With most of spending much more time at home now thanks to a global pandemic, if you’re an Aussie beer lover, now is the perfect time to start home brewing; making your own beer from scratch at home! And there are a surprising amount of quality starter beer making kits and recipe kits that include everything you need to homebrew.
What you’ll need to make beer at home
Most homebrew or beer making kits come with everything you need to make beer at home, but it’s important to know exactly what you need before you start brewing, so you don’t realise mid-brew that you’re missing something crucial and you’ve ruined your batch.
To make beer at home you need a fermenter, a hydrometer, an airlock, grain & hop socks/bags, sanitiser, bottles (if you plan on bottling your brew), a syphon, a funnel/filter, hops, grains, yeast, and malt. All of these things usually come with most beer making kits but it’s important to check before you start that the beer making kit you’ve ordered does have all of this included.
You will also need one or two large cooking pots (think a 10-15 litre soup pot) and a cooking thermometer. These things are not usually included with beer making kits but are crucial to brewing; so, if you don’t already have these at home, you’ll most likely have to purchase them before you start making your beer (again, this depends on what kit you purchase).
Whether you’re a beginner wanting to make a small batch of craft beer or a seasoned brewer wanting to perfect their beer-making skills, these are the best beer making kits to get in Australia.
Coopers
Coopers, the largest Australian-owned brewery, is famous for its pale ales and sparkling ales. Coopers also produces DIY Beer Kits that include everything you need to make 23 litres of delicious tasting beer. Complete with a fermenting vessel & tap for quick and easy brewing, this beer making kit is perfect for beginners and first-time brewers.
AHB
AHB have been brewing for over 45 years, so it’s safe to say that they know a thing or two about beer. This starter beer making kit has everything you need to create 21 litres of classic Australian Pub style beer, including a ‘Black Max Bench Capper’ which makes capping any size bottle (usually an arduous task) fast and simple.
Small Batch Brew Co.
If you’re a serious beer drinker and prefer sumptuous craft beers to conventional beers like Coronas and Heinekens, this is the beer making kit for you! Small Batch Brew Co’s kit gives you everything you need to make 5 litres of the best craft beer you can think of. All of the equipment and ingredients included in Small Batch Brew Co kits have been carefully chosen by professional brewers for homebrewers and beer lovers alike.
Perfect for both the beginner who has never brewed before or the advanced brewer that wants to scale down and brew more often (making 5 litres at a time, as opposed to larger batches, means you can create a new style of beer every 2 weeks and control the outcome to your liking), these are some of the best beer making kits available.
Mad Millie
If you’re not a hard-core beer fan and prefer classic ginger beer this is the kit for you! This complete ginger beer making kit allows you to handcraft your own delicious alcoholic (or you can make it non-alcoholic if you’re looking for an activity to do with the kids!) Ginger Beer the old fashioned way!
Designed to be used in any kitchen, the Mad Millie Ginger Beer Kit contains everything you need and is perfect for beginner brewers or those who want to experiment and perfect their old fashioned ginger beer brewing.
Craft A Brew
Again, if you prefer craft beers to conventional beers, Craft A Brew’s kit has everything you need to turn your kitchen into a craft brewery and make a delicious IPA; the finished ale will have a delightfully complex hop profile with citrus, floral, and spicy notes.
However, this beer making kit is for more intermediate brewers, so if you’re a beginner, the recipe included with this kit may be a bit tough to execute – but not impossible; as all the equipment and ingredients, as well as step by step instructions, are included. We say challenge yourself and go for it!
Morgan's
This beer making kit is specifically for beginner homebrewers and includes everything you need to make and bottle premium beer easily. Morgan’s kit will allow you to make 23 litres of a delicious lager and includes a reusable fermenter and hydrometer as well as all the bottles and ingredients you’ll need. If you’re looking for a fun activity to do at home that’s stimulating but not overly complicated, Morgan’s is the perfect DIY beer making kit for you.
Brewer's Best
Brewer’s Best homebrew all-malt ingredient kits are designed for the beginner, yet are still challenging enough for the intermediate brewer. This beer making kit will yield about 19 litres of Kölsch – a crisp, clean, easy-drinking ale. It has a straw-yellow hue similar to a pilsner, but is less hoppy and a bit sweeter.
You will need to purchase a fermenter, hydrometer, and bottles separately, as this kit only includes ingredients and smaller equipment (bottle caps, grain bags, etc.) but for this reason, Brewer’s Best’s kit is much cheaper than others on this list.
Northern Brewer
If you’re looking to dip your toe into the pool of homebrewing this low-maintenance beer making kit is perfect for beginners. Northern Brewer’s starter kit includes absolutely everything you need to brew at home, but also comes with the very best resources – printed instructions with visuals, digital manuals, and online videos – for learning to make craft beer. The Northern Brewer kit will make about 4 litres of a beer recipe of your choice and is the perfect way to have some fun at home.