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The best craft beer kits

Craft Beer Kit – Buying Guide, Opinions and Analysis

In recent times, craft beer has become very popular among lovers of this drink. Beyond commercial beer, users have discovered that they can brew it at home, with unique and very different results, becoming true brewmasters. All this thanks to craft beer kits such as the one from #Cervezanía, with ingredients to make up to 5 liters of beer at home or the Brewandbeer kit, with which you can make your own blonde beer from home and invite your friends.

The 8 Best Craft Beer Kits – Opinions 2022

Craft beer kits allow you to make your own drink, the same way it is made in commercial distilleries. These teams have all the necessary materials and tools for you to enjoy your favorite drink, are you ready?

Craft Beer Brewing Kit

1. #Brewery Pale Ale Brewing Kit

With this #Cervezanía craft beer brewing kit, you can brew up to 5 liters of Pale Ale-type blonde beer, with its classic intense amber color and white foam, it is a top-fermented beer, very balanced and light, with little alcohol (5.6%). It is a perfect beer to enjoy fresh as an aperitif and for dinner.

This could be one of the best craft beer kits of 2022, since it contains all the materials and tools necessary to make our favorite drink from home, you will only need to have some empty bottles to pack and the result will be the same as it would be obtained in a professional distillery. 

You will be able to make beer in just 8 steps, very simply and without the need for prior knowledge, since it includes a very precise instruction manual, with all the steps detailed.

The materials are reusable and you have several purchase options, which will allow you to enjoy other varieties of beer such as Triple Blonde or wheat Weissbier.

Pros

Varieties: With this craft beer kit you can choose between different types of beer such as Pilsen Ale ECO, India Pale Ale IPA or Weissbier Wheat.

Ease of use: This kit is very easy to use, since it has a very complete instruction manual, with step-by-step details.

Cons

Bottles: The beer kit is complete, but the bottles and caps are missing, which must be purchased separately, which can be a problem.

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2. Ferrari Group Kit accessories for Coopers craft beer fermentation 

With this craft beer brewing kit you can brew your own Coopers beer.

The kit includes all the material and ingredients necessary for 20 litres. The result is a light, fresh beer with a very pleasant taste, perfect for aperitifs and to enjoy with friends before a meal.

The materials are top quality, made of plastic and sanitary rubber, which complies with all food regulations.

If you are wondering which craft beer kit to buy to get started in this hobby, this could be the best decision. The ingredients are also top quality, with a robust and light flavor.

The kit comes with a very complete instruction manual, which will guide you step by step with easy and simple to follow instructions. 

Pros

Quality: The quality of the materials is very high, with plastic tools and sanitary rubber, which complies with all health safety standards.

Caps : In this case, the kit also contains a bag with caps to close the bottles once they are full.

Cons

Language: The instructions are only in Italian, since the product comes from Italy, which can make it difficult to understand.

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craft beer kit

3. Brewandbeer Blonde Brewing Kit 

This craft beer brewing kit contains all the equipment and ingredients needed to brew 5L lager-type beer. The final result is a fine liquid, pale in color and with delicate flavors, with a slight bitter touch. This type of beer is highly appreciated for its freshness, which makes it ideal for hot afternoons.

Brewandbeer’s could be the best craft beer kit, as it contains all the necessary tools: wire tubing, aerator, demijohn, stopper, disinfectant for rubber tubes and even a bag of bottle stoppers, which will allow you to bottle your beer. 

It also contains all the ingredients: the best barley, the hops and the yeast necessary for the fermentation of the beer.

The kit is accompanied by a complete and detailed guide for the preparation process, it can also be reused and ingredients can be added so that the beer obtains more flavors.

Pros

Reusable : This kit can be reused, just buy the ingredients again, to make as much beer as you want.

Ingredients : The barley and hops that this craft beer kit contains is one of the best you can find.

Cons

Bottles : The kit is very complete but it does not contain bottles, so you will have to get them elsewhere.

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4. Maiol 21901 Malta Lager craft beer brewing kit

This kit to make craft lager beer offers you all the tools and ingredients to create this fresh beer with a pleasant aroma and pale color.

Lager beer is the most widely consumed beer in the world, as it is a soft product, with little alcohol content and that offers a refreshing sensation, perfect for relieving thirst.

If you are wondering which is the best craft beer kit, the one from Maiol could be the best choice. It has all the tools to make beer: a 23-litre container with a lid, 1 anti-foam tap, 1 mixing paddle, 1 fermentation valve, 1 fermentation control test tube, 1 hydrometer, 1 thermometer, bottle cleaner, sugar dispenser and double lever capper.

You will also find a bag with 100 26mm caps, a complete instruction manual and disinfectant powder.

Pros

Complete kit : It is one of the most complete kits, since it has a wide variety of tools to brew beer.

Reusable: This kit can be reused to brew more beer, as long as it is thoroughly washed and the ingredients are purchased again.

Cons

Instructions : The instructions in the kit are somewhat imprecise, and the recipe is not the best, but you could search for an alternative on Google.

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Craft Beer Brewing Kit

5. Brewbarrel Braufässchen Craft Lager Beer Kit 

If you’re looking for a good craft beer brewing kit, the Brewbarrel Home Made Kit gives you all the tools and ingredients you’ll need.

With this kit you can make a tasty, very fresh and smooth Lager beer. It is perfect to quench thirst and heat, thanks to its unique flavor, with slightly bitter hints of hops. 

Brewbarrel is considered by many users to be the best brand of craft beer kits, designed for those who are new to the hombrewing, since it does not require prior knowledge and will allow the drink to be made in less than ten minutes and, after a fermentation process, It will be ready in 7 days. 

You will have everything you need to make up to 5 litres, with malt extract, hops, yeast and a barrel, which will allow you to forget about bottles. You will only need to add a little water, to enjoy this fantastic drink in a short time.

Pros

Easy preparation: All the ingredients are measured and divided into portions to make the beer. Simply add everything to the inside of the barrel and cap it.

Preparation time: It is one of the fastest kits, since you can prepare everything in less than ten minutes and it will be ready in just 7 days.

Cons

Simplicity : This kit is one of the simplest, so it may not be the best option for a fan of craft brewing, who will be looking for more complete options.

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6. Malt Coopers for Brewing Irish Stout

With this craft beer brewing kit, you will be able to brew one of Ireland’s favorite beers, the stout, so for many users this could be the best craft beer kit of the moment.

This black beer has a very personal, strong and pleasant flavor. The stout is prized for its aromas of coffee, chocolate and liquorice, and has a unique slightly roasted flavor with a slightly bitter finish.

The kit includes 1.7 kilograms of malt to brew up to 23 liters of beer. And it does not have the tools for fermentation, so you must have a preparation kit, as well as the rest of the ingredients such as yeast and hops. Still, it is one of the cheapest and best quality kits. 

This black type beer is slightly stronger, with an alcohol content of between 7 and 8%. Coopers malt can be reused and combined with ingredients from other kits to make other types of beers.

Pros

Quality : Stout-type beer is one of the most appreciated by beer lovers. It is a full-bodied beer, black in color and full of flavor, the Coopers brand is one of the most appreciated by brewers, for the quality of its ingredients. 

Quantity: With the amount of malt contained in this kit, it is possible to produce up to 23 liters.

Cons

Malt Only: This brewing kit only contains the malt, so you will need the rest of the ingredients, as well as a brewing kit, complete with fermentation bucket, tubes, aerator, and all the tools.

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Craft Beer Starter Kit

7. Bier Kwik Special complete set for beer

This craft beer starter kit is the perfect gift for any home brewing enthusiast.

It contains everything you need to make a fresh Lager-type beer, pale in color and with a very pleasant taste. This type of beer is perfect for quenching thirst and refreshing yourself on the hottest summer afternoons.

Due to its simplicity and price, it could be considered the best value for money craft beer kit. It will not be necessary for you to have previous knowledge, nor will you have to buy anything else, since it has everything you need to make 25 liters of beer that you can enjoy with your loved ones.

The fermentation bucket has a tap, so you don’t have to spend more money on bottles. It also includes a complete instruction manual, which will allow you to learn how to brew beer easily and step by step.

Pros

It does not require more purchases : You will not have to buy bottles, caps, or ingredients, which means that you can make your craft beer from home, without further expenses.

Quantity : The kit has all the ingredients to make up to 25 liters of Lager beer. It is a large amount of beer, ideal to celebrate a party at home with friends.

Cons

Language: The elaboration manual is not in Spanish. Although it is possible to search for the recipe on the Internet, this can be a problem for some users.

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8. #MyBrewery Pale Ale Extract Kit

With this craft beer starter kit you can make up to 8 liters of craft Pale Ale beer, in the simplest way possible.

It contains all the ingredients so you can enjoy your own copper-colored beer with great character, with aromas of wild hops and a clean taste that stands out and makes it a favorite among beer lovers.

In the preparation kit you will find all the ingredients, an adhesive thermometer, a fermentation bucket with a lid and rubber gasket, oxygenation scoop, tap, anti-sediment cap, bottling tap, airlock, hydrometer, test tube, sugar dispenser, capper and bag with 40 sheets of 26 mm. It is a somewhat more expensive kit, but much more complete than other cheaper ones.

It also has a complete manual that will teach you step by step how to make your homemade Pale Ale.

Pros

Very complete kit : This is one of the most complete kits, with all the necessary instruments to brew beer from home, in the fastest and easiest way. 

Hydrometer : With the hydrometer and the cylinder included in the kit, you will be able to measure the initial and final density of the beer, which will allow you to calculate the graduation.

Cons

Bottles: The kit does not contain bottles for beer, which will force you to buy them separately and invest a little more money.

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Shopping guide

We continue with this comparison of craft beer kits explaining the main factors that can determine your purchase decision. In this section we will assess some points such as the type of beer that can be brewed, the quantity and also the level of difficulty of each of these kits. 

type of beer

The first factor that we are going to review in this guide to buy the best craft beer kit is the type of beer that you will be able to brew. At this point, it should be noted that a kit of this type allows you to brew any type of beer, be it an IPA, Pale Ale or Lager. It will be the ingredients that will mark the types of beer that can be made.

For example, lager and ale beers, the most common on the market, have low fermentation, so the result will be a fresh beer with a light flavor and a light golden color. These types are the ones that are included in any cheap craft beer kit, since they are the most common and the easiest to brew.

Some kits instead offer harder malts, which are perfect for brewing Weissbier or Strout beers. These beers have a much higher fermentation, with a more bitter and intense flavor, are a little thicker and usually contain more alcohol. 

This type of malt and specialty hops, such as Zatec hops or Strout malt, can be purchased separately. Most craft beer kits are reusable, so these ingredients allow the user to experiment and create new beers. It is even possible to go further, adding syrups or fruits such as orange, to achieve beers with different aromas and flavors.

Difficulty level

There are different types of craft beer kits on the market, some contain the basic elements to make beer, while others offer tools to create a mini-distillery at home and the difference, in addition to the accessories it contains, will be noticed in how much each one costs. one.

Starter kits are usually very simple and much easier to use, they are also cheaper. These teams usually have everything you need to make the beer in the simplest way possible, with the ingredients measured and arranged in the correct quantity so that you only have to pour them into the container and wait for them to ferment. These kits are also usually faster, since the malt is fermented or filtered, which greatly reduces the fermentation time and allows the beer to be ready in less than ten days.

On the other hand, the most complete craft beer kits offer all the tools and ingredients so that fans of hombrewing (home brewing) can experiment to the fullest, mixing higher quality malts and hops and looking for new and unique flavors. 

Ingredients

The best craft beer kits have all the ingredients needed to make the beer. The most common is that they have yeast, hops and malt. As we have already explained, the malts will be the ones that allow you to make one type of beer or another, but the hops will also affect its flavor. 

The hops are the ones that offer the characteristic bitterness, which balances the malt sugars. It also offers the aromas, flavor and properties of beer. There are different types of hops: flower, pellet and extract. Extracts are included in starter kits, while flower and pellet are better for connoisseurs.

The yeast will also affect the taste and texture of the beer, it will be the one in charge of giving it a more or less bitter taste. 

Different craft brewing kits will offer ingredients in different amounts. Some will allow you to craft around 7 liters, while others will offer ingredients that will allow you to craft up to 25 liters in one go.

Accessories

The accessories will mark the level of the beer kit. For example, a starter kit will contain the fermentation containers, faucet and tubes, along with the ingredients, but little else. In some cases, not even that, since it will only offer a keg with a tap and the necessary ingredients to make the amount indicated on the package.

The most complete will contain all kinds of accessories such as sterilization material, insulating rubbers, oxygenators, taps and even levers to place the caps on the bottles. 

When buying a kit model or another, you should pay attention to this aspect. If you are just trying to make your own beer, it is best to choose an initiation one, with few accessories and that will allow you to make beer quickly and easily. If what you want is a more complete set, you should choose a model that contains everything you need, from the oxygenator, to the tap and test tube to analyze the fermentation.

Frequently asked questions

Q1: How to use a craft beer kit?

Craft beer kits often come with an instruction manual that lets you learn step-by-step how to brew. The first thing you should do is take a good look at that manual and follow the instructions to make your own beer. 

Once you have read the manual and before starting, sterilize the utensils and let them rest to cool down. Heat the can of malt in a bain-marie to soften the contents. Once soft, open the can and pour the content into a pot with 3 liters of water. Let it dissolve and boil for a few minutes, when the boiling is over, add the hops. Next, add water and sugar, as indicated in the instructions and do not let the temperature of the liquid exceed 28 degrees. 

At this time, if you have followed the instructions correctly, you should have an amount of liquid close to what is marked on the kit. At this point, add the fermentor or yeast, pour everything into the fermentation bucket, and let sit for 4-7 days. 

Once complete, thoroughly clean the bottles you plan to use. When they are sterilized, fill them using the tap on the fermenter. It’s best to let the beer mature at this point. Shake the bottles to mix the sugar and let them sit for a week or two.

Q2: What ingredients does a craft beer kit contain?

The ingredients depend on each craft beer kit. However, they usually have a bag or can of malts, which can be of various types and presented in various forms. They also contain hops, which can come in bloom, in pellets or in extract, and, of course, yeasts, which will be in charge of the fermentation process and provide flavor and bitterness to the beer. 

On the other hand, some craft beer kits do not have any ingredients, just the tools and accessories you need to make the beer. This is not a problem either, since all the ingredients can be purchased separately, in different quantities and qualities.

Q3: How long does it take to make beer with a craft beer kit?

The elaboration time will also depend on the type of kit and even on the amount of beer that we make. Some quick brew kits need only 7 days of fermentation. Others require a little more time, and the process can take up to 10 days. It will largely depend on the type of yeast used, as well as the state of the ingredients, since hops and “extract” malts will take less time to ferment, since you won’t have to heat them and they are processed.

However, the actual time will depend on the stabilization of the beer in the bottle. This process, which will balance the flavor and sugars in the beer, usually takes between 10 and 15 days. To do this, once bottled, you must shake the beer and let it rest inside the bottle itself for the indicated time.

Q4: How strong is the beer in a craft kit?

Craft beers usually have a graduation of 5º, although they can have up to 12º. The graduation will depend on the fermentation process. These beers are very different from the commercial ones, as a lot of attention is paid to their brewing process and ingredients. 

Q5: Where should the craft beer kit be stored during fermentation?

Beer should be kept in a place with a constant temperature of 12.8ºC, if it is stored in a cold place, the fermentation slows down and can cause off-flavours. It should also be in a dark place, away from sunlight, as UV rays can interact with the hops and create off-flavors.

Q6: Can I reuse a craft beer kit?

Depending on the type of craft beer kit you have, it will be possible to reuse it or not. For example, the most complete kits that contain a good fermentation bucket and all its sanitary plastic or rubber accessories can be reused. In this case, the only thing you will need is to thoroughly clean and disinfect the beer kit, so that you can use it as many times as you want. Of course, to do so, you will have to buy more ingredients such as yeast, malt and hops.

On the other hand, there are some kits that are not suitable for reuse. These are usually the “quick” type, in this case, after the first use you will have to get rid of the entire kit, since it will not be possible to brew more beer. 

Q7: Is it essential that the craft beer kit includes a densitometer?

Although it is not essential, since many kits do not contain it, it is necessary, since it is the only way to know the level of transformation of sugar into alcohol, which is the basis of all beer fermentation. The densitometer will allow you to make adjustments to the fermentation and detect any problems in the process.

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