I'd stay away from the Mister Beer-type things. I think they all want you to add sugar to the mix, which gives you a thin, cidery-tasting brew.

BTW, what type of beer does the Mister drink now? Ales are much easier to produce than lagers, and if he is used to American Megaswill (Bud, Coors, Miller, that sort of tasteless garbage.....is my predjudice showing?), he may not like what you can produce easily at home. OTOH, if he likes full-bodied beers with lots of flavor, well, come on in!

jeffp