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Any good beer making kits out there?

My boyfriend wants a beer making kit for Christmas. Any suggestions for a good one? I'm afraid he'll end up with some crappy tasting beer or a cheap kit that doesn't even work right. I don't want to spend a whole lot on this. Or would I be better off just ordering the things needed?...whatever they are!

Stay away from Mr Beer and similar kits. You want one that will handle a 5-gallon batch. I started with Brewer's Best and was very happy with it. One nice thing about getting him started on home brewing is that you will never be at a loss for something to buy him. There is always new equipment or the supplies needed to make a batch of beer.

If you are strapped for cash (who isn't these days?) you could get him some books and let him put together his own equipment kit. Some suggestions:
Papazian: New Complete Guide to Home Brewing (best general book) $12.
Nachel: Homebrewing for Dummies (a close second)
Brew Ware (for the do-it-yourselfer who can build equipment)
Kunath: Fearless Brewing (poor for instructions but great tables.)

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