There are hundreds of beer kits and gear that you can purchase for home brewing, some being better than others. While I was doing research for purchasing some of my equipment I found that no matter what brand, style or cool factor you find it really comes down to the old saying “you reap what you sow”. This is why I’m going to begin with the Con’s that you may find in purchasing some kits.
The Beer Machine: Running around $115 to $140 dollars, this simplistic one step fermenter looks cool, sounds cool but why would you want to invest so much when part of their sales slogan states “Just add water and let pre-mixed ingredients ferment” WHAT!?! They also insert “personal micro brewery” in many pitches and supposedly written reviews. If you are looking for a simple, generic way to make “Flavored Water” then I suppose this would be for you. Lots of groovy comments will definitely come your way while spectators watch you pour however once they taste. Yeah.
Mr. Beer Kit Brewing: Running anywhere from $35 to $100 dollars, this is another All-Malt easy one step brewing which involves you to purchase refill ingredients from the manufacturer. This kit comes in several different series and if you go for the Master’s Kit- well you get a nice hat. The fermenter makes 2 gallons of beer and after expecting this in the store it will not be an air tight seal which is going to cause issues. I would stock this item right next to the Easy Bake Oven in the toy section for kids pretending to be brewers rather than becoming one.
The issue with these types of brewing kits is the lack of control you have over brewing or giving the beer a bit of your own personality. Another issue I have with these easy to brew concepts are the lack of consideration for the person that is really wanting to brew good beer but just isn’t aware of the process. I think this could be resolved if they put a disclaimer stating “for the lazy brewer” or “don’t expect much”.
When looking to brew beer I would think one would have a sense of seriousness or at least wanting a good finished product. Something they will get complimented on which helps boost the curiosity to refine the process and make good beer. If this sounds like you who were me then there is a kit on the Pro side for us, which will allow one to experiment without the constraints to a particular manufacture.
Home Brew Equipment Kit: Running around $75 to $100 dollars and sold on many different online sites, this is a simple brewing kit that comes with everything a beginner would need to produce a great beer. Home Brew also has a Gold Complete package that includes an Ingredient Kit of your choosing as well as a 5 Gallon Stainless Steel Kettle. Running around $150 to $165 dollars for everything, there really isn’t any need to second guess your investment.
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