The Best Home Brew Beer Supply Stores

Wednesday, March 3rd

2021 Home Brew Beer Supply Store Reviews

Midwest Supplies

Midwest Supplies delivers premium home beer brewing equipment at fair prices for novice and experienced brewers alike. Founded in 1995, this twin cities company partnered with the highly distinguished Northern Brewer brand, bringing exceptional quality with midwestern charm and customer service, to customers all over the nation - including Hawaii and Alaska.

Satisfaction guarantee

Reviewers agree that Midwest Supplies offers exemplary products. In fact, Midwest Supplies is so confident in their service, they guarantee satisfaction or your money back within 30 days of receipt of purchase.

7 beer kits to choose from

With Midwest Supplies, customers have 7 beer kits and 1 hard seltzer kit to choose from: five 1-gallon kit options, and three 5-gallon kit options. Prices vary depending on the size and complexity of the kit, as does the included equipment. However, when comparing individual kits to similar ones from competitors, MS prices are comparable.

What's included

To give an idea of what to expect inside your kit, the Essential Homebrew Starter Kit (5 gallon) includes:

• Block Party Amber Ale recipe
• Siphonless 6.5 Gallon Fermenter w/ New Gasketed Lid - (Please Note: Due to Inventory Constraints Actual Bucket Design May Vary)
• Bubbler Airlock
• Bottling Bucket w/ Spigot Assembly - (Please Note: Due to Inventory Constraints Actual Bucket Design May Vary)
• Spring Tip Bottle Filler
• 21" Stainless Spoon
• Tubing
• Cleaner/Sanitizer - Northern Brewer No-Rinse Cleanser
• Bottle Brush
• Northern Brewer Bottle Capper & Red Caps (60ct.)
• Printed Step-by-Step Instructions

Add-ons available

The website also recommends additional add-ons for purchase for customers seeking a deeper dive into the beer brewing process; but the only necessary equipment not included in the delivered kit are the beer bottles themselves (available for purchase, or the website advises one can save previously used beer bottles). The website is professional and easy to navigate if searching for additional equipment, which they have an astounding amount of; and the website boasts an impressive array of hundreds of beer recipes to choose from. After enjoying your first recipe included with purchase of your beer making kit, you'll be able to master the creation of an almost endless amounts of brews.

Not just beer kits

In addition to their premium beer brewing kits and equipment, Midwest Supplies also sells 6 wine making kits, 3 kombucha making kits, and 1 Hard cider kit. Not interested in a pre-set "kit" for one of these options? Don't worry - they sell plenty of equipment for you to pick and choose from, geared to these delectable beverages and other craft specialties, as well.

Superior home brewing experience

Midwest Supplies is a superior home brewing experience and earns our highest rating for their high-quality equipment, combined with valued customer service. Shipping costs are reasonable and reflect UPS Ground shipping costs. We give Midwest Supplies our highest rating for their comprehensive approach to quality for beginners and experienced brewers alike.

Brew Demon

BrewDemon offers an exceptional beer brewing starting kit for customers who are a little green to the process of brewing. BrewDemon's beer kits are some of the most affordable on the market, and include many unique features, making it an all-inclusive experience for customers from start to finish.

Making small brews tastier

Founded in 2012 by Sam Dramis, who had recently left reputable competitor Mr. Beer, Sam wanted to bring all the fun, fancy equipment of larger brew batches, to smaller ones. Thus, he created what he claims was the world's first 2-gallon conical fermenter - making small brews clearer, cleaner, and tastier than ever.

Benefits of a conical fermenter

Wondering what's so special about a conical fermenter? During the fermentation process, a layer of sediment forms - creating a hazy, off-flavor addition to the beer. With a conical fermenter, this sediment is funneled down to the tapered bottom, resulting in less interaction between the liquid and sediment. This provides you with more deliciousness in every sip of beer, at an affordable cost. We'll drink to that!

9 home brew beer kits

With BrewDemon, customers can choose between 9 different brew kits: four 1-gallon kits, four 2-gallon kits, and one 6-gallon kit. Kits will vary in cost depending on size and included features. All kits come with a conical fermenter with adjustable flow top, ingredients to make first batch of beer, and are simple & easy to use.

Beer kit equipment

In the much acclaimed 2-gallon Craft Beer Kit Plus, equipment includes:

• (1) Conical Fermenter
• (1) Fermenter Base
• (1) Adjustable Flow Tap Assembly
• (1) Venting Plug
• (1) Stick-on Temperature Gauge
• (1) Ingredients to make your first batch of 4.6% ABV craft beer
• (1) Packet of Dry Brewing Yeast
• (1) Packet of One Step No-Rinse Cleanser
• (8) Plastic Amber 1 Liter Bottles & Reusable Caps
• (8) Custom Bottle Labels
• (1) Easy to Follow Brewing Instructions.

Impressive starter kits

Aside from their impressive starter kits, BrewDemon also sells a wide assortment of additional and replacement equipment for purchase, and several recipes to enjoy after you've toasted to your first batch. We were additionally quite impressed by the level of professionalism and fun infused into BrewDemon's website: easy to navigate, observable passion for beer, and including many humorous and instructional videos for anyone seeking additional guidance during their brew process.

2 year replacement guarantee

BrewDemon offers a 2 year replacement guarantee on fermenters for any customer dissatisfaction, and individuals praise their customer service experience. They ship to all U.S. states and territories, and these rates vary between $3-$32 depending on the size of order. BrewDemon offers a highly satisfactory experience for home brewers, particularly beginners who will appreciate the clear and concise, step by step instructions. As they boast on their website, "it's easy enough to sip on a beer while you work!"

Mr. Beer

Mr. Beer has long been lauded for their reputation as a top option for novice beer brewers, searching for a way into brewing. They offer a professional, affordable, and reliable option for customers especially seeking a reliable brewing process.

Water extraction process

Growing for over 20 years, in 2011 Mr. Beer merged with Coopers Brewery, a 150 years strong company based in Australia. This gave Mr. Beer new access to a rare water extraction process, which seriously increased the quality of their malts for sale to customers.

12 home brew beer kits

For novices, Mr. Beer sells 12 different 2-gallon beer making kits, and one 6-gallon beer making kit. These kits vary in price based on included features, but are the most affordable out of all competitors ranked on our list, include free shipping - AND at the time of this writing (June 2020) are offering a 10% off discount for first orders. Those are some serious savings, which translate to happy customers.

Beer kit contents

With Mr. Beer, even the simplest kit contains:

• 2 Gallon Fermenter with Lid
• Spigot, Washer and Nut Assembly
• Recipe of choice
• Packet of Yeast (Under lid of Brewing Extract)
• Booster Pouch
• Packet of No-Rinse Cleanser
• Easy-to-Follow Brewing Instructions

Extras available

With more expensive kits containing necessary bottles for storing your finished product, or bottles available as an additional price for more affordable kits, the brew kits should include everything else you need. You can also buy from an extensive ingredient, equipment, refill, and recipe list (over 100 options!), for customizing and creating original home brews. And for those interested in a different taste, Mr. Beer also sells a root beer and hard cider kit.

Solid introductory system

Most reviewers note that the quality and flavor profiles produced by Mr. Beer's home brewing systems are standard, if simplistic. However, they continue to be applauded as an introductory system that affords customers the opportunity to decide whether this is an interest worth pursuing for them. Mr. Beer maintains a professional, clean, and easy to use website, so customers can find what they need without a second thought. They have an A+ from the Better Business Bureau, and allow customers to return products within 30 days of delivery. For beginning brewers especially, we highly recommend Mr. Beer be considered for your home brewing needs.

Brooklyn Brew Shop

The Brooklyn Brew Shop is a premium home brewing company that has been climbing in reputation and recognition within the home beer brewing world, ever since its founding in 2009.

Simple, tasty, stylish brews

What started as a means to help space strapped New Yorkers delve into the magic and deliciousness of beer brewing, has boomed into a well-respected business that capitalizes on simple, tasty, and stylish brews. Just check out their Unicorn beer brewing kit - complete with a pink color and multicolored sprinkles - for the proof! The Brooklyn Brew Shop has been featured in The New York Times, Nylon, Food & Wine, Glamour, Thrillist, Travel & Leisure, Vogue, Time Out and Martha Stewart. They continue to top gift guides for friends, parents, Boyfriends/Girlfriends, beer geeks, and holiday gift lists.

Over 20 beer kits

The Brooklyn Brew Shop offers over 20 beer brewing kits to choose from, and all kits are reusable. So, once you've enjoyed your first batch, you can set your sights and watering mouth on the next batch to try. All beer brewing kits are one-gallon and all-grain, so this company is especially appealing for brewing novices; although they do sell a limited number of 5-gallon beer mixes.

What's in your beer kit

At the Brooklyn Brew Shop, all beer brewing kits come with:

• All-Grain Ingredient Mix
• Gallon (3.8 L) Glass Fermenter
• Glass Spirit-Filled Thermometer
• Vinyl Tubing
• Racking Cane & Tip
• Chambered Airlock
• Brooklyn Brew Shop Cleanser
• Screw-Cap Stopper
• Sanitizer to clean equipment

Great variety of flavors

Coming in as the second most affordable home brewing option on our list, The Brooklyn Brew Shop is generous in cost, variety of flavors, and customer service. Some examples of this include: their provision of free shipping for orders more than $59, their feature of a chat function to connect to a customer service representative right away, and several helpful beer brewing videos to follow along with as a guide while you're getting the hang of it.

Not just for beer

Beer not your thing? The Brooklyn Brew Shop also sells brewing kits for Kombucha, Hard Cider, Sparkling Rose, and Sparkling Wine, so there's a taste for everyone to love. And for those interested in scrumptious food options to serve alongside their freshly brewed batch of beer, The Brooklyn Brew Shop sells other kits for making bagels and cream cheese, soft pretzels and cheese, cinnamon sugar soft pretzels, and even fermented veggies.

Highly recommend

Although the 1-gallon beer brewing kits still make 8-10 bottles of beer, it would be nice if the bottles were included; and/or if there were options for more experienced brewers who are already sold on The Brooklyn Brew, to purchase larger batch equipment. We are excited to see how The Brooklyn Brew Shop will continue growing in acclaim and service to a loyal fan base, and highly recommend considering them as your introduction to home brewing.

Adventures in Homebrewing

Adventures in Homebrewing is a veteran & family owned company that originated in Michigan in 1999, and has been providing home beer brewers with all their brewing needs ever since. What began as a passion project for two brothers in a basement, has expanded to the "Costco" of home brewing companies. They are reputable, and have been noted for excellent customer service during the many years of their operation.

13 different brew kits

With Adventures in Homebrewing, customers can choose between 13 different brew kits, each increasing in cost and difficulty level depending on the experience of the brewer. It is worth noting that all brew kits make between 5-6 gallons of beer - even the beginning homebrew kit. Unless you are feeling particularly daring, we recommend Adventures in Home Brewing for brewers who might already have some experience in getting down with the brew, and feel confident and capable to take on more.

What can you expect?

Each brewing kit contains:

• 6.5 Gallon "Ale Pail" Primary Fermenter with Drilled & Grommeted Lid
• 6.5 Gallon "Ale Pail" Bottling Bucket with Bottling Spigot
• Easy Clean No-Rinse Cleanser
• Airlock
• Auto Siphon
• Bottling Set-up
• Instruction Manual
• Hydrometer and Test Jar
• Bottle Brush
• Twin Lever Capper
• Liquid Crystal Thermometer
• Can add a recipe kit (5 options) and dry yeast
• Recipe kit
• Dry Yeast

Higher in price

Adventures in Homebrewing kits are higher in price than some competitors, but keep in mind that customers are brewing way more beer with AHB than most of the companies reviewed on our list. Aside from the brewing kits themselves, Adventures in Homebrewing also sells far more loose brewing equipment than any other competitor on our list - so for those who already have good brewing knowledge and experience, you are able to purchase whatever equipment you'd like for your brewing pleasure. Not feeling thirsty? Adventures in Homebrewing also sells yogurt, cheese, and vinegar making kits too.

Solid choice

Adventures in Homebrewing are noted for their quality customer service, providing an easy-to-use website, free shipping on all brewing kits, and accepted returns on orders within 30 days of delivery. They are a great option to consider, particularly for those with previous brewing experience. We think customers would also appreciate a smaller-batch option for novice brewers, and this would allow AHB the chance to build up loyalty from brewers at the start. Still, Adventures in Homebrewing is a good option to consider for your brewing needs.

Love 2 Brew

Love2Brew was founded in October of 2011, and presents a fine option for beer brewers to consider. Although they have maintained a relatively low profile within the home brewing world throughout the years, they continue to build a portfolio's worth of positive reviews.

Praiseworthy commitment

Love2Brew's website claims a commitment to the values: Service Above All, Sustainability, Community Development, Environmental Consciousness, and Passion. This is generally reflected throughout their business proceedings.

6 home brew beer kits

There are 6 beer making kits plus one "upgrade kit" offered through Love2Brew: one 1-gallon kit, one 2.5-gallon kit, three 6.5-gallon kits, and one 7.9-gallon conical kit. Prices and inclusions vary widely between the kits.

Beer kit contents

To provide an idea for customers, the Brewer's Essentials Complete Beer Making Kit includes:

• 6.5 Gallon Fermenting Bucket
• Grommeted Lid
• 6.5 Gallon Bottling Bucket
• Bottling Spigot
• 5 Gallon Glass Carboy
• Carboy Bung
• 2 oz. Powdered Brewery Wash (PBW)
• Three Piece Airlock
• Hydrometer
• 24" Mash Paddle
• Auto Siphon
• Siphon Tubing
• Lab Thermometer
• Carboy Brush
• Bottle Brush
• Bottle Filler
• Bottle Capper
• Bottle Caps
• Love2brew Basics of Homebrewing Guide
• Love2brew Sticker

Over 300 beer recipes

The starter kits offer customers a limited variety of brew recipes to keep things simplified for the customer; however, the store quite impressively sells over 300 different recipes for future brewing. They also sell a wide range of brewing ingredients for add-ins, customizations, and creations of your own brew; as well as a plethora of loose brewing equipment. For individuals curious about another brewing experience, Love2Brew also sells three wine making kits and eight cider recipe kits.

Shipping costs are extra

Love2Brew has unfortunately had to suspend free shipping availability for customers; the shipping rates reflect the costs of UPS, USPS, and FedEx. They offer some international shipping, as well as ship to military addresses. Love2Brew does offer refunds for orders within 30 days of delivery.

Worth consideration

Love2Brew's website is easy enough to navigate, although could benefit from some updating. They are a suitable option for customers to consider, though would likely appeal to more experienced brewers as they have only one 1-gallon starter kit for customers. With this as the only option for novice brewers, and the other kits ranking much higher in price, we think there are more impressive home brewing options on our list to consider.

William's Brewing

William's Brewing has been providing customers with beer brewing supplies since 1979 - although to be honest, we found it difficult to find out much more about their story than that. The website was somewhat difficult to navigate, and we thought it a little strange a company with such a long history wouldn't want to provide insight to their personality to the customer.

3 home brew kits

William's Brewing only offers 3 different home brewing equipment "kits", each amounting to hundreds of dollars, and clearly meant for experienced brewers. With such a steep cost, the kits do not include the necessary 48 12oz beer bottles for customers - requiring an additional cost.

Home brew kit contents

The simplest equipment kit offered contains:

• Brewcraft Fermenter Z16
• Fermenter Lid Z14
• Fermenter Tap Z21
• Airlock E01
• Priming Tank E13
• Hydrometer T07
• Hydrometer Jar T05
• Thermometer T65
• Home Beermaking B10
• 18" Stirring Spoon E46
• Brewers Edge Cleanser A26
• Bottle Brush E15
• Emily Capper EA2
• 150 Bottle Caps E19 or E12
• 4' of J16 ½" Tubing
• 6" of J16 Tubing for Bottling
• Priming Tank Lid Q09
• #2 Stopper with Hole E60
• William's Kit of your choice

Not for beginners

Definitely not a beginner-friendly list. The advertised brewing kits don't include any actual equipment, and are just recipe kits for customers to use on already existing brew systems at home. There are 6 flavor profile options for customers to choose from these recipe kits: American Style, Belgian Style, Wheat & Mead, English Style, German and Baltic, and William's All Grain Mashing. Within these profile options, there are several kits for customers to choose from. These kits are cost friendly - however, higher ranked companies on our list sell kits at comparable prices with the equipment included, overall much more convenient and cost-effective for customers.

Good customer service

William's Brewing does seem to be well received, and they're noted for their customer service. They provide a 60-day money back guarantee, same day shipping for orders placed before 4pm PST, and free or flat-rate shipping is available depending on the order placed. They also sell wine making and coffee roasting kits, as well as home distilling equipment. If you are highly experienced in your brewing and know exactly what to look for, you may be pleased with William's Brewing. However, for those novice home brewers, or regard home brewing as a hobby, we think you'll like the higher rated options better.