Have you been craving a crisp cream ale, a citrusy IPA, or an invigorating pale ale? Great—these are all perfect recipes to whip up in your home brewery! With a beer-making kit, you can jump headfirst into new recipes. 

What if you don’t have your home brewery set up yet? Don’t worry—there are kits that will provide all the essential equipment, too. In this blog, we’ll cover the benefits of brewing your own beer at home and how beer-making kits can make this awesome hobby even better.

Is Homebrewing an Expensive Hobby?

Homebrewing is a relatively inexpensive hobby. In fact, you can get everything you need to get started for just a few hundred dollars. Compare that number to other hobbies like golf, where a set of clubs can easily cost over $1,000. Then there are green fees, cart rentals, golf balls… the list goes on and on. That’s not to say golf—and similar hobbies in that price range—aren’t fun; they’re just expensive.

In contrast, homebrewing is more accessible for newcomers to join from a financial perspective. Here are the essentials for setting up your home brewery:

• Fermenter
• Airlock
• Brew Pot
• Heat Source
• Siphon
• Cleaning Supplies
• Sanitizing Supplies
• Hydrometer
• Capper
• Bottling Container with Spigot
• Bottles
• Bottle Caps
• Stirring Spoon
• Measuring Cup
• Thermometer

Then you’ll need ingredients for brewing each batch:

• Malted Grains
• Hops
• Yeast
• Additional Flavors
• Priming Sugar

This may seem like a lot of individual pieces to gather, but you can get the bulk of the essentials with homebrew starter kits and beer ingredient kits.    

Is It Cheaper To Make Homemade Beer?

If part of your reason for making homemade beer is to save money, then you’re in luck! It’s possible to engage with this hobby in a way that costs less than purchasing beer from a store, restaurant, or bar. To maximize your savings, it helps to keep a beer production cost spreadsheet. In this spreadsheet, record your expenses for:

• Beer from other providers
• Ingredients
• Single-use supplies
• Multi-use supplies
• Equipment

Bonus tip: For multi-use supplies and equipment, spread their costs over your calculations for a few batches. That way, you get a more accurate average price per batch rather than a hyperinflated first batch and deflated subsequent batches.

Once you have this information, plug it into the following equation:

• Savings = (Price of beer at a store, restaurant, or bar) – (Cost of ingredients) – (Cost of single-use supplies) – (Allocated cost of multi-use supplies) – (Allocated cost of equipment)

You can also help keep your costs down by using beer ingredient kits. How does this help? These kits give you the exact amount of ingredients for a batch, so you’re not wasting money on partial portions. Beer ingredient kits also come with helpful step-by-step instructions, so you have a much better chance of nailing your batch the first time.

Is It Worth It To Brew Your Own Beer?

Brewing your own beer is an exciting creative outlet can even save you money in the long run. If you value either of these benefits, then it’s worth it to brew your own beer at home! Of course, it also helps if you enjoy beer because you’re going to have a lot of it!

Discovering a hobby you love also has long-term benefits. According to healthnews, engaging with a rewarding hobby can:

• Reduce stress and anxiety
• Lower blood pressure
• Build social connections

Still trying to figure out where to start? Our team of experts is hoppy to help—just give us a call! 

Do Homebrewing Kits Work Well to Brew Beer?

Homebrewing kits function especially well for beginners, and they still provide value for experienced homebrewers. The thing that homebrewing kits do best is that they get you set up quickly. There’s nothing worse than getting excited for your hobby then realizing there’s still a ton of work before you can actually do anything. Homebrewing kits for beginners and experts greatly reduce setup time (and possible frustration!). Plus the equipment cost and hassle associated with trying to set up all the necessary equipment one piece at a time can be overwhelming. Homebrew kits can help keep time and equipment costs down.

Are Beer Brewing Kits Worth It for Craft Beer?

You love craft beer, but you hate buying craft beer. Instead you want a fun hobby and cheaper beer. Enter home brewing. If you’re looking to get the most for your time and money when homebrewing, then beer-making kits are worth it. There are two types of kits that can help you start off on the right foot and keep that positive momentum going for batch after batch. These types are:

• Homebrew starter kits, which come with the beer brewing equipment essentials for getting started. More experienced brewers can explore premium homebrew kit options to upgrade their home brewery. 
• Beer ingredient kits, which come with the necessary hops and malted grains in pre-portioned quantities. More experienced brewers can experiment with more complex recipes or all-grain kits.

Get the Most from Brewing Beer with Great Fermentations!

If you love to drink beer, love good beer, or have an interest in home brewing, beer making kits may be right for you! Whether you’re looking for the best home beer brewing kit for beginners or the perfect brew beer at home kit for those with more experience, you can find what you need at Great Fermentations. Our online shop is stocked with homebrew starter kits, beer ingredient kits, and so much more to launch you into your next homebrewing endeavor! Or if you’re in Indianapolis, come see what we have in store for you.