Mr Beer - Read all about it and ask questions

[Kealia]

There's lots of reading on that topic, but here's a simple one.

 

[HopfulAddiction]

Don't make it harder than it has to be! Just put the sugar into the bottles and cap it. Give it a gentle roll to dissolve the sugar into the beer and you're done...except for the waiting

I put my sugar in a microwave safe container with a small amount of water bring to boil and add the liquid to the bottles using small measuring spoons. worked great.

 

[suttonjs2]

I've got 2 cans of WCPA HME and the booster fermenting on day 8 now. Liquid is cloudy with only a very thin layer of krausen on top and no bubbling fermentation activity is evident. Is this normal? Should I expect it to clear up within a week? I was planning on letting it ferment for two weeks before bottling.

 

[rycov]

yeah. that sounds about right. every fermentation will be different (there are living things in there). there isn't really a normal. but what you have sounds right. just follow the recipe and it will be fine.

 

[gtlaw10]

I've got 2 cans of WCPA HME and the booster fermenting on day 8 now. Liquid is cloudy with only a very thin layer of krausen on top and no bubbling fermentation activity is evident. Is this normal? Should I expect it to clear up within a week? I was planning on letting it ferment for two weeks before bottling.

totally normal - you're going to want to let that sit in the keg for at least two weeks.
as for clearing up...i plan on opening my first bottle of brew in a couple days after letting it sit in the fridge for a week after it had been bottle conditioning for 3.5 weeks and i don't expect it to be clear. i do expect it to be kinda cloudy but overall very transparent because of the yeast remaining in suspension and trace particulate that is inevitable when you bottle from primary and bottle carb your brews. definitely don't expect it to look like a regular off the shelf beer.
you're going to have a delicious and vitamin-b infused brew in a couple weeks sir enjoy.

 

[Justibone]

Justibone, thanks for the reply. Where can I find out more about yeast starters? I've read the term a number of times but I don't know the process. I take it I probably should have saved my yeast vial to use for a starter?

I'm on board w/ the exponential decay thing regarding the FG. It's like a capacitor discharge, right?(can you guess I'm an engineer - have pocket protector, will travel). A hydrometer is on my list of near term buys.

Thanks again.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f39/how-make-yeast-starter-pictorial-76101/

Pictures say it best!

 

[Alleydude]

Hello everyone. First post so hope I am not sounding noobish here...

Got the Mr. Beer kit for Christmas from my daughter, and it couldn't have been a more perfect gift. Also got a 3-pack American refill kit.

Made the first batch that came with the kit and it turned out great, though a little light on the carbination. I thought that if I added some real dextrose to the next batch maybe that would be cured.

So I am into my second batch right now (Bewitched Red Ale), and it's been 11 days into the fermenting process and my sample tastings lead me to think that the fermenting isn't taking place. It still has a bit of sweet taste to it, and the color is very merky, not clear at all.

We keep our house rather cool (Winter here in Michigan), and I am worried that the 68* or so is not enough for it to work properly.

So here are some of my newbie questions:

1) Could the yeast be old?

2) If so, could I add more yeast from a brewery supply shop and start the ferment over?

3) Or should I just quit worrying and bottle the stuff?

4) Was my assumption above about the dextrose vs. granulated suger correct? Will the dextrose give me better carbination? Will it effect the alcohol content?

Thanks in advance. After I finish this and the next two batches I have already invested in I am going to shelve the Mr. Beer and go "big time" with that 5 gal. kits.

 

[Bmorebrew]

Alleydude - first off, congratulations and welcome to brewing. I can't answer number 4 since I have little experience in bottling and using priming sugar, but I know others here are experts on that.

#1 - 68°F is plenty warm for ale yeast, that should not be an issue. The yeast could definitely be old and of poor quality. It is always recommended to buy good viable yeast and throw away the packet taped to the inside of the lid.

#2 - So yes, for a second batch of Mr. Beer I would recommend getting a packet of Nottingham dry yeast and using that.

#3 - Definitely don't "just bottle the stuff" - especially if you're in doubt about fermentation being incomplete. You'll eventually want to get a hydrometer so you can measure when everything is done. Do a search for "bottle bombs". You don't want that.

 

[bpgreen]

Hello everyone. First post so hope I am not sounding noobish here...

Got the Mr. Beer kit for Christmas from my daughter, and it couldn't have been a more perfect gift. Also got a 3-pack American refill kit.

Made the first batch that came with the kit and it turned out great, though a little light on the carbination. I thought that if I added some real dextrose to the next batch maybe that would be cured.

So I am into my second batch right now (Bewitched Red Ale), and it's been 11 days into the fermenting process and my sample tastings lead me to think that the fermenting isn't taking place. It still has a bit of sweet taste to it, and the color is very merky, not clear at all.

We keep our house rather cool (Winter here in Michigan), and I am worried that the 68* or so is not enough for it to work properly.

So here are some of my newbie questions:

1) Could the yeast be old?

2) If so, could I add more yeast from a brewery supply shop and start the ferment over?

3) Or should I just quit worrying and bottle the stuff?

4) Was my assumption above about the dextrose vs. granulated suger correct? Will the dextrose give me better carbination? Will it effect the alcohol content?

Thanks in advance. After I finish this and the next two batches I have already invested in I am going to shelve the Mr. Beer and go "big time" with that 5 gal. kits.

One thing to note is that the Bewitched Red Ale is only 12 IBUs, so the final product will have a sweeter taste to it. Did you see any krausen form on top? Is there any sediment (trub) on the bottom? Without a hydrometer, it's difficult to know for sure whether fermentation is actually finished. If you're concerned, adding some additional yeast may jumpstart the fermentation.

As far as which sugar to use, I've always carbonated with plain white sugar and had good results. When you say the first batch wasn't well carbonated or was there poor head retention? If anything, the Mr Beer instructions carbonate on the high side. But the basic refills are pretty basic and there is usually pretty poor head retention. If it's not carbonated enough, you probably didn't give it enough time in the bottle at room temperature. I know the instructions say to give it a week in the fermenter and a week at room temperature, but two weeks in the fermenter and 2-4 weeks at room temperature are better.

 

[Alleydude]

Thanks for the warm welcome. I appreciate all the help.

#2 - So yes, for a second batch of Mr. Beer I would recommend getting a packet of Nottingham dry yeast and using that.

So for this batch, would I just add more yeast? Or would I mix it in a little warm water first, then add it into my batch? Stir it into my batch?

#3 - Definitely don't "just bottle the stuff" - especially if you're in doubt about fermentation being incomplete. You'll eventually want to get a hydrometer so you can measure when everything is done. Do a search for "bottle bombs". You don't want that.

Good to know information. I had no idea.

One thing to note is that the Bewitched Red Ale is only 12 IBUs, so the final product will have a sweeter taste to it. Did you see any krausen form on top? Is there any sediment (trub) on the bottom?

There is a small amount of floaties on top, but not sure if that is what you're talking about. As for the sediment, the batch is to merky to see what lies on the bottom, and trying to look through the brown "keg" is almost impossible. My answer is "I don't know".

Without a hydrometer, it's difficult to know for sure whether fermentation is actually finished. If you're concerned, adding some additional yeast may jumpstart the fermentation.

I may get a hydrometer, I will need one sooner or later anyway. Money is tight right now so buying a lot of stuff is our, for now. As for adding additional yeast, my question above...

When you say the first batch wasn't well carbonated or was there poor head retention? If anything, the Mr Beer instructions carbonate on the high side.

The first batch did have some bubbles, but it was bordering on the flat side. It did make a bit of a head, but it didn't last and I just thought it could have been a bit more.

But the basic refills are pretty basic and there is usually pretty poor head retention. If it's not carbonated enough, you probably didn't give it enough time in the bottle at room temperature. I know the instructions say to give it a week in the fermenter and a week at room temperature, but two weeks in the fermenter and 2-4 weeks at room temperature are better.

My first batch was 2 weeks and 2 weeks. Then I couldn't stand it any more, I had to start cracking a few. I think the last bottle was cracked at about the three week point after bottling.


Thanks again for all the help. I have been reading my arse off trying to figure all this out, but whoa, there's a LOT of variables...

 

[Tallmanbrewer]

First of all, welcome! You came to the right place to get your questions answered. I started out with the Mr. Beer kit for Christmas years ago as well. A great place to start! The things you are learning with the Mr. Beer translate easily to bigger batches with more advanced equipment.

Hello everyone. First post so hope I am not sounding noobish here...

You are a noob...you are supposed to sound noobish! But that is why we read this board...we like to help others in their obsession...er, hobby!

Got the Mr. Beer kit for Christmas from my daughter, and it couldn't have been a more perfect gift. Also got a 3-pack American refill kit.

Made the first batch that came with the kit and it turned out great, though a little light on the carbination. I thought that if I added some real dextrose to the next batch maybe that would be cured.

Congrats! You are now a brewer!

So I am into my second batch right now (Bewitched Red Ale), and it's been 11 days into the fermenting process and my sample tastings lead me to think that the fermenting isn't taking place. It still has a bit of sweet taste to it, and the color is very merky, not clear at all.

Made that a while back. It is a little sweeter tasting beer. Should clear up in a bit. Tastes a little better as it warms up!

We keep our house rather cool (Winter here in Michigan), and I am worried that the 68* or so is not enough for it to work properly.
That temp is fine.

So here are some of my newbie questions:

1) Could the yeast be old?

Yes it could be old but not necessarily. Just give it some more time in the fermentor. It should be clearer after the two week point but that is not always the case. It depends on the particular strain of yeast that they provided with the kit. Some yeast are more flocculant (fall out of suspension) than others. Just give it a little more time.

2) If so, could I add more yeast from a brewery supply shop and start the ferment over?

You could do that but it probably isn't necessary.

3) Or should I just quit worrying and bottle the stuff?

Do quit worrying but don't bottle yet. Give it a little more time in the fermentor.

4) Was my assumption above about the dextrose vs. granulated suger correct? Will the dextrose give me better carbination? Will it effect the alcohol content?

No your assumption is incorrect. It will actually have the opposite effect. It takes more dextrose to carbonate to the same level as it would sucrose. If you want your beer to be more carbonated, just adjust the amount of sucrose you are adding. Eventually you may choose to use dextrose instead of sucrose to prime your bottles with but at this point I would stick to what you know. The amount of sucrose you used wasn't enough for your taste so use a little more. Not too much though...don't want a bomb! It minimally effects the alcohol content.

Thanks in advance. After I finish this and the next two batches I have already invested in I am going to shelve the Mr. Beer and go "big time" with that 5 gal. kits.

You can use the 2 gallon fermentor for test batches with ingredients you buy at your local homebrew store or online. You don't have to use the Mr. Beer ingredients only

 

[Justibone]

If you can't see the trub on the bottom, shine a bright flashlight in and look very closely. There should be a difference in illumination between the bottom and the top.

If there is no trub, DANGER WILL ROBINSON. If there is trub, well, you've got a slow fermentation but at least it's going. You can pitch more yeast on top of 'em if you like (don't bother rehydrating, just dump the packet in) or just wait.

Sometimes a good fermentation takes a month, so patience is key. Get a microbrew or a sampler pack to drink so you can try different styles of beer to know what you like. You're only starting on a long journey into undiscovered country... why rush while you're on a vacation?

 

[Alleydude]

Great stuff. Again, I appreciate all the help. I tried but couldn't see through the merk enough to see a layer on the bottom. Tomorrow I have a flood light in the basement I will bring up and light it up with about a thousand watts. If there's something there it should show up like an x-ray.

 

[Justibone]

I don't know if I'm going to make you new-brewers paranoid with this, so just take it with a grain of salt...

Light hurts beer, especially 1) sunlight and 2) fluorescent light. It causes the bitterness from the hops to turn into skunkiness. Some light is fine, I wouldn't get all paranoid, but I also wouldn't shine a 10,000,000 watt light on it for more than a second or two.

 

[TSR6]

instead of using table sugar with Mr. Beer as instructed, can I use corn sugar without any adjustments. Would it be better? or just follow the instructions...?

 

[Justibone]

You can use corn sugar to bottle. Corn and cane sugar are not quite exactly equivalent, but the difference is minor. The flavor difference will also be minor.

 

[smooky]

i started with mr beer kit over a year ago, not long after my buddy got his and now im hooked on brewing beer. only once in a while i will do a mr beer kit,usually when they send me 25% off,other than that i do the partial mash kits, well that is untill i finish my all grain set up

 

[Tallmanbrewer]

instead of using table sugar with Mr. Beer as instructed, can I use corn sugar without any adjustments. Would it be better? or just follow the instructions...?

Like Justibone said, you can use it and it will work fine but if you do not make the necessary adjustments your beer will be more flat than when using table sugar. You need to add a little more corn sugar to get the same carbonation level as the table sugar with the same measurement provides.

Here is a link to one of the many brewing calculators that are available on the net. Fill in the variables and it will tell you how much to use!

http://www.tastybrew.com/calculators/priming.html

 

[suttonjs2]

I will be bottling my WCPA (for which I used 2 cans of HME plus the booster) this Sunday if the beer doesn't taste too sweet. I've ordered the Noble Trappist from Midwest and it should be here by the weekend.

Question: If I halve the 5 gallon recipe but only make 2 gallons of beer in the Mr. Beer keg, will the 2.5 gallons worth of ingredients be too much? Would I be able to make 2.5 gallons in the Mr. Beer keg or would that leave me with not enough headroom?

Thanks!

 

[bpgreen]

I will be bottling my WCPA (for which I used 2 cans of HME plus the booster) this Sunday if the beer doesn't taste too sweet. I've ordered the Noble Trappist from Midwest and it should be here by the weekend.

Question: If I halve the 5 gallon recipe but only make 2 gallons of beer in the Mr. Beer keg, will the 2.5 gallons worth of ingredients be too much? Would I be able to make 2.5 gallons in the Mr. Beer keg or would that leave me with not enough headroom?

Thanks!

You can make a 2.125 gallon batch (the "normal" fill to the 8.5 qt line) with half the ingredients and it will be a stronger more flavorful beer or you can overfill and get closer. Filling to the bottom of the Q in Quart (or Qt, not sure and both fermenters are full) will give you 2.4 gallons, and I think filling to the top of the Q will give you 2.5 gallons. If you overfill, try to keep it fairly cool (near the low end of the yeast's temperature range), put the fermenter in a pan or something and make sure the lid is loose because if you get active fermentation, it's more likely to overflow.

 

[suttonjs2]

Well, I couldn't help it. This is day 10 in the fermenter. I drew a small sample from the tap. I was so worried because it is VERY cloudy, but there is zero sweetness to it and it does taste like a decent beer. Flat, but good. I still plan on bottling on day 14, but my question is, will bottle conditioning clear up the murkiness? If so, for how long and how does it work?

 

[Malticulous]

In time it will clear up. Yeast and proteins slowly fall to the bottom. Since it taste done you could even cold crash it to speed the clearing process up.

 

[Justibone]

You really do need to wait. Honestly. Just wait. You will never make good beer at home if you are too impatient.

You sound like a prime candidate for a second fermentor, the main benefit of which would be, you can leave the first one alone.

Cheers!

 

[Malticulous]

IMO it's not so much patients as knowing when it's ready. That comes with experience. Generally when it's clear it's ready to bottle.

 

[Justibone]

You'll never know it's ready, if you don't have the patience to wait.

Chicken, or egg?

 

[Malticulous]

You'd never know if you never do it too soon. That is how you get experience and train your taste buds. Some know it all can say wait but he can't see, smell or taste it.

Simply put if it's at FG (a hydrometer is the best way to know) it can be bottled. It can clear in the bottle. I have experience with bottle vs bulk conditioning and I don't taste much difference. Some think the yeast keep working long after FG but in fact it does only for a day or two. I can quote John Palmer on that. I discovered that long before he posted it on the AHA site.

Impatience and curiosity are not the same thing.

 

[Acoma]

Mr Beer Kit is on Amazon for 30 bucks right now if anyone is interested.

 

[jakecpunut]

Mr Beer at Amazon for $30 bucks and free shipping! I have the link on my site..

http://jakecpunut.com/cyber-deals/

 

[Tallmanbrewer]

Well, I couldn't help it. This is day 10 in the fermenter. I drew a small sample from the tap. I was so worried because it is VERY cloudy, but there is zero sweetness to it and it does taste like a decent beer. Flat, but good. I still plan on bottling on day 14, but my question is, will bottle conditioning clear up the murkiness? If so, for how long and how does it work?

It will clear up either in the bottle or in the fermentor. The question is, do you want the trub to fall to the bottom of the fermentor or the bottom of the bottle? The clearer it is at bottling the less "junk" you have at the bottom of the bottle when you drink it. Like others have said...just wait a bit! It may be clear by day 14. But either way you look at it...you made beer!

 

[suttonjs2]

I just googled SWMBO here at work. My wife got a kick out of it when I texted her what it meant and we both had a good laugh (as evidenced by an exchange of LOLs). This thread rocks, guys. I appreciate everyone's sharing their knowledge. I've learned a lot! On page 164 and almost to the end!

 

[Darklordenron]

Well, i finally cracked my second beer, "voodoo magic" last night. It turned out way different than the pale ale did. Way less cidery and had great hoppyness to it without being overbearing. I think the cideryness comes from fermenting above 70 degrees in my home. Next batch i will try fermentation in my basement or ground level and see if that makes an impact on the continual cidery/apple juicey tastes. This brew should mellow out faster and nicer than the pale ale which i eventually ended up throwing out after about 4 bottles. It never really recovered from the apple juice taste.

This one shows promise and people seem to like it. If i could only get rid of that smell and taste people wouldnt ask me, "is this wine?"

 

[rycov]

what was the pale ale? did it have the booster with it? i think that adding a lot of sugar like that to the beer will make it cidery. for future batches try using more malt extract instead of sugar. that should help. congrats on your current brew being good!

 

[WortMonger]

Gotta love Mr. Beer! This has to be the best gateway product to get people more excited about the hobby.

 

[rycov]

it really is great. thats how i started. its a really inexpensive way to get into it. and they make it really easy on you if your learning. kudos mr. beer.

 

[TonyK]

I stayed with Mr. Beer for over two years. I had three bouts of cancer during that period in my life and was unable to manage anything bigger than a Mr. Beer keg because of weight.
Now however, I have moved up to the 5 gallon batches. Must admit beer has improved with the move to the larger fermenter and more advanced methods. Thanks for your attention.
TonyK

 

[Darklordenron]

Just brewed up a blueberry lager.
I want to make a beer similar in taste to an orange creamsicle. My thought is use the vienna lager or the pale ale as a start, add some fresh pureed (liquified) oranges (i guess 16 oz just like the jars in the mr beer recipes. Add in some vanilla extract at the wort stage...
As for the vanilla extract portion, how much should be enough to complement the flavor of the oranges? I dont want to drown it out or anything with vanilla. Thanks guys!

And btw, i like the convenience of mr. Beer. Ill move up once i feel ive mastered it to the point where it becomes boring. My beers just havent blown me away just yet.

 

[Darklordenron]

what was the pale ale? did it have the booster with it? i think that adding a lot of sugar like that to the beer will make it cidery. for future batches try using more malt extract instead of sugar. that should help. congrats on your current brew being good!

Yes, i used the most basic recipe for my first beer. What a mistake.. I still have a bunch of two + month old bottles of that crap i dont want to drink! What a way to get into brewing. I also think i fermented at way too high a temperature, and that helped give off some appley flavors.

 

[pirate_brew]

I bottled my second batch today. It was a WCPA with honey and ginger. It fermented about two and a half weeks. I sampled it as I bottled and it was good. Flat, obviously, but you could taste the saaz hops, honey, and ginger. The honey gave it a dry finish and I think it's going to be a good brew.

Here's my question du jour...I have two kegs and one of them had a basic blonde ale made in it. It has been empty for a couple of weeks. I opened it today and it smelled a bit like beer. Not bad and spoiled, but just a slight odor of beer. Should I be concerned? Should I rewash it with oxy clean or just sanitize before the next batch? Thanks for the advice ahead of time.

 

[bpgreen]

Yes, i used the most basic recipe for my first beer. What a mistake.. I still have a bunch of two + month old bottles of that crap i dont want to drink! What a way to get into brewing. I also think i fermented at way too high a temperature, and that helped give off some appley flavors.

If it has been in the bottle for 2+ months, stick a bottle in the fridge for a week or two and give it a try. You may be pleasantly surprised at how much the flavor has changed.

 

[bpgreen]

I bottled my second batch today. It was a WCPA with honey and ginger. It fermented about two and a half weeks. I sampled it as I bottled and it was good. Flat, obviously, but you could taste the saaz hops, honey, and ginger. The honey gave it a dry finish and I think it's going to be a good brew.

Here's my question du jour...I have two kegs and one of them had a basic blonde ale made in it. It has been empty for a couple of weeks. I opened it today and it smelled a bit like beer. Not bad and spoiled, but just a slight odor of beer. Should I be concerned? Should I rewash it with oxy clean or just sanitize before the next batch? Thanks for the advice ahead of time.

Rinse it in cold water, clean it with some oxiclean and sanitize it. You'll be good to go.