First beer

[user 348044]

This here is the only beer I have tried making so far. I'm interested in trying more and learning more.

It's the Long Play IPA Starter Beer Making Kit from Mr. Beer. I didn't enjoy the flavor of it. I would like to try a refill kit from Mr. Beer next with a different kind of beer. Eventually I would like to try making my own beer more from scratch but for now I'm liking the starter kits to get the idea of the fermenting and bottling process, and sanitizing the tools as well.

 

[fluketamer]

mr beer is great it gets so many of us started.

but i will give you some hints to help out a mr beer kit:

1 ) control the temperature first and foremost IMO. i dotn mean anything fancy , just put it in a large rubbermaid contaienr with a tshirt over it and fill the container wit a little water and ice packs to brign it down a few degrees below ambient and to stabilize it a little ( see swamp cooler for homebrewing)
2) pimp the kit by adding aither or all of the following:
hop tea
dme or lme
steeping grains.
dry hops

3) always use at least 1 - 1.5 lbs of malt extract per gallon of water. so your 2 galon mr beer kit needs 2 to 3 at least lbs of malt extract in it. the long play ipa should get you there with 2.8 lbs in the can but i would still consider adding some thing to make the kit interesting,

lastly IPA in a mr beer kit is really asking for a lot.

you will be MUCH better off with a stout or porter kit and at the worst a budwesier type american pale ale kit (ie hopless)

asking for mr beer to make a decent ipa is a little bit of a stretch IMO

there stout is great btw esp if you double up the ingredients.

 

[Willy]

Started with Mr Beer about 20+ years ago. It made some pretty darn good batches too.

I quit using the kits and just got different cans of LME to try and see what I liked. Some were hopped too. Found what I liked... And tweaked with buying hops and using Fermentis US-05 as my go to yeast. (Clean, forgiving and competent).

Making beer is fun. In addition to drinking it, figuring out all the permutations is wonderful. Have fun and congrats on your first beer.

Ask for recipes - most are eager to help.
(An easier, faster path that allows you to bypass your own - unfortunate choices)

 

[hilljack13]

First beer...thought this was going to be story time!

 

[Jim465]

Get this classic book, and read it:

How to Brew: Everything You Need to Know to Brew Beer Right the First Time by John Palmer

 

[ncbrewer]

Get this classic book, and read it:

How to Brew: Everything You Need to Know to Brew Beer Right the First Time by John Palmer

4th Edition

 

[BrewnWKopperKat]

Interesting: How to Brew 2e (2nd edition), 3e, and 4e have different subtitles.

Palmer also has a new book ("How to Brew Beer in Your Kitchen") that was published in the UK in Feb 2025. It's not yet (early Apr 2025) at the USA-based online book stores that I use; but a web search may find an online store with USA shipping that has it. A recent BeerSmith podcast (#320) mentioned the book will focus on 2.5 gal stove top BIAB batches.

 

[firerat]

I started on a Mr. Beer.

It was a handy little fermenter until I murdered it by putting hot wort in it. Went from looking like a football to looking like a Salvador Dali creation.

BTW don't do that.

 

[user 348044]

Thanks everyone!