NwMaltHead
Member
True, but if you are still on batch #3 and #4 with Mr. Beer, then there isn't a lot of use quite yet for the intricate details discussed in other sections of this site.
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True, but if you are still on batch #3 and #4 with Mr. Beer, then there isn't a lot of use quite yet for the intricate details discussed in other sections of this site.
slym2none
"Lazy extract brewer."
I am really feeling like I have outgrown the MrB forum. It really is kind of a "beginner's only" forum, or at least, for people who don't want to do more than a 30-minute brew day.
I am currently in a discussion about how leaviing your beer on the yeast-cake for longer than 4 weeks won't automatically give the beer off-flavours. One person said, in an absolute, that leaving the beer on the yeast for 5 weeks or more will give off-flavours, most likely from autolysis. I tried to reference this site, where many people have left their beers on the yeast far longer with no ill results. I almost got into the "only big breweries need to worry about autolysis so soon" but I figured, these guys are the ones who hold a lot of beginner's hands, and they just don't want to say anything that might give new brewers any bad habits. I can understand that.
I just also see that I am not a hand-held beginner anymore, and some of the stuff said there is wrong (but gives beginners a good mind-set) to just outrageous (the one guy's absolutes). I figure that one guy needs to be king of the hill, so why not let him?
I just won't be posting over there very much anymore.
(Sorry, HBTers!)
I am currently in a discussion about how leaviing your beer on the yeast-cake for longer than 4 weeks won't automatically give the beer off-flavours. One person said, in an absolute, that leaving the beer on the yeast for 5 weeks or more will give off-flavours, most likely from autolysis. I tried to reference this site, where many people have left their beers on the yeast far longer with no ill results. I almost got into the "only big breweries need to worry about autolysis so soon" but I figured, these guys are the ones who hold a lot of beginner's hands, and they just don't want to say anything that might give new brewers any bad habits. I can understand that.
I just also see that I am not a hand-held beginner anymore, and some of the stuff said there is wrong (but gives beginners a good mind-set) to just outrageous (the one guy's absolutes). I figure that one guy needs to be king of the hill, so why not let him?
I just won't be posting over there very much anymore.
(Sorry, HBTers!)
NwMaltHead
Member
I am really feeling like I have outgrown the MrB forum. It really is kind of a "beginner's only" forum, or at least, for people who don't want to do more than a 30-minute brew day.
I am currently in a discussion about how leaviing your beer on the yeast-cake for longer than 4 weeks won't automatically give the beer off-flavours. One person said, in an absolute, that leaving the beer on the yeast for 5 weeks or more will give off-flavours, most likely from autolysis. I tried to reference this site, where many people have left their beers on the yeast far longer with no ill results. I almost got into the "only big breweries need to worry about autolysis so soon" but I figured, these guys are the ones who hold a lot of beginner's hands, and they just don't want to say anything that might give new brewers any bad habits. I can understand that.
I just also see that I am not a hand-held beginner anymore, and some of the stuff said there is wrong (but gives beginners a good mind-set) to just outrageous (the one guy's absolutes). I figure that one guy needs to be king of the hill, so why not let him?
I just won't be posting over there very much anymore.
(Sorry, HBTers!)
Yeah I'm getting that vibe. Lol. I am short on cash for awhile but plan on upgrading next summer. Been reading books and other forums as well.
BrewinBromanite
Well-Known Member
Hi all - just acquired a few cases of the 16 oz Mr. Beer brown PET bottles (new and unused). Never used plastic bottles before, and think I'll try them out on my next batch.
How's iodophor for sanitizing these (which is what I have on hand)?
Thanks! Other suggestions also welcome if iodophor is not a good choice.
How's iodophor for sanitizing these (which is what I have on hand)?
Thanks! Other suggestions also welcome if iodophor is not a good choice.
Kirkwooder
Emperor of all things nobody cares about
I like to bottle at least one of every batch of my beers in a PET bottle. You know when they are fully carbed by how firm the bottle is.
ericbw
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I am really feeling like I have outgrown the MrB forum. It really is kind of a "beginner's only" forum, or at least, for people who don't want to do more than a 30-minute brew day.
I am currently in a discussion about how leaviing your beer on the yeast-cake for longer than 4 weeks won't automatically give the beer off-flavours. One person said, in an absolute, that leaving the beer on the yeast for 5 weeks or more will give off-flavours, most likely from autolysis. I tried to reference this site, where many people have left their beers on the yeast far longer with no ill results. I almost got into the "only big breweries need to worry about autolysis so soon" but I figured, these guys are the ones who hold a lot of beginner's hands, and they just don't want to say anything that might give new brewers any bad habits. I can understand that.
I just also see that I am not a hand-held beginner anymore, and some of the stuff said there is wrong (but gives beginners a good mind-set) to just outrageous (the one guy's absolutes). I figure that one guy needs to be king of the hill, so why not let him?
I just won't be posting over there very much anymore.
(Sorry, HBTers!)
I also think that the changes in the Mr. Beer products have made it less tweak able, so less creative. My hey had the smaller cans so you could use a base and add more lme, hops, etc.
The big cans seem to be even more simplified so you're not really mixing any thing.
BrewinBromanite
Well-Known Member
BrewinBromanite
Well-Known Member
Yeah, I've used an 8 oz sprite bottle a couple times for this purpose before. Without fail, I'm always opening at least one bottle at the 1 week mark regardless, mainly because I'm impatient and like to see the progress, even at the less than optimal carbed phase.
NwMaltHead
Member
Yeah, the seasonals and craft cans are larger, a little less tweakable. I'm just getting started, but already am doing recommended recipes. It's very simple as you said, and all of the brews come out a little thin/light FG wise per category. plan on going 5-7.5gal, partial mash next summer.
slym2none
"Lazy extract brewer."
MrB cans have hops for bitterness, but not much on flavour & aroma. The biggest improvements I could make on what I brewed from them was adding a pound or so of DME, 4 oz. of Carapils, and for hoppy beers, boiling more water than they call for & using more hops in a hop-stand to get flavour & aroma without adding much to the bitterness already present.
Of course, I only made 5-6 batches using their ingredients, mostly hop-forward beers.
Of course, I only made 5-6 batches using their ingredients, mostly hop-forward beers.
Yeah, I've used an 8 oz sprite bottle a couple times for this purpose before. Without fail, I'm always opening at least one bottle at the 1 week mark regardless, mainly because I'm impatient and like to see the progress, even at the less than optimal carbed phase.
I open 1 bottle at a week, a few at 2 weeks, and the rest as time goes on even with my AG batches. I like to know how time changes them
I made a write up on tweaking the cans. I would add 2oz of White Wheat Malt now though. Head retention and all...
Hello. I'm new to home brewing simply because a friend gave me a Mr. Beer kit that he had in storage for a long time. I'd say the kit is circa 2011, because it comes with the Booster. Anyway the cans of HME have a best before date of July 2013. With this date, will the HME even be usable? Also, the Booster, which I believe is suppose to be a powder is just a rock solid chunk. Is it usable? Will it dissolve? The fermenting keg seems in fine shape and it came with 8 bottles and lids. I don't know if i should even try making beer with the old ingredients or just buy some fresh ingredients. Your thoughts, please.
Kirkwooder
Emperor of all things nobody cares about
The LME, or liquid malt extract, will no be "spoiled", but certainly will be well past it's best use range, and the rock hard booster is certainly garbage. You could make beer with the stuff but it will likely not be very good.
Save yourself the heart break of making a bad beer and buy some fresh LME or DME(dry malt extract) and some fresh hops and yeast, and make a good drinkable beer!
Save yourself the heart break of making a bad beer and buy some fresh LME or DME(dry malt extract) and some fresh hops and yeast, and make a good drinkable beer!
The HME will be darker and have a different flavor than it would have originally (due to something called the maillard reaction), but can still be used if the can is not bulging.Hello. I'm new to home brewing simply because a friend gave me a Mr. Beer kit that he had in storage for a long time. I'd say the kit is circa 2011, because it comes with the Booster. Anyway the cans of HME have a best before date of July 2013. With this date, will the HME even be usable? Also, the Booster, which I believe is suppose to be a powder is just a rock solid chunk. Is it usable? Will it dissolve? The fermenting keg seems in fine shape and it came with 8 bottles and lids. I don't know if i should even try making beer with the old ingredients or just buy some fresh ingredients. Your thoughts, please.
Booster is essentially sugar (a blend of several different kinds). You can use it, also. It might be tough to get it to dissolve, but you can probably do that by putting it in the water you're boiling and just keeping an eye on it and stirring every once in a while.
I would definitely replace the yeast, though. Even if your friend stored it in ideal conditions, yeast loses viability over time, and the yeast that came with those kits wasn't really enough to start with. I'd replace the yeast with something fresh. Technically, you can use bread yeast (I've done it a couple of times as an experiment, and the results are somewhat similar to an English ale yeast), I wouldn't recommend using bread yeast, though. You'll get much better results using an ale yeast. I like Fermentis US-05, Danstar Nottingham (especially if it's fairly cool), and Mangrove Jack M-10 as good options if you want a good clean fermentation with the yeast providing few esters. For most of the beers I brew, I want the yeast to stay out of the way of the malt and hops, so I use those three the most.
brewski09
Well-Known Member
Is get a new can of mr beer LME because that's not going to make good beer now. If you get into the hobby you can use that current can as an additive to a stout idle something where it will be covered up well. The booster just needs some attention to make it dissolve. People use candi (rock) sugar all the time (I know, a lot of the newer candi sugars are liquid now). I ALWAYS advocate for better yeast. I like the us-05 (common American strain from Sierra Nevada) or Nottingham myself. Those two will do just about anything you could want.
Well, as long as "anything you want" is a clean fermenting yeast. If you're brewing a Belgian or a wheat beer (or a number of other styles), those would be poor choices. I like those yeasts, but they're appropriate for a lot of the beers I brew. I also keep my house pretty cool in the winter, and Nottingham is the only ale yeast I trust to ferment in the mid 50s.
slym2none
"Lazy extract brewer."
He did say "just about"...
@bogg - you can use the MrB LBK to make 2.5 gallon batches of any recipe. Find a 5-gallon recipe you like & cut everything by half. I still use the LBK myself but haven't used a MrB HME in a while.
@bogg - you can use the MrB LBK to make 2.5 gallon batches of any recipe. Find a 5-gallon recipe you like & cut everything by half. I still use the LBK myself but haven't used a MrB HME in a while.
He did say "just about"...
@bogg - you can use the MrB LBK to make 2.5 gallon batches of any recipe. Find a 5-gallon recipe you like & cut everything by half. I still use the LBK myself but haven't used a MrB HME in a while.
I guess we have different definitions of "just about"
For a beginning brewer, US-05/Nottingham will be just fine. But there are beers that I'd rather go to the grocery store and buy some bread yeast than use one of those. They're great yeast strains, but they're not the best for every beer.
"Just about" does not equal "every".
I won't keep this up, however. My point is made.
I started to reply to this but decided against it. Your point isn't made. It's just not coherent enough for anybody to bother with it.
Sorry. I didn't attack you personally.
You made no point. I didn't attack the person. I just pointed out that you made no point.
US-05 is a good yeast. I have no problems with it. I use it a lot. I use Nottingham a lot.
But there are other yeasts that are better choices for certain styles of beers.
I'm not sure how or why this bothers you. Maybe we're on the same page and it's just that unpersonal forum communication messes things up.
Hoolio
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Back to the expired kit topic, I made an expired Mr. Beer American pale ale kit a month or so ago. I had some top cropped Pac man yeast that needed some place to go, so I used it. It made beer. I wished I had thrown some aroma hops in, but I didn't have any on hand. +1 to test batches in the LBK. I have a 2.5 gal batch of Unicorn Blood in mine right now.
Sstraley01
Member
This is my 1st ever.. I have it in the Mr. Beer keg for 8 days now. I was just reading the instructions that came with it and it says to let it sit for 2-4 weeks. Why such a difference in time? And how will I know when it's time to bottle?
Thanks
Steve
Thanks
Steve
When I was making the Mr. Beer kits they where typically done at 2 weeks max. Then 3 weeks in the bottle. Which kit was it? Unless you are using 2 cans worth of extract I don't see why it would take longer than 3 weeks. What temperature?
TonyKZ1
Well-Known Member
It's recommended (and it's what I do regardless of the recipe) 3 weeks in the fermenter and 4 weeks carbonating/conditioning in the bottle. There's also a lot of info (both new and experienced brewing) over on the Mr. Beer Forum.
douglasbarbin
Well-Known Member
You will know it's time to bottle when you have a hydrometer reading that stays steady over the course of several days.
Kirkwooder
Emperor of all things nobody cares about
If this is your first brew ever it is likely that you don't have a hydrometer and one really isn't all that necessary. If the beer has stopped "working" and the foam on top has fallen back into the beer, it should clear up and the yeast and trube should be settle to the bottom of the little brown keg. If this has all happened, give it a week or so and bottle it up. Then give it another couple of weeks to carb. up. Then drink it!
standard_lengthy
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I plan on using it as a tester for some cider batches. I've heard hopped cider can be good and while I don't want to try it on a whole 5 gallons, a smaller batch would be a good tester
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I picked up a mr. Beer kit off of amazon with a gift card from work. Started off with the extract kit that came inside the lbk. This is a coors light knockoff I'm assuming from the color of the beer and the mountains on the extract label. I read that the beer is supposed to come out below 4%ABV, so I improvised with 3/4 a cup of honey in the boil to give an extra 1%.
Now I did try a Mr Beer many years ago and it was an epic failure due to my excitement, I cut corners and had an infected brew.
This time I took my time and made sure to take sterilization to extremes.
A week and a half ago (1/2/16) I put the keg inside a spare cooler I had laying around after filling it with cooled wort and yeast and began the wait. The next morning to my excitement, the yeast had taken control and was actually foaming out of the lbk, awesome!
Everything has since started to calm down. Today I open the cooler and am hit with the most horrid smell of soured gym socks and sharp cheddar. Now, keep in mind the blowout is still in the cooler bottom as I didn't want to disturb the trub at the bottom of the cooler. Should I be concerned? Up until this AM, I was preparing to bottle on 1/16.
Now I did try a Mr Beer many years ago and it was an epic failure due to my excitement, I cut corners and had an infected brew.
This time I took my time and made sure to take sterilization to extremes.
A week and a half ago (1/2/16) I put the keg inside a spare cooler I had laying around after filling it with cooled wort and yeast and began the wait. The next morning to my excitement, the yeast had taken control and was actually foaming out of the lbk, awesome!
Everything has since started to calm down. Today I open the cooler and am hit with the most horrid smell of soured gym socks and sharp cheddar. Now, keep in mind the blowout is still in the cooler bottom as I didn't want to disturb the trub at the bottom of the cooler. Should I be concerned? Up until this AM, I was preparing to bottle on 1/16.
I don't think I've ever heard of a fermentation smell described as gym socks and sharp cheddar before.
To me, it often smells a lot like bread from the yeast.
I noticed that you said that you opened the cooler and got the smell. If the cooler was sealed, there could have been a buildup of CO2. That would probably have a somewhat acrid smell to it. I don't think it would remind me of gym socks or cheddar, but it would certainly not smell pleasant. It's also possible that the stuff that overflowed and collected on the bottom has been spoiling due to interactions with less pleasant microbes than the yeast you want to change the wort into beer. That could produce some unpleasant smells.
Also, since you had it tucked into the cooler and unattended, it may have fermented fairly warm since fermentation is exothermic. You generally don't want it to ferment at a temperature that is too high.
If I were you, I'd let it go until the 16th, then pour a sample into a shot glass and give it a taste. If it tastes more or less like flat beer (or maybe flat beer with a slight cider twang), I'd go ahead and bottle it. Actually, I'd probably bottle it anyway. A lot of tastes mellow out with some time in the bottle (although if you got fusels, I don't think those go away).
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I took a sample today when I got home. It does taste like beer with a very slight cider twang. It was very dark wort and now kind of looks like a lighter wheat beer. The funky smell is indeed just the overflow in the bottom of the cooler I believe, as the sample did not have a funky smell to it. Thanks for the reply.
I'm glad it's working out.
FWIW, time heals most wounds. There are a few exceptions (fusel alcohol production is one, "bad" hops is another), but in most cases, if you let a batch condition long enough, it will improve.
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Don't screw the lid on tight!
What is the lbk sitting in? I put mine in a cooler, but after some thought it may get too hot in there. Was trying to see what kind of temp control I could implement.
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