Starter Beer Equipment

[Nick Hill]

Whats a good one to get?

The Coopers one looks good among others but they are all about the same price.

Is there one that stands out and makes particularly good stuff?

[Nathan McKEnzie]

Hi Nick,

There all good and will get you brewing. I went to my home brew store and he put me right. But I like the look of the mangrove jacks caft series microbrewery kit (it's up there in $$ but very good stuff in kit)

[mattd2]

Have you seen the Mangrove Jack's in person. Just saw it came with a stainless fermenter and was wondering what it was like.

Also check out Hauraki Homebrew (Albany) or Brewers Coop (Penrose). A trip to either of them should answer a lot of questions. I don't know about the new Coopers kit, seems a bit gimmicky. The old one with the starndard barrel fermenter was alright.

[Robbo]

where in the world are you?

TBH, any kit you get is going to be a good start. you'll find out what you like/don't like and what you'll want to spend more money on.
personally, you're best investments will be a bottom-tapped bucket (save buggering around with canes), a real thermometer (ignore the stick ons) and a hydrometer AND TRIAL JAR. (i never test/measure in the bucket, unless i'm doing low-volume crafty things like mead or wine <10lt)

my white bucket is a "fermtech" and has no corners for krausen to hide in - cleaning is really easy. my nameless old black barrels have handles moulded in which like to hide gunk. BUT, you can brew in anything.

as far as ingredient kits, coopers has a bad rep and is, at best, average beer. i like lion, so i brew lion, brewtec would be the next step up (and do a nice dry lager), then the crafty shit like mangrove jacks, typically - you get what you pay for. ales are more tolerant to f*ckups than bigger beers or lesser flavors, lagers are more tolerant of cold (if you don't get a heater, ie)
the biggest investment you can make is time
DO
NOT
RUSH
IT.

enjoy dude, welcome to the obsession.