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Hello, have recently started my third home brew of beer though my Mr. Beer kit and was wondering the possibility of brewing wine using the same process as mr beer states. It has a custom airlock lid they say took a while for them to fashion and master. It replaces the typical airlock idea and they recommend not altering it. I guess would only work the same way as a normal airlock. PLEASE HELP!
 
amoceri7 said:
Hello, have recently started my third home brew of beer though my Mr. Beer kit and was wondering the possibility of brewing wine using the same process as mr beer states. It has a custom airlock lid they say took a while for them to fashion and master. It replaces the typical airlock idea and they recommend not altering it. I guess would only work the same way as a normal airlock. PLEASE HELP!

I'm not sure what you want help with. We're all familiar with the pseudo-airlock Mr Beer uses, and as unconventional as it is, it still works....

If you're wondering if the airlock is ok for wine making, then the answer is yes. Several people on here, including Thwizzit have made a small batch of Edwort's famed Apfelwein in it.

Here's the thread on apfelwein, for the recipe...

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=14860

Obviously you'll have to scale down the amount of apple juice and corn sugar appropriately....I'm not sure how much corn sugar you'd use..maybe 3/4 of a pound? Thwizzy are you around? How much do you add?
 
Revvy said:
Obviously you'll have to scale down the amount of apple juice and corn sugar appropriately....I'm not sure how much corn sugar you'd use..maybe 3/4 of a pound? Thwizzy are you around? How much do you add?

Present and accounted for!

My Mr. Beer Apfelwein recipe was as follows

2 Gallons Mrs. Adlers All-Natural Apple Juice (Made from Fresh Apples, not concentrate, No Sugar or Preservatives added)

1/2 Gallon Langer's All-Natural Pomegranate/Blueberry Juice (No Sugar or Preservatives added)

1 1/4 Lb Dextrose (I think the 1/2 size recipe calls for 1 lb but I added a little extra)

5 Grams Cote de Blanc yeast
(I used Nottingham for my second batch)

1- Packet of Yeast Nutrient

I primed half the batch using the same measurements for priming beer
 
I'm in the process of brewing 3 gal. of MRB WCPA kit w/a can of Rasberry puree
in a 5 Gal. primary, and was wondering if there will be too much head space?

I am Going to use a Nottingham ale yeast in stead of the yeast provided, in hopes the there will be a good enough head of kreassen, that it wold push out the O2 out the air lock. And in a week or two transfer it to a 3 gal carboy to clear it for another two weeks before carbing & bottlingdoes this sound OK?

1-WCPA--------------2.3% abv
1-Pouch Booster---1.4% abv
1 can Ras. Puree---1.0% abv
Total---4.7% abv


Thanks
Jeffery

PS: will the extra 1/2 gal of water effect the % abv
 
jllund62 said:
I'm in the process of brewing 3 gal. of MRB WCPA kit w/a can of Rasberry puree
in a 5 Gal. primary, and was wondering if there will be too much head space?

I am Going to use a Nottingham ale yeast in stead of the yeast provided, in hopes the there will be a good enough head of kreassen, that it wold push out the O2 out the air lock. And in a week or two transfer it to a 3 gal carboy to clear it for another two weeks before carbing & bottlingdoes this sound OK?

1-WCPA--------------2.3% abv
1-Pouch Booster---1.4% abv
1 can Ras. Puree---1.0% abv
Total---4.7% abv


Thanks
Jeffery

PS: will the extra 1/2 gal of water effect the % abv

It'll be fine... Clearly you realize that this situation is not ideal.... And I suspect that you simply have a leftover MB kit, and will soon be making 5 gallon batches. To avoid oxidation in primary: LEAVE IT ALONE! Just leave the thing closed up for two solid weeks..... NO PEAKING! All will be just peachy.
 
Yep thats the plan !
then Two weeks in the 3 gal. secondary afterwords to clairify
will be ok too?
thanks,
Jeffery
 
Hello, I have began my cyser mead process (not so wine) and it is approximately 1.5 gallons cider, .25 gallons peach juice and all my my spices thrown in. i have added a red star champagne packet for 2 gal and have just one question. the recipe calls for 2 weeks primary and 3 to 6 months secondary. in the secondary process when it is re racked, do i filter the yeast out or let it continue in the secondary? im confused
 
I was given a pack of 6 cans of this mr beer stuff by a guy I met. He said he was given it but had no interest in brewing, then when I brought up the subject, he went and got it and just gave it to me, but I really have no use for it since it's pre-hopped extract right?

So anyone want it? Local pickup or if you pay shipping it's yours.
 
My first batch went well, but was just the simple irish stout pack. I stepped it up a notch and this is what I did:

RECIPE INCLUDES:
1 Can Whispering Wheat Weizenbier
1 Can Pale Export UME
1 Packet Dry Brewing Yeast (under lid of beer mix)
1 Packet One-Step™ Sanitizing Cleanser

YOU PR0VIDE:
1 Cup Honey
1 Cinnamon Stick
2 Cans Whole Cranberry Sauce (pureed)
2 Whole Allspice Berries
1 Jar Orange Marmalade (10 oz.)

----------

I bought a packet of pale ale yeast (11.5g) from the brewing supply store as I've heard MB yeast isn't good. I sanitized everything. I boiled the water, honey, cinnamon, allspice for 2 mins (as indicated in the directions). At this time I also threw in the MB yeast to kill it, since yeast is very cannibalistic and it will make good food for my pale ale yeast.

I removed from heat, added the orange marmalade and 2 cans of MB. I stirred until dissolved and poured it into my fermenter. I then poured in my 2 cans of cranberry sauce (pureed in my blender (which I sanitized). I then had to eyeball 2g of the 11.5g of yeast, but I'm pretty sure that I got close.

Now, I live in Phoenix so I keep my house at 76. I realize this is 1 degree hotter than the top range, so I bought a cheap white styrofoam cooler. I froze 2 water bottles, and was keeping the fermenter in the cooler with 1 water bottle (switched every 8 hours for a newly frozen one).

The next day, I have some gurgling out the top, which I've heard is normal, but to take some extra precautions I put it into an unused bathroom's bathtub. I filled the bottom of the cooler with water, and draped 2 towels over it (front side and back side - not over the lid). I also moved my temp to 74. I believe that it being 74, water, wet towels, 1 frozen water bottle, and the lid on in the dark should keep my fermenter at... 70 or so?

Well, I went in there today and it was leaking bad and hissing, so I released some pressure, and came back 30min later. It was worse, so I made a quick batch of sanitized water and removed the lid and cleaned the slits. 45min later, the top blew off. So I used the sanitized water and cleaned the rim and the lid again and placed it loosely on.

... sorry for long post, but any advice? how long should it ferment, is this normal, is my beer probably infected?
 
Antifreze said:
My first batch went well, but was just the simple irish stout pack. I stepped it up a notch and this is what I did:

RECIPE INCLUDES:
1 Can Whispering Wheat Weizenbier
1 Can Pale Export UME
1 Packet Dry Brewing Yeast (under lid of beer mix)
1 Packet One-Step™ Sanitizing Cleanser

YOU PR0VIDE:
1 Cup Honey
1 Cinnamon Stick
2 Cans Whole Cranberry Sauce (pureed)
2 Whole Allspice Berries
1 Jar Orange Marmalade (10 oz.)

----------

I bought a packet of pale ale yeast (11.5g) from the brewing supply store as I've heard MB yeast isn't good. I sanitized everything. I boiled the water, honey, cinnamon, allspice for 2 mins (as indicated in the directions). At this time I also threw in the MB yeast to kill it, since yeast is very cannibalistic and it will make good food for my pale ale yeast.

I removed from heat, added the orange marmalade and 2 cans of MB. I stirred until dissolved and poured it into my fermenter. I then poured in my 2 cans of cranberry sauce (pureed in my blender (which I sanitized). I then had to eyeball 2g of the 11.5g of yeast, but I'm pretty sure that I got close.

Now, I live in Phoenix so I keep my house at 76. I realize this is 1 degree hotter than the top range, so I bought a cheap white styrofoam cooler. I froze 2 water bottles, and was keeping the fermenter in the cooler with 1 water bottle (switched every 8 hours for a newly frozen one).

The next day, I have some gurgling out the top, which I've heard is normal, but to take some extra precautions I put it into an unused bathroom's bathtub. I filled the bottom of the cooler with water, and draped 2 towels over it (front side and back side - not over the lid). I also moved my temp to 74. I believe that it being 74, water, wet towels, 1 frozen water bottle, and the lid on in the dark should keep my fermenter at... 70 or so?

Well, I went in there today and it was leaking bad and hissing, so I released some pressure, and came back 30min later. It was worse, so I made a quick batch of sanitized water and removed the lid and cleaned the slits. 45min later, the top blew off. So I used the sanitized water and cleaned the rim and the lid again and placed it loosely on.

... sorry for long post, but any advice? how long should it ferment, is this normal, is my beer probably infected?
I had the same thing happen with that recipe. Only difference is that I was fermenting mine in a 3 gallon water jug with a carboy top and airlock. Blew the top off and made a mess all over the wall and ceiling. I've got another post in here previously about this. Apparently these 'blow offs' are fairly common. I put a blow off tube on mine for a few days until it settled down. I bottled it two and a half weeks ago so I'll put it in the fridge this weekend. I won't try it for at least another three weeks after that. Don't know if it was spoiled or not but don't see any reason to throw it out without trying it. I saw another post from someone who made this recipe and he claimed it was the best beer he ever had!
 
mmc said:
I had the same thing happen with that recipe. Only difference is that I was fermenting mine in a 3 gallon water jug with a carboy top and airlock. Blew the top off and made a mess all over the wall and ceiling. I've got another post in here previously about this. Apparently these 'blow offs' are fairly common. I put a blow off tube on mine for a few days until it settled down. I bottled it two and a half weeks ago so I'll put it in the fridge this weekend. I won't try it for at least another three weeks after that. Don't know if it was spoiled or not but don't see any reason to throw it out without trying it. I saw another post from someone who made this recipe and he claimed it was the best beer he ever had!

That's good news (as long as it didnt get infected). It's calmed down a lot now, no more bubbling over. Hopefully all goes well.

How long did you ferment yours for? I was thinking to do 3 weeks for mine (2+ to make sure its done so i dont get an overly fruity beer, and no more than 3 so I dont start getting bad tannin flavors.)

Also, what did you use to prime your bottles? regular sugar?

Thanks again! :mug:
 
Antifreze said:
That's good news (as long as it didnt get infected). It's calmed down a lot now, no more bubbling over. Hopefully all goes well.

How long did you ferment yours for? I was thinking to do 3 weeks for mine (2+ to make sure its done so i dont get an overly fruity beer, and no more than 3 so I dont start getting bad tannin flavors.)

Also, what did you use to prime your bottles? regular sugar?

Thanks again! :mug:
I fermented for 3 weeks. The first few batches I made, I added regular sugar directly to the bottle. Lately I've been batch priming with corn sugar, which is what I did with the Cranberry Maibock. I boil 1/3 cup corn sugar in 3/4 cup water. Add this mix to a second Mr. Beer keg, then rack the fermented beer into this keg with the corn sugar mix. Bottle from this second keg.

Just had a 'brew ha ha bock' and also a 'hop head red'. Not bad!
 
mmc said:
I fermented for 3 weeks. The first few batches I made, I added regular sugar directly to the bottle. Lately I've been batch priming with corn sugar, which is what I did with the Cranberry Maibock. I boil 1/3 cup corn sugar in 3/4 cup water. Add this mix to a second Mr. Beer keg, then rack the fermented beer into this keg with the corn sugar mix. Bottle from this second keg.

Just had a 'brew ha ha bock' and also a 'hop head red'. Not bad!

Note to readers,
:)

If you don't have a second mrbeer keg, you can still prime the "best way" like MMC described here, using a 2 or 3 gallon cooler. I posted about it a few pages back including a pic of the one I got at K-mart for under 10 bucks. You can also use it to do allgrain mashing in it as well....SO it's worth having one on hand.
 
Since the lid blew off the fermenting has really really slowed down. I'm worried that the yeast might be stuck to the top of the fermenter. is it ok to give it a quick barrel roll to get that stuff back into the wort?

or should I just leave it be?
 
Antifreze said:
Since the lid blew off the fermenting has really really slowed down. I'm worried that the yeast might be stuck to the top of the fermenter. is it ok to give it a quick barrel roll to get that stuff back into the wort?

or should I just leave it be?

Leave it alone! trust me there's plenty of yeast in there!
 
Has anyone ever used this portable kegging system called TAP A DRAFT ?
since I have limited space for storing a bunch of bottles, I was thinking about this system. come with 3-6L bottle (enough for a 5 Gal Batch), a tap and a box of 8 gm CO2 cartriges
http://www.northernbrewer.com/mini-kegs.html
Would like to know the Pros/cons about it.
Thanks, Jeffery
 
jllund62 said:
Has anyone ever used this portable kegging system called TAP A DRAFT ?
since I have limited space for storing a bunch of bottles, I was thinking about this system. come with 3-6L bottle (enough for a 5 Gal Batch), a tap and a box of 8 gm CO2 cartriges
http://www.northernbrewer.com/mini-kegs.html
Would like to know the Pros/cons about it.
Thanks, Jeffery

There's quite a few threads on here about The TAD systems.....I think there was a really good one on here last week or the week before....use the search function..

I know there's one thread here with a lot of really good practical advice...I've been reading them, because I've been considering getting the system....Maybe.
 
shafferpilot said:
Leave it alone! trust me there's plenty of yeast in there!

:ban:

sounds awesome. I'll leave it be. I'll be bottling May 14th. I dont have a 2nd mr. beer fermenter so I most likely will just be using sugar in the bottles.
 
I want to make a Ginger Ale usig WCPA
what is the best time to add the fresh ginger?
when I brew or in the fermenter?

Thanks
jeffery
 
jllund62 said:
I want to make a Ginger Ale usig WCPA
what is the best time to add the fresh ginger?
when I brew or in the fermenter?

Thanks
jeffery

Are you talking a beer or a softdrink?

If it's the beer...I make a ginger/orange Dortmunder, and I add my ginger (and my orange zest/peel) at 15 minutes, AND at again flameout. I usually use a couple of hopsacks....but I'm going to make it this weekend and just dump the additions in and strain after...

I know from the dortmunder that those 2 additions really bring the ginger through the beer.
 
Beer Of course!

recipe calls for:
1 Can West Coast Pale Ale
1 Pouch Booster *(i'm using 1/2)
1 Packet Dry Brewing Yeast (sub. Nottinghams ale )

YOU PR0VIDE:
2 Teaspoons Fresh Grated Ginger
1/2 Cup Brown Sugar *(I'm using 1 cup)

I'm will be using my MRB fermenter so it will a 2.5 gal batch I like your idea of the oreange zest.
so how much zest should I use, and I'll be using Nottinghams ale yeast.
Should I use 1/2 the yeast package or the whole pack?
and last thing is, this is a MRB kit so do i add all my first and boil 15 mins,
then at flameout add the WCPA exctract and extra zest?

thanks
Jeffery
 
jllund62 said:
Beer Of course!

recipe calls for:
1 Can West Coast Pale Ale
1 Pouch Booster *(i'm using 1/2)
1 Packet Dry Brewing Yeast (sub. Nottinghams ale )

YOU PR0VIDE:
2 Teaspoons Fresh Grated Ginger
1/2 Cup Brown Sugar *(I'm using 1 cup)

I'm will be using my MRB fermenter so it will a 2.5 gal batch I like your idea of the oreange zest.
so how much zest should I use, and I'll be using Nottinghams ale yeast.
Should I use 1/2 the yeast package or the whole pack?
and last thing is, this is a MRB kit so do i add all my first and boil 15 mins,
then at flameout add the WCPA exctract and extra zest?

thanks
Jeffery
Well for my five gallon batch of Ginger Orange Dortmunder I used approximately 2 ounces of Orange peels (I used a mixture of orange and clementines-the clementines smelled more "orangy"), one ounce of gingerroot (I used a potato peeler), and 2 whole cloves in a hopsack @ 15 minute.

At flameout I add another hopsack with 2 ounce of peels, 1 ounce gingeroot and 1 clove.
 
jllund62 said:
Thanks yet again Revvy
Souns tasty and not too difficult
God Bless
Jeffery

It's a great lawnmower beer- citrussy and somewhat spicy....Even my BMC drinking friends like it.

I'm brewing a new version tomorrow using Pilsen Extra Light Dme instead of the usual to see how it'll turn out.

My GF loves my orignal version, she's even cooked with it. There's a Shakespearian era dish that calls for a bottle of ale...She used this in it and it was amazing.

I have one version of it posted here http://hopville.com/recipe/2312/dortmunder-export/ginger-orange-dortmunder-god
 
Well first the recipe you found is for a Pilsner, Not an ale so it won't be similiar to what you're looking for.

Well the first challenge in recreating it in 5 gallon batches is that MR Beer uses Pre Hopped liquid malt extract, so figuring out exactly what they use is going to be difficult..

Obviously the easiest way would be to order 2 WCPA kits and make a double batch...but that would be more expensive and not as much fun to figure out :)

First thing is to look at the "numbers" for the wcpa.....it's on the website...

West Coast Pale Ale

Flavor: Balanced
Alc/Vol: 2.3%
SRM (Color): 3
IBU (Bitterness): 10


Alc/Vol -- Strength given in percent of alcohol by volume.

SRM -- Color based on Standard Reference Method, where as:
(fruits may give some additional color.)
- Golden Beers are between 0 - 6
- Amber Beers are between 7 - 12
- Dark Beers are 13 and over

IBU -- Shown in International Bittering Units, where:
- No bitterness 0 - 9
- Modest bitterness 10 - 19
- Noticeable bitterness 20 and over


Unfortunately they don't give OG and FG so it makes it more challenging....BUT we can still break down the recipe somewhat by what we do know....We have the Color, we have the bitterness and we have the ABV...so it is possible to break it down in brewing software, even a free one like beercalculus....

First there are Pre-hopped extracts made for 5 gallon batches that can be used and will be close in taste...thugh not perfect... Cooper's and John Bull have pre hopped extracts in 3.3 pound cans....but these are ranked in terms of color...like Light, Amber, etc....I'm assuming WCPA would use a light pre hopped extract....

Even better would be a recipe that is unhopped and you add the right hops...That's my goal for you...to get you to a standard beer recipe rather than a prehopped one, that way you can control it and fiddle with it, and even when you're ready you can convert it to all grain!

It's hard to figure out what bjcp style the beer is...Is it a california common, and hybrid americanized IPA, or Pale Ale? The Color is so light and the bitterness (the IBU's) is so light..It's hard to match it to a bjcp style.


The first step would be to compare it to a commercial example, then go from there...Does it taste like any of these?

Redhook Blonde, Catamount Gold, Widmer Blonde Ale, Coast Range California Blonde Ale, Fuller's Summer Ale, Hollywood Blonde, Pete's Wicked Summer Brew, Deschutes Cascade Golden ,Sierra Nevada Pale Ale, Stone Pale Ale, Great Lakes Burning River Pale Ale, Full Sail Pale Ale, Three Floyds X-Tra Pale Ale, Anderson Valley Poleeko Gold Pale Ale, Left Hand Brewing Jackman's Pale Ale, Pyramid Pale Ale, Deschutes Mirror Pond,Mendocino Red Tail Ale, North Coast Red Seal Ale, St. Rogue Red Ale, Avery Redpoint Ale, Anderson Valley Boont Amber Ale, Bell's Amber, Hoptown Paint the Town Red, McNeill's Firehouse Amber Ale,Genesee Cream Ale, Little Kings Cream Ale (Hudepohl), Sleeman Cream Ale, Liebotschaner Cream Ale (Lion Brewery), Dave's Original Cream Ale (Molson), New Glarus Spotted Cow Farmhouse Ale, Wisconsin Brewing Whitetail Cream Ale, Goose Island Summertime, Crooked River Kölsch, Harpoon Summer Beer, Capitol City Capitol Kölsch...

These are different commercial examples of Cream ales, Pale Ales, Kolsches, amber ales and hybrids...

If you can get me to a commercial beer that reminds you of it, I can get you to a 5 gallon recipe.... even a direct clone of one...

More likely we'll find 2 or three and cobble them together and plug the numbers in, and hit it pretty close...

I love beer detective work!!!!



Revvy, still trying to find one that is similar. I have tried several Pale Ales...from "Classic" to India to Sierra Nevade and a few others, even a Boch. None of them were even close. The pale ales were too spicy and/or bitter...to the point that it caught me by surprise since I thought they may taste something like the WCPA. I think the low IBUs on the WCPA is what made me like it...it was very smooth.

I am going to a brewery in the next couple of weeks and will be able to sample others.

Chris
 
oh, so I have an extra can of the High Country Canadian Draft and a booster pack. I don't feel like making it since i've never been a fan of pilsners esp one using a booster pack.

Anyone have a recipe where that is included?
 
hey my girl friend walked into the house today and handed me a mr beer.. so i figured hey lets make some beer... beer in 2 weeks sounds kinda sketchy... im not in a big hurry... i was wondering if someone could toss out a complete list of GOOD directions for the mr beer. it came with WCPA and i also have the irish stout... booster or dme? hopps? bottles? will old coke bottles work if properly sanitized? thanks in advance
 
alright.. well i went to the local store and got some dme... used that instead of the booster...followed the directions on here... it smelled like beer so i guess im on the right path... tucked the fermenter down in a closet temp was 73 degrees.. i will check it in about 2! after reading all this i have some realistic expectations.. just have to go get some coopers carb tabs.. thanks to all!
 
I've adopted a rule of thumb when making Mr. Beer recipes of 3 weeks fermenting, 3 weeks carbonating, and at least 3 weeks conditioning. Is 3 weeks carbonating a little bit overkill? Would 2 weeks be long enough? Just curious what others think.

Thanks
 
I've adopted a rule of thumb when making Mr. Beer recipes of 3 weeks fermenting, 3 weeks carbonating, and at least 3 weeks conditioning. Is 3 weeks carbonating a little bit overkill? Would 2 weeks be long enough? Just curious what others think.

Thanks

Usually regular gravity beers only need 3 weeks to carb and condition (it happens at the same time in the bottles.) So three in the fermentor and 3 in the bottles SHOULD be enough. Some styles need a little more bottle time...

Here's some good info...
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showpost.php?p=558191&postcount=101

(there's even a link to a nifty video.)
 
Usually regular gravity beers only need 3 weeks to carb and condition (it happens at the same time in the bottles.) So three in the fermentor and 3 in the bottles SHOULD be enough. Some styles need a little more bottle time...

Here's some good info...
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showpost.php?p=558191&postcount=101

(there's even a link to a nifty video.)
Great information, but now I'm confused (and I thought I was beginning to figure this out). What are the Mr. Beer instructions suggesting when they say "TIP: For best results allow to lager for at least 2 - 4 weeks."? I thought they were saying to refrigerate for 2 - 4 weeks after carbonating. After checking out the video, I'm wondering if the longer I leave the beer at room temperature the better it will be. If that is so, then does it only need a couple days in the frig simply to get it cold? Or does it continue to condition in the frig for however long it is left there? The batches I've made so far always seemed to get better the longer they were refrigerated.

Thanks for you help!
 
Great information, but now I'm confused (and I thought I was beginning to figure this out). What are the Mr. Beer instructions suggesting when they say "TIP: For best results allow to lager for at least 2 - 4 weeks."? I thought they were saying to refrigerate for 2 - 4 weeks after carbonating. After checking out the video, I'm wondering if the longer I leave the beer at room temperature the better it will be. If that is so, then does it only need a couple days in the frig simply to get it cold? Or does it continue to condition in the frig for however long it is left there? The batches I've made so far always seemed to get better the longer they were refrigerated.

Thanks for you help!

It will condition while in the fridge. It will also condition at room temp. Cold crashing the bottles for a few weeks slightly speeds up the process of letting the yeast and any remaining solids settle out. Just make sure they are fully carbed before chilling them. It's up to you to decide if you want the beer filling up a fridge for weeks, or just sitting in boxes leaving the fridge space for other beer that is ready to drink.
 
So I'm at Day 10 with my Cranberry Maibock. As I previously mentioned I had one blow off (Mr beer lid blew off), but havent had a problem since. I took the fermenter out of my cooler to view the activity level.

There are still some krausian on the top, but the whole surface isnt covered. The Beer is also very very cloudy. I can't see any bubbles coming up. Am I nearing the end of fermentation? I was going to bottle at day 17.

Normally I would just let it sit in there 3-4 weeks to be sure -but- I've read that with fruit beers you dont want them to sit too long (you will start getting tannin flavors). I have 2 cans of cranberries and a jar of orange marmalade in there.

Any thoughts?
 
So I'm at Day 10 with my Cranberry Maibock. As I previously mentioned I had one blow off (Mr beer lid blew off), but havent had a problem since. I took the fermenter out of my cooler to view the activity level.

There are still some krausian on the top, but the whole surface isnt covered. The Beer is also very very cloudy. I can't see any bubbles coming up. Am I nearing the end of fermentation? I was going to bottle at day 17.

Normally I would just let it sit in there 3-4 weeks to be sure -but- I've read that with fruit beers you dont want them to sit too long (you will start getting tannin flavors). I have 2 cans of cranberries and a jar of orange marmalade in there.

Any thoughts?

Can you lay your hands on a 3 gallon water jug or better bottle? I'd rack it off into a secondary for another couple of weeks to clear it....Heck even a 2 gallon container might work, since you have fruit in there, you probably have a big trub so there is probably a good amount of loss...
 
Can you lay your hands on a 3 gallon water jug or better bottle? I'd rack it off into a secondary for another couple of weeks to clear it....Heck even a 2 gallon container might work, since you have fruit in there, you probably have a big trub so there is probably a good amount of loss...

hmmm.... i could look into it. What benefit does this provide beside removing some haze? (I dont really care if its hazy - more worried about taste)

So, from my understanding, racking would be this:

Basically decant beer into 2nd container (gently) to leave sediment behind, add sugar/water solution to carb. Let that sit, then distribute into bottles?

I could grab this from my local brewing supply store: 3.5 Gallon Plastic Bucket (with lid and #2 stopper) $8.39
 
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