Free tool

Homebrew startup budget builder

Choose how you'll brew and package, then type the prices you see today. The list includes the items kits often leave out, such as bottles and a kettle. We never supply prices, and nothing leaves your browser.

Plain crown bottle caps scattered on a wooden table — Photo: Steven Lilley, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

How you’ll brew 5-gal extract kit 1-gal kit All-in-one 120V All-in-one 240V

Packaging Bottles Kegs

Type the prices you see today, item by item. We never supply prices, and nothing leaves your browser (saved locally so you can come back).

Item	Qty	Your price, $	Line total
5-gallon extract starter kit (fermenter, bottling bucket, capper) Gear			—
1-gallon beer kit (glass jug, airlock, recipe) Gear			—
Brew kettle, 5 gal or larger (stovetop) or 8–10 gal Base kits often leave this out Gear			—
Stockpot, 2 gal or larger You may already own one			—
Electric all-in-one, 120V Check the circuit: about 13.3 A at 1600 W Gear			—
Electric all-in-one, 240V Needs a 240V GFCI circuit by a licensed electrician Gear			—
240V GFCI circuit (licensed electrician quote) How-to			—
Fermenter (PET, bucket or stainless) with airlock Gear			—
Wort chiller optional Gear			—
Hydrometer and test jar Gear			—
Thermometer			—
No-rinse sanitizer and a cleaner (PBW or OneStep) Gear			—
Ingredient kit or grain, hops and yeast for batch one Gear			—
Temperature controller (and a heat wrap) optional Gear			—
Bottles: about 50 × 12 oz per 5 gal (10 per gallon) Gear			—
Crown caps			—
Bottle capper (if your kit has none) optional Gear			—
Bottle filler and bottling bucket (if not in the kit) optional			—
Priming sugar (corn sugar) Open tool			—
Kegerator, or a chest freezer + controller (keezer) Gear			—
Corny kegs (ball lock) Gear			—
CO2 cylinder (fill or exchange) and dual-gauge regulator Gear			—
Gas and beer lines, disconnects, faucet Gear			—
Line-cleaning kit optional How-to			—
Your total			—

Runs in your browser; nothing is sent anywhere.

How it’s calculated

Total = Σ (your price × quantity) for the items you tick

Assumptions

We never supply prices: type what you see today. Nothing leaves your browser.
Item lists follow common kit contents; check what your kit already includes.

Worked example: A 5-gallon extract kit still needs about 50 bottles and a kettle of at least 5 gallons, per the Northern Brewer listing.

Sources: AHA: How to brew

For guidance only: verify with your own readings, your equipment’s manual and the product labels.

What kits usually leave out

Read the kit contents before you buy. The Northern Brewer starter kit listing, for example, says you still need about 50 bottles and a kettle of at least 5 gallons. Kegging replaces bottles but adds a cylinder, regulator and cold space.

Questions

Is homebrewing cheaper than buying beer?

It depends on your gear, batch size and ingredients. Use the builder with today's prices to see your own startup cost.

Sources

AHA: How to brew