Starter Kit Buyer's Guide
If you're on a quest for the perfect home brewing setup, whether it's for yourself or a friend eager to delve into the world of homebrewing, you've landed in the right spot. With a plethora of options available, there's no single 'right' or 'wrong' choice, but rather choices that can perfectly cater to your unique preferences. Let us assist you in determining which brewing starter kit aligns best with your needs.
Volume: 1 Gallon Vs. 5 Gallon
Homebrewing enthusiasts enjoy crafting beer in a variety of locations, from their kitchen or garage to the open expanse of their backyard. If you're working with limited space like a small apartment or kitchen, a 1-gallon batch is probably your ideal choice. However, if you have ample room or intend to brew outdoors, you might want to explore 5-gallon batches. To provide some context, a 1-gallon kit yields approximately 10 or so beers, while the 5-gallon kit results in a hearty batch of around 50 breers.
Understanding Your Equipment
Once you’ve landed on which size kit you’re going with, you can choose what kettle you’ll be brewing your beer in. For brewing a 1 gallon batch, you may already be set with what you have in your kitchen - a large spaghetti pot (about 2 gallons) works great for 1 gallon brewing! If you don’t have a large enough pot, you can add a 2-gallon stainless kettle to your cart. The 5 gallon brewing kits however, give you multiple options for large brew kettles. The Brew Share Enjoy kit comes with a 5 gallon stainless steel kettle (for use with a stove-top or propane burner), the Ultimate Craft Brewery in a Box kit features the 8 gallon MegaPot 304 Stainless Steel brew kettle, and our Electric Brew Share Enjoy kit lets you brew anywhere with the fully portable Gigawort® Electric Brewing Kettle.
The fermenter is where the alchemical transformation of your beer takes place over a span of several weeks. It's the true magic chamber. The primary divergence at this stage is between glass and plastic. A glass carboy boasts durability and is ideal for extended aging, not to mention the joy of observing the fermentation process. However, the trade-off lies in their weight and fragility. On the other hand, plastic fermentation pails are lightweight, easy to manage and clean, and resistant to breakage, though they may require periodic replacement.
Every starter kit includes a recipe kit, complete with all the essential ingredients required for your brewing adventure. Inside this kit, you'll find precisely measured portions of malt extract, specialty grains, hops, and yeast to ensure the creation of a flawless brew. Additionally, you'll receive a set of comprehensive, step-by-step instructions guiding you through the entire journey, starting from brewday and leading you all the way to the bottling stage.
1 Gallon
Essential Craft Beer Making Kit
This brewing kit is a comprehensive package designed to facilitate the production of a single gallon of beer. The only extra item you'll need is a 2-gallon pot, and your trusty pasta pot will serve the purpose perfectly. It offers a choice of three distinctive recipe options: Cascade Pass Pale Ale, Bavarian Blonde Ale, or Log Splitter Brown Ale.
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Craft Beer Making Kit with Siphonless Fermenter
This brewing kit is an all-inclusive solution for crafting a single gallon of beer. All that's left for you to do is to supply a 2-gallon pot, and your trusty pasta pot will fit the bill perfectly. With a selection of four distinctive beer recipe kits at your disposal, you're guaranteed to find the perfect brew for your taste.Shop Now >
5 Gallon
Searching for a great value on your beer-making journey? We've streamlined our top-selling Brew Share Enjoy® homebrew starter kit to focus on the essentials. This kit delivers all the necessary components without any unnecessary extras. It even features the popular Block Party Amber recipe kit.
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Stepping up from our essential version, this kit is fully equipped for your brewing endeavors. It comes complete with a 5-gallon brewing kettle and allows you to pick from three of our most beloved recipe kits. The Brew Share Enjoy starter kit is the ideal choice for any aspiring brewer, offering everything you need to kickstart your brewing journey.
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Building on the improvements of the previous kit, this one offers some noteworthy enhancements. Most notably, it allows you to brew in virtually any location with an electrical outlet, eliminating the reliance on propane burners. What really stands out is the inclusion of an immersion wort chiller, making the brewing process even more efficient and convenient!
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Ultimate craft Brewery in a Box
Experience an incredibly smooth and hassle-free brew day with our comprehensive kit, featuring the Darkstar 2.0 Burner, a sturdy MegaPot with a convenient ball valve and thermometer, a stainless steel Silver Serpent wort chiller, the Reactor Stainless Steel Conical Fermenter, and a curated selection of other top-notch products that collectively elevate this starter kit to ultimate status.
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Next Steps:
Have you discovered the perfect choice for your needs? Fantastic! Still have some lingering questions? It's only natural! We've provided a wealth of information, and it might be new territory for you. However, fear not, because we offer a rich trove of insightful blog articles that delve into equipment, ingredients, and the art of brewing as a beginner. Additionally, our expert team is always enthusiastic about assisting fellow brewers on their journey. Feel free to reach out to us anytime via email at Hops@homebrewing.org if you have any questions!
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