Homebrew Starter Kits Comparison
The world of homebrewing can be quite overwhelming when you first start. You got to begin somewhere though and homebrew starter kits offer it at a reasonable price. They are however not all created equal with some requiring little extras while others are complete. It’s also important to note if they have potential for upgrade use. I’ll break down some of the most popular kits for you so you’ll hit the ground running.
Your first consideration when buying a homebrew starter kit is to decide what type of brewer you want to be. Extract, BIAB, and all grain brewing are your options. All are perfectly fine but the latter two give you much more control over your beer. Your next consideration is what size batches you want to make. Starting out you should go with either one gallon or five gallon batches. A one gallon batch will yield nine to ten 12 ounce bottles while five gallons will give you around fifty 12 ounce bottles. There are way more 5 gallon kits available compared to 1 gallon ones.
Here are the pros and cons of each method of brewing.
Extract Brewing: (Here’s my guide to extract brewing.)
Pros:
- One vessel brewing
- Quick clean up
- Very easy to hit target gravity and volume
- Very little equipment to store
Cons:
- Expensive
- Limited extracts (base malts)
- Most beers will have similar caramel flavors
BIAB (Brew In A Bag):
Pros:
- One vessel brewing
- Quick clean up
- Works well on stove top
- Very little equipment to store
Cons:
- Generally lower efficiencies than typical all grain
- More control over wort production than extract but not as much as all grain
All Grain Brewing:
Pros:
- Cheap ingredients
- Tons of control over wort production process
Cons:
- Need at least two vessels but three are recommended
- Must calculate your water loss through multiple steps
- Long clean up times
- Lots of equipment to store
Upgradeability is a very important thing no matter which method you go with. If you’re unsure if you’ll like brewing then go with the one of the cheaper homebrew starter kits. If you know you’ll love it then you’ll want the equipment to be useful when going for bigger batches. Homebrewing is not a cheap hobby so not needing to re-buy something is a real blessing. Finally do realize homebrewing will unlikely save you money as you’ll now be brewing your own and buying “tasting samples” of craft breweries.
Homebrew Starter Kits Sorted By Price:
*Price or kit contents may have changed since I wrote this. | Affiliate links are included for many of the items.
MR Beer 8 Liter Homebrew Kit:
- Price: $45.99
- Batch Size: Slightly over 1 gallon
- Brew Kettle: No
- Fermentation: 8 liter brown keg with lid and spigot
- Temperature & Gravity Measurement: Stick on thermometer, lab thermometer and hydrometer with 10 inch testing vessel
- Bottling: 740 mL PET bottles with caps and labels as well as carbonation drops
- Cleaning & Sanitizing: No rinse cleaner
- Liquid Transfer: N/A
- Extras: Instruction manual
- Beer Kit Included: Yes, basic extract with yeast
Brewer’s Best 1 Gallon Brewing Starter Kit:
- Price: $59.99
- Batch Size: 1 gallon
- Brew Kettle: No
- Fermentation: 2 gallon plastic bucket with lid and 3 piece airlock as well as a 1 gallon glass jug with screw top lid
- Temperature & Gravity Measurement: Stick on thermometer, lab thermometer and hydrometer with 10 inch testing vessel
- Bottling: N/A
- Cleaning & Sanitizing: Bottle brush, Easy clean cleanser, and IO Star sanitizer
- Liquid Transfer: Mini auto-siphon and tubing
- Extras: Instruction manual
- Beer Kit Included: No, but available for $15 more.
Great Fermentations Basic Brewing Starter Kit:
- Price: $84.99 or $99.99 with beer kit
- Batch Size: 5 gallons
- Brew Kettle: No
- Fermentation: 6.5 gallon plastic bucket with lid and airlock
- Temperature & Gravity Measurement: Stick on thermometer, lab grade thermometer, and hydrometer with testing vessel
- Bottling: 6.5 gallon Bottling bucket with spigot, bottle filler, bottle capper, bottle caps, carbonation drops
- Cleaning & Sanitizing: Bottle brush and Easy clean cleanser
- Liquid Transfer: Auto-siphon and tubing
- Extras: Instruction manual
- Beer Kit Included: No, but available for $15 more.
Beginning Homebrew Kit:
- Price: $89.99
- Batch Size: 5 gallons
- Brew Kettle: No
- Fermentation: 6.5 gallon plastic bucket with lid and airlock
- Temperature & Gravity Measurement: LCD thermometer and hydrometer with testing vessel
- Bottling: 6.5 gallon Bottling bucket with spigot, bottling setup, and bottle capper
- Cleaning & Sanitizing: Bottle brush and Easy clean cleanser
- Liquid Transfer: Auto-siphon and tubing
- Extras: Instruction manual
- Beer Kit Included: Yes
Great Fermentations Superior Brewing Starter Kit:
- Price: $124.99 or $144.99 with beer kit
- Batch Size: 5 gallons
- Brew Kettle: No
- Fermentation: 6.5 gallon plastic bucket with lid and 5 gallon glass carboy with bung as well as two airlocks
- Temperature & Gravity Measurement: Stick on thermometer, lab grade thermometer, and hydrometer with testing vessel
- Bottling: 6.5 gallon bottling bucket with spigot, bottle filler, bottle capper, bottle caps, and carbonation drops
- Cleaning & Sanitizing: Bottle brush, carboy brush, and Easy clean cleanser
- Liquid Transfer: Auto-siphon and tubing
- Extras: Instruction manual and 24 inch plastic paddle
- Beer Kit Included: No, but available for $20 more.
Beginning Homebrew Kit Upgrade #1:
- Price: $103.98
- Batch Size: 5 gallons
- Brew Kettle: No
- Fermentation: 6.5 gallon plastic bucket with lid and 5 gallon glass carboy with bung as well as an airlock
- Temperature & Gravity Measurement: LCD thermometer, lab thermometer, and hydrometer with testing vessel
- Bottling: 6.5 gallon bottling bucket with spigot, bottle filler, and bottle capper
- Cleaning & Sanitizing: Bottle brush, carboy brush and Easy clean cleanser
- Liquid Transfer: Auto-siphon and tubing
- Extras: Instruction manual and a brew paddle
- Beer Kit Included: Yes
Beginning Homebrew Kit Upgrade #2:
- Price: $119.99
- Batch Size: 5 gallons
- Brew Kettle: 5 gallon stainless steel brew pot
- Fermentation: 6.5 gallon plastic bucket with lid and 5 gallon glass carboy with bung as well as an airlock
- Temperature & Gravity Measurement: LCD thermometer, lab thermometer, and hydrometer with testing vessel
- Bottling: 6.5 gallon bottling bucket with spigot, bottling setup, and bottle capper
- Cleaning & Sanitizing: Bottle brush, carboy brush and Easy clean cleanser
- Liquid Transfer: Auto-siphon and tubing
- Extras: Instruction manual and a brew paddle
- Beer Kit Included: Yes
Great Fermentations Superior Brewing Starter Kit:
- Price: $124.99 or $144.99 with beer kit
- Batch Size: 5 gallons
- Brew Kettle: No
- Fermentation: 6.5 gallon plastic bucket with lid and 5 gallon glass carboy with bung as well as two airlocks
- Temperature & Gravity Measurement: Stick on thermometer, lab grade thermometer, and hydrometer with testing vessel
- Bottling: 6.5 gallon bottling bucket with spigot, bottle filler, bottle capper, bottle caps, and carbonation drops
- Cleaning & Sanitizing: Bottle brush, carboy brush, and Easy clean cleanser
- Liquid Transfer: Auto-siphon and tubing
- Extras: Instruction manual and 24 inch plastic paddle
- Beer Kit Included: No, but available for $20 more.
Beginning Homebrew Kit Upgrade #3:
- Price: $178.98
- Batch Size: 5 gallons
- Brew Kettle: 8 gallon stainless steel kettle with 2 ports and plugs
- Fermentation: 6.5 gallon plastic bucket with lid and 5 gallon glass carboy with bung as well as an airlock
- Temperature & Gravity Measurement: LCD thermometer, lab thermometer, and hydrometer with testing vessel
- Bottling: 6.5 gallon bottling bucket with spigot, bottling setup, and bottle capper
- Cleaning & Sanitizing: Bottle brush, carboy brush and Easy clean cleanser
- Liquid Transfer: Auto-siphon and tubing
- Extras: Instruction manual, copper wort chiller, and a brew paddle
- Beer Kit Included: Yes
Great Fermentations Deluxe Brewing Starter Kit:
- Price: $184.99 or $199.99 with beer kit
- Batch Size: 5 gallons
- Brew Kettle: No
- Fermentation: 6.5 gallon glass carboy and 5 gallon glass carboy with bungs as well as two airlocks
- Temperature & Gravity Measurement: Stick on thermometer, lab grade thermometer, and hydrometer with testing vessel
- Bottling: 6.5 gallon Bottling bucket with spigot, bottle filler, bottle capper, bottle caps, and priming sugar
- Cleaning & Sanitizing: Bottle brush, carboy brush, cleaner, and sanitizer
- Liquid Transfer: Auto-siphon and tubing
- Extras: Instruction manual
- Beer Kit Included: No, but available for $15 more.
Beginning Homebrew Kit Upgrade #4 (Includes Keg):
- Price: $303.98
- Batch Size: 5 gallons
- Brew Kettle: No
- Fermentation: 6.5 gallon plastic bucket with lid and 5 gallon glass carboy with bung as well as an airlock
- Temperature & Gravity Measurement: LCD thermometer, long stem dial thermometer, and hydrometer with testing vessel
- Kegging: Ball lock keg, 5# aluminum CO2 tank, dual gauge regulator, MFL picnic tap assembly, and MFL gas hose assembly
- Cleaning & Sanitizing: Carboy brush and Easy clean cleanser
- Liquid Transfer: Auto-siphon and tubing
- Extras: Instruction manual
- Beer Kit Included: Yes
Great Fermentations Ultimate Brewing Starter Kit:
- Price: $399.99 or $419.99 with beer kit
- Batch Size: 5 gallons
- Brew Kettle: 8 gallon stainless steel pot
- Fermentation: 6.5 gallon glass carboy and 5 gallon glass carboy with bungs as well as two airlocks
- Temperature & Gravity Measurement: Stick on thermometer, lab grade thermometer, and hydrometer with testing vessel
- Bottling: 6.5 gallon Bottling bucket with spigot, bottle filler, bottle capper, bottle caps, priming sugar, and two cases of 12 oz brown bottles
- Cleaning & Sanitizing: Bottle brush, carboy brush, jet washer, carboy dryer, PBW cleaner, and Star San
- Liquid Transfer: Auto-siphon and tubing
- Extras: Instruction manual, copper wort chiller, stainless steel spoon
- Beer Kit Included: No, but available for $20 more
Beginning Homebrew All Grain Kit Upgrade #6:
- Price: $459.99
- Batch Size: 5 gallons
- Brew Kettle: 8 gallon stainless steel kettle with 2 ports and plugs and 5 gallon pot
- Fermentation: 6.5 gallon plastic bucket with lid and 5 gallon glass carboy with bung as well as an airlock
- Temperature & Gravity Measurement: LCD thermometer, long stem dial thermometer, lab thermometer, and hydrometer with testing vessel
- Bottling: 6.5 gallon bottling bucket with spigot, bottling wand, and bottle capper
- Cleaning & Sanitizing: Carboy brush and Easy clean cleanser
- Liquid Transfer: Auto-siphon and tubing
- Extras: Instruction manual, John Palmer’s How to Brew Book, 5 gallon Igloo cooler mash tun, copper wort chiller, and 24 inch heat resistant mash paddle.
- Beer Kit Included: Yes
Beginning Homebrew Kit Upgrade #5 (Includes Keg):
- Price: $463.98
- Batch Size: 5 gallons
- Brew Kettle: 8 gallon stainless steel kettle with 2 ports and plugs
- Fermentation: 6.5 gallon plastic bucket with lid and 5 gallon glass carboy with bung as well as an airlock
- Temperature & Gravity Measurement: LCD thermometer, long stem dial thermometer, and hydrometer with testing vessel
- Kegging: Ball lock keg, 5# aluminum CO2 tank, dual gauge regulator, MFL picnic tap assembly, and MFL gas hose assembly
- Cleaning & Sanitizing: Carboy brush and Easy clean cleanser
- Liquid Transfer: Auto-siphon and tubing
- Extras: Instruction manual, copper wort chiller and 18 inch plastic spoon
- Beer Kit Included: Yes
Beginning Homebrew Kit Upgrade #7 (Includes Keg):
- Price: $609.99
- Batch Size: 5 gallons
- Brew Kettle: 8 gallon stainless steel kettle with 2 ports and plugs and 5 gallon pot
- Fermentation: 6.5 gallon plastic bucket with lid and 5 gallon glass carboy with bung as well as an airlock
- Temperature & Gravity Measurement: LCD thermometer, long stem dial thermometer, lab thermometer, and hydrometer with testing vessel
- Kegging: Ball lock keg, 5# aluminum CO2 tank, dual gauge regulator, MFL picnic tap assembly, and MFL gas hose assembly
- Cleaning & Sanitizing: Carboy brush and Easy clean cleanser
- Liquid Transfer: Auto-siphon and tubing
- Extras: Instruction manual, John Palmer’s How to Brew Book, 5 gallon Igloo cooler mash tun, copper wort chiller, and 24 inch heat resistant mash paddle.
- Beer Kit Included: Yes
I’ll add more kits as well as a comparison table when I get the chance but for now you should get the idea of what’s a good value. Feel free to check out my burner and brew kettle comparisons if you need to complete your kit.
