The basic kit is all of the specialty equipment you need to get you started homebrewing. You may have already been saving bottles and you may own a 5 gallon kettle. You will need two cases of bottles for 5 gallons of homebrew. You can use either twelve or twenty-two ounce bottles, just be sure to save bottles that use a bottle opener. Twist off bottles can let the carbonation escape so we don’t save them.
Plastic and glass fermenters perform equally well. Good technique, quality ingredients, and careful sanitation will ensure you make great beer right from the start. Glass carboys for fermentation let you watch the process, but they require extra care when handling. We’ll be glad to explain the pros and cons of either type of fermenter.
The Intermediate Brew Kit adds on some extras that will let you brew more styles of beer with some nice side benefits. The time the beer spends in the five gallon carboy for secondary will let even more sediment drop out, resulting in much less sediment in the bottom of the bottle. More consistent carbonation, the ability to brew lagers and higher alcohol brews, and a head start on conditioning are all good reasons to consider using a carboy for secondary.
The bottle washer is included in the Intermediate kit. This little gadget makes rinsing bottles and carboys a snap.
The Basic Brewing KIt $84.95
6.75 gallon fermenter with drilled and grommeted lid
airlock
Bottling bucket with spigot
Bottle filler
Siphon cane
Siphon tubing
Double lever capper
Sanitizer
Hydrometer
Stick on fermometer
Bottle brush
The New Complete Joy of Homebrewing by Charlie Papazian
The Intermediate Brewing Kit (everything in the Basic Kit, plus:) $144.95
5 gallon glass carboy for secondary
drilled stopper & airlock
Carboy handle
Carboy brush
Bottle & carboy washer
Faucet adapter for carboy washer
Basic Glass Kit $129.95
6 gallon glass carboy for fermenting
Universal carboy cap for blow-off
3 feet blow-off tubing
airlock
Funnel with strainer insert
Stick on fermometer
Carboy handle
Carboy brush
Hydrometer
Siphon cane
Siphon tubing
Bottling bucket with spigot
Double lever capper
Bottle filler
Sanitizer
The New Complete Joy of Homebrewing by Charlie Papazian
The Deluxe Glass Kit (everything in the Basic Glass kit, plus:) $179.95
5 gallon glass carboy for secondary
Drilled stopper and airlock
Carboy handle
Bottle and carboy washer
Faucet adapter for bottle washer