How long will it take?

Actual brewing time for extract kits takes only an hour or two.

Ales will ferment and be ready to bottle/keg in 7-14 days, and need an additional 2-3 weeks to mature before drinking.

Lagers ferment at lower temperatures more slowly, so 14-28 days or more is needed to ferment, depending on the style, and 3-12 months of aging at low temperatures is required. Don't worry, there are some lagers that can be fermented in 2-3 weeks at around 50 deg F and age within a month or two, so don't write this style off as being too difficult.