Extract Brewers and Mr. Beer Experts, I NEED YOUR HELP!

[KPSquared]

I have come from the all-grain side of this amazing forum to ask for ideas and opinions on a recent "problem" I have stumbled onto.

Through some really random connections, I have ended up with a bunch of malt extract (yes, all free). Some Coopers, some Mr. Beer

So, here's the deal. I need ideas.

Any suggestions of recipes or which of these kits can be made into decent brews would be sweet! I've been browsing the Mr. Beer and Coopers sites and have stumbled on a few good ideas but I'm looking for more! If you've made good beers with these, let me know. Aiming for 4 - 5 gallon batches.

My brewing gear is currently under construction so these showing up couldn't have been better timing. Need to be able to do this all on a stove top.


So ya, there ya go. Help a brewer out!

 

[ryno1981]

I think I would put some of that on E-Bay or something. It would be impossible to use it up before it goes bad. Especially since all those are pre hopped extracts.


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[DirtyGerman]

as far as batches heck double them up add more hop you got an IPA , but i would check some of those cans of extract may have already been hopped so you might have to take that into account, wish you Lived in NY i would help take some of your troubles away.

 

[frankjones]

I'd buy some. Of you. You can in box me here?

 

[KPSquared]

I think you'd get them at the store cheaper than what it would cost for me to ship them from Canada. They are all pre- hopped. Lots are close to the expiration date. Plan to add some hops when I brew. I think I'll give away to local guys and brew a bunch of combo recipes. I've got some good ideas brewing. 4 gallon batches and I'll just fill cornies until I run out of space. . .

 

[DirtyGerman]

i would even say do some single hop brews you can really get a good handle on what ones you like that way

 

[KPSquared]

When everything is pre- hopped it's hard to figure stuff like that out. I've got a black IPA, a nw pale ale, a Citra pale ale, and a big stout figured out at this point. Just some hops and dme and some magic!

 

[DU99]

Got any steeping grains and hops,say amarillo or citra
Dr Smurto's golden ale recipe will take care of the sparkling ale

 

[ryno1981]

Maybe brew a five gallon batch with 3 of the Mr. Beer American Light cans and lager yeast. Add a couple OZ. Of Saaz or something?


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[frankjones]

I used a Mr beer after expiration date by three months it was fine.

 

[KPSquared]

Sweet! Keep em coming guys! (Tried to find Saaz today but my LHBS was sold out)

 

[DirtyGerman]

True with them being pre hopped , but that's why i suggest some IPAs, Plus those High Alpha hops will no doubt over power in flavor , heck even try hop burst , vs standard 60 min additions

 

[KPSquared]

Checked out the Dr. Smurto. I think I'll throw that together. I have some light crystal here and a couple ounces of citra. Should work.

 

[ja09]

Just make some crazy big barleywines, stouts, etc with steeping grains to eat through some of that supply. You just need to figure out the ibus from the cans... or add them late boil and you won't get many ibus, and the twangy hop flavor should mellow out as they age.

 

[kaconga]

prehopped cans are a small pain in the fact that you cannot really know for sure the IBU contributions from the hops in the cans when you re boil them. If it were me then I would do styles that like a lot of IBUs. Barleywines, strong ales, IIPAs. Stuff like that is great because you just use the cans as malt extract and add enough hops to hit your IBUs independently of the hops in the cans. Also you can use dilution to your advantage since you are using the stove top. An IPA with 60 IBUs for 5 gallons will need 100 IBUs for 3 gallons prior to dilution. An amber ale with 32 IBUs would need approximately 50 prior to dilution at the same rates. If you play around with these things then you should be able to get very creative about it and still use up a significant portion of those kits in the process.

 

[KPSquared]

Ya, the cans are pretty vague as to the IBU's of the HME. A range of 31-70 is pretty large. . . I would think throwing them in the boil would kinda kill any aroma that may be there and probably have some effect on the bitterness.

I like the idea of making a hop tea and just adding it before I chill. Depends if I add DME or LME or specialty grains or not. If I'm only boiling enough water for the hops, I'll still just chill by adding cold water. Don't even have to break out my immersion coil.

I could get used to this extract thing if this all works out. . . although it's kinda like using Apple products. . . there's just an element of control thats out of your hands, even though its easier. Hard to jailbreak a can of liquid malt. . .

 

[Texconsinite]

You could also offset the pre-hopped nature of the extract by using some adjuncts, like white sugar or honey, to make something less strong than a barley wine. That would dilute the IBUs without also diluting the SG.

Honey Brown or Amber Ale is hard to screw up.
My uncle got a Mr Beer for Christmas, and added 2 lbs!! of honey to the Amber ale recipe, and it turned out quite drinkable, especially in light of the circumstances.