Mr Beer - Read all about it and ask questions

well if i use corn sugar instead, should i use the same amount that i would have used with table sugar?

Ringmaster said:

well if i use corn sugar instead, should i use the same amount that i would have used with table sugar?

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http://hbd.org/cgi-bin/recipator/recipator/carbonation.html

Select your beer style, fill in the information, etc and it will calculate how much sugar to use for batch priming. if you want to have the amount per bottle then divide that amount by the number of bottles (usually about 20 to 22 for mr beer kits.)

You can use cane sugar with no affect to taste as long as you let it condition long enough. If it has a cider taste to it, then it needs more time.

i don't get what a volume of CO2 is.. seems like i should just use table sugar instead.. save me some head ache and a trip to the store. i'm bottling tomorrow anyway.

Oh and can i let it carbonate in the fridge? figured it would be easier then just letting it sit around for a week.

what temprature should the beer be after you fill the Mr. Beer keg to the line with water (just prior to adding the yeast). I remembered it being warm last time (I could be wrong), but it was fairly cool this time. It may be because the it is now January the water was just colder when I added it. Either way, I'm going to wait a few weeks and see what happens, but anyone know if this is a problem (or just me remembering wrong what it was like this summer).

BTW, I am trying the Witbier. The Pale Ale I made before turned out very well, I brewed it a little over two months before I drank my first one.

Ringmaster said:

i don't get what a volume of CO2 is.. seems like i should just use table sugar instead.. save me some head ache and a trip to the store. i'm bottling tomorrow anyway.

Oh and can i let it carbonate in the fridge? figured it would be easier then just letting it sit around for a week.

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The CO2 volume is the amount of carb you want and that depends on the type of beer. If you are doing the west coast pale ale you want between 2.2-2.8

After you bottle, you need to leave them out at room temp for a minimum of a week, two is better... then you can move them to the fridge. Otherwise the yeast get too cold and the carb process is halted.

Basically a volume of CO2 is how much gas is dissolved in the beer. Think of it like a bottle of beer may contain 2.5 bottles worth of CO2 in the beer. One part beer and 2.5 parts CO2.

pilotdane said:

Basically a volume of CO2 is how much gas is dissolved in the beer. Think of it like a bottle of beer may contain 2.5 bottles worth of CO2 in the beer. One part beer and 2.5 parts CO2.

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Damn, thats the easiest explanation of that term ever.

Ok so I just mixed 1lb light DME with Whispering Wheat HME + Vienna HME, boiled 30 minutes and added hallertau @ 10 min. It's super dark and hoppy, more so than I expected, but we shall see what happens in a few weeks.. I'll report back.

Just curious - I bottled my first batch on friday. I'm still not feeling any type of firmness in the bottles (plastic Dasani water bottles), is this a problem or is the carbonation process a very slow build up? Thanks.

RyanK2 said:

Ok so I just mixed 1lb light DME with Whispering Wheat HME + Vienna HME, boiled 30 minutes and added hallertau @ 10 min. It's super dark and hoppy, more so than I expected, but we shall see what happens in a few weeks.. I'll report back.

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You mean end of Feb, right?

RyanK2 said:

few weeks..

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Several weeks.

I ended up putting these priming sugar tablets in the beer so i wouldn't have to measure it out.

They were kind of neat i just threw them in after filling the bottle, like 9 to a bottle so i just hope they don't blow up.. :cross:

Anyway, now i got some weird black floating stuff in each bottle.. i think it might be the sugar that just looks black because the bottles are dark. The sugar tables that were on the bottom seem to have dissolved so this might make sense.

Or some evil bacteria got into my beer and if i drink it i'll die.

I'm not all that sure which, but i was pretty clean and used sterile equipment so i'm leaning towards the first one..

Or it could be the yeast i really don't know, this is my first time. Anyone got any ideas?

I am planning on using Munton's CarbTabs for my next batch. Assuming it's only been a short time since you bottled I would say you're fine. It will be obvious when you open the bottle if it's ok (and by that time either the tabs will be completely dissolved or there will be tons more black stuff growing ). If you are using Munton's I believe you should be using about 11 per bottle (stole that from an old post), but worst case scenario is that it's a little flat and slightly less alcohol content.

On a side note, I'm about to upgrade from Mr. Beer to a real starter home brew kit (with an extra carboy for Edwort's).

Ringmaster said:

I ended up putting these priming sugar tablets in the beer so i wouldn't have to measure it out.

They were kind of neat i just threw them in after filling the bottle, like 9 to a bottle so i just hope they don't blow up.. :cross:

Anyway, now i got some weird black floating stuff in each bottle.. i think it might be the sugar that just looks black because the bottles are dark. The sugar tables that were on the bottom seem to have dissolved so this might make sense.

Or some evil bacteria got into my beer and if i drink it i'll die.

I'm not all that sure which, but i was pretty clean and used sterile equipment so i'm leaning towards the first one..

Or it could be the yeast i really don't know, this is my first time. Anyone got any ideas?

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Thanks, congratulations on the upgrade!

yeah i doubled what the package said for high carbonation in a beer half the size. Then i took one down because i was afraid it might not be as simple as doubling it.

So they say 5 for high carbonation, so i made it 9.

Yeah i just put them in yesterday so it makes sense, i don't think they'll be flat because low carbonation was supposed to be 3 tablets. And well 6 is a lot less then 9. Now i wish i had put 11 though

I don't know how hard it is to pour the sugar into each one but i'll tell you now, those sugar tablets are extremely convenient. I just threw them in after i poured the beer into each bottle. They sink right to the bottom.

The tablets were neat but they were like $4 next to the sugar was like .75 cents at a home-brew store so i felt kinda weird for buying them but i didn't have to sterilize anything besides the beer bottles, and they were a lot easier then i imagine pouring sugar in each bottle would have been.

Oh yeah, one more question. These Bottles they gave us, the plastic ones? they have a number 1 in that triangle thing. I hear we are only supposed to use them once.. so like next batch i have to buy more beer bottles?

I know that they are supposed to be reusable, but I looked this up anyway and learned a cool new fact.

One widely circulated story is that PET bottles used to package most bottled waters shouldn't be reused because they harbor harmful bacteria. According to the American Chemistry Council's Plastics Division, this myth resulted from a study by the University of Calgary, which found bacteria present in water samples taken from bottles that had been refilled by elementary school students without being cleaned. The study concluded that the bacteria were the result of "inadequate personal hygiene practices on the part of students reusing the bottles." The fact that the bottles were made from PET plastic had no bearing on the study. Washing a water bottle after use, just as you would a drinking glass, should rid the bottle of harmful bacteria.

http://www.greenyour.com/lifestyle/food-drink/drinking-water/tips/use-reusable-water-bottles

Being that we not only clean, but sterilize everything we are in the clear for reuse.

Ringmaster said:

Thanks, congratulations on the upgrade!

yeah i doubled what the package said for high carbonation in a beer half the size. Then i took one down because i was afraid it might not be as simple as doubling it.

So they say 5 for high carbonation, so i made it 9.

Yeah i just put them in yesterday so it makes sense, i don't think they'll be flat because low carbonation was supposed to be 3 tablets. And well 6 is a lot less then 9. Now i wish i had put 11 though

I don't know how hard it is to pour the sugar into each one but i'll tell you now, those sugar tablets are extremely convenient. I just threw them in after i poured the beer into each bottle. They sink right to the bottom.

The tablets were neat but they were like $4 next to the sugar was like .75 cents at a home-brew store so i felt kinda weird for buying them but i didn't have to sterilize anything besides the beer bottles, and they were a lot easier then i imagine pouring sugar in each bottle would have been.

Oh yeah, one more question. These Bottles they gave us, the plastic ones? they have a number 1 in that triangle thing. I hear we are only supposed to use them once.. so like next batch i have to buy more beer bottles?

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i was considering between doing the 4lbs in one batch 2 gal batch or two, will probably do two batches

A friend of mine received a Mr. Beer for Xmas and just bottled his first beer today (an amber ale). He is excited and ready for the next batch. He is looking to do an Irish Red Ale. I decided to try to attempt a recipe that he can make without purchasing any extra equipment. What do you guys think of this recipe? Too difficult for a newbie? I plan on being there to help out. This prices out to only $15.75 at austinhomebrew.com which is $3 cheaper than the Mr Beer Irish Red kit and hopefully a little more tasty.

If you are helping him with the temperature control it should be fine. On that note, I don't remember the kit I just bought coming with a thermometer, will I need to buy a one before making my first batch?

To answer the question about table sugar earlier........I had an infection EVERY time I used table sugar for priming (probably b/c table sugar is hygroscopic). Probably around 4 batches ruined by this method.

Thanks to the suggestions from members here I started to boil the wort, and only prime with priming sugar, and 14 batches in a row were perfect. If you search the interwebs, you'll find MANY with the same problem until they began using priming sugar (also began boiling the wort).


I don't use my Mr. Beer anymore but last spring I did like 5 batches by boiling and they all came out great. I literally just used left over ingredients for the last 2 batches, and they were delicious.

When it comes right down to it, I feel like the instructions supplied with Mr. Beer are just all out wrong. If you use the equipment, but follow a regular homebrewing (adjusted for 2.5 gallon batch size of course) recipe you should be fine.


PS - One last thing, that freakin' "booster" that they sell you to increase the alcohol content, THROW IT AWAY! You could probably harvest grain, malt it, and brew a 10 gallon all grain batch, and have it in 2ndary by the time it disolved! That stuff is the worst! Again, just my opinion.

A little Mr Beer/Homebrewing humor.

Very funny comic indeed!


Actually Revvy you're the guy who supplied me with the most useful information back then! I sincerely appreciate all your help.

I used table sugar for Mr. Beer last time and didn't have a problem. It might be that I have my sugar in a clean, air tight container and put it in the bottles using a sterile funnel. Either way I ordered carbing tabs this time to make it simpler. I was wondering, how does the type of sugar effect the taste?

Well, the first few times I used Mr. Beer's instructions and it clearly states that it's a "no boil" recipe. That's the first issue. I'm thinking that by NOT boiling, you're opening yourself up to unwanted "nasties".

And yes, maybe my sugar was "tainted" since I never use sugar for anything. I have no idea how old my table sugar stock was to begin with. I remember sanitising the funnel but then waiting for it to dry. Maybe it became "un-sanitized" while drying.

At any rate, when I began to boil all the recipes (disregarding the Mr. Beer instructions) and using priming sugar (corn sugar) NO PROBLEMS - even keeping all other things the same and using all Mr. Beer ingredients even the crappy 2 year old yeast that they give you under the caps of the malt.

somecallmetex said:

If you are helping him with the temperature control it should be fine. On that note, I don't remember the kit I just bought coming with a thermometer, will I need to buy a one before making my first batch?

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You'll be fine without a thermometer. For most of the kits you just bring the water to a boil then mix everything in, no need to measure the temp.

My kit arrived today, and it came with a long glass thermometer so I should be fine. Good thing too, my Irish red ale has very similar instructions for steeping the grains.

Hey whats up everyone I am brand new to home brewing. I just picked up a Mr. Beer kit a couple days ago at bed bath and beyond for $15 bucks I couldn't turn it down. Anyway my first batch is fermenting in the Mr. Beer keg all looks good so far. The top of the Mr. Beer keg smells like beer so I am hopeing thats a good sign. I was wondering though I am moving back up to MA and I am wondering if it would be worse to bottle the beers on tuesday (Started fermenting wednesday) or to transport the Mr. Beer keg full and bottle once I am moved back in MA? Any suggestion?

P.S. I do not have any local home brew shops around. Does anyone know any other type of store that would sell a hand bottle caper. I have a couple swing tops and growlers but I do have bottles that require metal tops so I need a solution as to where I could buy one?

Well i'm pretty new to this but i'd imagine the yeast that fell to the bottom of the keg might mix up a bit but i don't see why moving it would be a problem.. especially if it had another week to settle anyway.

Although if anyone says differently under me then follow their advice instead, like i said i'm still new to this.

Oh and try the internet. I think the Mr. Beer website even sells those capper things.

Now I got a question, are we supposed to boil the wort? or can we put it in water that's already boiling?

I was following the Mr. Beer instructions to a T. But my dad was with me and he used to brew, he thought it was odd that i was taking it off the heat to put the wort in but the instructions said to do it.

Anyway it was probably boiling for another minute off the heat.

Should i be worried? oh and my keg didn't get direct sunlight but it wasn't dark either, i see some people put shirts on their kegs to keep them darker. Should i do this next time?

paleale12 said:

I am wondering if it would be worse to bottle the beers on tuesday (Started fermenting wednesday) or to transport the Mr. Beer keg full and bottle once I am moved back in MA? Any suggestion?

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Don't forget the lid doesn't actually seal, so you may spill. But I would say that is the preferable choice. Your beer is nowhere near done at a week; well technically it could be but don't get into this bad habit. Let it go longer in the fermenter.

Hopefully you have a way to keep the keg at a constant temp while you move. Do you have a large enough cooler? That might be a reason to go to bottles now, but if you can keep the keg cool then you'll be better off letting it ferment for another week.

Regarding boiling the wort, that is not necessary with Mr. Beer. They've done that already at the factory. Just add it to your boiling water right as you take it off the heat.

It is good insurance to keep your beer dark. If you're not keeping it in a closet, then you might as well cover it with something to make sure it doesn't absorb light.

...hypothetically if I was cleaning the mess from making beer last night and found that I forgot to add the yeast what are the odds I'm going to contaminate the beer if I open the ale pale now and add it (I already added it, just wondering if I'm wasting my time).

I would think that it will be fine.

You'll be fine. If the wort were hot enough to sanitize the container upon pouring it in then it would kill the yeast. Mr beer has you and I pitching the yeast around 75ish.

I got my first Mr. Beer this Christmas and brewed the first batch the same day. Following the directions for the standard refill kit, I allowed the batch to sit for a MINIMUM OF 7 DAYS, actually leaving it for about 12 days before bottling. I ordered the (8) 1-L plastic bottle kit and followed all of the sanitation instructions, took a small sip of the batch to make sure it tasted like flat beer, again as per the instructions. Everything seemed fine to this point. The I added the recommended sugar to each bottle and filled them to just below the bottom of the neck, otherwise there wouldn't have been enough to fill them each to just inside the neck.

About 8 days later, my wife and I enjoyed the first 2 bottles, noting a slightly sweet flavor and very little head on the brew. Today (about 5 days later) I opened the 3rd liter and found it to be even sweeter and I ended up dumping it out. What could I have possible done wrong to make the batch so sweet and flat? I have the next batch in the fermenter now, and I'm obviously afraid it will happen again.

You're about 2 weeks short on the carb time.

i got mine for christmas too. I let the beer sit in the fermentor for 14 days, then bottled. There was no sweetness at all when i tested them at bottling. I added the amont of sugar they suggested too, and plan on tasting one (ii bottled in 500ml swingtops) at 7 days, one at 14, and depending on how that goes, letting them sit for even 21 days.

During my fermentation time I read alot, and most people were suggesting waiting at least that long to prevent sweetness and undercarbonation.

How critical is the temperature during fermentation? I was hooking up a floor warming system just now and the thermostat measured 61 degrees. Is it maybe too cold in the basement to keep the fermenter down there? Mr. Beer says to hold it between 68-76 degrees.

Thanks for the responses. I'll let the rest of the bottles sit a while longer then and continue drinking my Sierra Nevada until then. I'm recycling the bottles, they seem the perfect size for bottling my own batches.

webguyatwork said:

How critical is the temperature during fermentation? I was hooking up a floor warming system just now and the thermostat measured 61 degrees. Is it maybe too cold in the basement to keep the fermenter down there? Mr. Beer says to hold it between 68-76 degrees.

Thanks for the responses. I'll let the rest of the bottles sit a while longer then and continue drinking my Sierra Nevada until then. I'm recycling the bottles, they seem the perfect size for bottling my own batches.

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I would move it into a closet upstairs just to be safe.

I never had any luck with the yeast that comes with Mr. beer. My brew "closet" tends to hover around 62 degrees in the winter. Maybe that is why I gave up on Mr. Beer altogether. Whenever I brewed with Mr. Beer my beer ended up tasting cidery, but I never attributed it to the temp. I just assumed it was because Mr. Beer kegs don't seal completely and can let contaminants in.

webguyatwork said:

How critical is the temperature during fermentation? I was hooking up a floor warming system just now and the thermostat measured 61 degrees. Is it maybe too cold in the basement to keep the fermenter down there? Mr. Beer says to hold it between 68-76 degrees.

Thanks for the responses. I'll let the rest of the bottles sit a while longer then and continue drinking my Sierra Nevada until then. I'm recycling the bottles, they seem the perfect size for bottling my own batches.

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Fermentation control is critical I think. Mr. Beer yeast does not tolerate getting below 65deg very well (personal experience). If you drop it that low, your fermentation time should stretch out. Try to keep it at 65 deg to 70 deg max. The cooler the better, but not below 65. The more consistent you hold the temp, the better the yeast seem to finish out. I have had several batches get stuck at an FG around 1.020 or so and it was because of poor yeast and bad temp control. This left a sweet character to the beer that takes months to age out in the bottle.

Hope this helps.