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Review · Northern Brewer

Northern Brewer starter kit review

The Essential Brew. Share. Enjoy. set for 5-gallon extract batches, read from the listing, Northern Brewer's instructions and published brewing sources.

Our verdict

The Northern Brewer Essential starter kit is a sensible, complete-enough way into 5-gallon extract brewing, provided you budget for about 48 pry-off bottles, a stock pot of at least 3 gallons and a hydrometer, which this version leaves out.

This is the classic bucket starter set: a 6.5-gallon fermenter with a spigot, a bottling bucket, a bottle filler, tubing, a spoon, a capper with 60 caps, a cleaner and the Block Party Amber extract recipe kit. The spigot on the fermenter is what Northern Brewer means by "siphonless": you drain beer into the bottling bucket instead of starting a siphon.

What it doesn't include matters as much. You need a kettle or stock pot, about two cases of pry-off bottles, and ideally a hydrometer so you know fermentation is finished before you bottle. The version with a kettle and testing gear (listed separately) closes most of those gaps.

Batch size
5 gal
Type
Extract recipe kit + equipment
Fermenter
Siphonless fermenter
Includes
Block Party Amber recipe kit
Check it on Amazon All specs

Updated November 2026 · Based on maker specs, the manual, the listing and published sources; we did not brew with it

The short version
  • Makes 5 gal (19 L) of beer per batch from an extract recipe kit: Block Party Amber Ale on this listing.
  • Box contents per the listing: 6.5 gal fermenter with spigot, lid and airlock, bottling bucket with spigot, bottle filler, 21 in. spoon, 5 ft tubing, cleaner, bottle brush, capper and 60 caps.
  • You still need about 48 pry-off bottles (not twist-offs) and a pot of at least 3 gal, per Northern Brewer. A hydrometer isn't in this version.
  • Bottle only after the gravity holds steady, and use a priming calculator to avoid bottle bombs.
  • For brewers 21 and over; homebrew is often stronger than store beer.

This Northern Brewer starter kit review covers the Essential Brew. Share. Enjoy. homebrewing starter set with the Block Party Amber recipe kit. It is built for extract brewing: you steep specialty grain, stir in malt extract, boil with hops, cool, top up to 5 gallons in the fermenter and pitch yeast. Two to three weeks later you bottle.

We read the listing, Northern Brewer's product page and instructions, and published brewing sources. We did not brew with this kit. For other options, see the beginner kits hub and the first brew day page.

Who it’s for, and who should skip it

Good fit if you…
  • Want to brew full 5-gallon batches of extract beer from the start
  • Have a large stock pot already, or will buy one
  • Can collect or buy about 48 pry-off bottles
  • Want a spigot fermenter so you can skip siphoning on bottling day
  • Are buying a first kit as a gift for a brewer 21 or over
Skip it if you…
  • Have little space: a 6.5-gallon bucket plus 48 bottles takes room
  • Want everything in one box, including a kettle and hydrometer (look at the kettle-and-testing version)
  • Would rather start with 1-gallon batches in a kitchen
  • Want glass or stainless fermenters

Pros and cons

What stands out
  • Complete bucket setup for 5-gallon batches, from fermenter to capper
  • Spigot on the fermenter means no siphon start on bottling day
  • Bottling bucket and filler make bottling cleaner
  • Includes a recipe kit, so the first batch is planned for you
  • Capper and 60 caps cover more than one batch
  • Northern Brewer publishes step-by-step instructions and videos for its kits
Keep in mind
  • No bottles: plan on about 48 pry-off bottles per 5 gallons
  • No kettle in this version
  • No hydrometer or thermometer in this version
  • Treat the included Oxygen Wash as a cleaner; sanitize with an EPA-registered no-rinse sanitizer such as Star San, per the label
  • Plastic buckets scratch; replace them if they get deep scratches

Specs

Batch size5 gal
TypeExtract recipe kit + equipment
FermenterSiphonless fermenter
IncludesBlock Party Amber recipe kit

As stated by the maker or seller; confirm on the listing before you buy.

What's in the box and what you still need

Northern Brewer Essential starter kit: in the box vs still needed

ItemIn this kit?Note
Recipe kit (Block Party Amber)✓ IncludedExtract recipe for 5 gal
6.5 gal fermenter, spigot, lid, airlock✓ Included"Siphonless" fermenter
Bottling bucket with spigot✓ Included
Bottle filler, 5 ft tubing, 21 in. spoon✓ Included
Cleaner (Oxygen Wash), bottle brush✓ IncludedTreat as a cleaner; sanitize separately
Capper and 60 caps✓ Included
Kettle or stock pot✗ Not includedAt least 3 gal per Northern Brewer; bigger is easier
Bottles✗ Not includedAbout 48 pry-off bottles per 5 gal
Hydrometer and test jar✗ Not includedIn the kettle-and-testing version
No-rinse sanitizer~ RecommendedUse per the label

Source: Listing; Northern Brewer product page and instructions

Northern Brewer's video instructions say a stock pot that holds at least 3 gallons works, since extract kits boil a smaller volume and top up with clean water in the fermenter. Its add-on list suggests an 8-gallon kettle if you later want full-volume boils. Reused bottles must be pry-off, not twist-off, so a bench or wing capper can seal them.

If you'd rather buy it all at once, the version with a brew kettle and testing gear adds a triple-scale hydrometer, a test jar and a thermometer, per its listing. The listing also says the bucket design may differ from the photos.

How brewing this kit works, step by step

  1. Clean, then sanitize

    Clean everything that touches the beer after the boil, then sanitize it. The kit's cleaner removes soil; a no-rinse sanitizer used at label dilution does the sanitizing.

  2. Steep and boil

    Steep the specialty grain, stir in the malt extract off the heat, then boil with the hops on the schedule in Northern Brewer's recipe sheet.

  3. Cool and top up

    Cool the wort, pour it into the fermenter and top up to 5 gallons with clean, cool water. Take a gravity reading if you have a hydrometer.

  4. Pitch and ferment

    Pitch the yeast, fit the lid and airlock and keep the fermenter in the temperature range on the yeast packet, usually around 64–68°F (18–20°C) for ale yeast.

  5. Confirm it's done

    Bottle only when the gravity reads the same on two or three days in a row. Bubbling in the airlock is not a reliable signal.

  6. Prime and bottle

    Rack to the bottling bucket with priming sugar, fill pry-off bottles with the filler and cap them. Condition at room temperature for about two weeks, then refrigerate.

Our how to brew beer at home guide covers each step in detail. Use the priming sugar calculator for the exact amount of sugar, and the ABV calculator to work out strength from your gravity readings.

Priming sugar calculatorWork out priming sugar for 5 gallons at your beer's warmest temperature.
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
Chemicals: label directions onlyUse sanitizers, cleaners, acids and salts only at the dilution and contact time on the label. Wear eye protection with acids and powders, add acid to water, keep them away from children and food prep. Star San is EPA-registered (Reg. No. 65001-1) as a no-rinse sanitizer at label dilution.Source: EPA Star San label

Where to boil: stove or burner?

A 3-gallon partial boil fits on most kitchen stoves. If you move to full 5-gallon boils on a propane burner, that burner belongs outdoors in open air, never in a garage, even with the door open. Electric kettles or all-in-one systems are the indoor-safe route to bigger boils.

A large stainless pot of wort heating on a kitchen stove
A full kettle on a kitchen stove.Photo: PierreSelim, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Propane burners: outdoors onlyRun jet burners in open air, away from the house. CPSC says to keep fryer-style propane burners out of the garage, off the deck and away from the house; a garage, porch or carport with the door open is still not outdoors. Burning propane makes carbon monoxide. Leak-check fittings with soapy water and never leave a boil unattended.Source: CPSC holiday cooking safety

How it compares with other 5-gallon starter kits

Brewer's Best's deluxe equipment kit uses a Better Bottle PET carboy and includes a boil kettle and an ingredient kit, but no bottles. Home Brew Ohio's Essential kit includes an auto-siphon, a hydrometer and a thermometer but no recipe and no pot. Craft A Brew's Everyday 5 gallon kit is a bucket set aimed at brewers moving up from 1-gallon batches. Coopers' DIY kit uses a single conical-style fermenter with Coopers extract.

Our best beer making kits for beginners and best homebrew kits lists compare them side by side, and the equipment checklist shows what each kit leaves out.

Brew and drink responsibly

Homebrewing is for adults 21 and over. A 5-gallon batch fills about four dozen 12 oz bottles, and many homebrews come out stronger than a 5% commercial beer. Federal law allows up to 100 gallons per calendar year in a one-adult household and 200 gallons with two or more adults, for personal use only, never for sale; state law varies.

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?
Wort running through a tube from the kettle into a fermenting bucket
Wort running through a tube from the kettle into a fermenting bucketPhoto: Ildar Sagdejev ( Specious ), CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Alternatives worth a look

With a kettle in the box: A deluxe 5-gallon equipment kit with a Better Bottle PET carboy, a boil kettle and an American Amber ingredient kit; bottles not included.

With a hydrometer: A 5-gallon equipment kit with an auto-siphon, hydrometer, thermometer and capper; you add a pot, a recipe kit and bottles.

From the 1-gallon maker: Craft A Brew's 5-gallon bucket kit with a Hefeweizen recipe, for brewers scaling up from small batches.

Brewery-designed: Coopers' 19-piece kit built around its one-step fermenter and Coopers extract.

How we reviewed it

We read the maker’s specs, the manual and the current listing, and checked them against published brewing sources (Palmer, BJCP, AHA, BYO) and safety guidance where it applies. We did not brew with, install or lab-test this product. We never show scores, star ratings or prices.

Questions

Is the Northern Brewer starter kit good for beginners?
Yes, it covers the full 5-gallon bucket process with a recipe and instructions. Budget for bottles, a pot of at least 3 gallons and a hydrometer, which this version doesn't include.
What do I need besides the Northern Brewer starter kit?
About 48 pry-off bottles, a stock pot or kettle of at least 3 gallons, a no-rinse sanitizer and ideally a hydrometer and thermometer.
How long does the Block Party Amber take?
Plan on about two weeks in the fermenter, or until the gravity is stable, then about two weeks in the bottle at room temperature. Follow the recipe sheet's timing.
What does siphonless mean?
The fermenter has a spigot, so you drain the beer into the bottling bucket instead of starting a siphon with tubing.
Can I reuse store-bought bottles?
Yes, if they are pry-off bottles. Twist-off bottles don't seal reliably with a standard capper.
Is the included cleaner a sanitizer?
Treat it as a cleaner. Sanitize with an EPA-registered sanitizer such as Star San at the label dilution after cleaning.

Sources

  1. Northern Brewer: Essential Brew. Share. Enjoy. homebrew starter kit
  2. Northern Brewer: Starter kit video instructions
  3. Northern Brewer: Brewing with a Brew. Share. Enjoy. starter kit
  4. BYO: Carbonation priming chart
  5. 27 CFR 25.205: Production of beer for personal or family use
  6. EPA: Star San label (Reg. No. 65001-1)