What is booster?

Im ready to start mt 3rd Mr. Beer batch, and have a question...

On their web site, they have "Recipes", which include "Pouch Booster" and the HME.

They also have "Refills" which just have HME.

What is the difference? What does the booster do, and is it needed?

Thanks!

I've only done the 1 mr. beer recipe that came with it (booster + 1 can hme), but doesn't it say right on the booster package that it ups abv, body, and flavor?

I know it increases the abv less than that of another can of hme, lme, or dme (does lme/dme come in cans?). I'm only 3-4 days into primary fermenting, but I plan to compare what came with the kit (booster) with the same recipe using 2 cans to tell the difference in flavor/body and not just in abv...

The booster is a type of sugar. It will leave your beer thin. It is cheaper than the HME, which is a better product (condensed wort-malted barley).
Do yourself a favor and skip the booster and get the HME. It's more expensive, but it's better. You could also just go to your local home brew store (LHBS) and buy liquid or dry extract (LME/DME).
Oh, wait, HME is pre hopped wort. You need an HME with a Mr Beer kit. It's the UME I was referring to.

HME....Hybrid Malt Extract? Mixutre of Dry and Liquid? Pouch booster sounds like either a yeast nutrient or an alcohol booster. That's a good question.

UME is Unhopped Malt Extract, which is virtually what LME is. Dry Malt Extract (DME) is a dried version of malted barley extract.

The sugar boosts the alcohol content. Without it (only the HME) you'll have something like a 3.4% beer. With it it will be something like 4.5%.

Booster is a pain to deal with too. It's hard to dissolve it well. Doesn't do well in warm/hot water.

Hopped Malt Extract (HME) is what it stands for.

rodwha said:

Booster is a pain to deal with too. It's hard to dissolve it well. Doesn't do well in warm/hot water.

Click to expand...

Indeed! I hate working with that stuff. Since I dont really care about ABV, and more about taste, I think Ill go with "refills".

Id sub the booster with DME/LME from the LHBS if you are shooting for a high abv. The DME/LME will give you some body as well as fermentable sugar and won't leave your beer too thin. You finished product will taste slightly maltier than something without the DME/LME added though because like another poster said those extracts are unhopped, unlike the extract that Mr. Beer sells.

booster is 60% dextrose/40% maltodextrin

booster-2 is 50% dextrose/25% DME/25% maltodextrin

Coopers label says enhancer not booster, but they are the same

I cannot speak to "Mr. Beer" but there is the Maltster in California that sells in 4 pound cans... that also sells boaster.

I was told and never confirmed that it was just additional extract to get the ABV volume up... so you would not have to buy and weigh a little DME...

Happy Brewing...

The last package of Booster I used stated "corn syrup solids" on the package. When I was using Mr Beer, I would still use the booster and also add an additional pound of DME to my batches and was pleased with the results. The standard refill without a booster pack yields about 2.5% ABV. Using the booster and pound of DME I would get around 5%.