Side by Side Comparison of: True Brew vs Learn To Brew LLC vs Home-Brew.com vs Monster Brew Home Brewing Supp

Simple, easy to brew and good tasting IPA

It took us a year to get around to brewing this batch so the supplies were just under the "use by" date. It was our first time making our own beer and it turned out amazing! As it was our first time the entire process was new to us. We followed the directions that came with the kit, allowing it to ferment one week and then transferred it to a carboy for an additional few days to settle. Then bottling and priming with sugar for one last week. It took three weeks from start to finish and we had a smooth amber ale that would rival a Sam Adams beer. I am buying this same kit again now.

Came out great and tasty. Pulled close to 6abv with good head and retention. Simple instructions for a beginner. Final taste was more like a brown ale rather than a west coast ipa, which is cool, good is good. No better feeling than enjoying your own home made beer!

Husband loves it

My second True Brew IPA is fermenting right now and if it turns out as well as the first I'll be very happy. The ingredients are good quality, the kit even comes with bottle caps and a grain bag...which is awesome. The instructions are well written and easy to follow. Just remember to keep everything CLEAN and this kit should provide a great tasting IPA.

This kit had wonderful instructions and the ingrediants were good quality. It is a great place to start for beginners. As you progress, you may want to start with your own modified recipes, malt powder, etc. But, this was a very good (and very hoppy) beer for the ease of brewing.One thing I didn't use was the included steralizer packets. For one thing, they didn't include enough to sterilize your equipment throughout the whole process. However, a weak bleach solution does the job just fine.Brew a couple batches from kits like these, buy the Joy of Homebrewing, and then start to create your own recipes.Happy Brewing!

Excellent bottle caps at an affordable price.You can preserve the oxygen absorbing capacity of the caps by putting them in a ziplock bag (I use the the ziplock freezer bags which are rated for this high of temperature) before adding them to heated water for sterilization. You don't need to bring the water all the way to a boil, just look up some pasteurization temperature time charts.

They're good caps. Make a good seal and work as expected. What more can you ask for?

Simplistic and exactly what I was looking for!

Used quite a few of these and they work very well.

I've been snapping these across the frat house and haven't hit a dang thing. Are they faulty? Nope. User error. Turns out these go on the top of bottles. I'm embarrassed.

They are beer bottling caps, silver, normal size.

Bought this several years ago and I am still using it. The spigot was drilled into the bucket just perfectly. Sometimes it's put too low and knocks against a flat surface, other times it's too high and you have to tip the buck a lot to get all your brew dispensed. This has not been an issue. The bottle capper has finally broke but this has been after 3 years of use. The carboy is a great quality. Dropped it a few times without it breaking. If you get this for your first kit, it does not come with a handle or harness for the carboy so make sure to get that too.

First one arrived broken because of the shipper fault, but they quickly sent a replacement unit and was worth the wait. Fantastic system to make beer. Everything you need is here.

So happy with this product. Can't give enough of a good review to express my gratitude and respect for the impact that this kit has had in my world. WARNING: homebrewing is addictive and this kit feeds into that haha!

I'm giving it 5 Stars because this is a great and affordable starter kit. As many other reviewers have pointed out, there are some issues with the description and there are some additional items you need in order to brew. Yes, you need a 16-20 quart brew pot. Yes, you need a large metal spoon to stir your wort while brewing. And yes, you need a cooking thermometer to monitor wort temp.

After brewing for close to a year, I would now recommend a separate primary fermenting bucket and bottling bucket since nasty things can grow in the nooks and crannies of the valve used for bottling. But again, as an affordable starter kit... one bucket is fine. The instructions are not very good, but after watching a video or two on youtube, you'll be fine. If you're interested in trying home brewing... this is a great intro kit.

Everything came intact and as described. The included cleanser was actually a tub instead of only the packets which was a nice surprise (Though I use and would strongly recommend Star-San/Iodophor) The fill wand is spring loaded (better than gravity fill wand) and the airlock is a three piece (which I prefer) and comes with a bung instead of a stopper which is nice and in my opinion more practical and easier to use. The spigot that came with the primary bucket works well and does not leak** Hydrometer is usable. I recommend buying a test tube as I don't like to set it in the primary. Also the capper is great, has a magnet to lightly hold cap in place and seals without issue.

YOU *WILL* NEED A LARGE POT.

I recommend at least a 5 gallon stainless steel pot with a glass lid. It is more expensive upfront but you will soon replace the cheaper alternatives like ceramic coated and aluminum so you will end up saving money (which can go towards ingredients!! :D ). Both of the alternatives will work just fine however again I would suggest spending a little more on stainless w/ glass lid.

Also I would recommend investing in a cheap digital thermometer. Managing your temperature is important and digital thermometers will chime when temps are correct.

Another item that will make brewing easier for you is a large mesh strainer, I like the ones with the sides that slide out it makes straining much easier if you are brewing solo.

I know it seems like there are a lot of "additional" recommendations that I'm listing here and while most of them are purely optional they will make your brewing experience much more enjoyable. For the price this kit is great and comes with just about everything you need assuming you have some basic kitchen items on hand (strainer, large pot, thermometer).

**BE SURE TO INSTALL, FASTEN, AND CHECK SPIGOT FOR LEAKS BEFORE BREWING.

Clear the drilled hole of any burrs/loose plastic *lightly* with a sharp knife. Be sure to place a stopper inside and outside of the spigot (as common sense would dictate) then tighten nut as much as possible with fingers and CHECK TO MAKE SURE SPIGOT IS IN CLOSED POSITION. Then fill bucket with just about an inch of water. Enough that when tipped toward the spigot water will cover the spigot. Check to see if leaking. GRADUALLY tighten nut with channel locks (preferably plastic/rubber channel locks but metal will work fine) until bucket can be filled without leak. Many assume these steps are common sense however after reading through other reviews it seems this procedure needs to be explained in full.

This is VERY good beer!! It was my second time brewing, so I knew what to expect, but still made a few mistakes (the brew took longer than 60 mins because the wort chiller and malts took down my temperature, so I spent roughly 30 mins just getting back to boiling - which was my fault).Anyway, I did 4 days primary and 5 days secondary. I reached fg on racking to secondary date, so I racked to age a little in secondary. Bottles were ready to drink after only a week. The taste is seriously competition worthy, and I've had a lot of different beers in my life, though my tastes do favor milder, lighter beers with low IBUs - which that is what this beer is.

Great kit! very balanced taste. I made this for christmas time and share it with family and friends. Not a single person did not like it. I attribute to the balanced taste. Besides that it was my first brewing kit and I did not messed up. Just follow the instructions!

Just cracked open the first few bottles this week and am very happy with the results! It was my first time brewing, so I wasn't even expecting anything drinkable, but this beer tastes great. It's much darker and richer than pictured, almost an amber color, and there seems to be a hint of almost banana under the wheat and spice--it's really tasty. I don't imagine it's even close to 4%, as I don't even feel buzzed after three of them, but I'm still very happy with the taste and carbonation, and the ease of use! I'll definitely be trying other True Brew kits in the future.

Got this kit for around $24 when they were clearing inventory. It came out great! It's the second True Brew kit I have made--Amber was the first. The Amber ale was good but I liked the Octoberfest better. True Brew seems to make great kits. The directions are easy to follow. They offer a few extra tips that aren't necessary but will improve the overall results. I'm very happy with this product.I had ideal temps and finished fermentation in 1 week using only the items provided in the kit. Bottle conditioned for another 2 weeks. Great beer that I'd proudly offer to my guests.

Bought this as a gift for my husband and he absolutely loved this kit! He said it was the best beer he has ever made, and he literally mentions how great it tastes every time he cracks one open! Two issues, though: first, the can of malt syrup arrived badly dented, and we were a little worried about it, but it looked and smelled fine when opened. And second, the instructions were a little sparse and left him with a few questions even though he has made his own a number of times before.

I've been drinking my Oktoberfest bier for about a week now, and it is great! Great flavor, great color (about a 12 on the lovibond scale), great everything. I'm completely happy with how this beer turned out. I bought this for my first attempt at brewing, so for beginners I HIGHLY recommend this. I am probably going to try my picking my own ingredients for my next batch, but if it doesn't turn out I will definitely buy this again!(1st review)So far so good! My beer is bottled and now I have to wait a month for it to be ready to drink. Instructions were really easy to use, all of the ingredients were there and neatly packaged/labeled so it was a breeze when I was boiling the wort and whatnot. My house smelled amazing for about a day after brewing and starting the primary fermentation process. I will comment once the beer is done! I can't wait!

I've tried to duplicate the product photo featured to the left <---------, but to no avail. I keep messing up by filling these bottles with beer and drinking them or having my friends drinking them and the bottles get all misplaced...whoever made the photos is gifted. For real.

These bottles are great! I've placed four orders and they all came in on time and intact. I've read several reviews where people had issues where they had received the twist cap bottles versus the pop top or 'lipped' bottles. Yet all the orders I've placed have been the 'lipped' ones. With no manufacturing defects and several uses with no breaks out of 96 bottles, I'm pleased to say that I'd order again in a heartbeat if I needed anymore.

The bottles came well packaged and none were broken. I immediately washed them and they were strong/durable. During the conditioning process I did not have any bottles break on me. The beer was well carbonated on some of them, yet it held up. Bottling was simple and even prying off the bottle cap I have had no issues. Definitely recommend these bottles for any brewer.

Bought this item for my son for Christmas and when I received them some were broken due to packaging. Contacted the seller who stated they would send out a new box to replace the one that was broken upon delivery. Four month later I reordered and paid again so that my son could make his home brew. The second box arrived in two days, and thankfully no broken bottles. I did pay for the second box, and will keep the odd box in case he has an overage in home-brew.

We collected our first 100 bottles just from store-bought beers but got sick and tired of soaking and peeling off labels, and since we give away a lot, we were running up against a bottling day and didn't have enough. Pretty much worth the price of the bottles to just have to rinse and sanitize - easy peasy.Wish there was a cheaper/better shipping option though. FedEx is overpriced and VERY unreliable, so we actually had to delay bottling a few days when there was a delay. The seller was very responsive and accommodating though - I really do blame FedEx. Just wish there was a cheaper better shipping option in case we need to order more soon.

Standard beer bottles, and they are as durable as you would need. I have yet to break one when handling them with normal care, and have not had one burst during carbonation. Other than shipping issues, they stand up as well as expected.Update - After using them a few times, and purchasing more bottles from a different manufacturer, I decided to raise my review to a 5. I have yet to have any of these bottles break while capping or in storage, and I have used them 5+ times each. I had several of Brand X break the first time I tried to cap them. After a suitable ceremony over wasted beer, I vowed to never buy anything but these bottles again.

I am new to homebrewing and this beer turned out well. However I am giving it 4 stars because it doesn't come with enough hops to make what most people think of an IPA. The oak chips give it a dark color, and the taste is a balance between hops and malt that leans more toward malt. With only 2 ounces of hops, and 1 ounce being a last minute addition to the boil, it doesn't have the strong hop flavor I was hoping for. It also had a substitute for one of the usual varieties of hops that is included. I am too new to have a strong opinion on if the substitute made a big difference, but it didn't match the states ingredients.If you want a strong hop flavor you will need to buy a different kit or add more hops. You can also try adding the second hop addition sooner to get more flavor (late additions are more for aroma, but I am not an expert!)

This was my first go around brewing beer. I was obviously nervous about every detail during the process,but after following the instructions ( making sure to follow them as closely as possible ) The final product turned out better than imagined. A very nice starter ,kit, turned out a very refreshing, hop infused, fresh, drinkable IPA on par with anything i could have purchased. I still have much to learn, but i am more than pleased with this product and i would recommend it to anyone wanting to give brewing a try.

not a strong hoppy taste as some others have commented. However, this beer tasted very good. The directions we easy to follow. I made it just as in the recipe. This is my first 5 gallon home brew.

Good generic beer kit for beginners.

my dad is a home brewer and loved this kit.

Gave this as a gift and the recipient loved it. I had some beer after he made it and it was very tasty.

Easy enough to use. With time, I'll see how well it works out.

Good bottles. Handle sharpies for dates well. Currently using it for kombucha.

Caps does what is designed to do. Keeps the CO2 tight and leak free upon capping for prolonged period of time. Only reason i gave 4 start is that i recently read from a some article advising that O2 absorbing caps works as claimed; but, that capcity only lasts very briefly. By the time caps are sanitized (soaked in sanitize solution), O2 aborbing function is far gone when it's time for capping. So, non O2 absorbing caps are equally as good for someone considering dipping caps in a sanitzing solution prior to capping to save some $$.

Works perfectly!

Good caps. Been using these for a good while. Perfect for my porters, stouts, and barley wines. Always have them on hand.

They're good caps! Seem to work just like caps should. I'm pleased.

Very happy with this package! The thermometer is garbage, you will have to buy one for you brew. Be careful as the package is packed tight with bubble wrap. When i got my airlock out it was cracked, to be fair i think i heard it crack as i was excitedly ripping through my box like a child. I read about spigot issues with rhe plastic bucket but mine fit like a glove, no leaks. All in all very happy with the package and i would definetly buy here again.

Just what I expected came in on time . Definitely a good starter kit. Has all the equipment that you would need except a thermometer. Brewed my first batch of beer now we wait and see

solid kit, only needs a few extras (a big enough boiling pot, some sanitizer, and the ingredients) to get you ready for brewing straight out of the box. instruction booklet had some conflicting information in it from what i had read in other sources but that aside the equipment has so far met the need.

I have already recommended this to a family member

For everything you get in this kit, its a great buy. Some great stuff in here. All you will need to get is a kettle, thermometer, bottles and caps. The only issue I had was the rack and fill set is a little flimsy and got stuck a few times while filling bottles. You just have to tap it a few times if that happens.

I purchased this kit as a gift for a new brewer. It took almost 10 months before he used the kit and come to find out we were missing the spigot to the bucket. I emailed the company on friday and recieved the spigot on monday afternoon. Now thats service ! I would recomend this company and will buy from them again.

Description and guide in making a 5 gallon beer seem straight forward. If unclear check other videos on making home made beer. This is my 2nd batch but 1st with this ingredients.update:During the cooking process, I used a pot that can 1 gallon. Followed the instruction. At the end, I cool down the pot to room temperature and poured into a 5 gallon container with yeast, then filled it with water to a maximum of 5 gallon level. Mix the mixture and I let it sit in a room with stable temperature. After a week, I added the priming sugar (stir/mix) and pour into (5)1 gallon containers.2nd week, color still a bit muddy even though most of the solids had settle on the bottom5th week, down to my last gallon. Dark but clear (free of floating solids), taste is a bit bitter compare to the 2nd week batch. Seems to be more potent that the previous weeks.

everyhing from start to ( from order to drinking was gret, good flavor, except, using the 740 ml bottles, first glass wes crystal clear the second glass was cloudy.....but I didn't strain my brew before bottleing. Will strain next time & let you know...

I liked this beer kit. It was easy to put together, and the "ale" tasted nice. It was a little thin in body (common beer kit thing), so I would recommend adding some other grains, lactose, or maltodextrine to liven it up a bit, just my two cents. This is a simple light ale, not an actual Oktoberfest, but still fun and tasty. I bought a second kit, and I'll be modifying it with 5# of 2-row malt, and another ounce of hops; fun to play around with stuff.Update 8/16/17: I've used a couple of these kits since my last post. To get rid the "thin" profile, I mashed and added 5# of 2 row malt which made it a very nice ale with lots of body.

My husband bought this for an october beer. Unfortunately something happened and the beer did not turn out. I don't think it was the kits fault but my husband rushing to get it ready for an actual october beer. Overall the kit had everything you need--perfect for home brew enthusiasts!

I've been brewing for over 4 years and bought this kit for something quick and easy since I don't have a whole lot of time anymore. I just bottled today and tasted my hydrometer sample. It's really good! So good I drank all of the uncarbonated sample. Can't wait for this to carb up so I can really enjoy them. Only complaint is the abv is pretty low. Mine came in at 4.4%. Pretty low and I don't think the og was listed so beware of that. Can't complain about it too much cuz it is a really good beer. If you're looking for malty you won't be disappointed.

The beer came out great. The instructions are a bit vague and don't match the directions I found on the True Brew website. I didn't a lot of research and made my own method to brew this and the beer still came out fine! Once you know how to brew the beer you can tweak it how ever you want. This was perfect for someone like me who is just starting out with home brewing.

The bottles work well for homebrew. They seem to be about the same quality and thickness as any typical bottle you would get from a normal brewery. I have had two orders of these, and the most recent had better packing and no broken bottles. My first order had 3 broken when it arrived. 4 stars for the broken bottles in the first order, and that the bottles are very dusty when you open the box. Nothing a good rise off will not fix.

I have purchased 3 cases of these bottles. Until today I didn't use an accurate way of measuring the beer that I was pouring into the bottles. I just looked down the neck and poured until full. Today I used a 12 oz measuring cup. Some bottles filled fine but some would over fill by an ounce or more. This is probably because the glass is not of uniform thickness. Other than this they're just fine.

3 were broke when they arrived. But idk if that was while packaging or during the shipping. Maybe have some bubble wrap in the box. But other than that. Great looking bottles held up while filling and capping!

I bought these to bottle my hard cider. I was very concerned about how light the bottles are (i.e. not thick). Concerned that under pressure they would explode. I've made 1 batch and non have (yet), cracked. I am still concerned, but for now they are working as they should.

Somewhat disappointed that a couple came broken, hence 4 stars. The packaging was pretty loose and they could wobble around a bit in there. I highly recommend sticking with Monster Brew HBS for bottles, but instead getting the 22oz ones instead of these 12oz ones. The glass is a lot thicker and the packaging is sturdier and tighter, plus it makes sanitizing and bottling so much easier. Other than that, a glass bottle is pretty much a glass bottle.

Great bottles, work good for brewing. Functionally they are great. I have used and re-used these bottles...however I would not purchase again without a significant reduction in the price. Pacifico bottles are essentially the same and have a single label to remove + you get beer. Depending on your budget drinking and re-using may be a better option.

Finished this brew about a week ago. It taste not great not bad just good. Instructions were easy to follow and brewing was fun for my first time. I feel like it taste sweeter than expected and has a roast flavor somewhat similar to coffee. Maybe due to the oak chips? Its a different taste for an IPA. Mine didn't come out with a strong head. Could be because I didn't wash the soap out of the bottling bucket correctly or I under carbed the beer ( doesn't taste flat at all though). I bottled for 2 weeks and I'm pretty satisfied for my first time.

This is my first brew kit that I tried, the beer taste ok not impressive but it has a bitter finish that lingers for a while. It could be my fault that the beer came out the way it did but I followed the instruction to the T. I would try another type of beer from now on.

Certainly wasn't the best beer I've brewed, but wasn't the worst either. More amber then I was expecting and should come with clearing moss

Maybe I did something wrong, but mine came out with almost stout like qualities. Not very hoppy at all. The malt that came in this kit was very dark too, which is probably why it tastes the way it does...

Nothing wrong with the caps. The problem is with the description. Original labeling on package says oxygen barrier crown caps which is a lot different than the re -labeling which says oxygen absorbing.

Received caps and they appear okay, but the bag was open and caps were floating around in the packaging container. I bought these as a gift, so I hope they can be sterilized without issue, but I would have expected the bag to be sealed.

Didn't have any problem with these tops, they worked well.

These work fine but tend to rust quickly if not dried after sanitizing. I left them sit overnight without drying them off and they all rusted around the edges. First time I've had bottle caps do that.

Caps work

These are good caps. Work well and in good shape. However was diisapointed when I ordered gold and got silver.

The one thing this kit is Lacking is the Beer Thief which is what you place the Hydrometer in to check the beer at Certain stages.

First time I received package, received broken hydrometer, and it shipped with B-Brite as the cleaner instead of C-Brite. Amazon quickly sent a replacement, but still has B-Brite in the new package. Not what I wanted, but it's not a deal breaker for me.
This is definitely a barebones kit, as expected. An autosiphon would be great, but not necessary. If you want to get started brewing, this will do it for you.
I would recommend star san or c-brite vs b-brite to clean your fermentation chambers before adding wort, as b-brite isn't as good of a no-rinse cleaner as c-brite or star san, hence why I wanted the c-brite. b-brite is great for removing labels on bottles or getting a bunch of crud out of bottles/buckets. I had star san on hand for my brew day so I avoided the b-brite in my brew.
The 7.8 gal bucket is great for fermentation to avoid the krausen/crud from coming out of the top of the fermentation chamber. Definite upgrade to most kits offering the 6.5 gal bucket.

Good luck, and as the greats before me have said "relax, don't worry, have a homebrew"

The capper broke on the second use. I was very upset as I was in the middle of bottling a 5 gallon batch.... Everything else seems pretty decent. I would recommend buying an auto-siphon, additionally, as it is much easier to use.

Most of the kit is pretty good but they had a massive oversight in the spigot on the bucket where the end of the spigot is too large for the 3/8th in hose that connects to the siphon valve

the pail and glass jug are good. I looked through all the shipped items to make sure i got everything. was really disappointed in their definition of a thermometer. its a sticker that goes on the side of the container. go ahead and place an order for a real thermometer if you buy this item. the lid is actually a little tough to get on the pail, but it does tell you that you can make some small cuts in the inside of the lid to loosen it up, but i guess tight is good when you are trying to create an airtight seal. the gromet in the lid did come out when i first tried it, and had to put it back in.

The only problem I had with this package was 1- They changed the Liberty Hopes to "Tettnang" which literally didn't have much aroma and flavor and honestly is the cheapest hops you can get.2-The "Muntons Ale Yeas" , have very weak characteristics during fermentation and they die very fast. Also for the good quality malts extract they give you this yeast is waisting it and doesn't give full body fermentation. Other product comes in the box have good quality

This was an ok brew. We added orange slices when drinking it and it really was the perfect addition to the flavor. It is a tasty beer, makes 5 gallons, and took about three weeks to be ready to drink. We left a few bottles to open at a later date to see if the flavor is better over time.

As advertised but had a rough trip apparently. Malt can rim dinged up but can be opened on other end.

I thought it would have everything needed for a first time brewer, but there are still a lot I need to buy for him now since he can't use it without specific things to go with it.

1st I have to say this was my 1st batch of brew ever and it turned out bad. Highly solvent taste. I may have brewed it too high of temperature or pitched the yeast too soon after boil. But a 2nd batch of same brand Belgian Ale has the SAME bad solvent taste too it and I was carefull to watch the temps, very disappointed.

It is a nice beginners brew kit. It is a nice simple recipe to follow and has everything that you want. It tastes okay (not great) but I would likely not try this same recipe again.

The bottles are pretty standard. It arrived with four or five shattered and another one broke when I was bottling a home brew. If at possible, I would recommend visiting a local homebrew store to purchase bottles.

Bottles are ok...but for this price I prefer to grab some beers with this same bottle and enjoy them to reuse the bottle.

One of the bottles was broke upon arrival at my house. I am not sure of their sturdiness after this incident.

Some tips broke off when I pried off the caps.

Bottles look great but only received 23 instead of 24. There is a spot for the 24th but it was empty upon opening the package.

Be careful when ordering these bottles because the box was not marked as fragile or handle with care anywhere so when it was delivered, one of the bottles was shattered inside of the box. Thankfully I sent in a claim to amazon and they refunded my purchase. Otherwise these bottles worked well with regular caps and are identical to bottles you buy with any other type of beer.

Did not receive IPA, received Irish Red Ale. Box looked old and dusty. Thankfully it was inexpensive and not worth the trouble to return. Beer came out fine. All things considered it could have been a 3 or 4 star rating given the price had I actually ordered an Irish Red.

This product did not pan out to be what I expected. Although I could be to blame because It was my first time home brewing before and I may have messed things up but it did not taste like a India pale ale at all whatsoever.

Didn't like the flavor of the beer.

Product arrived as advertised; true brew kits suck a bit - LME is old, Hops underpowered because they are old and stored improperly. Buy from your LHBS or Morebeer for fresher product, improved quality.

Far too malty and not nearly hoppy enough for an IPA.

I read the directions perfectly, and I've done plenty of brewing the past. I did not understand the oak chips at all, but I followed the directions perfectly. And when it came to bottle the beer, the oak chips were a constant nuisance that kept plugging up my spicket and causing me to lose a lot of my brew. I bottled a lot less beer than I normally do because these wood chips or whatever made it extremely difficult to bottle. In a month or so I'll taste one of my beers and update this review, but right now I'm very happy with it because of those dang wood chips...

Caps work very well and seal nicely. My first round of bottling I capped 59 bottles. After washing my bottles I took a look at my cap stash and thought I should count them before I get started. Only 40 caps remained but I had only used roughly 60 of them. My package was missing about 40 bottle caps.

The caps were good, but there were many holes in the bag they arrived in, so whatever "oxygen-absorbing" power they had was long gone by the time I got them.

Incomplete kit. Missing a whole bunch of stuff to be able to brew from start to finish. Good thing I have other equipment already. My advice is to read the 3 star and below reviews to get a better idea of what your getting into

This kit is schizophrenic. You get a carboy, which is awesome, but it's mentioned NOWHERE in the handbook.. Our bottle filler came broken, and it says to use the plastic case for the hydrometer, but it only reaches not even halfway up the hydrometer, and the booklet doesn't even tell you how to read a hydrometer. After watching a couple videos we get it but had to buy a 14" tube to use it. The booklet also says "use the muslin bags (included) to steep your grain... there were no bags and granted, it doesn't say in the description there are...but.... This set might be okay if you are experienced and are just supplementing your equipment, but I'd HIGHLY advise beginners to stay away from this kit. Also, the stick on thermometer maxes out at 78 degrees... not really helpful if it's hotter in your environment, you'd never know....So, in summary we had to buy bags, caps, hydrometer tube and a floating thermometer.

Basically has everything you need to get started. Minus the ingredients. The instructions are very vague and not very helpful. I think my first batch is ruined but that won't stop me from trying again!
*** After a couple of uses I had to revise my review. The kit itself is still not bad. It does come with (almost) everything you need to get started. I do have to mention the bucket with spigot is garbage. The spigot does not have a good seal and leaks. The first time it happened I just thought I didn't tighten it right. For the second batch I made sure it was tightened right and it leaked even more. Lost about 36oz of beer on the floor. Not happy!

It's a cool kit, but I thought it was going to come with everything we needed. There is a LONG list of things we still have to buy to be able to brew anything. :( pretty big bummer.

Showed up with several broken bottles, and I had to spend a lot of extra time making sure all of the glass shards were out of the remaining bottles before using.

They were fine but two arrived broken

Bottles arrived shattered on the 3 cases i oredered will not order again.

These are good bottles. I only have one problem. They advertise "24 12 ounce bottles". Well I think they meant to say 23. I've ordered two cases of bottles from then and both times received only 23.

the bottles are fine but the order took way to long to get hear

First time I have ever had a bottle break happened while using these caps. They just don't seem to fit correctly.As of now, not a single bottle has carbonated with these caps on them. Others from the same batch have, underolder caps I had laying around.

does not seal well

These are oxygen BARRIER caps. Not oxygen ABSORBING as they claim.

Missing pieces. Came with incomplete siphon, missing piston siphon.

Kit was missing a piece, so I could fully appreciate it. I would also suggest that beginners make sure to get a wort chiller.

The rigid tube is broken and I could not use, I think they should pay more attention parcel services they use, never go back to buying a product brand!

Was not worth the money paid. Learn to Brew is very difficult to work with.
Save your money...the product is cheap and bad quality.

The sugar package inside the kit came opened and was all over the box

Yeast was dead

Edit: I may have to try this again. I only bottled half the batch originally, and I fed the remaining half some Belgian candi sugar and let it ferment for a couple of weeks before bottling. After bottling it I let it sit once again for a little longer than I might normally, and the flavor is much improved. The carbonation is WAY better - from nothing in the first half to an impressive head on the second.Original review:One of the pouches of DME had a puncture; I probably should have returned it immediately. I'm not sure if that contributed to the batch failing or not, but this produced the weakest, least flavorful Oktoberfest I've ever experienced.Low OG. High FG. Some of the bottles weakly attempted to carbonate… most failed to carbonate at all. I would definitely not recommend this one to anyone.

Arrived today in a humongous half ripped box. Inside there was just some brown paper around it, no bubbles or peanuts so the package got a beating in transport. I took the kit out and something is spilling out of it. I'm torn between opening it to see what spilled and leaving it as is...it was supposed to be a Christmas gift. Could it be salvaged? Don't know how much has already been spilled... I'd hate to have to open it before the holidays as the kit's thick cardboard box makes it impossible to look unopened once messed with. I'd hate to give an unusable gift. I'm pretty frustrated.

Not good at all. It was carbonated but tasted flat and was pretty watered down. I consider myself a rookie but My friend and I have been brewing a new batch every two weeks between our two setups for about a year and a half. This was the worst beer we've brewed by far. Very low alcohol %. Hopefully it's just the Oktoberfest because I ordered a couple other recipe kits from this company. I'll update this review to let y'all know how the other two recipes turn out. Stay away from this one if you like beer.

do not how this will turn out since it was missing the yeast packet, will try to use bread yeast but not looking good, this was a fathersday gift so I am very disapointed

These bottles, and maybe I just got a bad batch, are very brittle. During capping two of the bottles shattered. After capping, the pressure made the rest explode within one day. You can actually take one of these bottles and with a moderate amount of force, crush it in your hand. It is almost like they are made out of the glass used in movies that breaks easily. Just run commercial bottles through the dishwasher and save money.

I ordered 3 boxes. When I opened the box there was goes on the floor and one of the cases was totally shattered

Thought it was to good of a deal... opened the package and (6) bottles were missing. Thought I ordered 24???? Got 18.

3 of the bottles arrived broken.

1 bottle shattered and there was glass all over the inside of the box.

Paid more to have these shipped as a Christmas present and nearly everyone of them was broken when they arrived.