Buying guide
All-Grain Starter Setup
Updated How we research
Step up from extract to full mash brewing. The page is split into five sections (Mash Your Grains; Pick Your Base Malt; Fire Up The Burner; Chill The Wort Fast; Add Your Hops), followed by every pick ranked by our score so you can compare them in one place.
The short version
We compared 20 picks. Our scores range from 6.5 to 8.6 out of 10.
- Best overall:Briess 2-Row Brewers Malt 1.8L - 10 lb. Highest overall score in this guide at 8.6/10.
- Also great value:Immersion Copper Wort Chiller, 25 ft, 3/8 in OD. Value score of 9/10, overall 8.0/10.
- Solid build:YCH Hops - Citra HBC 394 Hop Pellets 1 lb. Build and materials score of 9/10, overall 8.6/10.
- Feature-rich:Learn To Brew 10 Gal Igloo Mash Tun. Features score of 8/10, overall 8.4/10.
Scores are our editorial assessment, not customer ratings. How we score
Mash Your Grains
- Learn To Brew 10 Gal Igloo Mash TunOur score8.4/10
- Learn to Brew Igloo Mash Tun, 10 GallonOur score8.4/10
- Quick Fit 10 Gallon Igloo Mash Tun with Stainless Steel False Bottom, Stainless Steel Valve and 3" Dial Probe ThermometerOur score7.8/10
- HomeBrewStuff Stainless Mash Tun, 15 GallonOur score7.8/10
Pick Your Base Malt
- Briess 2-Row Brewers Malt 1.8L - 10 lbOur score8.6/10
- 2-Row Brewers Malt, Crushed Grain, 10 lbOur score7.9/10
- Box Brew Kits 2-Row Crushed Malted Barley, 5 lbOur score7.8/10
- RAHR 6-Row Malted Barley, Crushed, 2 lbOur score7.5/10
Fire Up The Burner
- Concord Deluxe Banjo Propane Burner, 200,000 BTUOur score8.4/10
- Northern Brewer Dark Star Propane Burner, BlackOur score8.1/10
- ARC Single Burner Propane Stove, Foldable LegsOur score7.0/10
- Brewer's Best Cast Iron Element Burner, 10.125 inOur score6.9/10
Chill The Wort Fast
- Craft A Brew Clover Wort Chiller, 5 GallonOur score8.4/10
- Immersion Copper Wort Chiller, 25 ft, 3/8 in ODOur score8.0/10
- Northern Brewer Copperhead Immersion Wort ChillerOur score7.9/10
- Stainless Steel Immersion Wort ChillerOur score6.5/10
Add Your Hops
- YCH Hops - Citra HBC 394 Hop Pellets 1 lbOur score8.6/10
- Home Brew Ohio US Centennial Hop Pellets, 1 lbOur score7.8/10
- US Citra Hop Pellets - 1 lb.Our score7.7/10
- Citra Hop Pellets, 3 ozOur score7.4/10
All 20 picks, ranked by our score
Every product from the sections above, listed once. Sort by the criterion you care about most, or tick up to three to compare.
Briess 2-Row Brewers Malt at 1.8L in a 10 lb bag, a clean, light base malt for all grain beers.
Fit for the job 9/10 · Features and specs 8/10 · Build and materials 8/10 · Value 9/10
- + 1.8L color keeps pale ales and lagers light and bright
- + Briess 2-Row is a dependable US base malt with strong enzyme power
- + 10 lb bag covers most of a five gallon batch base
- - Check whether the grain arrives crushed or whole before ordering
- - Clean flavor needs specialty malts for more complex beers
YCH Hops Citra HBC 394 pellets in a 1 lb bag, sourced from a major Yakima Valley grower.
Fit for the job 9/10 · Features and specs 8/10 · Build and materials 9/10 · Value 8/10
- + YCH Hops is a major grower, so quality and labeling are trustworthy
- + Official HBC 394 designation confirms genuine Citra variety
- + 1 lb bag is ideal for brewers making hazy and West Coast IPAs often
- - Premium variety commands a higher price than common aroma hops
- - Bulk bag loses aroma quickly if not stored airtight and frozen
Learn To Brew's 10 gallon Igloo cooler mash tun with a stainless false bottom and valve, ready for all grain batch sparging.
Fit for the job 9/10 · Features and specs 8/10 · Build and materials 8/10 · Value 8/10
- + Igloo cooler holds mash temperature well over a full hour rest
- + Stainless false bottom and valve come installed, so it is ready to brew
- + 10 gallon size handles five gallon batches and many higher gravity recipes
- - Plastic cooler should not be used for direct heating or step mashes
- - False bottom can shift if the tun is moved while full of grain
A 10 Gallon Igloo mash tun from Learn to Brew fitted with a stainless false bottom and 1/2 valve for smooth runoff.
Fit for the job 9/10 · Features and specs 8/10 · Build and materials 8/10 · Value 8/10
- + 1/2 valve gives a good flow rate when lautering into the kettle
- + Insulated Igloo body keeps a steady mash temperature without electricity
- + Pre-built conversion saves time compared with sourcing parts yourself
- - Very similar to the other Learn To Brew tun, so compare prices between listings
- - Cooler walls can hold odors if not dried out after cleaning
Concord's Deluxe Banjo single propane burner rated at 200,000 BTU, a portable outdoor stove with enough power for large brew kettles.
Fit for the job 9/10 · Features and specs 8/10 · Build and materials 8/10 · Value 8/10
- + 200,000 BTU output brings big volumes to a rolling boil quickly
- + Wide banjo burner head spreads flame for more even heat under large pots
- + Portable single burner is easy to move between garage, patio and campsite
- - High output burns through propane fast at full flame
- - Strictly for outdoor use due to heat and fumes
Craft A Brew's Clover copper immersion chiller with vinyl tubing and hose adapter, sized for 5 Gallon batches.
Fit for the job 9/10 · Features and specs 8/10 · Build and materials 8/10 · Value 8/10
- + Copper coil pulls heat out of wort quickly for fast cooling
- + Vinyl tubing and hose adapter come included, so it connects to a faucet or garden hose
- + Sized for 5 Gallon batches, which matches most beginner recipes
- - Copper needs regular cleaning to keep it bright and free of oxidation
- - Vinyl tubing can soften if it touches the hot kettle rim
Northern Brewer's black Dark Star propane burner, a compact outdoor burner built for heating brew kettles.
Fit for the job 9/10 · Features and specs 7/10 · Build and materials 8/10 · Value 8/10
- + Built specifically for beer brewing, so it handles large kettles well
- + Compact design is easier to store than bulky tall burner stands
- + Propane power reaches a boil much faster than most kitchen stoves
- - Low profile stand means bending down to adjust the flame
- - Propane tank and regulator details should be checked before buying
A 25ft copper immersion wort chiller with 3/8 OD tubing, 304SS parts and a garden hose fitting for outdoor brew days.
Fit for the job 8/10 · Features and specs 8/10 · Build and materials 7/10 · Value 9/10
- + 25ft of copper tubing gives a large surface area for quick cooling
- + Garden hose fitting makes hookup easy when brewing outdoors
- + 304SS parts add durability where the chiller connects to water lines
- - Check the solder joints and finish before the first use
- - 25ft coil may be too tall for small pots used in stovetop brewing
A 10 lbs bag of crushed 2-Row brewers malt, the base grain for most all grain homebrew recipes.
Fit for the job 9/10 · Features and specs 7/10 · Build and materials 7/10 · Value 8/10
- + 2-Row is a versatile base malt for pale ales, IPAs and lagers
- + Pre-crushed grain is ready to mash without owning a grain mill
- + 10 lbs covers most of the base malt for a five gallon batch
- - Crushed grain goes stale faster, so brew within a few weeks
- - Malt freshness varies by batch, so check the packaging date when it arrives
Northern Brewer's Copperhead copper immersion chiller, a popular upgrade for faster cooling on standard homebrew batches.
Fit for the job 9/10 · Features and specs 7/10 · Build and materials 8/10 · Value 7/10
- + Copper coil cools wort efficiently, helping lock in hop aroma
- + Well-known Northern Brewer model with plenty of user guidance available
- + Simple immersion design with no pumps or plates to clog
- - Check the tubing length and fittings against your chiller setup
- - Copper costs more than stainless options with similar coil length
Quick Fit 10 gallon Igloo cooler mash tun with a 12 inch stainless false bottom, stainless valve and a 6 inch probe thermometer, sized for 5 and 10 gallon batches.
Fit for the job 8/10 · Features and specs 8/10 · Build and materials 8/10 · Value 7/10
- + The listing describes it as a ready-made 10 gallon Igloo mash tun suited to both 5 and 10 gallon batches.
- + All metal parts are 304 or 316 stainless steel, including a 12 inch false bottom and valve.
- + A 3 inch dial probe thermometer is included, so you can watch mash temperature without buying one separately.
- - It is a larger and more expensive pick than the 5 gallon cooler tun it replaces, so it is overkill for small batches.
- - The listing gives few details on the cooler itself, such as insulation or lid design.
HomeBrewStuff's 15 Gallon heavy duty stainless mash tun with false bottom for brewers running larger all grain batches.
Fit for the job 8/10 · Features and specs 7/10 · Build and materials 9/10 · Value 7/10
- + Stainless tun can be heated directly, allowing step mashes and mash-out
- + 15 Gallon capacity handles ten gallon batches and big grain bills
- + Heavy duty construction lasts far longer than plastic cooler tuns
- - Stainless loses heat faster than a cooler unless you add insulation
- - Check whether a valve or spigot is included before ordering
Box Brew Kits 2-Row malted barley, 5 LBS crushed and vacuum sealed for freshness, sized for smaller all grain batches.
Fit for the job 8/10 · Features and specs 8/10 · Build and materials 8/10 · Value 7/10
- + Vacuum sealing keeps crushed grain fresher in storage
- + 5 LBS suits small batch BIAB or topping up a larger grain bill
- + Pre-crushed malt is ready to mash straight from the bag
- - 5 LBS is not enough base malt for a full five gallon batch
- - Small bag costs more per pound than bulk sacks
Home Brew Ohio US Centennial hop pellets in a 1 Lb. bag, a citrus and floral dual-purpose hop for pale ales and IPAs.
Fit for the job 8/10 · Features and specs 7/10 · Build and materials 7/10 · Value 9/10
- + Centennial works for both bittering and aroma in American ales
- + 1 Lb. bag covers many batches for frequent IPA brewers
- + Pellets store compactly and give good utilization in the boil
- - Large bag must be resealed and frozen to keep hop oils fresh
- - Too much for occasional brewers before the hops lose aroma
US Citra hop pellets in a 1 lb. bag, a bulk supply of the popular tropical and citrus aroma hop.
Fit for the job 9/10 · Features and specs 6/10 · Build and materials 7/10 · Value 8/10
- + Citra delivers bold tropical fruit and citrus aroma for modern IPAs
- + 1 lb. size suits regular dry hopping and whirlpool additions
- + Buying in bulk lowers the cost per ounce of this in-demand variety
- - Check the harvest date and supplier before ordering for the freshest hops
- - Needs vacuum resealing and freezer storage after opening
RAHR 6-Row malted barley, 2 LBS crushed and vacuum sealed, useful for adjunct-heavy recipes and classic American lagers.
Fit for the job 7/10 · Features and specs 8/10 · Build and materials 8/10 · Value 7/10
- + 6-Row has extra enzymes to help convert corn or rice adjuncts in the mash
- + Vacuum sealed pack keeps the crushed grain fresh until brew day
- + 2 LBS is a handy amount for blending into a larger base malt bill
- - 6-Row can add a grainy, husky flavor if used as the only base malt
- - Small pack will not supply the whole base for a typical batch
Citra hop pellets in a 3 oz. pack, a small quantity for trying Citra in a single homebrew batch.
Fit for the job 8/10 · Features and specs 7/10 · Build and materials 7/10 · Value 7/10
- + 3 oz. is enough for a late addition and dry hop in one batch
- + Small pack means hops are used while still fresh
- + Great way to test Citra before buying a larger bag
- - Costs much more per ounce than buying a full pound
- - Heavily hopped IPAs may need more than this pack contains
ARC's high-pressure single propane burner with foldable legs, a portable outdoor gas cooker that can handle brew kettles.
Fit for the job 7/10 · Features and specs 6/10 · Build and materials 7/10 · Value 8/10
- + Foldable legs make the burner easy to pack away after brew day
- + High-pressure design delivers strong heat for boiling large volumes
- + Doubles as an outdoor cooker for frying and seafood boils
- - Compare the BTU rating against dedicated brew burners before buying
- - Folding legs can be less stable with a heavy full kettle
Brewer's Best 10.125" cast iron element burner rated 70,000-80,000 BTUs, a replacement or DIY burner head for brew stands.
Fit for the job 6/10 · Features and specs 7/10 · Build and materials 8/10 · Value 7/10
- + Cast iron burner element is durable and holds up to high heat
- + 70,000-80,000 BTUs is plenty for five gallon boils
- + Good choice for building a custom brew stand or replacing a worn burner
- - Burner element only, so a stand, regulator and hose are needed
- - Cast iron can rust if left outside uncovered
A basic stainless steel immersion wort chiller for cooling boiled wort quickly before pitching yeast.
Fit for the job 7/10 · Features and specs 5/10 · Build and materials 7/10 · Value 7/10
- + Stainless steel resists corrosion and can sit in the boil to sanitize before chilling
- + Immersion design is simple to use, just drop it in the kettle and run cold water
- + Cools wort faster than an ice bath, reducing infection risk and chill haze
- - No coil length or batch size listed, so check it reaches your wort depth
- - Stainless transfers heat slower than copper, so chilling takes a bit longer
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Home Brew Craft curates picks for US shoppers. Scores are our editorial assessment. We may earn a commission from links on this page.