I've done a fair bit of brewing over the years, and have slowly discovered you get what you pay for. There seems to be a lot of cheap fillers, like barley syrup, in the cheaper kits, so my guidance would be to pay a big price for a malt only product (Hopped wort, that is, just barley malt and hops). I would also definitely go for a kit first time, and save the fiddly stuff for later triumphs. The finest kit (in the UK) I have found, and stayed with, is Woodfordes Wherry Bitter (produced by Munton & Fison of Stowmarket, Suffolk), available at:

http://www.woodfordes.co.uk/shop.htm

It's superb, but dear, at £15 ($22) for 40 pints. I would also guide you to buy a pressure barrel rather than mess about with bottles. Bugger real ale rules, after the barrel has used up its naturally produced CO2, fire a gas bottle into it. Also, I use powdered malt instead of sugar for priming the barrel, as this gives better head (!).

So, in summary

1. Buy a malt only (expensive) kit. 2. Buy a pressure barrel and a CO2 gas cylinder 3. Buy powdered malt for priming the barrel, instead of sugar 4. Don't hurry testing! It takes 6 weeks minimum in the barrel before the beer is worth a light. Don't use finings to clear it; makes it taste like fish oil.

Won't bore the community any further, so PM if you would like any more pointers.

Good luck, and enjoy!!

Skipjack