If you’re looking to start homebrewing, you’ve probably heard of people using a beer making kit. But what exactly do these kits contain? Are they worth the cost? What do you use them for? In this blog, we have these answers and more.

Is It Worth Making Beer at Home?

It’s worth making your own beer at home because homebrewing is exciting and allows you to flex your creative muscles, and can even be cost-effective! Of course, everyone’s different. If you’re trying to figure out if this is the hobby for you, ask yourself these deep, reflective questions:

• Do I like beer?
• Do I like making stuff?

If you’ve checked both of these boxes, congrats! You’re in the right place. So, what is it about homebrewing that makes the hobby worth it? First, you get to make stuff with your hands. Like completing DIY projects around the house or throwing a steak on the grill and cooking it to perfection, you can find satisfaction in the fact that your efforts have created something tangible. And when making beer, you get to down some cold ones with buddies at the end!

Second, you get to be creative throughout the entire process. From picking out which recipes to brew to designing your space and building your setup, there are so many opportunities for self-expression. If you or a friend are into art, you can also get creative with your packaging!

Is It Cheaper To Buy Beer or Make Your Own?

Over time, it’s cheaper to make your own beer at home instead of buying it at a liquor store or bar. The reason why the savings take some time to kick in is that you do have to make an initial investment in your homebrewing setup. Before we get into the nitty-gritty calculations, consider this:

• In 2023, the national average cost of a domestic beer is $5 at a restaurant or bar, and the average cost of a beer is $2.11 at a grocery store, according to News10.
• According to the American Homebrewers Association (AHA), the average cost of making a 5-gallon batch of beer at home is $28. That’s 48 bottles at a cost of just $0.58 each!

Now let’s cover how to figure out how much you can save based on your individual expenses. After all, you get to design your own setup and pick out your own ingredients! Here’s how you can calculate the estimated amount you’ll save by brewing beer at home:

• Savings = (How much you would’ve spent at a store/bar for beer) – (Cost of ingredients) – (Cost of one-use supplies) – (Allocated cost of reusable supplies) – (Allocated cost of equipment)

Visit our online brewing supplies shop to see what your costs will be for your home brewery. Still trying to figure out where to start? Give us a call, or keep reading! 

How Much Does a Homebrew Kit Cost?

A quality starter home brewing kit can cost anywhere in the range of $80 to $800. We know that’s a wide range, and that’s because homebrew starter kits vary widely in their contents. For example, compare the following options from the Great Fermentations online brewing supplies shop:

• Brewer’s Best 1 Gallon Brewing Starting Kit: This kit is perfect for beginners looking to start with small batches and contains everything you’ll need except for the kettle.
• Basic Brewing Starter Kit: This kit comes with all the tools you need to start brewing, from brewing and fermentation to bottling and capping! The Basic Brewing Starter Kit is also the most economical choice for beginners. 
• Ultimate Brewing Starter Kit for Bottling: This ultimate kit comes equipped to brew and bottle delicious beer! With advanced pieces like an auto-siphon and a secondary fermentor, this kit is perfect for you if you’re looking to level up your game. 
• Electric Brewing Homebrew Starter Kit with the ANVIL Foundry: It doesn’t get much better than this. The ANVIL Foundry brew pot is portable (as long as you still have a power source). That means you can take your brew day on the go. Ready to brew in your backyard, at a friend’s house, or anywhere else with a standard 120v plug? Then this is the kit for you!  

If you’ve been searching for “home brewing supplies near me,” look no further than Great Fermentations. Our online shop is stocked full of home brewing kits to provide you with the equipment you need in one convenient place. Why buy your brewing supplies online? Like we just mentioned—convenience! The less time you spend shopping for brewing equipment, the more time you have for actual brewing! 

What Supplies Do You Need To Brew Beer?

You’ll need specific brewing equipment as well as some common household items to brew your own beer at home. Follow this homebrew supply checklist to cover the basics:

• Fermenter
• Airlock
• Brew Pot
• Heat Source
• Siphon
• Cleaning and Sanitizing Supplies
• Hydrometer
• Capper
• Bottles
• Caps
• Stirring Spoon
• Measuring Cup
• Thermometer

That’s a lot of stuff, right? Not if you use the easiest home brew beer making hack—start with a home brewing kit! See all the goodies included in this Basic Brewing Starter Kit:

• 6.5-gallon fermenter with airlock
• 6.5-gallon bottling container with spigot, tubing, and bottle filler
• Thermometer
• Hydrometer
• Auto-siphon
• Bottlebrush
• Capper
• Bottle caps
• Beer Bottles
• Priming sugar
• One-step cleanser
• Instruction manual
• Seven days a week, brewing assistance via phone

With everything this kit includes, you may be wondering, is there anything else you’ll need? Beyond the equipment in the Basic Brewing Starter Kit, you’ll also need:

• Beer ingredients to brew. You can get these in a neat little package here.
• A brew pot. We recommend one that holds at least 5 gallons.
• A heat source. You can use a natural gas or electric stovetop or even an outdoor burner.

What Are 5 Ingredients To Brew Beer?

To brew your own beer at home, you’ll need the following 5 ingredients:

• Water: Water forms the base of your brew and provides the medium for the rest of your ingredients to interact.
• Yeast: Yeast is what turns your brew into an alcoholic beverage. During fermentation, yeast turns sugar into alcohol.
• Malt: Malted grains and barley are what give your beer its sweet flavor profile, and provide the sugar the yeast consumes to produce alcohol.
• Hops: Hops are what give your beer its bitter flavor profile.
• Additional Flavors: You can tweak the flavor of your beer by adding fruit extracts, honey, spices, or other flavors. Get creative with it!

Looking for the perfect mix of pre-portioned malts and hops? What about all of those ingredients with a step-by-step guide on how to brew the best beer with them? At Great Fermentations, we’ve got your back. Check out our beer ingredient kits for your next brew!

Can I Brew Beer at Home and Sell It?

It is legal to brew beer in all 50 states, but it is illegal to sell the beer you made yourself without a liquor license. There are also limits on the number of alcoholic beverages you can produce in your home. For example, in Alabama, you can’t produce more than 15 gallons of beer, mead, or wine within the same quarter of the calendar. For the limits on homebrewing in other states, check out the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) website.  

What States Is Homebrew Illegal In?

According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, it’s legal to homebrew in all 50 states (at the time of writing). While it’s legal to brew your own beer, there are still limitations. Keep the following in mind:

• It is illegal to sell homemade alcoholic beverages in all 50 states if you don’t have a liquor license.
• Each state has its own limit on how much beer you can produce at home within a certain period of time.
• You are typically limited to consuming homebrewed alcohol at home. Exceptions to this rule can include homebrewing festivals and competitions.

As with all legal matters, be sure to check the most up-to-date laws in your area before getting started.

Can I Sell Homebrew at a Farmers Market?

It is illegal to sell your homebrew beer at a farmers market—or anywhere else—unless you have a liquor license. Typically, the only places that you can share your homebrew outside of your home are at brewing festivals and competitions. You still can’t sell your beer at these events, and there are limits (depending on your state) for how much home-brewed beer you can transport. 

How To Sell Your Own Beer, and More Importantly, How To Sell Homebrew Legally!

In order to sell homebrewed beer legally, you need a liquor license. Obtaining a liquor license will classify your operation as a business. You can learn more about what this process looks like in Indiana here. In other areas, be sure to check with your state government.

How To Make Cheap Homebrew with a Starter Kit

The key to making cheap homebrew is to make easy homebrew. How? By using the resources at your disposal to save time and brew more consistently. Here’s what you can take advantage of:

• Homebrew Starter Kits: These kits give you a head start on setting up your home brewery. With all of the essentials in one kit, you save time shopping and money on shipping.
• Beer Ingredient Kits: These kits give you many of the ingredients you’ll need in pre-portioned quantities. You’ll also get detailed instructions on how to use them, taking the guesswork out of brewing.

Great Fermentations: Your Source for All Your Homebrew Needs!

Whether shopping in-person or online, Great Fermentations is the perfect homebrew store for brewers who are just learning or have years of experience. We are dedicated to our customers and have a wide selection of brewing equipment to choose from. Explore our website to see what we have to offer:

• Beer Ingredient Kits
• Brewing Ingredients
• Brewing Equipment
• Cleaning and sanitizing Supplies
• Bottling Gear
• Homebrew Starter Kits
• Homebrew Hardware
• Beginning Brewing Classes

Tap into our 45+ years of combined experience. We love the hobby of brewing, and we’re excited to have you join us!