So the journey begins

For my 30th my parents gave me that little box that it seems like most everyone started homebrewing with the Mr. Beer. I've been thinking about trying this for a while and never got to it. Well tomorrow I'll get the first batch started and in a couple weeks we'll see if it results in anything drinkable. The wife is almost as excited about this little venture as I am. I've already got a couple books that I've been going through, Brew Ware and Dave Millers Homebrewing guide. I figure this may be as good a place as any to ask questions and learn. For those that have used it, how did the West Coast Pale Ale turn out in the Mr. Beer? Also any tips other than just follow the directions to a T? I generaly prefer beers on the order of Newcastle, and New Belgium's 1554. Bass is another I like on occasion if I'm wanting something lighter, Just not a fan of wheat beers of any type.

I don't know about directions. Home brewing is about making what you like. Find that and work with it. Mr. Beer is probably a good start, but steeping some grains and boiling it with hops is even better.

I'll be 38 on the 27th, happy birthday!

I started with Mr. Beer. It came out really really good. West Coast Pale Ale, or something like that. Even though it was good, I never went back to Mr. Beer. It's very fun to steep graing and add hops, and use liquid yeast(all the different strains). This IS a journey, and it's fun to learn about creating something you can enjoy. It's all natural (well, maybe not all) and very cool. Have fun!!

My west Coast Pale Ale from mr. beer was terrible, I threw half of it away. It was overcarbed and cidery tasting from using table sugar like they instruct you to, and watery/bland from so little actual malt.

And to think, per gallon I can brew decent extract beer cheaper than if I bought their kits with a tiny can of hopped extract and a bag of maltodextrins.

Oh and their yeast sucks.

Hopefully the "bug" will bite you, and you will move on up to making bigger and better beers. The people here can help you with that!

I managed to make several batches of Mr. Beer that were decent tasting, but not by following their directions. My first batch I followed the directions to the letter and it was bad, weak and thin with a very strong cider taste. Then HBT came to my rescue with this thread.

For best results, wait at least 2 weeks before bottling instead of the 1 week they recommend. If your recipe includes a package of booster, use one pound of light dry malt extract from your LHBS in it's place. It will cost $4-5. Rehydrate the dry yeast in 1/2 cup of lukewarm water (in a sanitized cup or bowl) for 10-15 minutes before adding it to the wort. Keep fermentation temps under 70*, especially if you use the booster - the cidery taste from the booster seems to be much stronger if it ferments warmer. And once it's bottled, wait at least 2 (preferably 3) weeks before chilling and drinking.

I've read through probably 10-15 pages of that thread General concensus seems to be that people like Mr. from the standpoint that it got them started, but in retrospect it ws terrible beer by comparison. Now I'm kicking myself for not keeping the bottles from all the 1554, Fat Tire, 90 Schilling, Sam Adams etc that I've had over the last year of so. Might have to invest in more. Also have a friend who works at a couple bars, maybe I can get them to save the rown top bottles for me for a while.

Only my first batch was terrible (the one I followed the directions exactly). When I used the DME instead of the booster (thanks Revvy) they improved 200%.

Funny, I got mine for an early Bday present. My 31st will be on the 30th.

I JUST bottled my first batch last night. The Mr.Beer keg is awaiting my second batch which will be the Pale Ale. Mine came with the Canadian Draft.

Definately listen to everyone's feedback/input on these forums. If you have a LHBS, stop in and talk to the people there.

One of the first things I did to improve it, was stick a Thermometer on the outside of the keg. This let me obsess over the temperature while I was waiting.

You're right about the Booster. I went to the LHBS and picked up some XLite DME for the next batch.

I enjoy my FisherPrice beer making device. But eventually I'll grow out of it.

Welcome to the obsession...like most of us it starts with that pretty innoccuous brown keg, and soon your closet begins to look like this...









We have a lot of good information on the mr beer thread, included recipes for using ingredients OTHER than the pre-hopped gunk that comes in the kits...even information for all grain brewing on your stovetop and fermenting in the keg (like in on of the pics)

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f39/mr-beer-read-all-about-ask-questions-46360/

Got it started this evening. I guess we'll see in about 4 weeks if it's fit for human consumption. I just went with the Booster and instructions that they provide for this batch. The closest HBS to me that I have found listed is about 2 hours away, and then 2 more 3 hours away, but I have no idea if they area very good or just a small hole in the wall shop. One is in Ft. Collins, and the other 2 are in the Denver area.