I recommend the kit pretty much only because I got the impression that this might not be someone who really knows what he's getting into. If the Mister knows his stuff already, then obviously a kit isn't the way to go - likely a gift certificate to the local brewing supply woudl be the way to go.

You can also get an astounding amount of info on the web about homebrew - I'm partial to Hopheads.com, if only because I've a friend or two heavily involved in the group.

M