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Beer making kits for beginners

5-gallon starter sets, 1-gallon kits and Mr. Beer style kits for adults 21+, sorted by batch size and by what each kit still leaves you to buy.

Best beginner kitsBest 1 gallon kitsMr. Beer reviewHow to brew beer at homeStartup budget builder
A homebrew starter setup: kettle, fermenting bucket, malt bags, caps and bottles on a counter
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Homebrew startup budget builderAdd up a first setup with your own prices, including what the kit leaves out.ABV calculatorOG and FG to ABV, with hydrometer temperature correction.

How to choose a beer making kit for beginners

The best beer making kit for beginners is the one that matches your space and how much beer you want, not the one with the longest parts list. Start with batch size: a 1-gallon kit fits on a kitchen counter and fills about ten 12 oz bottles, a 2-gallon Mr. Beer fills its own 25 oz bottles, and a 5-gallon set gives you roughly 53 bottles' worth from one brew day.

Next, read the "you still need" line on every listing. Northern Brewer's base 5-gallon starter kit still needs about 50 bottles and a kettle of at least 5 gal (19 L), per its listing. Craft A Brew's 1-gallon kits list bottles and caps as extras.

Kit types at a glance (from listing specs)

Kit typeBatch sizeFermenterYou still need
Mr. Beer 2 gal complete2 gal2 gal keg fermenter~ Nothing major; refills for the next batch
Craft A Brew 1 gal1 gal1 gal glass jugBottles and caps
Northern Brewer 5 gal starter5 galSiphonless fermenterAbout 50 bottles, a 5 gal+ kettle
Equipment-only 5 gal set5 gal6.5 gal bucketBrew pot and a recipe kit

Source: Product listings (checked November 2026)

Which beer style should a first kit brew?

Pick a forgiving ale: amber, blonde, pale ale or a dry Irish stout. They ferment at cellar temperatures, hide small mistakes and are ready sooner than a lager. The BJCP ranges below show what a finished batch should land near, so your hydrometer readings mean something.

Beer styles by the numbers (BJCP 2021 vital statistics)

StyleOGFGIBUColor (SRM)ABV
10A Weissbier1.044–1.0531.008–1.0148–152–64.3–5.6%
18A Blonde Ale1.038–1.0541.008–1.01315–283–63.8–5.5%
18B American Pale Ale1.045–1.0601.010–1.01530–505–104.5–6.2%
19A American Amber Ale1.045–1.0601.010–1.01525–4010–174.5–6.2%
15B Irish Stout1.036–1.0441.007–1.01125–4525–403.8–5.0%

Source: BJCP 2021 Beer Style Guidelines. Ranges are for judging; your recipe can sit anywhere inside them. Color swatches are an on-screen approximation.

Homebrew can end up stronger than the beer you buy. Check your batch with the ABV calculator, which also converts a serving to NIAAA standard drinks.

What a first batch really needs

  • A sanitizer you use per its label (most kits include a sachet; Star San and iodophor are common refills)
  • A pot big enough for the boil, unless the kit is no-boil like Mr. Beer
  • Bottles, caps and a capper, or swing-top bottles
  • Two to four weeks of patience: Mr. Beer lists 10–14 days fermenting plus 7–14 days conditioning

Want to see the full cost before you buy? The budget builder lists every item for your path and lets you type your own prices.

Avoid bottle bombsBottle only after the gravity reads the same 2–3 days in a row, measure priming sugar with a calculator, use standard bottles only to about 3 volumes, store them in a closed box at room temperature and refrigerate once carbonated.Source: BYO carbonation priming chart
Know what’s in the glassHomebrew is often stronger than commercial beer. One US standard drink is 14 g of alcohol: 12 oz of 5% beer or 5 oz of 12% wine. Brewing and drinking are for adults 21 and over; never drink and drive.Source: NIAAA: What is a standard drink?

Which beginner kit should you choose?

  • Choose a 1-gallon kit if you brew in a small kitchen, want to learn the full boil-and-ferment process, and are happy with about ten bottles per batch.
  • Choose Mr. Beer if you want the fewest extra purchases and no boil; accept less control over the recipe.
  • Choose a 5-gallon starter set if you have a large pot (or buy the kit with a kettle), room for a 6.5 gal fermenter and want about 50 bottles from one brew day.

Related reading: Northern Brewer starter kit review, Craft A Brew 1 gallon kit review and best homebrew kits.

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Beginner kits & first brew: questions

What is the best beer making kit for beginners?
For a kitchen or apartment, a 1-gallon kit (Craft A Brew, Northern Brewer) or the 2-gallon Mr. Beer is the easiest start. If you have room and a large pot, a 5-gallon starter set gives more beer per brew day. Compare the "you still need" lines before you choose.
How long does a beginner homebrew kit take?
Plan on three to four weeks from brew day to drinking. Mr. Beer lists 10–14 days of fermenting plus 7–14 days of bottle conditioning; 5-gallon ale kits are similar.
Do beer kits include bottles?
Some do. Mr. Beer includes reusable 25 oz bottles. Most 5-gallon starter kits and Craft A Brew's 1-gallon kits do not, so budget for about 50 bottles (5 gal) or about 10 bottles (1 gal).
Is a 1-gallon or 5-gallon kit better?
A 1-gallon kit is cheaper to fail with and fits a stovetop. A 5-gallon kit needs a bigger kettle and more bottles, but each brew day yields about five times the beer.
Who can buy and use a homebrew kit?
Homebrewing is for adults of legal drinking age, which is 21 in the US. Federal law allows up to 100 gal a year for a one-adult household and 200 gal for two or more adults, with no sales.