Hombrewering requires a lot of stuff.  Even an entry level bare-bones starter kit contains 2 5 gallon buckets, a 7-10 gallon pot and at least 4 cases worth of empty bottles.  If kegging you can swap the bottles for two kegs and refrigerator but the bottles never seem to wholly go away.  Traditionally if you want to brew more beer it can take 2 extra pots, some pumps, and some dedicated controller.  Throw in a grain mill and add to that your misc brewing supplies hoses, spoons, filters, extra ingredients, etc.  It’s not that it can’t be effectively managed or in some cases even contained totally in a portion of a closet, but there is a fair amount of stuff and stuff takes up space.

As a continuation from the market segments of homebrewing as I view them I think there is another overarching constraint that is important to think about….space.  I think it is useful to consider two types of homebrewers those with space and those without.

Brewers with Space:
Usually located in suburban or rural areas.  May have dedicated basement, laundry, and/or garage space.  More likely to have traditional 3 tier systems.  More likely to utilize propane.  Probably have extra regular sized refrigerators or freezers for fermentation, lagering, and kegging.  This is your prototypical brewer and the one who most of the current product offerings is geared towards.

Brewers without Space:
These are a a more unique breed, but seem to becoming more common in the scene.  These brewers are unlikely to have dedicated space and the entire brew setup must be transportable, compact, and easy to store.  More likely to pursue Brew-in-a-bag methods that require only 1 vessel.  More likely to utilize electric as they may not have outdoor space.  May have a mini-fridge converted kegerator, but fermentation temperature control remains.