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zenlakin · 12-15-2007, 02:51 AM

Ok, I m wanting to look into getting started in brewing some beer and have read through the thread about the Mr. Beer kit but just wanted to see if people recommend something else as a better solution to get started? I would rather spend a little extra money up front to get something that will last longer if that is the case. Or would the Mr. Beer kit work well to get me started without needing to upgrade to other equipment right away? Thanks in advance.

talleymonster · 12-15-2007, 02:56 AM

A lot of people get started with Mr Beer. Theres no shame in thatl. You have to start somewhere. But if you really want to dive in, you should just get a beginner kit from Midwest or something comparable. Go here and check them out.

Also, go to How To Brew. Start reading through it.

There is also a Wiki here that you can utilize.

And of course read through the forum and ask questions. Try the search function first, as a lot of "NOOB" questions are probably already covered in older threads.

Lastly, Welcome to HBT!

malkore · 12-15-2007, 03:46 PM

its cheaper to start out with a basic 5 gallon brew kit. Mr. beer is small, and proprietary, and if you outgrow it, you basically wasted money.
everything in a 5 gallon kit is useful, for larger or smaller batches.

brauhaus · 12-15-2007, 04:01 PM

Well, here's where my train of thought comes into play...

please remember that this is my opinion and you can do with it what you will...

what type of brewing do you want to do? do you want to brew a large amount to share with family, friends, and dare i say co-workers? or do you just want to do this on occasion and see where it leads...

I look at it this way, if you are the type of person to commit to things and then fall out of commitment, then the Mr.Beer kit may be a good investment for you. (Like the time I bought my wife and I kayaks, used them all of 4 times and then they now collect dust...)

I recently purchased a Mr.Beer kit thinking, "i'll give this a wirl." after looking at the box and such i figured it wasn't to complex and I'm sure it's not too hard. (and the kit was only $40, so if I use it once and then decide brewing isn't my thing... well then at least I didn't spend a lot more money and then fall out of interest).

I decided to give brewing a chance this morning, so I cracked open the box, set all the parts out and began reading the instructions...

If you follow all the directions and follow them to the word, it's not hard at all, even if you super analyze it and overdo the cleaning and sanitizing and do just as the directions say... it's still not that hard.

I've enjoyed the beginning stages of brewing, now my wort is fermenting hidden in a dark cabinet away from my wandering 1 year old.... and I honestly can't wait until it's ready to be sampled!

I decided that if this works out (i'll give the Mr.Beer Kit and some of it's recipes a go) and if it turns out I thoroughly enjoy it, then I'll be definitely upgrading to a more complex system.

I jumped into home brewing about a year ago and then for some reason I got side-tracked and I'm glad i didn't buy all that equipment b/c it would have gone to waste... I have decided to start out very small and let it run it's course...

so far so good.

like any investment, just think things through. best of luck.

**TheJadedDog** · 12-15-2007, 04:29 PM

I would highly recommend skipping the Mr Beer kit and going right to a basic brewing set-up; it will be cheaper in the long run and the beer you produce will be better right out of the gate.

A basic starter kit is anywhere from $60-$70, only $20-$30 more than a Mr. Beer and it won't be obsolete in 5 minutes (in fact, you may be using pieces of your original equipment for years).

I don't have anything against Mr Beer, I just don't think the beer it produces is very good.

talleymonster · 12-15-2007, 05:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BraeHaus

I look at it this way, if you are the type of person to commit to things and then fall out of commitment, then the Mr.Beer kit may be a good investment for you. (Like the time I bought my wife and I kayaks, used them all of 4 times and then they now collect dust...)

I know what you mean. 2 years ago I bought SWMBO a Guitar and all the extras (amp, bag, extra picks, "girlie" strap, cord, etc). Let's just say it looks nice hanging on the wall.