Frustrating hobby

[brewshki]

I just opened he first bottle of my second batch and the disappointment is real. When I poured it, it had absolutely no head on it, I was ready to take pictures and can't even post them. It is carbonated with bubbles streaming up from the bottom but no head at all. It tastes fine but nothing great. I used a mr beer Mexican cerveza kit so that may have been my problem but it's just very disappointing. I bottled about two week ago. Any help would be great.

 

[ArcaneXor]

I started with a Mr. Beer. After batch 3, which got infected, I was ready to throw the towel - the beers tasted nasty to mediocre, they upset my stomach, and then that infected batch that I had really looked forward to was the final nail in the coffin... or so I thought!

Thankfully, after some reassurance from Homebrewtalk, I stuck with the hobby and invested in a higher-quality equipment kit and switched to extract with steeping grain.

Now, seven years later, I am still going strong with 10-gallon all grain batches. I have gotten 40s in competitions, brewed several of my homebrew recipes at a local brewpub, and I manage a homebrew shop. The lesson is: don't give up. Buy yourself a real equipment kit. Use high-quality ingredients and sanitizers. Buy yourself a copy of How to Brew and read it. You can and will make beers on par with many commercial craft beers in no time.

 

[titansvol]

I would give it some additional time

 

[brewshki]

I've even read the book and I don't really know where I went wrong. There was no infection and I let it ferment at a controlled temp until my hydrometer readings told me it was done. I guess I'm mostly frustrated in that I don't know where I went wrong or how to fix it.

 

[khillian]

Any temperature control during the ferment?

Were you using carbonation drops in the bottles or measured table sugar?

Is your glass Beer clean?

How long did you chill the bottle before pouring?

I started with Mr Beer 5/6 years ago, made some terrible beers mostly due to temperature control. Mr Beer can make tasty beer, I would suggest for the next batch to lookup mods for Mr Beer recipes, some steeping grains, a boil with hops will help, but if your serious about the hobby any bucket starter setup from Midwest,Norther Brewer, Austin Homebrew Supply, Morebeer will make much better beer.

Don't give up its a fine start and a rewarding hobby with time. I dumped 40 gallonss first half of this year, wanted to quit, you can chase this hobby for many years down the rabbit hole, I am back now with 6 epic tasty awesome beers to close out 2014, 2015 watch out!https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f39/5-years-into-great-hobby-i-feel-like-giving-up-460902/

 

[jbord37]

The sentiment above is nice (and true) but I have a different perspective to offer.

Seriously? You think spending a few Hours one day on a weekend using a kit beer and getting a sub par batch is a frustrating hobby?

Try road cycling. I trained (along with many, many other amateurs) 11 months a year for four years, 6 days a week in all weather, and never won a race (in road) though I did have fun. I am not in the minority on not winning, either. It's hard. Now I am nursing an injury (labral tear of the hip) and trying to recover and brewing beer in the meanwhile to stay busy. This doesn't even account for my other cycling related surgery.

Point is, cheer up, mate! It's beer! If the one you make sucks, try again and go pick up a six of your favorite. Not all hobbies are so low risk for great reward.

Realizing there may be a dark, frustrating side somewhere in homebrewing,

Jason

 

[khillian]

I have also learned a lot about myself brewing all these years, the mistakes bad and good. Beer brewing is as much of an art as it is a science. I was having a bad time at work and life first half of this year, think it was contributing to my failures in the first half of this year.

Like any art, there are times you think you know it all and have mastered it, but then you go through epiphanies, progressing, looking back you feel like you were an idiot. I still have far to chase the rabbit.

 

[helibrewer]

I don't think you realize how often the Pro's screw up and how much they have sent down the drain...it happens, plan on it and roll with it. Make changes, ask questions and brew again. I do think an equipment upgrade would be in your favor then try some of the great kits from More, Austin, Midwest, etc. Don't start with lagers or Imperial anything....just a nice ale (pale, red, porter, etc) and generate some successes.

 

[b-boy]

Here's my advice.

Yes - there is a learning curve. Beer is complicated. You can't address all your problems at once.

Every time you do a batch of beer pick 1 thing you need to improve. It could be fermentation temps, yeast starters, water additions, grain crush, O2, etc. Learn everything you can about it and focus on improving it. Buy equipment, make equipment, or focus on your technique.

Once you get through about 10 batches you'll be amazed at how much better your beer will be.

Making good beer is a marathon, not a sprint.

 

[PrinceOfThePoint]

Go All-grain baby!!!!

 

[Hoosierbrewer]

It's a mr beer kit for a Mexican style lager. Do not expect perfect results. My worst beer was a kit for a belgian beer from brewferm. Diablo. It was drinkable after 2 years. Now I could make the beer drinkable faster. It was the only kit that was not partial mash.

Advice. Find an ale style you like and order a kit. My first was a British pale ale kit from brewers best. It was a good beer. I make a similiar beer all grain now for my mother in law.

If you have a lhbs go there with a bottle of a beer you like that is not a super light lager. They will help you immensely. Most of us make beer that is better than many that you buy in the store.

 

[McKnuckle]

Not much head after only 2 weeks in the bottle, combined with "tastes fine but nothing great" for a Mr. Beer Mexican Cerveza kit is just about exactly what I'd expect! I'm 19 batches in, brewing for about a year. There's a progression:

1) Wow, I can make beer!
2) Hmm, I can make decent beer.
3) Hey, this is great beer!

I endured ten batches of 1 and 2 before reaching 3. I learned something new each and every time, and applied the knowledge the next time to improve the product. It is not instant gratification, although it is certainly gratifying to see the progress over time. But you have to invest in it intellectually. It's not a turnkey product that makes itself. It appeals to me because it's a mix of art and science (lots of science, actually). Understand the science, then apply the art.

Good luck... hope things improve for ya.

 

[Devin]

Give the hobby some more time. You are only on your second batch. I am in the middle of a real bad streak and I can't figure out the reason. I have been brewing for several years now and have made some incredible batches - but the last 5-6 have really sucked (except for my stouts).

Point is - keep trying. Yes, it is disappointing. But, in my view that is some of the fun of it - to try and learn from the process. I am hoping that once I find what is causing my current issue, I can come out a better brewer in the end.

Keep on brewing.

Oh, and skip the Mr. Beer kits. Go and get a quality kit from a reputable vendor.

 

[Merleti]

I'm sure there are many reasons that this can happen. For me I was so afraid of getting to much oxygen when bottling that I didn't stir the priming sugar enough. The first case fiff the second poop with beer all over. If you love the hobby just remember perfection will always be your desire. If you thought you were perfect when you first started to walk then there is no hobby for you.

 

[KartRacer54]

Al of the comments apply. I have brewed 60 gallons this year starting inMarch. Went through a time when four of five batches were undrinkable. With help from the vendor ( northern) and people on forums I was able to make better beer. Is it the best it can be? Certainly not but I am learning what different situations create. Temps are much more important than is let on. Sanitation and water can completely ruin your efforts. Keep researching and communication with people here and elsewhere in forums. You WILL be able to produce great beer! Also agree on using local brew shop or the folks at Northern, Midwest, Morebeer and other fine vendors. They all will help you through the learning curve. Cheers!


KartRacer
Sent from my iPad using Home Brew

 

[OHIOSTEVE]

3 weeks at 70 degrees...3 weeks at 70 degrees .... 3 weeks at 70 degrees ( channeling Revvy) until your beer has been in the bottle AT LEAST 3 weeks with 70 degree ambient temps do not ask why your beer is not carbonated.

 

[kh54s10]

Step it up a little. Get a better beer kit from one of the better online suppliers. I started with Northern brewer. It will require different equipment.

Others are; Midwest, Adventures in Homebrewing, Austin Homebrew, Williams... Do a search or look at the sponsors thread.

Mr. Beer is an entry level kit. Try something a little better and you will probably get better results.

 

[Singletrack]

Personally, I find that beers that don't meet my (high) expectations drive me to continue and enjoy this hobby. If I had brewed perfect beer from the start, I would have lost interest. I enjoy the challenge -- and the beer, of course.

So, I cannot relate. First, ask what you want out of the hobby. If it's just good beer, it's easier to buy it. (Maybe cheaper, too.)

If want to MAKE good beer, see the answers above.

 

[MaxStout]

The beer tastes good, but no head? And only 2 weeks in bottles? Let those bottles sit another couple weeks. You might be surprised.

Meanwhile, spend the $100 or so and get a good starter kit from Midwest, Northern, Williams, Morebeer, etc. Buy fresh ingredients, keep good sanitation, and watch those fermentation temps. You don't have to do AG yet. You can make dynamite extract beers.

Mr. Beer served a good purpose in that it helped you build the basics and learn a few things. With better gear and the knowledge you have, you will make a quantum leap forward. Don't give up.

 

[Luis]

Don't take it as disapointment, take it as a way to learn more about the variables and how to change them in order to have better results

 

[agrazela]

The sentiment above is nice (and true) but I have a different perspective to offer.

Seriously? You think spending a few Hours one day on a weekend using a kit beer and getting a sub par batch is a frustrating hobby?

Try road cycling. I trained (along with many, many other amateurs) 11 months a year for four years, 6 days a week in all weather, and never won a race (in road) though I did have fun. I am not in the minority on not winning, either. It's hard. Now I am nursing an injury (labral tear of the hip) and trying to recover and brewing beer in the meanwhile to stay busy. This doesn't even account for my other cycling related surgery.

Point is, cheer up, mate! It's beer! If the one you make sucks, try again and go pick up a six of your favorite. Not all hobbies are so low risk for great reward.

Realizing there may be a dark, frustrating side somewhere in homebrewing,

Jason

The take home message I get from this is: f**k exercise, make beer! :cross:

 

[dlaramie08]

Also, it is a Mexican cerveza kit, can't have too high expectations. Most likely you were looking for that crisp taste of a lager and what you made was most likely an ale with a warm fermentation.


Sent from my iPhone using Home Brew

 

[Hoosierbrewer]

There is no failure only actions and results. It is a great thing to remember in all aspects of life

 

[RM-MN]

I just opened he first bottle of my second batch and the disappointment is real. When I poured it, it had absolutely no head on it, I was ready to take pictures and can't even post them. It is carbonated with bubbles streaming up from the bottom but no head at all. It tastes fine but nothing great. I used a mr beer Mexican cerveza kit so that may have been my problem but it's just very disappointing. I bottled about two week ago. Any help would be great.

Any trace of soap or detergent anywhere in your brewing system will absolutely kill the head on the beer. I had the problem when I didn't get my bottles rinsed well enough and got 2 batches before I (with some help here) figured out where the problem was. Your serving glassware is the most likely suspect, especially if you washed them in a dishwasher with an anti-spotting agent. Wash your beer glasses by hand and rinse them well.

 

[Hoosierbrewer]

Any trace of soap or detergent anywhere in your brewing system will absolutely kill the head on the beer. I had the problem when I didn't get my bottles rinsed well enough and got 2 batches before I (with some help here) figured out where the problem was. Your serving glassware is the most likely suspect, especially if you washed them in a dishwasher with an anti-spotting agent. Wash your beer glasses by hand and rinse them well.

Great point. Cold glasses may do it also. I freeze my glasses. I actually gave up worrying about head when I got married.

 

[bford]

My first three or four beers were all mediocre at best.... using my own tap water... not controlling ferm temps enough...


But man.... I'm much further along now... and the results are showing... my beers are turning out good to great.... but now I use great water and I have an easy way to control ferm temps...

It gets better. Maybe look into BIAB. Doesn't require a huge investment in equipment...

 

[Yooper]

I have a friend who loves her Mr. Beer and the beer that comes out of it. She's happy with it, and there are others that are also.

Mr. Beer is easy to use, and that really is the point of it. It makes a drinkable beverage that is simple, and that is what makes her happy. For me, though, I don't think the beer is even of average quality and I don't like it so it didn't make me happy when I bought one. I don't mean to run down Mr. Beer- some people are happy with them and in a few weeks we'll have a ton of new brewers on this forum who received Mr. Beer for Christmas- but the quality of a beer is only as good as the ingredients going into.

I consider a "tier" of ingredients for beginners, sort of like this (compared to cooking):

Mr Beer/Beer Machine: Canned spaghetti sauce
Extract beer/hops made fresh: Jarred spaghetti sauce
Extract beer made with specialty grains or partial mash: homemade spaghetti sauce


When I was in college, canned Hunt's spaghetti sauce was just fine. Easy, cheap, and edible. That's how I think of Mr. Beer- it may be easy and drinkable and some people will be happy with that.

It sounds like you are disappointed in the quality of the Mr. Beer kits' ingredients. The size is a nice sized fermenter, so if you want to step it up a bit you can buy some extract, grains, hops, and yeast (we can help you with what you need, and how to do it), and use that fermenter from the Mr. Beer set up to make a much better beer when you are ready.

 

[eadavis80]

Yeah, another week and I bet they'll carb up some and remember - pretty much everyone on here will tell you beers taste better 2-3 weeks after having been fully carbed than they do only 3 weeks after bottling. Brewing teaches patience if nothing else. Hang in there!

 

[Hoosierbrewer]

I have a friend who loves her Mr. Beer and the beer that comes out of it. She's happy with it, and there are others that are also.

Mr. Beer is easy to use, and that really is the point of it. It makes a drinkable beverage that is simple, and that is what makes her happy. For me, though, I don't think the beer is even of average quality and I don't like it so it didn't make me happy when I bought one. I don't mean to run down Mr. Beer- some people are happy with them and in a few weeks we'll have a ton of new brewers on this forum who received Mr. Beer for Christmas- but the quality of a beer is only as good as the ingredients going into.

I consider a "tier" of ingredients for beginners, sort of like this (compared to cooking):

Mr Beer/Beer Machine: Canned spaghetti sauce
Extract beer/hops made fresh: Jarred spaghetti sauce
Extract beer made with specialty grains or partial mash: homemade spaghetti sauce


When I was in college, canned Hunt's spaghetti sauce was just fine. Easy, cheap, and edible. That's how I think of Mr. Beer- it may be easy and drinkable and some people will be happy with that.

It sounds like you are disappointed in the quality of the Mr. Beer kits' ingredients. The size is a nice sized fermenter, so if you want to step it up a bit you can buy some extract, grains, hops, and yeast (we can help you with what you need, and how to do it), and use that fermenter from the Mr. Beer set up to make a much better beer when you are ready.

All grain is easier than many think. I only did 5-6 extract batches. All grain for over 12 years now

 

[ericbw]

Don't feel the need to jump to all grain or larger batches. Hack the mr. Beer kit and it will be better.

Find an extract recipe with steeping grains and hops. Cut it in half and make it in mr. Beer. Ferment 3-4 weeks instead of 1-2. Bottle and wait 2-3 weeks.

Mr beer equipt is basic, but works well.

 

[drunken_snail]

I had that a little while ago, my bottles didnt carbonate as well as i wanted. id left them in cupboard and it had been cold in my house while i was away at work, so i put them back into the ferment fridge and cranked up the heat for a week. All good now.

 

[brewshki]

I really appreciate all the replies. I didn't mean to come off as whiny as I did. I guess it's just a learning curve I need to accept and understand that one step in learning could take a few
Months to ferment (see what I did there). I'm going to a lhbs today and getting some ingredients to add to a kit I already have. I really love the idea of constant improvement and the minute changes this hobby can create. It's just frustrating when it doesn't go right but you don't know why. And you don't have someone to teach you. I think I need to understand I can post places like here and get that guidance.

I actually built a fermentation chamber that kept the beer and the same constant temperature during the fermentation process. I will let the rest sit another week and see what happens. I knew I wasn't going to get great beer, I just want it to look like it is trying haha.

This all really helped though, thanks for setting me straight.

 

[brewshki]

Any trace of soap or detergent anywhere in your brewing system will absolutely kill the head on the beer. I had the problem when I didn't get my bottles rinsed well enough and got 2 batches before I (with some help here) figured out where the problem was. Your serving glassware is the most likely suspect, especially if you washed them in a dishwasher with an anti-spotting agent. Wash your beer glasses by hand and rinse them well.

This could be part of it. I definitely wash all the bottles and my fermenter with soap before rinsing a lot and then sanitizing.

 

[brewshki]

I have a friend who loves her Mr. Beer and the beer that comes out of it. She's happy with it, and there are others that are also.

Mr. Beer is easy to use, and that really is the point of it. It makes a drinkable beverage that is simple, and that is what makes her happy. For me, though, I don't think the beer is even of average quality and I don't like it so it didn't make me happy when I bought one. I don't mean to run down Mr. Beer- some people are happy with them and in a few weeks we'll have a ton of new brewers on this forum who received Mr. Beer for Christmas- but the quality of a beer is only as good as the ingredients going into.

I consider a "tier" of ingredients for beginners, sort of like this (compared to cooking):

Mr Beer/Beer Machine: Canned spaghetti sauce
Extract beer/hops made fresh: Jarred spaghetti sauce
Extract beer made with specialty grains or partial mash: homemade spaghetti sauce


When I was in college, canned Hunt's spaghetti sauce was just fine. Easy, cheap, and edible. That's how I think of Mr. Beer- it may be easy and drinkable and some people will be happy with that.

It sounds like you are disappointed in the quality of the Mr. Beer kits' ingredients. The size is a nice sized fermenter, so if you want to step it up a bit you can buy some extract, grains, hops, and yeast (we can help you with what you need, and how to do it), and use that fermenter from the Mr. Beer set up to make a much better beer when you are ready.

deal haha. i need some help then. I was planning on going to and LHBS today and just figuring it out but now I am thinking I will come up with a plan and go tomorrow or sometime this week. I was originally given the mr beer kit for my birthday in september and i was given two refills. I now have an additional mexican cerveza and what they call a vienna lager. I would like to use one of those as a base simply not to be wasteful. Which do you think would be best to start with? what should i go ahead and buy to help make it better? I'm a little worried that both are lagery and i doubt the yeast they come with work for that. any help would be great. taking that frustration and using it to be productive!

 

[ericbw]

deal haha. i need some help then. I was planning on going to and LHBS today and just figuring it out but now I am thinking I will come up with a plan and go tomorrow or sometime this week. I was originally given the mr beer kit for my birthday in september and i was given two refills. I now have an additional mexican cerveza and what they call a vienna lager. I would like to use one of those as a base simply not to be wasteful. Which do you think would be best to start with? what should i go ahead and buy to help make it better? I'm a little worried that both are lagery and i doubt the yeast they come with work for that. any help would be great. taking that frustration and using it to be productive!

I don't think you can/should add too much to those kits. They're already made so that you can make them with a short boil and the bitterness will be where it should for the recipe.

I would change the yeast out, though.

 

[MVKTR2]

Confucius say ...

There is no failure only actions and results.

 

[MVKTR2]

I've been there for money reasons; having everything I needed for kegging except for taps and not being able to get around to it financially or find the time to bottle because of family obligations during some dark times. Very frustrating. However like others have said, HBing isn't exactly a hard thing.

My advice is stick with the Mr Beer fermenter but switch to better ingredients and pay more attention to fermentation temps. Basic Brewing Video did an episode or 2 on using Mr Beer. They were Jan/Feb episodes geared toward making good beer with Mr Beer, well worth your time if you care about improving your brewing experience.

 

[MVKTR2]

I'll add there are very few things necessary for good beer:
1-Sanitation (the pros say brewing is 90% cleaning)
2-Fermentation temp control
3-Proper yeast pitching rate
3-Decent ingredients
4-PATIENCE. Not because you're need it to deal with frustration but because most new brewers want to drink the beer too soon, move the beer to secondary too soon, etc.

RDWHAB

 

[Hoosierbrewer]

Extract with grains improves immensely over mr beer. It is closer to craft brew. I found that my beers would be a little darker than I expected with extract, but I trfied a Kolsch which is light. Even with extra light dme it was darker than style. It was tasty though.

 

[Hoosierbrewer]

Just a thought. I am adopting a new brewer here in Muncie IN. Create a thread asking to brew with someone in your area. A lot of us learned the hard way while craft beer was still young. Heck I did not know about this site until probably 2005. I still use resources on here if I am not sure or want advice.