Giving the perfect gift is hard, but it doesn’t have to be for the home brewer in your life! A beer-making kit can greatly improve the home brewing experience, saving your brewer both time and frustration. In this blog, we’ll cover the different types of beer-making gifts and what makes them excellent gift choices.

How To Make Beer

Whether or not home brewers use a beer-making kit, they’ll go through the following standard brewing process. Let’s take a closer look at these steps, and then we’ll see how helpful beer-making kits can be for brewers.

1. Brew Wort
   • Gather equipment and supplies. For the brewing day, home brewers will need:
     • Heat source
     • Brewing pot
     • Fermenting container
     • Hops
     • Grains
     • Yeast
     • Any additional flavors
     • Thermometer
     • Airlock
     • Hydrometer
     • Cleaning and sanitizing supplies
     • Stirring spoon
     • Measuring cup
   • Clean equipment. Home brewing can get messy—and a messy home brewery leaves room for beer-ruining contaminants to move in. Brewers need to be diligent about removing any and all residue and gunk from their equipment and supplies.
   • Sanitize equipment. In addition to cleaning visible gunk, brewers also need to thoroughly sanitize their equipment to ensure contaminants don’t throw off the quality of their beer.
   • Brew wort. Brewers start by steeping their grains in water and then bringing the mixture to a boil. Like a good soup, brewers continue to stir in ingredients—like hops—to create their desired flavor.

2. Ferment Wort into Beer
   • Chill wort. Before fermentation, brewers need to lower the temperature of their wort so the yeast can be productive. Some brewers use ice or cold water to cool their mixture, but the best results can be achieved with a homebrew chiller.
   • Add yeast. Brewers can then add yeast to the chilled wort. The yeast will break down sugars from the grain and create alcohol in the process.
   • Ferment wort into beer. The wort needs to sit in an airtight container while the yeast goes to work. On average, fermentation takes two to four weeks. 
3. Bottle Beer
   • Gather equipment and supplies. For the bottling day, home brewers will need:
     • Cleaning and sanitizing supplies
     • Bottling container with spigot
     • Priming sugar
     • Siphon
     • Capper
     • Bottles and caps
   • Clean equipment. A new day means a new mess to clean. Proper cleaning will help the sanitizing process be more effective.
   • Sanitize equipment. Brewers should sanitize their equipment before each and every use. Because of how crucial this step is, cleaning and sanitizing supplies that are specifically designed for brewing equipment can make the perfect gift! Powdered Brewery Wash (PBW) and Star San Sanitizer are essentials for any home brewery.
   • Prep the bottling container with priming sugar. To give their brews the carbonated texture that drinkers enjoy, brewers use priming sugar.  
   • Transfer the beer into the bottling container. To reduce messes, brewers should have a siphon to easily transfer liquid from their fermenting container to their bottling container.
   • Fill bottles. This step can also be messy, but brewers who are equipped with the proper tubing can eliminate most spills.
   • Cap and seal bottles. During this step, brewers use a capper tool to ensure each bottle has an airtight seal. This will keep the beer fresh and free from contaminants. 
4. Store Beer, then Enjoy!
   • Store bottles. After getting sealed, bottles of beer need to continue to sit to allow for the carbonation process to finish. This typically takes about two weeks.
   • Share home-brewed beer with friends and family, kick back, and enjoy! Brewing is fun, but so is tasting the results of all the hard work that went into the batch. 

If you’re not a home brewer yourself, this process may seem overwhelming. However, there are a couple of easy-win gifts that can make the process more enjoyable for the brewers in your life. In the next few sections, we’ll cover both homebrew starter kits and beer ingredient kits, so you can be prepared with the perfect gift.

What Is in a Beer-Making Kit? Homebrew Starter Kits

A homebrew starter kit is a type of beer brewing kit that provides the essential equipment to either set up a home brewery for the first time or upgrade an existing one with exciting gadgets. For example, the Basic Brewing Starter Kit is perfect for beginners and includes:

• 6.5-gallon fermenter with airlock
• 6.5-gallon bottling container with spigot, tubing, and bottle filler
• Stick-on bucket thermometer
• Hydrometer and test jar
• Auto-siphon and tubing
• Bottle brush
• Capper
• Bottle caps
• Priming sugar
• Easy Clean one-step cleanser
• Instruction manual
• Phone support available 7 days a week

Remember the crucial gather equipment steps on both brewing and bottling days? Homebrew starter kits make these steps a heck of a lot easier. 

What Comes in a Beer-Making Kit? Beer Ingredient Kits

A beer ingredient kit is a type of home brewing kit that provides brewers with pre-portioned ingredients for a specific brew. These kits also come with detailed instructions. The benefits of beer ingredient kits are that they save brewers both time and frustration. Rather than hunting down ingredients in store after store, these kits provide the exact amount of hops and grains needed for a specific recipe. The helpful instructions also greatly reduce the risk of frustrating errors.

Beer ingredient kits are a great gift for beginners who could use some extra guidance or experienced brewers who prefer to spend more time actually brewing than shopping.

Do Beer-Making Kits Go Bad?

The ingredients in beer ingredient kits can go bad. It’s important for brewers to use their grains and hops before they expire. The good news is that when these ingredients do expire, they don’t spoil the same way milk or meat does. Rather than worrying about hospitalization, brewers will want to avoid expired ingredients that can negatively impact the taste and presentation of their brews.

How Long Does a Beer-Making Kit Last?

On average, beer-making kits last 12 to 18 months before the ingredients expire. Fortunately, beer ingredient kits have their shelf lives clearly marked, and the pre-portioned ingredients are much easier to use before they expire.  

What Is the Best Starter Brewing Kit for Beginners?

The best home beer brewing kit for beginners is one that’s for a beer that’s relatively easy to brew and one that contains a step-by-step guide. Here are some fantastic options for beginners (instructions included): 

• Amber Ales
• Pale Ales
• Porters
• Wheat Ales

Of course, the best home brewing kit also depends on the brewer’s tastes! Use these recommendations as a starting point as you find the kit that helps the brewer in your life create their dream beer.

What Is a Good First Beer To Brew?

We typically recommend the Chico Suave Pale Ale Beer Kit for first-time brewers. This is a great starting point because this brew has a fairly forgiving flavor profile and a relatively short list of ingredients to manage.

Does Brewing Your Own Beer Save You Money?

Brewing beer at home can certainly be cheaper than buying it from a store, restaurant, or bar. Most beer ingredient kits produce five gallons of beer, which is enough to fill about 54 12 oz bottles. So, depending on how much a brewer invests in equipment and ingredients, they can save money by brewing beer at home in the long run. 

Is Beer Making an Expensive Hobby?

Brewing beer at home can be as cheap or as expensive as the home brewer makes it. To get an idea of the wide range of costs, consider these lower-cost options for equipment and ingredients compared to these higher-cost options for equipment and ingredients.

When comparing costs for home brewing gear and supplies, keep in mind how much a six-pack costs at a grocery store or how much bars charge for a single bottle of beer! 

Is It Worth It To Brew Beer at Home?

Brewing beer at home is a fantastic way for people to create something with their hands that they can enjoy and share with others. Home brewing is also an exciting creative outlet. There are so many recipes and setups to experiment with and master.

Are you looking for the perfect gift for a brewer? Send them a new recipe to try!

How Difficult Is It To Brew Beer?

Home brewing can be an exciting hobby for all skill levels. Depending on the type of beer brewers choose to make, they’ll face varying levels of challenge when it comes to perfecting and balancing flavors, aromas, and colors. In other words, this is an accessible hobby to join, and there’s plenty of room to advance and try new things! 

Searching for the Perfect Beer Making Kit Gift? Start with Great Fermentations!

Not sure what to get for the home brewer you know? We’ve got you covered. You can’t go wrong with a beer ingredient kit for either their favorite or a new recipe. Or, if you know someone looking to take the plunge into the hobby, a homebrew starter kit could be the perfect gift. Of course, our friendly and knowledgeable staff is always just a phone call away if you have any questions!