The 5 Best Beer Brewing Kits For Beginners (Reviews For 2025)

I don’t know about you, but few things seem cooler to me than brewing my own crisp, golden pint right from my home! The good news is that if you are itching to do the same, you don’t need a garage full of gear nor a chemistry degree.

The right beginner beer brewing kit can take you from “beer fan” to “craft beer maker” in just one afternoon (ideally!). In this guide, I’m going to break down the best beginner beer brewing kits that have been thoroughly tested and loved by aficionados.

Whether you want to experiment with small-batch IPAs or whip up an ale for your next game night, there’s something for everyone here. Let’s jump right in!

Best Beer Making Kits For Beginners

Northern Brewer - Brew. Share. Enjoy. HomeBrewing Starter SetCraft Beer Making Kit 4 Gallon Complete DIY Home Brew SetBrewDemon Craft Beer Brewing Kit Signature Pro with Bottles
Includes:Recipe kit, hydrometer, lab thermometer, 6.5-gallon fermentor, 5-gallon stainless brew kettle,, bottle brush, royal crown bottle capperBeer mix, bottles, brew kettle, and everything else necessaryConical fermenter, CO2 venting system, recipe ingredients, 8 PET plastic bottles, caps, bottle filler
Beer:Hefeweizen, Amber Ale, IPAOctoberfest Lager and Canadian BlondeSpeight Brewery One Evil Pilsner
Capacity:5 gallons4 gallons2 gallons
Rating:4.7/5.04.5/5.04.4/5.0

Quick Answer: The 5 Best Rated Beer Brewing Kits For 2025

  1. Northern Brewer – Brew. Share. Enjoy. HomeBrewing Starter Set
  2. Craft Beer Making Kit 4 Gallon Complete DIY Home Brew Set
  3. BrewDemon Craft Beer Brewing Kit Signature Pro with Bottles
  4. Gold Complete Beer Equipment Kit
  5. Craft A Brew – Beer Making Kit

Beer Brewing Kit Reviews

1. Northern Brewer – Brew. Share. Enjoy. HomeBrewing Starter Set

Features at a Glance:

  • Includes: Recipe kit, hydrometer, test jar, lab thermometer, 6.5-gallon fermentor with spigot, lid, and bubbler airlock, bottling bucket with spigot assembly, bottle filler, 5-gallon stainless brew kettle, 21″ stainless spoon, 5-foot clear tubing, sanitizer, bottle brush, royal crown bottle capper & caps (60)
  • Beer: Hefeweizen, Amber Ale, IPA
  • Capacity: 5 gallons
  • Rating: 4.7/5.0

I tested the Northern Brewer – Brew. Share. Enjoy. HomeBrewing Starter Set from end to end, so if it’s your first time attempting a brew, you’re in good hands here. Right out of the box, you can tell it’s made with quality in mind, from the stainless steel 5-gallon brew kettle, down to tubing, caps, and sanitizer.

The instructions are obviously crucial to your success, and they come laid out complete with visuals, supporting YouTube videos, and even support from “brewmasters”, which is a huge help when you’re just starting out!

Following the steps was very intuitive, though be prepared for the slow “chill” step, as you are taking on a whopping 5 gallons of liquid here. The hef recipe ferments vigorously, so I’d recommend using a blow-off tube earlier rather than later or just using the airlock.

If you’re not into a hefeweizen, you can also opt for their amber or Chinook IPA, which I’ve heard good feedback from, but can’t attest to firsthand.

Even for a hef, the resulting beer was a bit lighter in taste than I expected – rather than slapping you in the face with yeast, it was clean, soft, and ideal for impressing friends. Just remember that brewing and chilling 5 gallons does take a good amount of time, so plan accordingly. Oh, and the lids do take a bit of effort to put on to ensure a proper seal.

Other than that, this is a reliable, “all-in-one” launchpad perfect for showing you the ropes while having fun. If you’re an absolute beginner, you’re sure to catch the brewing bug after using this kit.


2. Craft Beer Making Kit 4 Gallon Complete DIY Home Brew Set

Features at a Glance:

  • Includes: Beer mix, bottles, brew kettle, and everything else necessary
  • Beer: Octoberfest Lager and Canadian Blonde
  • Capacity: 4 gallons
  • Rating: 4.5/5.0

I’m going to go out on a limb and say it’s going to be hard to find an easier-to-use kit at this price. The Craft Beer Making Kit 4 Gallon Complete DIY Home Brew Set is perfect if you want to dip your toe into the world of brewing without putting on a full-blown chemistry experiment in your kitchen.

Every beginner wants a low-stress entry point into the craft, and this one promises a “brew in 30 minutes” with a full set. One of the things that really ground my gears when I was first starting out was that so many kits were nowhere near complete.

I’d be sitting in my kitchen, ready to go, and as soon as I opened up the instructions, I realized I needed about 50 extra pieces to really start. That’s not the case here, as you have an all-plastic, comprehensive setup including a UV-resistant, BPA-free brew kettle with a locking spigot and vented, wide-mouth top for easy brewing and cleaning.

The fermenter lid is screw-on, so while you have to ensure it’s on properly, it’s much easier to use than the ones that are snap-on and take the strength of Zeus to put on.

So, by “brews in 30 minutes”, they mean that you can actually whip up the batch in less than half an hour. Obviously, you’ll have to wait for the beer to actually ferment – around 3 to 4 weeks, to be exact.

You even get a bonus refill, so you don’t have to wait to brew your second batch! You get a Canadian Blonde and Octoberfest Lager mix included, which is perfect, as many kits only include one kind.


3. BrewDemon Craft Beer Brewing Kit Signature Pro with Bottles

Features at a Glance:

  • Includes: 2-gallon conical fermenter, CO2 venting system, adjustable flow spigot and temp gauge, recipe ingredients, 8 PET plastic bottles, caps, and labels, heat-resistant mixing spoon, bottle filler and vinyl hose section, airlock, rubber stopper, and gasket
  • Beer: Speight Brewery One Evil Pilsner
  • Capacity: 2 gallons
  • Rating: 7.5 lbs

Next up is the BrewDemon Craft Beer Brewing Kit Signature Pro with Bottles. This 2-gallon conical fermenter system aims to provide you with a user-friendly experience and cleaner beer. Not only is it one of the coolest-looking beginner beer kits I’ve seen, but it’s one of the most straightforward ones – no need to siphon off trub by hand!

Right upon unboxing, you’ll find not only the fermenter, but a smooth, adjustable flow tap, PET bottles, caps, recipes, a no-rinse cleanser, and so much more. The instructions are pretty easy to follow, so even if you’ve never handled yeast before, you can get started without feeling like you’re deciphering some ancient beer code.

This kit features the only 2-gallon container with 1-quart bottles and a bottle-filling valve, which is particularly convenient as you don’t have to siphon from your fermenter to bottles. Thanks to the translucent frost finish, it not only looks awesome to watch, but from a mechanical standpoint, you can actually make sure everything is right on track. The no-rinse sanitizer was a huge help, completely eliminating the chance of ruining the beer yeast.

While you can definitely use it again and again, pay attention to around the spigot and seams to ensure no cracks develop. Another quick note is that you should control your fermentation temperature, as the kit doesn’t do a whole lot in terms of insulation or temperature regulation, which could affect flavor.

Most importantly, I can honestly say that the resulting One Evil Pilsner – even from the first run – is so good that it produces better results than many store beers!


4. Gold Complete Beer Equipment Kit

Features at a Glance:

  • Includes: True Brew handbook and kit instructions, 7.8-gallon fermenting bucket, 1 lid drilled and grommet, True Brew rack and fill kit, 5-gallon glass carboy, fermometer fermentation thermometer, small buon vino drilled stopper, hydrometer, bottling spigot, double lever capper, 3-piece airlock, bottle brush, c-brite sanitizer 8-pack
  • Beer: Brown ale
  • Capacity: 5 gallons
  • Rating: 4.4/5.0

Quality certainly comes into play when we’re talking about creating a good beer, but many beginner kits unfortunately skimp on this. The Gold Complete Beer Equipment Kit is an exception, elevating the resulting brew without overwhelming you with instructions and processes.

This is a 5-gallon, serious setup while still being beginner-accessible – plus it just looks awesome! Right upon opening the box, it was obvious to me that the manufacturer really took care in selecting the materials here. The glass carboy is certainly a flex – signaling that you should try a 2-stage fermentation, which can offer clearer, cleaner beer.

The instructions are pretty typical homebrew style: easy steps, some visuals, without too much jargon to have to Google. Keep in mind, this isn’t a “just add water” kit – you’re going to learn how to perform extract brewing (or partial mash, depending on how they bundle it).

This hands-on experience is a bit more of a learning curve, but there’s also so much more room to experiment and learn! If you’re serious about the hobby, this is a wonderful entry point and makes it so much easier in the long run.

The beer included is a kind of brown ale, which I found to be quite similar to a Newcastle – refreshing yet full of flavor! One detail is that while the quality of the glass carboy is undeniable, glass is obviously more fragile than plastic.

That means that you need to be careful, especially while it’s full, and that transfers also introduce more opportunity for oxidation or contamination. Overall, if you are taking care of sanitation and temperature control, you’re in for a delicious, clear beer!


5. Craft A Brew – Beer Making Kit

Features at a Glance:

  • Includes: 1-gallon carboy, funnel, racking cane, rubber stopper, transfer tubing, thumb clamp, airlock, thermometer, Guide to Craft Brewing, sanitizer, American pale Ale recipe kit
  • Beer: American Pale Ale, Milk Stout, Hefeweizen, Lager, Honey Ale, Octoberfest
  • Capacity: 1 gallon
  • Rating: 4.5/5.0

Last but certainly not least is the Craft A Brew – Beer Making Kit. This is the American Pale Ale option, but you can also select from their cider, Oktoberfest Ale, Single Hope IPA, Bone Dry Irish Stout, Chocolate Milk Stout Hefewiezen, Light Lager, OG Orange Golden, and White House Honey Ale.

If you’re on a budget but still want a high-quality brewing kit, this is the way to go. Instructions feature step-by-step guidance, and because it’s extract-based, you don’t have to worry about mashing, which keeps it simple and beginner-friendly.

You won’t learn about every single brewing concept at this stage, which is typically just fine for newbies who want to see if they actually enjoy the hobby first. Oh, and did I mention that they have just about every accessory you could need to get started?

Well, that is, aside from the bottles and caps – I’d recommend grabbing some when you order this kit, just to streamline everything. The glass carboy is a big plus, and it was surprising to find, considering the kit is so affordable. \

It’s a big help in monitoring clarity and seeing sediment drop out – just be gentle during transfers as glass is quite unforgiving. Again, sanitation is very important here. If all goes well, you’ll end up with a refreshing, clear American Pale Ale that you can brag to your buddies about – or have them over for a tasting session!

As it is a smaller batch, you’ll also get to enjoy both your mistakes and successes faster, which is a big help when it comes to motivation! For those looking for low commitment, this is a great way to go!


Ease of Use
Kit Quality
Value

The Northern Brewer - Brew. Share. Enjoy. HomeBrewing Starter Set is our Editors Choice for the best beer brewing kit

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Richard Remick

Richard is owner and the chief editor of Craft Beer Talk. He contributes expert content relating to beer making and brewery reviews. After graduating from the DeVry Institute of Technology, he worked in IT for over 20 years before deciding to escape the office and share his passion for wine. With a passion for the great outdoors, Richard spends a lot of time in Colorado. There he enjoys skiing, snowboarding, mountain biking, cycling, hiking, and of course visiting breweries. His outdoor adventures are not confined to the continental US. Richard is an avid traveler who flies up to 10 times a year and has visited 18 countries. Because of his wealth of knowledge and experience, Richard has been invited to contribute articles to many websites, such as Florida Rambler, and has been profiled on travel websites such as JohnnyJet.
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