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Premnasbiaculeatus · 01-05-2012, 03:36 PM

Greetings and Salutations, My name is Mike Jewel, and I'm the creator of this video. Wow thanks for posting this here! I've been a silent stalker of this forum for about seven months, and now that my videos have received some attention here, I guess it's time I step out of the shadows and introduce myself.

I'd like to thank everyone for being kind with your comments. When I first started to get massive hits on the 'Mr. Beer Goes Horribly Wrong' a lot of the comments (especially the ones when it got posted on liveleak) weren't so nice. Mostly people calling me an idiot and questioning my sexuality. So again thank you all for being polite.

Just to confirm / answer some of the comments you guys have made;

Yes, I am totally hooked on home brewing. Since this first initial terrible experience back in May of last year I've made a good 14 more batches. And, as some of you have seen from watching my other videos I'm now making five gallon brews in plastic carboys and kegging them.

After my initial failure I immediately ordered a refill kit for Mr. Beer's west coast pale ale, and filmed myself making it from beginning to end, determined to get an acceptable result. I also read a few books and started making a five gallon batch of Coopers Australian Ale simultaneously. The Mr. Beer went into bottles and the Coopers went into a secondary carboy and conditioned while I made my Kegerator conversion. About a week or two before I kegged the Coopers Is when I brewed my first brew from dry extract and pellet hops.

I still use the Mr. Beer Kit. C'mon that thing was a six dollar investment

But nowadays I mostly ust use it to make small experimental brews or to use up leftover DME and hops from my larger batches. Early on I made their witty Monk witbeir and their seasonal Belgian Dubbel, from the prehopped LME refill kits they sell. I must admit that both were delicious, but brewing with prehopped extract has lost it's appeal to me at this point. As it's basically just reconstituting and fermenting beer that was brewed by someone else.

Most of my more current brews are extract with specialty grain or partial mash. I'd like to make the transition to all grain and am in the process of designing a mini mash ton. However for now, my major focus is on renovating and selling my house and moving in to a larger home with my fiancee. So most of my brewing projects are on hold for the moment until I get moved into my new house. BTW if anyone here lives in the Washington DC area and wants to buy a 3 bedroom 1 bathroom condo in Northern silver Spring I should be listed by the end of the month.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PYuMpxGKKrg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_v3bbrVbfRY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mh4x7fxoe20

frunkasduck · 01-06-2012, 03:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Premnasbiaculeatus

Greetings and Salutations, My name is Mike Jewel, and I'm the creator of this video. Wow thanks for posting this here! I've been a silent stalker of this forum for about seven months, and now that my videos have received some attention here, I guess it's time I step out of the shadows and introduce myself.

I'd like to thank everyone for being kind with your comments. When I first started to get massive hits on the 'Mr. Beer Goes Horribly Wrong' a lot of the comments (especially the ones when it got posted on liveleak) weren't so nice. Mostly people calling me an idiot and questioning my sexuality. So again thank you all for being polite.

Just to confirm / answer some of the comments you guys have made;

Yes, I am totally hooked on home brewing. Since this first initial terrible experience back in May of last year I've made a good 14 more batches. And, as some of you have seen from watching my other videos I'm now making five gallon brews in plastic carboys and kegging them.

After my initial failure I immediately ordered a refill kit for Mr. Beer's west coast pale ale, and filmed myself making it from beginning to end, determined to get an acceptable result. I also read a few books and started making a five gallon batch of Coopers Australian Ale simultaneously. The Mr. Beer went into bottles and the Coopers went into a secondary carboy and conditioned while I made my Kegerator conversion. About a week or two before I kegged the Coopers Is when I brewed my first brew from dry extract and pellet hops.

I still use the Mr. Beer Kit. C'mon that thing was a six dollar investment

But nowadays I mostly ust use it to make small experimental brews or to use up leftover DME and hops from my larger batches. Early on I made their witty Monk witbeir and their seasonal Belgian Dubbel, from the prehopped LME refill kits they sell. I must admit that both were delicious, but brewing with prehopped extract has lost it's appeal to me at this point. As it's basically just reconstituting and fermenting beer that was brewed by someone else.

Most of my more current brews are extract with specialty grain or partial mash. I'd like to make the transition to all grain and am in the process of designing a mini mash ton. However for now, my major focus is on renovating and selling my house and moving in to a larger home with my fiancee. So most of my brewing projects are on hold for the moment until I get moved into my new house. BTW if anyone here lives in the Washington DC area and wants to buy a 3 bedroom 1 bathroom condo in Northern silver Spring I should be listed by the end of the month.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PYuMpxGKKrg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_v3bbrVbfRY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mh4x7fxoe20

I've watched all your recent videos of brewing and see how good your newer stuff is turning out, and how much its improved from when you started, and it gave me inspiration to start brewing. Once my fiancee and I move into our place, I am going to give it a shot. I have no idea when this will be, so i don't wanna start anything right away if im just gonna have to ruin it by trying to transfer it lol. so thank you for your videos!

GrumpySquirrel · 01-06-2012, 03:56 PM

Here's how I know something's going to go wrong...

"This is my first video NOT about gardening..."
"So for $6 to brew 9 quarts, it can't be too shabby, right?"
"I looked at this can of the wort condensed... it had a date of best used by August 11, 1996... it's 2011."

Haha

Teromous · 01-06-2012, 05:20 PM

Awesome man, it's good to see that you're still enjoying the hobby. When you're looking for that new house, make sure you silently scope it for a private brewing storage room, and a small section of yard to grow hops

djfriesen · 01-06-2012, 05:35 PM

Welcome Mike,

Loved your videos and attitude toward the whole situation. Glad to see you joined up here. It's a fantastic place to expand your brewing knowledge. Good luck on selling the house, and congrats on the engagement.

Happy Brewing!

mcaple1 · 01-06-2012, 05:41 PM

Holy crap dude...I am sitting here at work crying I was laughing so hard. Now everyone is looking at me like I'm the crazy one. Thanks dude.

Ibanous · 01-06-2012, 05:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Premnasbiaculeatus

I'd like to thank everyone for being kind with your comments. When I first started to get massive hits on the 'Mr. Beer Goes Horribly Wrong' a lot of the comments (especially the ones when it got posted on liveleak) weren't so nice. Mostly people calling me an idiot and questioning my sexuality. So again thank you all for being polite.

Your video definitely made me laugh. I’m glad you are such a good sport about all the friendly ribbing you’re receiving here. In the end we are all brewers (or soon to be in some cases) so I would hope you would see any comments that are unduly harsh.

I think the fact that you went through the process, came up with less than good results, yet proceeded to get hook regardless is a testament to how enjoyable this hobby is.

solbes · 01-06-2012, 06:11 PM

Oh man, this is the best thread I've read in weeks. Mike, I love your delivery:

"And I guess I sort of dry hopped it. Because well, I let it ferment with the coconut in it...I dry coconut-ed it. Because I didn't use any hops, I added coconut...So coconut ale...Hmm, I wonder what that will taste like?".

A) Congrats on the success and the new hobby. Mr Beer or not, it's all the same basic process. Also very cool of you to post here.
B) I think you've got a future doing these vids. Your delivery is perfect, don't change a thing. I might have to check out your gardening vids.

Premnasbiaculeatus · 01-06-2012, 07:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by frunkasduck

I've watched all your recent videos of brewing and see how good your newer stuff is turning out, and how much its improved from when you started, and it gave me inspiration to start brewing. Once my fiancee and I move into our place, I am going to give it a shot. I have no idea when this will be, so i don't wanna start anything right away if im just gonna have to ruin it by trying to transfer it lol. so thank you for your videos!

Thank you, you're really welcome. I'm renovating right now myself and in a similar situation, getting married, moving, etc. So I'm taking a small brewing hiatus until I can get all my gear set up in the new house. Which is probably going to be a couple months from now. I must warn you, this hobby is addictive, My fiancee and I just kicked my last corny of the year this past weekend and I'm not going to have anything new racked for months. I can honestly say the withdrawal is excruciating. That's brewing withdrawal, not drinking withdrawal. I'm still drinking...

Quote:

Originally Posted by Teromous

Awesome man, it's good to see that you're still enjoying the hobby. When you're looking for that new house, make sure you silently scope it for a private brewing storage room, and a small section of yard to grow hops

Definitely, I just started reading a book on growing hops last week. Mandatory requirements for new home = Brew Cave + Hops Garden.

Teromous · 01-06-2012, 07:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Premnasbiaculeatus

Definitely, I just started reading a book on growing hops last week. Mandatory requirements for new home = Brew Cave + Hops Garden.

Cool, might I also suggest The Homebrewer's Garden which has a number of alternative plants that you can grow and use in your brew. I saw that you also do gardening, so this would be right up your alley. I'm currently growing only a few from the book, but it's a great way to start doing historical beers or adding a unique touch to the flavor.