the Rebel Brewer kit. It was nice except for two things: the racking cane was very narrow and there was no hydrometer in the beginner kit. Otherwise that one was solid. I'd buy local if you can though. Usually beginner kits are pretty close to the same price local vs. online.

 

[fatmoose]

I'll add a vote for your local home brewing store, there's typically a lot of knowledgeable people kicking around those places. I'm local to Midwest Supplies so I'll generally run up there to get stuff. They've got a great setup, just moved into a bigger and better facility.