Starting as a home cook, you get to experience new things all the time. Discovering new flavors or techniques is such a magical experience for me, which is why I’ve always stuck with cooking.
This act of discovering new hobbies and skills has grown far bigger than my home cooking. This has spread to all corners of my life and has become something that makes me curious in whatever area I approach.
You can imagine, then, that when I heard about homebrewing, I was quite awestruck. It was fascinating to me that the everyday beers you can see in the alcohol section of the supermarket can be done at home, and with such finesse.
Not only am I amazed by the fact that you can make it at home, but I am also amazed that people are actually very invested in this hobby, turning it into their own kind of art. It’s fascinating how much customization and care gets put into the process of making beer.
If you have also seen the magic of homebrewing recently and have found an interest in it, I’m sure you’re just as excited as I am to explore a whole new world. However, it can also be quite overwhelming, especially if you don’t know anyone who brews their own beer.
Luckily, brewers’ beer kits exist! These beer kits are made to help you homebrew with ease and without hassle. It’s not only a great way to get you started, but it’s also great for long-time brewers who would like to find new methods of brewing their own beer.
If you’re as excited as I am now, keep reading as we find the 5 best brewers’ beer kits on the market.
Table of Contents
BrewDemon Craft Beer Kit
BrewDemon really knows what goes on when you ferment your beer. They have taken into consideration the things that happen during the process and have designed their brew kits accordingly!
How, exactly, does the BrewDemon Craft Beer Kit do that? They boast the way that their fermenters are shaped like a cone on the bottom. These are meant to catch the sediments that usually come as you pour yourself a mug of homebrewed beer. This definitely affects the way the beer tastes.
The beer recipe included in the kit, which is a light beer called pilsner, is handcrafted in New Zealand to be able to give you a great brewing experience at home. In just 14 days, you’ll have a delicious tasting beer.
Included in the kit are bottles that are made of high-density polymer in order to endure the carbonation that happens within. The amber color will also help preserve the beer. The actual brewing process is very easy; do it in 30 minutes and focus on adding the flavors you actually want!
Some users, however, have complained about the container not having an airtight lid. This is important to keep oxygen from coming into the container and causing oxidation.
Pros
- Conical shape catches sediments
- Quick brewing process
- Recipe included from New Zealand
Cons
- No airlock
Northern Brewer Homebrewing Starter Set
The Northern Brewer Homebrewing Starter Set is the highest rated starter kit that we’ve seen so far and for good reason! This starter set will help you learn the basics of brewing and will guide you through the process, especially if you’re someone who is not confident in their brewing skills at all.
If you’re looking to make a big batch for a lot of people, the Northern Brewer offers a 6.5-gallon fermenter and includes an airlock that will help keep your fermentation process safe and effective. You also get a spigot that will make it so much easier to bottle the brewed beer.
This covers all the basics, even from the initial sanitizing step before you start siphoning your beer. It includes a sanitizer, oxygen wash, auto siphon, bottle capper, and a lot more.
Should you get confused about the process, you can simply hit them up at the provided contact details and they will respond as soon as they can! This shows me that they really care about their customers and their homebrewing experience.
Some users have complained about loose lids on their brewing kit. Some have also complained about leaks, especially on their spigots, so keep an eye out for that! However, most users loved this product!
Pros
- Complete starter kit
- Great for beginners
- Big batch (6.5-gallons)
Cons
- Some users have reported either too loose or too tight lids
PicoBrew Pico C
If you’re more of the techy type and have advanced brewing skills, you might want to look into appliances that will make your brewing experience more efficient. The PicoBrew Pico C offers that with its beer brewing appliance that looks straight out of a futuristic movie!
The cool thing about PicoBrew is its ability to let you adjust the ABV (alcohol content) and IBU (bitterness) of any Pico Pak. Pico Paks are basically packs of ready to brew grains that you only need to insert into the PicoBrew Pico C Beer Brewing Appliance.
You can select any Pico Pak on their Brew Marketplace and try different flavors of beer. Each pack will brew 5 liters of beer. You can even customize your own Pico Pak and choose or lose the grains you want to see in the pack!
It’s a very simple process and takes away all the work you usually do when going through a normal brewing process. So, if you’re interested in the basic processes, this appliance is not for you.
Some users have even complained about their Pico Paks leaking everywhere, which is definitely something you shouldn’t get for such an expensive product!
Pros
- Techy appliance to bring brewing to another level
- Customizable grains in Pico Paks
- Adjustable ABV and IBU levels
Cons
- Quite confusing to work with in the beginning
Muntons Craft Beer in a Bag Beer Making Kit
You might be someone who doesn’t have time to do the traditional homebrewing process but desperately wants to explore the world of homebrewing. You might just not have that much time and money to invest into a whole homebrewing kit. All the sanitizing and clanky pots just overwhelm you!
Well, worry not, as you don’t have to spend a fortune to get a taste of your own homebrewing experience. The Muntons Craft Beer in a Bag Beer Making Kit makes it so that you don’t need any extra equipment. All you have to do is add water and let it brew for 30 days. That’s. All.
It comes in different flavors you could choose from. Stick with your favorite one and you’ll get a great experience, especially with the tap that would make it so much easier to pour your beer out of. Its instructions are also very clear and available to you on their website. There’s no room for guessing here!
You might miss the traditional process, though, especially if you’re an advanced brewer. You might also not like how you can’t customize the flavors too much as you have around 3 flavors to choose from.
Some users have even complained about this being a flat beer with a bad taste. Regardless, it’s really up to you if you want to try this; it’s cheap, after all, and saves you a lot of time!
Pros
- Easy homebrewing method
- Cheaper than most brewing kits
Cons
- You’ll miss out on the traditional process
- No option to customize beer
Things to Consider While Buying Brewers’ Beer Kits
Obviously, if you’re only a beginner brewer, there are a lot of things to consider. You might get a bit overwhelmed with the number of materials you actually need and the amount of work it takes to get a good batch of beer, but the end result is always priceless.
You might also need a refresher as someone who has been brewing for a long time and just needs to make sure you got the fundamentals right. Regardless of your brewer levels, you’re bound to find something useful in reviewing and learning the fundamentals of buying brewers’ beer kits.
Materials You Need
When it comes to homebrewing your own beer, it should be no surprise to you that there are a lot of materials you need to have (unless, of course, you’re going for something like the Muntons Craft Beer in a Bag Beer Making Kit which only requires water from you).
I’m going to assume, though, that you’re more inclined to try the traditional homebrewing process as most of us are, especially in the beginning. There’s something very fascinating about taking grains and making them into something wonderful to drink.
In order to make sure you’re getting the best out of your basic starter homebrewing kit, you have to know what materials are essential in homebrewing. Usually, starter kits include packets that are ready to ferment and require no more heating yourself, but if you want to be able to customize your beers, you might want to learn the traditional homebrewing process.
You’ll be needing:
- 4 gallon pot
- This is where you’ll be heating up your grains and basically letting them flavor the hot water. The bigger the better, as the larger the volume, the more beer you’ll be able to brew!
- Grain bags
- 6 gallon fermentation bucket
- This is where your wort (water + extract) will be fermenting. In most starter brewers’ beer kits, you’ll find one like this (except in a smaller volume).
- Usually, your fermentation bucket is going to include an airlock and a stopper, but if not, make sure you have those as well. This will make sure that no oxygen comes into your container. The Mr. Beer Beer Making Kit saves you money as it includes the airlock and stopper in their kit.
- Oxygen destabilizes the liquid and makes the taste flatter and less appealing. The airlock will also help release the CO2 that will build up as the beer ferments.
- 6 gallon plastic bucket
- You’ll be placing the already fermented beer into this bucket for easier bottling. Make sure that the fermentation bucket has a spigot (a faucet)!
- Food grade sanitizer
- This will help keep your homebrewing process as safe and as clean as possible. After all, you will be ingesting the end product, along with some of your friends. The Northern Brewer Homebrewing Starter Set will even include that for you.
- Bottles
Batch Size
Want to brew a batch that’s only for two people? Or are you getting ready for a party and want to impress some of your friends? Regardless, there will be a batch size perfect for you.
Brewers’ beer kits will always specify the volume that the kit shall create for every batch. They even include the number of servings along with the serving sizes.
You’ll get a general feel of how much a kit creates by seeing how many bottles they provide (if any). The BrewDemon Craft Beer Kit, for example, provides 4 bottles for carbonation.
Recipes
Brewers’ beer kits often take into consideration beginner brewers who do not know what ingredients are to be used in homebrewing. Therefore, each brand usually has its own set of beer flavors.
The more flavors a brand has, the better, as you can try a lot more flavors with less of the hassle. Some brands will even let you customize your own flavor, such as the PicoBrew Pico C in their Pico Paks.
Frequently Asked Questions On Brewers Beer Kits
Fermentation usually starts around, at most, 72 hours after adding the yeast and letting it settle. If you don’t see any signs, try to check if your airlock is tightened. There must be little to no carbon dioxide escaping!
You should store it in a dark place at around 18 to 25°C (or 65 to 77°F).
Aside from checking for bubbling, you must make sure that you have aerated the yeast in the wort enough by shaking the container for around 10 minutes. This will help the yeast reproduce, starting the fermentation process.
Wrapping Up
Homebrewing can be a tricky thing to get into, but this hobby can give you a lifetime of discovering new flavors and grains that would make you feel like you tasted beer for the first time again. You’ll find how important it is to get creative with the craft, and that it’s somewhat of an art to perfect the balance of flavors.
The fact that you can do this homebrewing method at home when it’s done every day on the industrial scale is an amazing thing! I hope you choose wisely and based on your preferences as you shop the best brewers’ beer kits on the market.
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