Recent content by New Brew

For me, it is time, and having plenty to work out still in my downstream processes. Doing an AG or PM recipe adds almost 2 hours to my brew day, and often enough that's the difference between being able to get a batch in the fermentor, or not. Whether that's a limitation on my free time, or...

Not the OP, but - this thread inspired me to brew a can of Mr. Beer's 2014 Seasonal ESB I had neglected for years on a shelf, with a packet of Nottingham yeast for a clean ferment profile. Results: Came out WAY too dark, and with a cloying molasses flavor that hasn't conditioned out...

They're not only made by Coopers, they ARE Coopers. If you order stuff from Mr. Beer's website, it bills and ships from "Coopers DIY, LLC". I started with Mr. Beer, like I suspect many others. A friend started with your typical 5-gal "hobbyist" kit (plastic bucket fermenter). His first beers...

If the can is intact and non-swollen, there is no health and safety reason you couldn't use it. That said, I wouldn't expect a Mr. Beer American Light "lager" to have aged very well. I'll also point out that one can of their standard hopped LME isn't sufficient to brew a full 2-Gal batch, they...

You can also now buy the "Deluxe" version of the Patriot Lager kit, which comes with an extra ~0.5 lb of UME. Also note that as sold, it may be called a "lager", but they supply it with yeast (and provide instructions) to brew it as an ale. I actually think that's true of all their "lager"...

I'd be curious about this too. Fermentation temp isn't usually listed as a contributor to acetaldehyde, but I have a couple small batches of ale I did & let ferment @ ambient (~72* air temp) that turned out to be real green apple bombs. Nothing except the fermentation temperature was common...

Hefeweizens are also the reason I got into homebrewing, after discovering them the first time I visited Germany. They are easier to find here in the states these days, but they're also a lot of fun to brew (and they really are best when fresh). As said above, brewing them w/ extract is pretty...

This is going to sound like an obnoxious answer, but the 60 minutes starts whenever you add the 60 minute hops. Don't start your timer until you add those hops. The wort should already be boiling before you add them, but don't start your timer just because the wort is boiling. For an extract...

I really think fermentation temperature control is the most important factor in producing good beer, no matter what size batches you're brewing. I've been pretty unhappy with a few Mr. Beer batches I've done by just letting it ferment at room temperature (72-74* ambient). I suspect pulling...

It looks like the full lineup of the new refill kits is now up on the Mr. Beer site. There's 3 distinct levels of kits (maybe 3.5?): "Standard": $15.95-17.95 3.7 % ABV, single 1.87 lb can of HME; 10 varieties, ranging from light "lagers" to Irish Stout "Craft": $21.95 5.5% ABV, single 2.86 lb...

I like to use the TastyBrew bottle priming calculator to figure out priming amounts: http://www.tastybrew.com/calculators/priming.html There are many out there on the 'net that are similar as well. (Modern) Brown sugar is just table sugar + a little molasses, so treat it as table sugar...

fbd: I don't really have the personal experience to advise you on how a partial-volume all-grain boil would work out; someone else will have to comment on that, sorry. As for the hops, that rolling boil is precisely how you extract the bittering compounds from them. Yes, it does drive off the...

I've been thinking about heading this way too, though I'll probably start w/ a simplified partial mash or BIAB method (no mash tun needed). The time you need to boil for evaporation is going to depend on what your pre-boil volume is (Mash infusion volume + sparge volume - grain adsorption)...

What everyone else has said pretty much answers this, but I did want to add that some people do react poorly to the live yeast in home-brew. My dad basically can't drink anything I brew (and believe me, he's tried!) that is unfiltered and bottle-conditioned. There's nothing wrong with the...

you won't know if it's any good until it's done and you're tasting it, sorry. As for the smell, wheat beer yeasts throw tons of odor, not all pleasant. My hefeweizens always smell like rotten eggs for 3-4 days after fermentation starts, which gradually mellows to a banana bread like aroma...