7 Best Cider Making Kits For Beginners That Old-Timers Would Approve Of
Discover 7 beginner cider kits that blend modern ease with traditional quality. These sets earn a nod from purists for their authentic results.
You’ve got a couple of apple trees that went wild this year, or maybe you just got a good deal on a few bushels from the orchard down the road. The thought of letting them go to waste is unthinkable. Making your own hard cider is more than just a way to preserve the harvest; it’s a connection to a timeless tradition, turning the work of a season into something you can enjoy by the fire all winter.
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What Makes a Cider Kit Worth Your Time and Effort
A good kit isn’t just a box of ingredients; it’s a lesson. It should give you the tools and the confidence to eventually leave the instructions behind. An old-timer would look past the flashy label and check for gear that will last more than one season.
The real value is in reusable equipment. A glass carboy or a sturdy fermenting bucket, a proper airlock, and a siphon are the backbone of any homebrewing setup. If a kit is full of single-use plastic bags and flimsy gadgets, walk away. You’re looking for a foundation to build on, not a disposable hobby.
Think about the balance between convenience and control. Some kits are so simple you just add water and yeast, which is fine for a first try. But the best ones teach you the process—how to measure sugar levels, when to rack your cider, and why sanitation is everything. They give you a successful first batch while leaving the door open for you to start using your own apples next year.
Brooklyn Brew Shop Kit: Simple and Reusable
This kit gets it right by starting small. It’s built around a one-gallon glass jug, which is perfect for a beginner. You’re not committing a huge amount of space, time, or juice to your first experiment.
The magic of this kit is the equipment. You get the glass fermenter, airlock, siphon, and tubing—the core pieces you’ll use for years. After you use their included mix, you have everything you need to try again with five quarts of store-bought juice or, even better, the juice you press yourself. It’s a starter set that’s meant to grow with you.
A one-gallon batch is a smart way to learn. If you make a mistake, you’ve only lost a small amount. But when you get it right, you have a few bottles of something you made yourself, which is enough to build the confidence to scale up to five-gallon batches later.
Craft a Brew Hard Cider Kit: A Traditional Feel
The Craft a Brew kit feels like a nod to the old ways. It provides a straightforward, no-frills approach that focuses on the fundamental steps of fermentation. It’s designed to demystify the process, not oversimplify it.
Like the Brooklyn kit, its strength lies in providing durable, reusable gear. The one-gallon glass carboy is a classic for a reason; it’s easy to clean, doesn’t hold odors, and lets you watch the fermentation happen. Seeing the yeast go to work is half the fun and an important part of learning the craft.
This is a solid educational tool. The instructions walk you through the key stages without holding your hand too much. It’s a great middle-ground for someone who wants more than a "just-add-water" experience but isn’t ready to piece together a whole setup from scratch.
Northern Brewer Essential Kit for Quality Cider
Northern Brewer is a name that commands respect among homebrewers, and their kits show why. This isn’t a fancy all-in-one box; it’s a curated collection of quality, no-nonsense equipment. You’re buying tools, not a novelty.
This kit typically comes with a two-gallon fermenting bucket, which has a major advantage over glass carboys for beginners: it’s much easier and safer to clean. It also includes the essentials like an airlock, siphon, and hydrometer for measuring sugar. Crucially, it forces you to source your own juice. This is a feature, not a bug, as it immediately gets you thinking about the most important ingredient.
This is the kit for the person who plans to make this a recurring part of their fall routine. It provides a durable, practical foundation that won’t need upgrading when you move from store-bought juice to pressing apples from your own trees. It’s an investment in the hobby itself.
Midwest Supplies Cider House Select: Great Juice
This kit flips the script. It’s not about the equipment; it’s all about the juice. The Cider House Select line offers high-quality apple juice concentrate blends that produce a remarkably good cider with minimal effort.
You will need to have your own fermenter, airlock, and other basic gear to use this. It’s the perfect next step for someone who bought an equipment-only kit or already has a beer-making setup. It lets you focus on the fermentation process without worrying about whether your base juice is any good.
An old-timer would appreciate the logic here. Good cider comes from good apples. By starting with a proven, high-quality juice concentrate, you learn what a well-balanced cider should taste like. This gives you a valuable benchmark for when you start experimenting with your own apple blends.
Home Brew Ohio Gold Kit: A Complete Setup
If you’re the type who wants to buy everything once and be done with it, this is your kit. It’s less of a "kit" and more of a "home cidery in a box." It comes with everything from the primary fermenter and glass carboy to the bottle capper, brushes, and sanitizer.
The sheer amount of gear can be intimidating, but it’s incredibly practical. You won’t find yourself halfway through bottling day realizing you don’t have a bottle filler or the right size brush. This setup anticipates your needs and provides the tools for the entire process, from fermentation to final conditioning.
This is a commitment, both in cost and in storage space. But if you compare the price to buying each piece individually, it’s a smart buy for anyone serious about the hobby. It gives you the equipment to not only make cider but to do it efficiently and correctly from the start.
Mangrove Jack’s Pouch Kit for Easy Brewing
This is the ultimate low-barrier entry point. The kit’s clever design uses the juice pouch itself as the fermenter. You simply add water and the included yeast, screw on the special airlock cap, and let it sit.
Some might call it cheating, but practicality wins the day. There is virtually no cleanup and very little risk of contamination, which are two of the biggest hurdles for beginners. It’s a foolproof way to see if you even enjoy the process before investing in more permanent equipment.
Think of this as a trial run. It produces a surprisingly decent cider and gives you a taste of the magic of fermentation. If you find yourself checking the airlock every day and getting excited about bottling, you know it’s time to graduate to a more traditional setup.
Vintner’s Best Cider Kit: Flavorful Results
Vintner’s Best specializes in ingredient kits that are engineered for a specific flavor profile. Their apple cider kit is designed to produce a clean, balanced, and consistent product every single time. It takes the guesswork out of your first few batches.
These kits often include the juice concentrate, yeast, and sometimes clarifiers or sweeteners to ensure a predictable outcome. The goal is to build your confidence by guaranteeing a drinkable, enjoyable cider on your first attempt. Success is a powerful motivator.
This is a great way to learn what a finished cider is supposed to taste like. Once you’ve made a batch that you know is "correct," you’ll be better equipped to troubleshoot and adjust when you start using your own recipes. It provides a valuable point of reference for your future cider-making adventures.
Ultimately, the best kit is the one that gets you started. Whether you choose a simple pouch or a complete equipment setup, the goal is the same: to turn fruit into something to be proud of. The real learning happens when you get your hands dirty, so pick a path and begin.
