Mr Beer - Read all about it and ask questions
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natefrog255
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They've been conditioning at 60 degrees in my basement and the one I had did not go in the fridge at all, so that may have something to do with it. Maybe next week I'll stick a 6 pack in the fridge and give it another shot. If the first one isn't up to par, I'll give it another week. The beer wasn't god awful so I'm hoping time is the key.
Warm and young, I'd imagine is the problem you're having with that beer. Give it a little more age and get it down to a proper drinking temp, I think you'll see it holds it's carbonation better, giving it a fuller body and better head retention, less fizz.
gtlaw10
Well-Known Member
indeed, the issue is simply your eagerness. the beer is young, one week is not remotely long enough if you're keeping them at 60F ambient. maybe, maybe, if it was a simple beer, and conditioned at 70F or higher it might have a more 'finished' overall taste (eg less of what you've been describing).
at the temp you're conditioning after a week the CO2 that has developed has not dissolved back into the beer, this is why it is soda like. time in the fridge only makes the carbonation taste smoother, warmer beer will usually seem fizzier, even if you took one from the fridge after 2 weeks and let it warm up.
give it time, don't touch one until they've sat for 3 weeks, but considering you've got them at 60F, it may be much longer than that but it's an excellent baseline - unless it's a hefe but that's another situation entirely.
at the temp you're conditioning after a week the CO2 that has developed has not dissolved back into the beer, this is why it is soda like. time in the fridge only makes the carbonation taste smoother, warmer beer will usually seem fizzier, even if you took one from the fridge after 2 weeks and let it warm up.
give it time, don't touch one until they've sat for 3 weeks, but considering you've got them at 60F, it may be much longer than that but it's an excellent baseline - unless it's a hefe but that's another situation entirely.
Justibone
Well-Known Member
+1. 60F is a bit low.
Bottled my Bullseye Beer tonight. OG was 1.064. FG was 1.018. Pretty close to what the recipe suggested. If I did my math right, that's about 6% ABV. Right? It was a nice golden caramel color, and nice malty flavor. I'm looking forward to cracking one of these open.
This was my second batch, and my first attempt at batch priming. I'm using glass bottles so I'm going to keep a CLOSE eye on these things for the next few days.
This was my second batch, and my first attempt at batch priming. I'm using glass bottles so I'm going to keep a CLOSE eye on these things for the next few days.
BrewinHooligan
Well-Known Member
Actually, you should be a little over 6% based on those numbers and if I remember right, the priming sugar adds somewhere around .4% on top of that once it ferments. Sounds like a winner to me! 
The_Professor
Well-Known Member
When I first started home brewing my "give-away' spiel included "there is some sediment in the bottle, it has some B vitamins and is actually good for you, but you may like the beer better if you pour carefully and leave a bit in the bottle".
But now that I batch prime I not only don't give that spiel, I have had people ask why my beer is so clear and trub free.
+1
And if you have a longer conditioning time, your trub problem becomes even less of an issue.
Mr_Shinkai
Active Member
I've had my Mr. Beer for a couple of months now, and no matter where I put it, in 2 weeks, my brews are always approximately 10% alcohol. I originally had the fermenter in the "boiler room" (the room in my garage where the furnace & water heater are located), where temps range between 74-78 degrees. Now it's in an extra bedroom, where temps average 70-73 degrees. Not really a terrible problem, as I am making cider, and I found out I can make pretty decent wine in 14 days, but I'm wondering about when I start making beer as well. Cider can be backsweetened and have the alcohol reduced by adding more juice... I'm thinking beer is not going to be that easy to correct.
gtlaw10
Well-Known Member
unless you're going to exclusively brew belgians, or use belgian yeast strains, the temp range you have listed (70-73) is rather high for most other strains and styles. ale yeasts tend to throw some REALLY fruity, bandaid-y, and harsh phenols/esters, not to mention the possibility of the yeast primarily producing fusel alcohols (unpleasant to drink and usually lead to nasty headaches).
belgian strains actually thrive at those temps, and in practice for the last week or few days of the ferment on a belgian brew the brewer actually increases the temp to between 75F-80F to ensure that they get proper attenuation from the yeast.
as for back-sweetening beer, not likely my friend - heh. however - you may want to look into gueze, blended lambics, and old ales, as these styles (among others) are typically/historically blended to mellow out negative flavors in certain batches and bring out positive aspects from others.
so i suppose my response really hinges on what variety of beer you want to create.
Justibone
Well-Known Member
As a starting beer brewer, think temp in the 60's rather than the 70's.
Cider and wine don't care as much, but ale definitely does.
Cider and wine don't care as much, but ale definitely does.
kc9eci
Well-Known Member
Picked up the seasonal pilsner from Mr.Beer. Thinking about replacing the Saflager W-34/70 with some Muntons ale yeast. I'm interested in any thoughts anyone might have on this, pros, cons, whatnot's. It's easier for me to maintain a fermentation temp of 57°-77° F for the ale yeast until I can get around to ordering some stuff off ebay and making a temperature controller.
How close to 57 can you keep it? If you can ferment in the high 50s or low 60s, using Nottingham should give you a clean fermentation that will be close to a lager in taste. My second choice would be US-05.
Here's the Bullseye I bottled last night (top picture). I did this in a 2gallon bucket fermenter, but it was a Mr.Beer recipe. Only difference was the yeast... and a little less water so it would fit in the bucket.
Tonight I moved my other Mr.Beer recipe into the bucket. This one started with the Mr.Beer wheat HME, UME and half a pouch of booster. I chose my own hops and yeast, and threw in a cup of orangeblossom honey. OG was 1.062. After a week in the Mr. Beer keg its at 1.017. I'm hoping it gets down at least one more point before I bottle it. Tasted a lot like Leinenkugel's Sunset Wheat though.
kc9eci
Well-Known Member
It holds pretty stable down there between 65 and 70. I've been giving thought to using the large Coleman cooler and just swapping out an ice pack twice a day. I need to set up the remote thermometer and run a test for a few days to see how stable I can keep it.
At those temperatures, I think you'll be better off with something like the Muntons, Coopers, or S-33. They're a better choice above 65, in my opinion.
kc9eci
Well-Known Member
Might be a moot point. I pulled the keg out of the mini-fridge under the bar and have been messing around with the temperature control and so far it's holding at 52 degrees +/- 1 degree. If it stays in that range until noon, I'm going to be mixing up that pilsner and commencing to ferment.
Mr_Shinkai
Active Member
Justibone said:
It looks like I'm going to have to wait until next winter to start brewing ales; it's been a mild winter here in ATL. Then again, maybe I can just brew for 7 days instead of 14...
Justibone
Well-Known Member
If you have a cooler that fits your MrBeer, then you can brew in the summer. Just put cooler packs in there with it.
You can also search "fermentation chamber" on this website; people tend to make them out of that foam insulation board stuff... works pretty well. If you have space then it's no problem.
Hello all.
I am not sure I am in the correct area to post a few questions. I am planning on ordering a beer making kits. (any suggestions welcome)
I currently drink red bridge beer. (gluten free)
Ingrediants are as follows, water, fermented sorghum (sorghum corn syrup) hops, yeast.
I have never made beer, nor do I at this time have a kit to make beer. Does anyone have any suggestions on kits, and also on how to get close to this taste of beer?
I like beer, I drink lots of beer, alcohol content is not that important to me, redbridge is only 3.2% by weight and 4% by volume.
I just would like help on a kit to make it and any help whatsoever on how to achieve this same taste.
What is fermented sorghum (sorghum corn syrup)
Where can I buy this or how can I make it?
At this point I know nothing about making beer, but soon I will buy a beer making kit, I am asking for suggestions.
Kevin
I am not sure I am in the correct area to post a few questions. I am planning on ordering a beer making kits. (any suggestions welcome)
I currently drink red bridge beer. (gluten free)
Ingrediants are as follows, water, fermented sorghum (sorghum corn syrup) hops, yeast.
I have never made beer, nor do I at this time have a kit to make beer. Does anyone have any suggestions on kits, and also on how to get close to this taste of beer?
I like beer, I drink lots of beer, alcohol content is not that important to me, redbridge is only 3.2% by weight and 4% by volume.
I just would like help on a kit to make it and any help whatsoever on how to achieve this same taste.
What is fermented sorghum (sorghum corn syrup)
Where can I buy this or how can I make it?
At this point I know nothing about making beer, but soon I will buy a beer making kit, I am asking for suggestions.
Kevin
kc9eci
Well-Known Member
And the seasonal pilsner just hit the 'fermentation vault' downstairs. Sadly, my other Mr Beer fermenter with my attempt at ginger beer doesn't look like it's doing too much at the moment. I may have a dud on my hands. If so, back to the drawing board.
The_Professor
Well-Known Member
There's a Gluten Free forum. If I was a mod I'd move you.
mazasmusings
Member
I got a Mr. Beer as a wedding gift and I used it with the HME cans that are included. Now I'd like to take a shot at creating my own wort and am wondering if there is anything special or specific I should do to make this process work with the Mr. Beer kit.
I know some of you will say "ditch it and get a better setup" and I'd love to. Just don't have the free cash right now, so I'm just looking to make the best with what I've got.
Any suggestions on what I should use in terms of pans, etc. to make wort?
Sorry if I sound ignorant. I'm pretty much brand new to this.
Thanks in advance.
I know some of you will say "ditch it and get a better setup" and I'd love to. Just don't have the free cash right now, so I'm just looking to make the best with what I've got.
Any suggestions on what I should use in terms of pans, etc. to make wort?
Sorry if I sound ignorant. I'm pretty much brand new to this.
Thanks in advance.
Mr_Shinkai
Active Member
Justibone said:
Good deal! I checked the instructions for my Mr. Beer kit today (I got the cider kit) it states to keep the fermenter in an area that's 73-81 degrees. I downloaded the Mr. Beer premium instructions, and it says 68-76. The foam board cooler idea sounds great! Thank for all the help!
Justibone
Well-Known Member
No, nothing special. Use wort like any recipe. You're just using MrB as a fermentor in that case, so any recipe will do. Just cut 5 gallon recipes roughly in half... that should do just fine.
This is probably the one spot on these boards where no one will (or rather, should) suggest that. :fro:
Any suggestions on what I should use in terms of pans, etc. to make wort?
Sorry if I sound ignorant. I'm pretty much brand new to this.
Thanks in advance.
Ignorance is our spec-ee-ality!
Seriously, if you weren't born knowing how to make beer -- and who was? -- then at *some* point *everyone* was ignorant of how to make beer. Even Jim Koch (Sam Adams)! So, don't be down on yourself.
Use the biggest chili pot you have, and then don't fill it up all the way. The more liquid you can boil, the better, and if there's space at the top for foam, that will make you a happy camper. (Overflow cleanup is a bear.)
Have some cool, sanitary (or sterile) water handy for the end. Put that in the MrB and then add the cooled wort to it, which should stir and aerate your beer fairly well.
Like other have said, don't use too much booster or your beer will taste somewhat "thin". Two cans of malt makes better beer. Give your beer about double the recommended time given in the instructions, and ferment it in a cool place (60's to low 70's) if possible. Let it sit in the fridge for at least 48 hours (a week is better) before drinking, and don't pour out every last drop... leave the yeast in the bottom as much as you can.
As the Eggo(tm) commercial said a couple years ago... it's not rocket surgery! Enjoy.
Better is subjective. You have a fermenter/bottling bucket already. It's just smaller than a 5-gallon set up. Ingredients? That's a matter of opinion not fact, so don't worry.
And if you do move to something else, there's no reason that you can't still use your MrB fermenter and/or their extract. I primarily do all grain batches but I ferment in my MrB fermenter because of it's size and ease of cold crashing and bottling. I also like to do their seasonal offerings to keep beer in the pipeline. They are very good and I can brew a batch in less than an hour start to finish - what's not to love about that?
The_Professor
Well-Known Member
Just make sure you scale any recipe to the smaller size fermenter (simply cutting a 5 gallon recipe in half will work).I got a Mr. Beer as a wedding gift and I used it with the HME cans that are included. Now I'd like to take a shot at creating my own wort and am wondering if there is anything special or specific I should do to make this process work with the Mr. Beer kit.
I know some of you will say "ditch it and get a better setup" and I'd love to. Just don't have the free cash right now, so I'm just looking to make the best with what I've got.
Any suggestions on what I should use in terms of pans, etc. to make wort?
Sorry if I sound ignorant. I'm pretty much brand new to this.
Thanks in advance.
You're gonna want to find and extract recipe with steeping grains and hop boil. There are some recipes on this forum.
The one thing you will need to do different is make sure to cool the wort post boil in an ice bath until it is yeast pitching temp. The Mr. Beer keg will warp if you pour boiling liquid in it.
A 2 gallon pot is about the smallest I would use (with 1 gallon of water).
Mr_Shinkai
Active Member
Honestly, I got a Mr. Beer Kit for Christmas; it's a great way to get into brewing. From there, you can learn a lot just by hanging out on HomeBrewTalk and subscribing to forums that catch your eye. Mr. Beer is relatively inexpensive and easy to use.
troubled_dog
Active Member
:rockin: I totally agree. Mr Beer is the perfect tool to get into homebrewing. I feel there is nothing wrong with the Mr Beer kit as long as you extend the fermenting and conditioning times. Besides that is perfect for a beginner since your working with smaller batches and its easier to work with. Once you get the hang of it you can build on what you know by steeping hops, using different yeast, etc.
I actually just got my buddy from work hooked. He texted me yesterday and said, "the Mr Beer kit is on its way!" I had to laugh but Mr Beer is a great way to get into brewing.
BrewinHooligan
Well-Known Member
Mr Beer has been a great gateway drug for me. SWMBO got me one for Christmas and I just made up my last batch of Mr Beer ingredients before I go to 5 gallon all grain batches. 2 cans High Country Canadian, a pound of extra light DME, and a pack of booster for good measure. I boiled the DME with 3/4oz of Northern Brewer hops and if my calculations are right, IBU should be around 70. My OG reading was 1.080, but should have been around 1.065 so I am guessing just not mixed well enough. Now the waiting begins while I piece together my mash tun. :rockin:
How did you calculate the OG? I plugged your ingredients into qbrew and came up with 1.079. I assumed you were making a standard sized batch (not overfilling).
Since you didn't say how long you boiled the hops or what the AA% was, I can't check your IBUs, but I think the OG is right where it should be.
BrewinHooligan
Well-Known Member
I calculated my OG with Brewcalculus as well as my Homebrew clubs online calculator. I did overfill to right around 2.5 gallons. The AA of the Northern Brewer was 9.1% and each can of HME is supposed to be 22. The boil was for 60 minutes
If you overfilled to about 2.5 gallons, then I agree that the OG should not have been that high. As you said, you probably didn't have it mixed well and got your gravity reading from some more concentrated wort. In my experience, when you're using extracts, the gravity is usually pretty close (or dead on) to what the software predicts.
BrewinHooligan
Well-Known Member
Any idea what style this brew falls into? I plan on dry hopping (probably with some C hops) after fermentation is complete and am thinking this would fall into the IPA category, but not really sure.
FWIW, I get an OG of 1.080 with an IBU of 92. I classify that as Bitter-as-Hell
I've only used the HCCD once for a brew for my in-laws and it seems to me that it was much lighter and lager-like. Not what I would really consider an IPA but maybe it classifies as an Imperial IPA.
I've only used the HCCD once for a brew for my in-laws and it seems to me that it was much lighter and lager-like. Not what I would really consider an IPA but maybe it classifies as an Imperial IPA.
BrewinHooligan
Well-Known Member
FWIW, I get an OG of 1.080 with an IBU of 92. I classify that as Bitter-as-Hell
I've only used the HCCD once for a brew for my in-laws and it seems to me that it was much lighter and lager-like. Not what I would really consider an IPA but maybe it classifies as an Imperial IPA.
LMAO! I like that classification. What can I say, I like me a super hoppy beer! That is what I love about this hobby, I don't have to follow a style and can make whatever I feel like. The hydro sample I pulled tasted great and I am anxious for this one to be done
stevehardt
Well-Known Member
If I were going to substitute a lb of dme for booster, does the dme need to be boiled, or just added to boiling water with the burner off (like booster)?
You can add it like the booster. The hot water is enough to sanitize it.
gtlaw10
Well-Known Member
just add it at the end like you said. search the forum for late+addition+extract for the various discussions/debates. for ease, late addition is fine.
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