- Makes 1 gal (3.8 L) per batch, which Craft A Brew says is about ten 12 oz bottles or eight 16 oz bottles.
- Equipment per the listing and maker: 1 gal glass fermenter, airlock and stopper, racking cane, tubing and clamp, funnel, thermometer, sanitizer, guide and the recipe kit.
- You still need bottles, caps and a capper, plus a stock pot that holds about a gallon or more.
- Craft A Brew's timeline: about 2 weeks fermenting, then about 2 weeks in the bottle at room temperature before chilling.
- Check the flavor on the listing; one variant listing mislabels its recipe.
This Craft A Brew review covers the 1-gallon beer making kit in its American Pale Ale version. It is an extract kit: you steep grain, add malt extract, boil with hops, cool the wort and ferment it in a 1-gallon glass jug. Because the batch is small, the whole brew fits on a kitchen stove, and the fermenter fits on a shelf or in a closet.
We read the listing, Craft A Brew's FAQ and brewing guides, and published sources. We did not brew with this kit. For more small kits, see the beginner kits hub and the apartment and small-space brewing page.
Who it’s for, and who should skip it
- Want to try brewing without committing to 5-gallon buckets and 48 bottles
- Brew in an apartment kitchen with limited storage
- Like trying many styles in small batches
- Are buying a first kit as a gift for someone 21 or over
- Want more than about ten bottles per brew day
- Don't want glass in the house (look at plastic 1- or 2-gallon kits)
- Expect bottles and a capper in the box
- Want to move straight to all-grain brewing
Pros and cons
- Fits a standard kitchen stove and a small shelf
- Reusable equipment; refill with Craft A Brew 1-gallon recipe kits
- Clear glass jug lets you watch fermentation
- Printed guide written for first-timers
- Many recipe styles, from pale ale to stout to Oktoberfest
- Small yield: about ten 12 oz bottles per batch
- Bottles, caps and a capper are not included
- Glass jug can break; carry it by the base
- Siphoning with a racking cane takes practice
- One variant listing mislabels its recipe; check the flavor
Specs
| Batch size | 1 gal |
|---|---|
| Type | Extract recipe kit + equipment |
| Includes | American Pale Ale recipe and brewing equipment |
| You still need | Bottles and caps |
As stated by the maker or seller; confirm on the listing before you buy.
What's in the Craft A Brew kit and what you still need
Craft A Brew 1 gallon kit: in the box vs still needed
| Item | In the kit? | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Recipe kit (American Pale Ale) | ✓ Included | Malt extract, grain, hops, yeast per recipe |
| 1 gal glass fermenter, stopper, airlock | ✓ Included | |
| Racking cane, tubing and clamp, funnel | ✓ Included | |
| Thermometer and sanitizer | ✓ Included | |
| Guide to craft brewing | ✓ Included | Plus recipe instructions |
| Bottles | ✗ Not included | About ten 12 oz or eight 16 oz per gallon |
| Caps and capper | ✗ Not included | Craft A Brew sells a bottling kit |
| Stock pot | ✗ Not included | One that holds about a gallon or more |
| Hydrometer | ~ Optional | Helps confirm fermentation is done |
Source: Listing; Craft A Brew brewing kit FAQ
Craft A Brew's own bottling kit adds ten 12 oz amber bottles, a handheld capper and thirty caps, which the maker says covers about three batches of caps. Reused bottles must be pry-off, not twist-off.
Craft A Brew Deluxe 1 Gal Beer Brewing Kit, Light Lager
- Batch size
- 1 gal
- Type
- Extract recipe kit + equipment
- Includes
- Recipe kit, capper and caps
Best for Gift set that covers bottling too
Craft A Brew 1 Gal Beer Making Kit, Hefeweizen
- Batch size
- 1 gal
- Type
- Extract recipe kit + equipment
- Still need
- Bottles and caps
Best for Small-batch first brew or gift
How long does a Craft A Brew batch take?
Craft A Brew's guidance is about two weeks in the fermenter in a cool, dark spot; an older guide gives 60–75°F (15–23°C). Leaving it longer is fine. Bottling too early is the problem, because leftover sugar keeps fermenting in the bottle and builds pressure.
After bottling, keep the bottles at room temperature for about two weeks, chill one and test it. If it's carbonated, move the rest to the fridge. The maker warns against leaving bottles warm indefinitely, since pressure keeps building.
- Brew
Sanitize, steep the grain, add extract, boil with hops per the recipe and cool the pot in an ice bath.
- Ferment about 2 weeks
Funnel the cooled wort into the jug, pitch yeast, fit the airlock and keep it in a cool, dark place.
- Confirm it's finished
If you have a hydrometer, bottle only when two or three readings on separate days match.
- Prime and bottle
Mix the priming sugar the instructions call for, siphon the beer onto it and fill and cap the bottles.
- Condition about 2 weeks, then chill
Test one bottle at two weeks; refrigerate the batch once it's carbonated.
Craft A Brew's instructions give a fixed priming dose for a 1-gallon batch. The priming sugar calculator lets you check it against your beer's temperature and the carbonation level you want, and the ABV calculator turns gravity readings into strength.
Priming sugar calculatorSet the batch to 1 gallon to check priming sugar for a Craft A Brew kit.Is a 1 gallon kit worth it?
A 1-gallon batch takes nearly as long on brew day as a 5-gallon extract batch, but makes a fifth of the beer. In return you get a smaller pot, faster cooling, almost no storage problem and the freedom to try a new style every few weeks. Many brewers keep a 1-gallon setup for test recipes even after moving to bigger batches.
If you know you'll want more beer per batch, a 2-gallon kit such as Mr. Beer or a 5-gallon bucket starter set may suit you better. Our Mr. Beer review and Northern Brewer starter kit review cover those, and the best 1 gallon beer kits list compares small kits from several brands.
Glass jug safety and cleaning
Glass doesn't scratch or hold odors, but it breaks. Carry the full jug by its base, not the neck, and keep it off hard floors where it might be knocked over. Never pour hot wort into a cold jug; cool the wort in the pot first. Clean with a brewing cleaner, rinse, then sanitize with the included sanitizer or a no-rinse sanitizer, used as the label directs.
Homebrewing is for adults 21 and over. Even a small batch can be stronger than commercial beer, so check its strength and pour accordingly.
Alternatives worth a look
Northern Brewer 1 Gal Beer Starter Kit, Brown Ale
- Batch size
- 1 gal
- Type
- Extract recipe kit + equipment
- Includes
- Brown Ale ingredients
Best for Small first batch or gift
Plastic 1 gallon option: Northern Brewer's 1-gallon Essential kit with a siphonless fermenter, lid and airlock and a brown ale recipe.
BrewDemon Little Demon 1 Gal Conical Beer Kit
- Batch size
- 1 gal
- Type
- Extract kit + equipment
- Fermenter
- 1 gal stackable conical
Best for Countertop 1-gallon batches
No siphon needed: BrewDemon's stackable 1-gallon conical uses a vent plug instead of an airlock and traps sediment at the bottom, per the maker.
Mr. Beer 2 Gal Complete Beer Making Kit, Golden Ale
- Batch size
- 2 gal
- Type
- Hopped malt extract
- Fermenter
- 2 gal keg fermenter
Best for A first batch with almost no extra gear
More beer, bottles included: Mr. Beer's 2-gallon kit with a keg-style fermenter, hopped malt extract and reusable 25 oz bottles.
We read the maker’s specs, the manual and the current listing, and checked them against published brewing sources (Palmer, BJCP, AHA, BYO) and safety guidance where it applies. We did not brew with, install or lab-test this product. We never show scores, star ratings or prices.