Midwest Supplies

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Beer and Wine Making Supplies since 1995
5825 Excelsior Blvd.
Minneapolis, MN 55416
952-925-9854 - 888-449-2739
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Question: What kinds of recipe kits does Midwest sell?
   Answer: Midwest Homebrewing Supplies offers a large selection of recipe kits. Our kits cover ale, lager, wheat and specialty hybrid styles. Extract Recipe Kits: Our largest selection of recipe kits, kits come with all ingredients needed to make a 5 gallon batch of beer with liquid malt extract (LME). 20 Minute Boil Kits: Our 20 Minute Boil Kits are popular with many of our in store customers. These kits have no grains and require only 20 minutes of boiling. With the use of a wort chiller, you can have your beer in the fermenter and be cleaned up in less than an hour. These kits deliver consistent results. Clone Kits: Clone kits are replicas of commercial beers available throughout the country. Midwest Supplies offers several different types of clone kits that are designed to taste just like their commercial brothers. They are a good way to make a beer that you are familiar with so you feel comfortable with what you are making. Or, make one to see how you compare with the large commercial brewers out there. Partial Mash Kits: Partial mash is a recipe utilizing half extract and half all-grain brewing techniques. All homebrewing recipe kits from Midwest include: Briess malt extract (unless otherwise noted), specialty grains, imported and domestic hops, fresh yeast, sugar, priming sugar, grain bag and complete easy to follow instructions. They are designed to brew 5 gallon batches. Call our new toll free number to order your kit today. 1 (888) 449-BREW or 1 (952) 925-9854. Midwest accepts all major credit cards....Click to Read full Answer


Question: Why is PET plastic better than glass?
   Answer: Better-Bottle carboys and fittings are actually less likely to impart or transfer flavors and colors than glass carboys and related equipment. The special PET used to make Better-Bottle carboys is pure and imparts no odors or tastes. The surfaces of Better-Bottle carboys and fittings are so non-porous and hydrophobic that they wash easily and rinse down very quickly. Glass carboys must be scrubbed with bleach to remove the build up of hydrophilic films. Also, the rubber and plastic stoppers, hoses, and siphon tubes used with glass carboys are notorious for contributing and transferring flavors....Click to Read full Answer


Question: What are Clone Kits?
   Answer: Clone kits are replicas of commercial beers available throughout the country. Midwest Supplies offers several different types of clone kits that are designed to taste just like their commercial brothers. They are a good way to make a beer that you are familiar with so you feel comfortable with what you are making. Or, make one to see how you compare with the large commercial brewers out there. The internet is a great resource for recipes. Just do a quick internet search for your favorite beer, type in recipe after it, and you should pull up several recipes for you to use. Most of the time it isn’t that a person wants a clone of a beer, but rather something in that style of beer. As long as you know the style, we probably have a kit that you would like. For example, let’s say you really like “Boulevard Wheat” an unfiltered, bottle conditioned wheat beer. We do not have a clone of that beer, but try our Hanks Hefeweisen kit instead. You might find you like our kit better, or you can always alter the beer closer to your liking. Midwest Supplies offers a complete selection of whatever you need to make a beer as well as our kits. The great thing with this hobby is that you can make any beer that you can imagine. Experimenting with the grains or hops will change the overall flavor of the beer. We try to have the largest selection of kits available, but sometimes you want something different. Don’t be afraid to try something new. A great resource for other recipes is our forum website at www.brew-wineforum.com. We currently have over 500 recipes on there from our customers. Who knows? Maybe we’ll be making one of your beers a clone someday....Click to Read full Answer


Question: What are some common troubleshooting issues regarding kegs and dispensing?
   Answer: Almost all dispensing problems are the result of improper temperature, improper pressure, or cleaning/sanitation issues. Here’s a quick checklist you should go through that should solve most common problems. • Is the keg is stored between 36-38 °F? • Is the CO2 pressure between 7-10 lbs? • Have the Faucet, beer line, and keg coupler been cleaned (with chemicals specifically manufactured for beer line cleaning) on a regular basis? This checklist will solve most issues, but here are some other common problems and their causes:...Click to Read full Answer


Question: What is two-stage fermentation and what are its advantages?
   Answer: It is fermenting by using two fermenters, instead of one, to make your beer. Most brewers will start in a plastic bucket, also called a primary. Then they will transfer the beer into a glass carboy, or secondary. So, why would you want to take this extra step? The main reason is for clarity. The main purpose of the secondary vessel is to facilitate the settling of the yeast and to allow the beer to age. This extra step will go a long way in helping with the clarity of your beer, and the flavor will improve as well. The flavor improves because a lot of that sediment can be bits of grain or hops, and that can leave an off flavor in your beer. So, if you are looking to make the best beer possible, you have to transfer the beer at least once....Click to Read full Answer


Question: What kinds of cleaning equipment does Midwest carry?
   Answer: We have several products to help you when it comes time to clean up your bottles, carboys and airlocks. The most common cleaning equipment we arm our customers with are the carboy brush, the bottle brush, and the jet bottle washer. The carboy brush is specially designed to scrub the hard-to-reach sides of your carboy. This feature is invaluable, especially when using glass carboys as your primary fermenter, as the krausen leaves a lot of proteins clinging to the sides. The bottle brush is exactly what you’ll need to prepare for bottling day. Finally, the jet bottle washer is a great way to rinse your bottles and carboys. You’ll need the optional faucet adapter if your faucet has internal threads. It carries a life-time guarantee and conserves water, too!...Click to Read full Answer


Question: What is the simplest, most basic way to get started brewing?
   Answer: The beginning brewer will need some basic equipment to get started.  The first item would be a stockpot.  The smallest pot we recommend obtaining would be a 4-gallon stockpot. We offer a few different grades of stainless steel pots to fit virtually any budget.  Next you will need at least a 6-6.5 gallon capacity fermenter, a fermentation lock, a bottling bucket, 5 feet of 3/8” ID siphon tubing, caps, a bottle capper, sanitizer, 2 cases of 12 oz bottles, and a set of ingredients. Midwest has three different starter kits, which provide varying degrees of the basic equipment.  In addition to any of the equipment kits you will need a stockpot, empty bottles, and the ingredient with which to make the beer....Click to Read full Answer


Question: What are the differences between Ale vs. Lager beers?
   Answer: All beers can be broken down into two major categories- ale or lager beer. There are some major differences between the two when it comes to how the beer is fermented, and the flavor is different between the two types as well. Lagers typically have a cleaner, smoother finish on your palate, meaning the flavor does not last on your tongue as long as an ale will. Most large commercial beers in America are lagers. Lagers can also include sub categories such as Bock, Pilsner, etc. because these styles of beer will use, and ferment, yeast just like lagers will. Ales tend to leave a taste on your palate for a long period of time, and to have a fruitier, more complex taste. Wheat and Stout beers are also ales due to the fact that they ferment at room temperature and use top fermenting yeast. Most home brewers are going to make ales because of the temperature that they ferment at....Click to Read full Answer


Question: Why do I need to upgrade my Homebrewing Equipment Kit? Which one should I buy?
   Answer: At Midwest, we've tried to configure our Homebrewing Equipment Kits to fill the bill for any level of obsession. While all of our Equipment Kits contain most the items necessary to brew beer, they do not include items such as a brew kettle, since many homebrewers already own a kettle suitable for boiling hops. Since we've found that many people starting up with the hobby are starting from scratch, with no equipment, we put together the equipment upgrades to help fill in the gaps. The Equipment Kit Upgrades contain many accessories that make brewing easier, and are packaged together at a discount. Which one you choose depends on how much equipment you already own....Click to Read full Answer


Question: Why do you have so many kits?
   Answer: So that you can brew and drink the beer that you love best!!! Each beer drinker has their own favorite flavors, so we carry 100+ beer kits covering light, amber, and dark ales and lagers. We have wheat beers, mead's and melomel's, Belgian ales, and clone kits for when you want to brew your favorite commercial beer. Also, for those who have increased the complexity of their brewing system, we carry a selection of partial-mash and all-grain kits. Each 5-gallon kit comes with all of the ingredients and extra brewing supplies you will need to get that batch going on brew day. This includes the malt, specialty grains, hops, priming sugar, grain bag, any extra sugars or additives required, and instructions to guide you through. Maybe we don’t have a kit to satisfy your taste buds, or you have come up with a kit that wows all of your friends. Browse our ingredients section to order the supplies you need!...Click to Read full Answer


Question: Why are Better Bottles better than glass carboys?
   Answer: Better-Bottle fermentation carboys are: 1) Unbreakable and tough, 2) Taste- and Odor-free, 3) Virtually impermeable to oxygen, 4) Clear and colorless, 5) Incredibly light weight, and more . . . They are made from special, scientifically tested, polyethylene terephthalate (PET) co-polymer plastic that is non-absorbing, non-porous, and non-wetting (hydrophobic), so it does not do not carry over flavors from one batch of wine or beer to the next and is easy to clean and sanitize. Optional racking adapters and valves make oxygen-free racking and dispensing simple and convenient – no siphoning is necessary. Optional closures that use O-rings to make tighter seals are more easily cleaned and sanitized than conventional stoppers....Click to Read full Answer


Question: What are the bottle capper differences?
   Answer: The reason Midwest includes the Red Baron with all of our equipment kits (except the Master System) is quite simply that we think it is the best to start out with. The Black Beauty is almost as nice, but we think the Red Baron is a little more durable. As far as the bench cappers go, these can be the best solution for the homebrewer that does a lot of bottling. Either the Bench Capper or Super Agata are easily adjustable for bottles of varying heights, and can be mounted to a workbench....Click to Read full Answer


Question: Where do your ingredients come from?
   Answer: We strive to find the freshest, most consistent ingredients available to the homebrewer. We try to purchase ingredients as close to our location, so that you end up with the freshest ingredients possible. Our volume of business also makes the turn over of these ingredients incredibly quick. We want you to make the best beer possible, and to do that you need the freshest ingredients possible. Our malt extract is made by Briess Malting Company from Chilton, Wisconsin. Peterson Honey of Minnesota fills the 3.3 and 6 pound jugs and delivers them to our store every 1-2 weeks. Peterson Honey already has the sanitary food repacking facilities to provide this service to Midwest. What does this all mean? It means our malt extract is as fresh as it comes. We have complete turn over of all of our malt extract every 2-3 weeks. The result is better fermentations and better tasting beer....Click to Read full Answer


Question: How do your beer equipment kits vary?
   Answer:

Our Midwest Brewing Basics Homebrewing Equipment Kit (#MBEK1, $59.95) has all the essentials without all the bells and whistles. This equipment kit has everything you need to start brewing beer at home (except for bottles and a brewing kettle). It is economical and designed to be expanded upon as your level of homebrewing progresses. This kit includes: an instructional homebrewing video or DVD, 71 page instructional booklet, a 6.5 gallon plastic fermenter and lid, a bottling bucket and spigot, 8 ounces of Easy Clean No-Rinse Cleanser, an airlock, a hydrometer (determines alcohol content), a bottle brush, a twin lever Red Baron bottle capper, 60 bottle caps, a liquid crystal thermometer, a bottle filler, a racking cane with bucket clip and siphon tubing.

Our most popular kit, the Midwest Brewing Starter Equipment Kit (#MBEK2, $79.95), contains everything from the Starter Kit plus, a 5-gallon glass carboy (for two-stage fermentation), the rubber stopper for the carboy, and a carboy brush. Two-stage fermentation yields a better quality product by giving your beer time to mature and clarify. Sediment is left behind in the primary fermenter, avoiding off flavors and improving the clarity of your beer. Also the glass fermenter is airtight and of smaller volume resulting in a reduced headspace above your beer that will help prevent oxidation of your beer. This kit is highly recommended if you intend to brew any lager beers.

The Midwest Brewing Intermediate Equipment Kit (#MBEK3, $109.95) presents the best value, as it contains many upgrades and items that many homebrewers buy after brewing for a while. This kit contains everything from the Starter Equipment Kit, plus a 6.5 gallon carboy for primary fermentation, two rubber stoppers and airlocks, an 8 inch funnel for transferring your wort into a carboy, an additional liquid crystal thermometer, and a Fermtech AutoSiphon. This kit comes standard with the new Better Bottles, which are becoming more and more popular for their many advantages over glass. If you prefer glass carboys, they may be substituted at no additional charge.

The Midwest Master Brewer’s Equipment Kit with Kegging Setup (#MBEK4, $319.95) is the sweetest system that we could dream up! This kit is designed for someone who is positive they’ll love the hobby of homebrewing or has brewed beer in the past. PLEASE NOTE that if you go with this kit, you will need an extra refrigerator with at least 27 inches of clearance to fit your keg inside. Used refrigerators are easy to find. Check your local want ads; many of our local customers have found them very cheap or even free. This equipment kit is for the homebrewer that knows they will be brewing for a long time to come. We start with an all-glass fermentation system, which includes one 6.5 gallon carboy for your primary, and two 5 gallon carboys so that you can have two batches in the secondary at the same time. Of course there are stoppers and airlocks for all three carboys, a triplescale hydrometer with test jar, 8 oz. of One Step No-rinse Cleanser and an airlock brush. Then we set you up with all of the siphoning items you’ll need: a Fermtech AutoSiphon, 5 feet of siphon tubing, and a carboy brush. Also includes three Fermometers, so that you can monitor the fermentation temperatures on all of your vessels. We also include a Refrigerator Thermostat Control so that you will be able to brew lagers and keep your kegged homebrew at the optimum temperature. Did we mention that this kit also includes a Cornelius Keg System? No more bottling! Also includes our instructional homebrewing video or DVD. As a special promotion, you may add more Cornelius kegs to this system at a price of $28.00 each, limit three.

...Click to Read full Answer


Question: Is homebrew expensive to make?
   Answer: After the initial investment for the necessary equipment and bottles, brewing at home is relatively inexpensive. In fact, if you prefer imported or micro-brewed beer you’ll be surprised to learn that you will save a lump of dough. An average 6-pack of micro-brew can cost up to $10, even more; Whereas the average cost of a 5 gallon recipe kit at Midwest sells for about $25-$30. After capping 54 twelve-ounce bottles you are looking at a cost of about 55 cents a bottle, about 33% cheaper! All-grain brewing is considerably cheaper than extract brewing due to the simple fact that grain is much cheaper than extract. All-grain brewing requires more of an initial investment in extra equipment but this is rapidly offset by the low production cost. All-grain brewed beer also takes a good deal more of time to produce. The average infusion mashed batch takes roughly 4 hours to complete. The all-grain brewer has the added advantage of greater control over the subtle nuances of his/her beer. As an example of the difference in cost, consider that an average pale ale might cost $25.00 for an extract kit where as the ingredients bought in bulk for an all-grain pale ale will cost roughly $15.00, for 2 cases of beer! Either way it is inexpensive in comparison to shelling out full retail for quality imported or micro-brewed beer....Click to Read full Answer

Compare All Kits

One of the most important parts of getting started in Homebrewing is choosing an Equipment Kit. All of Midwest’s equipment kits will provide all of the components needed to brew 5-gallon batches of beer. Check out our Beginner's Guide to help you decide which kit is best for you.

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Midwest Homebrewing Supplies
5825 Excelsior Blvd.
Minneapolis, MN 55416
Phone: 1 (952) 925-9854
Toll Free: 1 (888) 449-BREW
Shipping Inquiries: 1 (888) 449-2739
Fax: 1 (952) 925-9867
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Midwest Supplies Home Beer and Wine Making
Midwest Supplies Home Beer and Wine Making
Midwest Supplies Home Beer and Wine Making
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