So, you want to buy a startup kit for a new Homebrewer or Wine maker...
To make it less confusing, let Karp’s make a few suggestions.

Homebrewer's Gift Guide

A new brewer will need a complete hardware kit. ($59.99) and a complete ingredient kit. (most about $28-35). That’s all the ‘must have’ stuff. With that, you’ve made a brewer. Total cost about $90.00 depending on beer ingredients chosen. The Pale Ale, Stout, and Amber kits are the three most popular ingredient kits.

Highly recommended is a brass bottle washer. ($10.95) It’s almost a necessity, and certainly a new brewer will buy one for his or her second batch.

The only other two things you should consider for the first time brewer are empty bottles and a brewers book. We recommend a number of books for beginners, but for $9.95, you can’t beat the book titled, Seven Barrel Brewery. Good bottles from store-bought beer can be reused, if you have a good supply you don’t need more. Twist off type bottles can not be used for homebrewing. Only bottles with pry off caps can be used. Two cases of new brown bottles are $21.95. They are heavy, so shipping is expensive.

How much you will spend: (We are using the Pale Ale kit as the example.)

• Pale Ale ingredient kit and Hardware Kit - $90.00 plus shipping. UPS shipping is about $6.00 depending on where you live.
• Ingredients, Hardware Kit and Bottle Washer - $100.00 plus shipping.
• Ingredients, Hardware Kit, Bottle Washer and Book - $110.00 plus shipping
• Ingredients, Hardware Kit, Bottle Washer and two cases of bottles - $122.00 plus shipping.

Store Hours:
Mon-Fri -- 8:00am to 6:00pm
Saturday -- 8:30am to 5:30pm
Sunday -- 10am to 3pm

Wine Makers Gift Guide.

Thinking about getting a friend or loved one started on wine making? It is as simple as this:

1. Start with The Master Vintner Equipment Kit, which includes all the winemaking equipment required, plus 100 corks and a bottle corker.($125.00) This kit is reusable over and over again, and comes with enough corks for three batches of wine.
2. Add one ingredient kit. Chose your favorite style of wine. ($55 to $65) Our wine kits page has all the popular choices. Merlot, Bordeaux, Chardonnay and Chablis are among the most popular. Each kit makes 6 gallons of excellent quality table wine.
3. Thirty-six wine bottles. Many winemakers reuse wine bottles from store-bought wine. We are happy to sell you new bottles, but keep in mind that they are expensive to ship. Recycling wine bottles is perfectly OK, and very PC. Wine bottles are $13.99 per case of twelve.

So, if you use our suggested package, one wine ingredient and the Master Vintner Equipment Kit, you will spend about $180 to $190, plus shipping. That will give you everything you need to make 6 gallons of excellent wine at home. - If you want to buy new bottles, add $13.99 per case.

Some additional gift ideas for beginner or experienced vintners;

1. All hobbyists love books about their hobby. Consider buying a wine making book. We have books for beginners and advanced winemakers. We have special books about making wine from grapes, from fruits or from honey.

2. Carboys and accessories. Every winemaker can use another carboy, or accessories for carrying and handling carboys. A carboy handle is $5.95.

3. Brass Bottle washers. Just like having a small pressure washer in your sink. Saves 90% of the water required to wash bottles with only a kitchen faucet. Standard $10.95, Fermtech bottle washers are $11.95. Every wine maker can use one of these.

If you need something you do not see here, please don't hesitate to drop us a line. We'll get right back to you. Thanks, and Happy Holidays!

Store Hours:
Mon-Fri -- 8:00am to 6:00pm
Saturday -- 8:30am to 5:30pm
Sunday -- 10am to 3pm