Mr Beer - Read all about it and ask questions

Brewer's Friend 728
Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum

Help Support Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
Justibone said:
Agreed. Maltiness will be quite sparse.

That being said... it will still probably taste pretty good, and the ABV% will be noticeable. :mug:

If you want a malty brew (which isn't really pale-ale style, it's more of a scotch ale or amber thing), then use two cans of extract and no booster next time. :)
Click to expand...

Thanks for the suggestions. I tend to enjoy a good range of flavors in beer, so I'm not too concerned.

I really just didn't want to use just the extract and the booster, seemed like it would have been a bit sparse on flavor.

But of course, I am new at this and am only guessing.

We'll see how she goes.

I was seeing some bubbles forming last night about 2 hours after pitching, and this morning there are patches of white on the top of the brew, which I would assume is what I'm supposed to see, but I don't really know.
 
I was seeing some bubbles forming last night about 2 hours after pitching, and this morning there are patches of white on the top of the brew, which I would assume is what I'm supposed to see, but I don't really know
Click to expand...

Sounds pretty good to me.

I really just didn't want to use just the extract and the booster, seemed like it would have been a bit sparse on flavor
Click to expand...

I'm not so sure your going to get as much flavor out of the honey as you think tho it pretty much just adds to the ABV as it ferments out maybe next time try adding it after the first week if your looking for flavor.
 
Desrever said:
I'm not so sure your going to get as much flavor out of the honey as you think tho it pretty much just adds to the ABV as it ferments out maybe next time try adding it after the first week if your looking for flavor.
Click to expand...

+1 to this.

Honey ferments something like 99%, so very little honey flavor is left behind. There are two ways that I know of to get honey flavor in your beer:

1) Using small quantities (0.5 oz/gallon) of either Gambrinus Honey Malt or Crystal 10L grains can give a honey-like flavor to beer. The Crystal 10L only needs to be steeped, but I think the Gambrinus needs to be mashed.

2) Heat some honey, and use the browned honey for flavoring. BEWARE: heating honey is a great way to make an ungodly mess, and it is also a fire hazard. Know what you are doing before you burn/scorch/heat honey. When it turns a little bit darker brown, you will know that it is less fermentable and will leave some of its flavor behind, though exactly how much depends on how much of it was chemically altered, etc.

I am really serious about heating honey, it can be a fire and burn hazard, and if you do it indoors you are asking for trouble. :eek:

Use the grains, but remember that the effect will most likely be subtle.
 
Well this information is useful.

I had heated the honey prior to adding it to the wort, so maybe it will add some flavor, maybe it wont.

I really have a lot to learn about what will add flavor and what wont.
 
Greetings.

OK so after reading the first 51 pages of this thread I feel comfortable with re-starting my brewing experience.
It looks like a minimum of 6 weeks for a batch of drinkable beer from this process, so I will get 2 Mr Beer fermenters and have one busy at least most of the time.
I will add additional liquid barley malt form the grocery store, and add additional hops, and probably look into different yeast. but it looks like I will be going to the LHBS for some light dry malt for carbonation.
I am hoping that having 2 fermenters will help with the patience factor. If I can hold out on over-sampling my first batch, the second will be coming along soon.
Right now space is a prime consideration, that's why the Mr Beer kits. For now the laundry room will have to do for a fermentation spot.
I am hoping to find truly "perfected" procedures and recipes for the Mr Beer
kits- I am sure I'll find them somewhere in this thread.

My previous experience includes 1 failed batch of beer a few years back. The problem began with what seems to be called "explosive" fermentation. Mine was more like "eruptive" fermentation; it silently erupted nearly half the volume of the wort into the huge tub the fermenter was sitting in. When I checked on it, the carboy looked like a volcano, nice mantle of foam in a cone shape with massive flows nearly filling the tub. To me, "explosive" would include collateral damage, i.e. you busted something and made a nice mess to clean up!

I'm getting into this so I can learn to brew some beers that I prefer for whatever occasion, with the tweaks I like. This should be fun!!!

gnarlyhopper
 
Justibone said:
There are two ways that I know of to get honey flavor in your beer:

1) Using small quantities (0.5 oz/gallon) of either Gambrinus Honey Malt or Crystal 10L grains can give a honey-like flavor to beer. The Crystal 10L only needs to be steeped, but I think the Gambrinus needs to be mashed.

2) Heat some honey, and use the browned honey for flavoring.
Click to expand...

3) Add honey after pasteurizing your beer.
 
joety said:
3) Add honey after pasteurizing your beer.
Click to expand...

I believe most of the flavor ferments out. It depends on the tastebuds, of course, but that has been my experience.

EDIT: Oh, you mean, if you carbonate artificially, and if you get rid of all the yeast. Then, yes, that would work, but you have to carbonate with pressurized gas, not yeast, or add it to already-carbonated beer, by opening bottles. That would work, but I wouldn't want to add very much, since I don't like the taste of sweet beer. :)
 
gnarlyhopper said:
My previous experience includes 1 failed batch of beer a few years back. The problem began with what seems to be called "explosive" fermentation. Mine was more like "eruptive" fermentation; it silently erupted nearly half the volume of the wort into the huge tub the fermenter was sitting in. When I checked on it, the carboy looked like a volcano, nice mantle of foam in a cone shape with massive flows nearly filling the tub. To me, "explosive" would include collateral damage, i.e. you busted something and made a nice mess to clean up!
Click to expand...

There is stuff called "Fermcap-S", or other silicone surfactant type materials, that can prevent kreusen from overflowing your fermenter. It stays in the bottom of your fermenter when you rack the beer off to bottle. It works like beer magic, and a bottle lasts a looooong time. You won''t have another kreusen volcano if you use it.
 
Well, about 6 days into fermentation and there is not much foam on the top of my brew.

Is this a concern?
 
Well, I wasn't too concerned, just not perfectly familiar with what to expect.

I was going to give it another week before bottling. Hope that will be enough.

Wondering what a sample may taste like at this point, but fighting the urge. :tank:
 
thx997303 said:
Well, I wasn't too concerned, just not perfectly familiar with what to expect.

I was going to give it another week before bottling. Hope that will be enough.

Wondering what a sample may taste like at this point, but fighting the urge. :tank:
Click to expand...

I leave all my brews for 3 weeks before I bottle, that's what I do.

That west coast pale ale didn't give me much krausen either the first time I brewed it.
 
Hi Justibone,

Part of that eruptive episode was the fact that my ass-isstant was directed to get the 6.5 gallon carboy when the boil was ending. It was just dark enough out there that when he came out, I couldn't tell if it was the "big one" or the "smaller one"- I sent him for the big one. I didn't realize the switch until the next day. The 5-gallon wasn't enough; but the eruption I got was too much for a 6.5 for that matter! I did a full boil with Cooper's Canadian Lager and 2 lbs DME and extra hops after the boil. Don't recall the yeast, I used another yeast recommended by the LHBS. Should have been more careful. Can't blame the LBHS guys. Would have been nice to have had an 8 1/2 gallon carboy!!!
So I still attempted to rescue it, but it sat on the fermenter too long.
I know I'll upgrade from the Mr Beer next spring, already reading about equipment that will make the process more complicated. For now the Mr Beer will have to do until I get out to make room in the garage.
While it doesn't seem that Mr Beer has a big problem with eruptive fermentation, I know it is possible, in fact probable once I get going. The urge to experiment is too great. So I'll pick up some of that "Fermcap-S" before I change yeast. Peace of mind is good.
Looking back on that volcano- it was in the best draft-free spot in the house-our bedroom closet. With the amount that erupted, I am surprised it didn't belch ash or cause some small quakes!!
 
gnarlyhopper said:
The 5-gallon wasn't enough; but the eruption I got was too much for a 6.5 for that matter!
Click to expand...

Counting on the size of the carboy to control the kreusen is a mistake, in general. You need either a surfactant (Fermcap-S) or a blow-off tube, or you *will* have a kreusen eruption *eventually*.

I did a full boil with Cooper's Canadian Lager and 2 lbs DME and extra hops after the boil. Don't recall the yeast, I used another yeast recommended by the LHBS.
Click to expand...

Any yeast can overflow. There are certain things that contribute to kreusen -- yeast viability/activity, proteins in the beer -- but nothing can predict it. Even when people brew the same brew with the same species of yeast, etc, the fermentation can be different each time.

Failing to plan is planning to fail. ;)

So I still attempted to rescue it, but it sat on the fermenter too long.
Click to expand...

There have been guys who left beer in the primary fermenter for *months* and still got good -- even GREAT -- beer after that amount of time. What sat on the fermenter too long? I'd say that you never give up on a beer until it tastes like crap in the bottle, or you are worried it will explode. Those are the only times I give up on a beer, and then only when I'm really, really sure.

While it doesn't seem that Mr Beer has a big problem with eruptive fermentation, I know it is possible, in fact probable once I get going. The urge to experiment is too great. So I'll pick up some of that "Fermcap-S" before I change yeast. Peace of mind is good.
Click to expand...

If you use specialty grains, or add more malt, your MrB batches will tend to have more kreusen than if you don't use those things.

You are right, more equipment does make it more complicated. Every now and then, just brew another MrB batch to remember how simple and fun easy beer can be, even after you get your complicated set-up. MrB definitely has that much going for it! :tank:
 
gnarlyhopper said:
Part of that eruptive episode was the fact that my ass-isstant was directed to get the 6.5 gallon carboy when the boil was ending. It was just dark enough out there that when he came out, I couldn't tell if it was the "big one" or the "smaller one"- I sent him for the big one. I didn't realize the switch until the next day. The 5-gallon wasn't enough; but the eruption I got was too much for a 6.5 for that matter! I did a full boil with Cooper's Canadian Lager and 2 lbs DME and extra hops after the boil. Don't recall the yeast, I used another yeast recommended by the LHBS. Should have been more careful. Can't blame the LBHS guys. Would have been nice to have had an 8 1/2 gallon carboy!!!
Click to expand...

What probably happened is once your fermentation got going krausen (the foam at the top) got into your airlock and clogged it forming a seal. At that point there was no place for the CO2 to go so the pressure inside the carboy built up until it was great enough to blow the airlock, along with a large amount of beer, out the top. If you had used the bigger carboy most likely the krausen wouldn't have hit the airlock so you wouldn't have lost any beer. You could also use a blow off tube. Instead of an airlock, you attach a tube to your carboy and put the other end into a bucket of water.

gnarlyhopper said:
While it doesn't seem that Mr Beer has a big problem with eruptive fermentation, I know it is possible, in fact probable once I get going. The urge to experiment is too great. So I'll pick up some of that "Fermcap-S" before I change yeast. Peace of mind is good.
Click to expand...

Fermcap also works great for preventing boil overs. I had to ask for foam control at my lhbs because they looked at me like I was crazy when I asked for fermcap-s.
 
Ha!

The bottled end product had alcohol in it, but was not recommended for sharing. Dry as cardboard. And tasted just like it, too! Liquid cardboard. The vote was unanimous- Dump it!!
I appreciate the responses. This will definitely be a learning experience.
The reason I mentioned the "8 1/2 gallon" carboy is just wishing I had contained the
eruption. I was quite frustrated after that and let it sit until curiosity got me looking through posts and I decided to try to rescue it in spite of losing so much of the wort-and not knowing what exactly remained. By the time I came around to the idea of racking it off, it had probably sat for a couple of months. Maybe a little more.
In hindsight, it was not a good idea to jump into brewing with so much crap going on in my life- raising teenage daughters, a particular one very troublesome, and getting started in a college degree program. But I think what threw it all off the most was finding
the DME nearly solidified in the bag, and quite affixed to it as well. Everything was boiling nicely. When it came time to add the DME, it wouldn't budge; I thought about tearing away the bag, but realized I would still have to boil the DME away from the bag, so I dumped it into the boiling wort. Once freed, I removed the bag with the giant spoon, it only took a minute or two. Lesson: Don't put DME in a paper bag unless you are brewing that day. It was pretty humid in the house with Yankee Pot Roast in the oven. At least the dinner turned out that day!
 
raf1919 said:
since the premium kits just give you 2 cans of HME..can you use a whole can of coopers extract (w/ no sugar/dme/etc) just the can and make a 2gal batch?

also mr beer now has season kits which are exact same size as coopers can
Mr.Beer - beer kits, home brewing systems, and microbrewery supplies - Seasonal Refills
Click to expand...

Absolutely!!!!!!!!! Might be a little dense flavour-wise but it'll be pretty well balanced, malty sweetness to hop bitterness, and have a nice ABV somewhere around 6% to 7%.

You'd probably be best topping off the LBK to pretty close to full so you are getting around 10 litres at the end. I usually fill to very close to the top and have yet to have any problems with krausen breaching the lid during the vigorous fermentation phase.
 
Tasted my beer today, just to get an idea.

First thing I noticed, smells like beer. Figure that out. Ha.

Tasted a very small sample from the spigot on my Mr. Beer, and it currently tastes like........I would say, Miller high life.

From what I understand, it will get better, but it would be perfectly drinkable bottled as is.

So, guess it will just get bitter.

*Note: I don't think Miller high life is good beer.
 
Age improves beer. I doubt you made a Miller High Life... light American lagers are, ironically, difficult to homebrew! :mug:
 
Don't expect too much from this one. IIRC, you used i can of the WCPA + honey + Booster, right?

If that's the case, you will have a light, dry beer that's probably closer to something like a Miller High Life than a Sierra Nevada Pale Ale. You'll need more malt and less adjust/sugar to get there.

But, it's beer you made. You're learning how to brew beer and what you make always tastes better than what you buy!
 
Well it does taste like miller high life in my opinion, but this is young beer yet.

Yes, I used WCPA, 3/4 of the booster and 3/4 cup browned honey, and the wort was boiled in the process as well.

The fact is, it's drinkable as is, and can only get better.

Looks like I'll be doing a batch with more flavor in the future, got my eyes set on too many things now.

Wheat beer, Apfelwein, requiem raspberry, and something else I can't remember right now. Gonna try out quite a few things.

This is fun, but I'm not particularly patient. :D
 
has anyone ever gone from 5 gal partial extract kits to mr beer? i was think of getting mr beer as i would like to make smaller batches.. i like variety and w/ 5 gallon being only drinker in house takes forever.

just wondering how much of downgrade it is .. if any.
 
I know a lot of people that do both 5 gallon AG or PM batches and MrB batches. The size of the fermentor shouldn't limit what you brew.

You can do AG MrB-sized batches, or PM batches or all extract batches.
MrB, IMO, make high quality extracts. The only 'limitation' is the lack of control in the HMEs they provide since you don't know what's in them.

I still use that fermentor for the majority of my brews as I'm the only beer drinker in my house, too. I couldn't go through 5 gallons quick enough for my ADHD beer cravings. I like variety.
 
Kealia said:
I know a lot of people that do both 5 gallon AG or PM batches and MrB batches. The size of the fermentor shouldn't limit what you brew.

You can do AG MrB-sized batches, or PM batches or all extract batches.
MrB, IMO, make high quality extracts. The only 'limitation' is the lack of control in the HMEs they provide since you don't know what's in them.

I still use that fermentor for the majority of my brews as I'm the only beer drinker in my house, too. I couldn't go through 5 gallons quick enough for my ADHD beer cravings. I like variety.
Click to expand...

problem is i dont do all grain. dont have the gear or room for it, or patience for it. i like the partial extract kits. but i dont see any on AHS or midwest for 2g. my goal is be able to do 2 2gal batches vs 1 5g. and make two kinds of beer instead of one.
 
just get the appropriate sized fermenter. (mr. beer or some other jug) recipes will scale down just fine. if it calls for 5 gal. and you're making 2 gal. just use 2/5ths of everything. i go back and forth between all grain and partial and extract (depending on what's convinient), and plenty of people have switched to smaller batches for the exact reason you are proposing.
 
rycov said:
just get the appropriate sized fermenter. (mr. beer or some other jug) recipes will scale down just fine. if it calls for 5 gal. and you're making 2 gal. just use 2/5ths of everything. i go back and forth between all grain and partial and extract (depending on what's convinient), and plenty of people have switched to smaller batches for the exact reason you are proposing.
Click to expand...

I agree with all of this. Hop utilization is slightly different, but you won't notice it. Another thing: the difference between a 5gal partial mash and a 2.5gal all-grain can be as little as about 1 lb. of grain. ;)

5 gallon, 35% PM = 1.75 lb fermentables = 2.5 lbs. grain
2.5 gallon, 100 % AG = 2.5 lb fermentables = 3.6 lbs. grain

That's assuming 70% efficiency, which is very doable with brew-in-a-bag (BIAB).

As for downsizing your brewing, I've done it, and I'm all for it. The thing I love about the MrB recipes is how darned quick and easy they are. They are almost as easy as starting a wine fermentation (which you don't boil). The thing I don't like about MrB is the bottling from the primary and not being able to batch-prime. Also, the kits are a little expensive.
 
Justibone said:
I agree with all of this. Hop utilization is slightly different, but you won't notice it. Another thing: the difference between a 5gal partial mash and a 2.5gal all-grain can be as little as about 1 lb. of grain. ;)

5 gallon, 35% PM = 1.75 lb fermentables = 2.5 lbs. grain
2.5 gallon, 100 % AG = 2.5 lb fermentables = 3.6 lbs. grain

That's assuming 70% efficiency, which is very doable with brew-in-a-bag (BIAB).

As for downsizing your brewing, I've done it, and I'm all for it. The thing I love about the MrB recipes is how darned quick and easy they are. They are almost as easy as starting a wine fermentation (which you don't boil). The thing I don't like about MrB is the bottling from the primary and not being able to batch-prime. Also, the kits are a little expensive.
Click to expand...

I keg my larger batches, but bottle my Mr Beer batches. When I bottle, I always batch prime. I bought a container at WalMart called a Slimline. It's a 2.5 gallon container with a locking spigot that fits the bottling wand (a little snugly, but it fits).

I generally use 60 g of white sugar for a batch. I boil it in filtered water, let it cool, add it to the Slimline, then fill with the wort from the fermenter, using plastic tubing that I snake in so that it swirls and mixes with the sugar water. I sometimes gently stir with a sanitized spoon to make sure it's mixed well, but it seems to mix well just from the swirling.

With the price of the fermenters as low as it is, you could also use a fermenter as a batch priming container.

On a similar note, if you want to use a secondary, you could use an extra fermenter (although I'm not sure how comfortable I'd be with that since the fermentation level may not be sufficient to create a good enough layer of CO2) or you could modify a slimline with an airlock and keep it in the dark.
 
bpgreen said:
I keg my larger batches, but bottle my Mr Beer batches. When I bottle, I always batch prime. I bought a container at WalMart called a Slimline. It's a 2.5 gallon container with a locking spigot that fits the bottling wand (a little snugly, but it fits).

I generally use 60 g of white sugar for a batch. I boil it in filtered water, let it cool, add it to the Slimline, then fill with the wort from the fermenter, using plastic tubing that I snake in so that it swirls and mixes with the sugar water. I sometimes gently stir with a sanitized spoon to make sure it's mixed well, but it seems to mix well just from the swirling.

With the price of the fermenters as low as it is, you could also use a fermenter as a batch priming container.

On a similar note, if you want to use a secondary, you could use an extra fermenter (although I'm not sure how comfortable I'd be with that since the fermentation level may not be sufficient to create a good enough layer of CO2) or you could modify a slimline with an airlock and keep it in the dark.
Click to expand...

I do the same as bp. Never had a problem batch priming from the MB fermenter. The only thing I do differently is I ust a short length of tubing from the slimline to the bottling wand. I have an easier time getting that in the spigot.
 
Gop said:
I want a Mr Beer, but they don't seem to sell it in Australia... :(
Click to expand...

Don't get a Mr Beer they suck. They ate good gifts for someone you want to get into brewing. Get yourself a good 5 or 10 gallon set up. They are not much more than the mr beer kits an you will enjoy your creations a lot more.
 
center,

Let's be honest, the Mr. Beer fermenter itself can be used to brew just as good a batch as any fermenter, albiet smaller than normal.

Let's be honest in our assessments. Mr. Beer fermenters are not limited to mr beer kits only.

Otherwise, I would agree with your suggestion to get a regular kit. I'm already upgrading and I haven't even bottled my Mr. Beer kit.
 
Mr. Beer fermenters are great for small batches. I doa ton of 2 gallon test batches. Like getting receipes right in small batches them scale it up to 5 or 10 gallon. I also do apple wine and meads for swbo in them. Just because I've moved onto AG doesn't mean they worthless !!
 
Can anyone direct me to a list of BEST instructions for brewing w/ Mr Beer? (got one for an xmas present so I wanna brew w/ it and my 5 gallon!) I realize there must be a list on this thread, but it's huge and I'm at work, so maybe someone could tell me what PAGE it's on a least. Thanks!
 
hickaseer said:
Can anyone direct me to a list of BEST instructions for brewing w/ Mr Beer? (got one for an xmas present so I wanna brew w/ it and my 5 gallon!) I realize there must be a list on this thread, but it's huge and I'm at work, so maybe someone could tell me what PAGE it's on a least. Thanks!
Click to expand...

Ogri said:
Try this
 Should give you all the info you need to get started with a Mr. Beer kit.:mug:
Click to expand...

I would also suggest the Mr Beer Community site. MR.BEER® - Welcome to the Community!

Lots of good info on there specific to MB brewing.
 
hickaseer said:
Can anyone direct me to a list of BEST instructions for brewing w/ Mr Beer? (got one for an xmas present so I wanna brew w/ it and my 5 gallon!) I realize there must be a list on this thread, but it's huge and I'm at work, so maybe someone could tell me what PAGE it's on a least. Thanks!
Click to expand...

Here's a good thread on Mr Beer Fans
How to get a decent beer from Mr Beer Kit - Mr.Beer® Forum

And here is a how-to thread on the Mr Beer forum:
simple guide line - MR.BEER®

And here's a thread on malt:adjunct ratios. It starts out simple, but gets into some advanced topics. You can ignore the advanced topics for now
New brewers, please read: Malt to adjunct ratios - MR.BEER®
 

Similar threads

M
Yeast fermentation temps
Replies
20
Views
1K
mike_bkk
M
alutis05
Brewing ALL-GRAIN dark beer (lager).
Replies
9
Views
513
AlexKay
A
N
Sharing Nostalgia with the Beginners: What Was The First Beer Your Brewed?
2 3
Replies
89
Views
5K
palmtrees
palmtrees
bmac8
I'm so lost. HELLLP! Just upgraded from white buckets to 10+ gallon stainless system...
2 3 4
Replies
142
Views
5K
sibelman
sibelman
A
Mr Beer Kit Gone Wrong
Replies
14
Views
2K
pvtpublic
pvtpublic
SSBrew 300

Latest posts

Back
Top