Okay guys i just bought a Mr.beer kit. The kit makes beer from malt extract. It also has something they are calling a 'booster'. My question is will this kit make decent beer? And do i always have to buy the malt extracts from mr.beer? What type of extracts should i buy liquid etc. The kit i had only had a liquid malt extract (came with a tiny package of yeast) and a booster kit, along with a sanitizer but that is self discribbing. The plan is too make a type of beer that will at the very least resemble budweiser (american) in both taste and alchol content. can this be achieved with this kit? Thanks and look forward to being part of this community.
Mr.beer
- Thread starter JaZy84
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AHammer16
Well-Known Member
Welcome to the forum!
The kit will make decent beer. I suggest you get a brewing book like the complete joy of homebrewing. You can get them on amazon or other sites new and used for a pretty good price. The books out ther make great reading and a excellent refrence source for recipies and basic techniques.
Some people stick w/ malt extract only and then progress to more complex methods i.e. mini mashes and all grain. Mr beer is great for a beginner like you and me. The kits from Mr. Beer are fine but you can buy better quality ingred. from you local Home brew store. Mr beer kits are pre measured for the small batch size of the fermenter. Malt extract comes on 2 forms Dry (dme) and liquid(LME). The liquid extracts come in many diffrent "flavors" i.e. darkness, location of the growing region, type of grain used and pre hopped. The dry malt is the same except they dont come pre hopped.
If you enjoy the hobby consider buying a starter kit form your local Home brew store(HBS) so you can brew 5 gallon batches.
It doesn't make sense to make a bud like product because you can buy it cheaper than you can make it. I'm sure you can buy a mr beer kit that is light in color and flavor.
I will let he others comment on recipies for what you would like to make.
The kit will make decent beer. I suggest you get a brewing book like the complete joy of homebrewing. You can get them on amazon or other sites new and used for a pretty good price. The books out ther make great reading and a excellent refrence source for recipies and basic techniques.
Some people stick w/ malt extract only and then progress to more complex methods i.e. mini mashes and all grain. Mr beer is great for a beginner like you and me. The kits from Mr. Beer are fine but you can buy better quality ingred. from you local Home brew store. Mr beer kits are pre measured for the small batch size of the fermenter. Malt extract comes on 2 forms Dry (dme) and liquid(LME). The liquid extracts come in many diffrent "flavors" i.e. darkness, location of the growing region, type of grain used and pre hopped. The dry malt is the same except they dont come pre hopped.
If you enjoy the hobby consider buying a starter kit form your local Home brew store(HBS) so you can brew 5 gallon batches.
It doesn't make sense to make a bud like product because you can buy it cheaper than you can make it. I'm sure you can buy a mr beer kit that is light in color and flavor.
I will let he others comment on recipies for what you would like to make.
Genghis77
Well-Known Member
If nothing else, Mr. Beer has got a lot of people started at brewing. It makes decent beer and does so easily. But, if it takes hold of you, you will soon be buying a bucket/carboy system. If you really get hooked, probably onto all grain. Yes, you can use other sources of ingredients which will give you a much broader variety. And you will find them more economical. But, have to cut them in half. Could be wrong here, but I think their Booster is just corn sugar. I would recommend using that instead of table sugar in their recipes. Check the Morebeer and Midwest brew sites and you will find 5 gallon all extract makings that are darn near as cheap as the 2 gallon from Mr. Beer.
.......and so another is born! 
jettaman
Well-Known Member
My very first batch was made with Mr. Beer. It made a very nice pale ale. I added a wee bit of extra sugar to boost the alcohol content.
I would definitely recommend the Complete Joy of Homebrewing (aka the Bible). If you're looking it up by author it's by Charlie Papazian. I've learned a great deal from it. I've learned a lot from this forum as well. Welcome!
I would definitely recommend the Complete Joy of Homebrewing (aka the Bible). If you're looking it up by author it's by Charlie Papazian. I've learned a great deal from it. I've learned a lot from this forum as well. Welcome!
JaZy84
My Two penneth worth.
Mr beer kits are great for brewing smaller amounts of beer, building up your confidence, allowing you to experiment and not having to buy extra kit.
I'd suggest doing a kit as per instructions to see how easy it is and let you see the base results.
After you've done one or a few kits then think about this. A can of Mr beer extract is around 400g and you get 500g of sugar (booster) For the same money you can get a normal 900g can of extract so you can do an all malt kit with no sugar.
The next step is to then get yourself a 2.5 gallon plastic tub and lid with a airlock fitted and after the 7 days in the Mr Beer kit, let the beer sit for 2 weeks in the "Secondary" container before priming and bottling. You'll see an improvment for it. (You can always pour it gentely back into the cleaned and sterilized Mr Beer Keg to help you bottle it)
But when it comes down to it, if you're happy with the results from the Mr. Beer kit and don't feel the need for better or larger quantities of beer then stick with the kit.
Happy brewing.
My Two penneth worth.
Mr beer kits are great for brewing smaller amounts of beer, building up your confidence, allowing you to experiment and not having to buy extra kit.
I'd suggest doing a kit as per instructions to see how easy it is and let you see the base results.
After you've done one or a few kits then think about this. A can of Mr beer extract is around 400g and you get 500g of sugar (booster) For the same money you can get a normal 900g can of extract so you can do an all malt kit with no sugar.
The next step is to then get yourself a 2.5 gallon plastic tub and lid with a airlock fitted and after the 7 days in the Mr Beer kit, let the beer sit for 2 weeks in the "Secondary" container before priming and bottling. You'll see an improvment for it. (You can always pour it gentely back into the cleaned and sterilized Mr Beer Keg to help you bottle it)
But when it comes down to it, if you're happy with the results from the Mr. Beer kit and don't feel the need for better or larger quantities of beer then stick with the kit.
Happy brewing.
Like was said before, There are many other extract kits that may be better then Mr. Beer , but it willl get the job..... But..Why do you want to make Budweiser ??? The Journey begins!!!!
Drinking; Scottish Wee Heavy
Fermenting; Octoberfest
Drinking; Scottish Wee Heavy
Fermenting; Octoberfest
smorris
Well-Known Member
The wife got me a Mr. Beer a few years ago and it brewed acceptable beer and I started reading about the process and realized there was so much more that could be done. The following year she got me a 5 gallon setup and we haven't looked back. Save the Mr. Beer when you move up as it is good for making mead and yeast washing.
Nashbrew
Member
I was set on buying a Mr.Beer kit or a BeerMachine kit myself. But before doing that i found this forum and other things online about brewing, as i read and posted, most people convinced me that buying a starter kit and making it myself would be better. That is the advice i took. That was 3 weeks ago and i have definately learned a lot from the experience. I have 2 batches in the bottles and one in the fermentor bucket. Every monday i bottle a batch and cook a new one. 2 days from now my first batch will be at the earliest stage to finally try, i can't wait!! All of my beer kits have been Brewers Best namebrand, it is easy to do. I was real nervous at first to try it, but after you do the first batch, piece of cake. Buy a kit and make it yourself.
It does cost a little more than a Mr. Beer, but it makes twice as much and you can reuse the bottles once you spend the money on them. My kit was $99, it came with everything, including the beer kit and 2 cases of bottles. The only thing i had to buy was a pot,which i got at k-mart for $15. After the initial investment, your only cost after that each time is the beer kit, Brewers Best ranges around $25. And making it yourself from these beer kits,you have a lot more variety of flavors and styles to choose from rather than what only Mr.beer can offer. I advise to take the plunge like i did. Good luck.
It does cost a little more than a Mr. Beer, but it makes twice as much and you can reuse the bottles once you spend the money on them. My kit was $99, it came with everything, including the beer kit and 2 cases of bottles. The only thing i had to buy was a pot,which i got at k-mart for $15. After the initial investment, your only cost after that each time is the beer kit, Brewers Best ranges around $25. And making it yourself from these beer kits,you have a lot more variety of flavors and styles to choose from rather than what only Mr.beer can offer. I advise to take the plunge like i did. Good luck.
croba50
Well-Known Member
mr beer well yes we all may have started out that way or most of usJaZy84 said:
unless someone talk them out of getting mr beer , yes i was a mr beer starter as well the first batch i made with it well ok /drinkable vary different taste off taste.....
well i was told this by my home brew store start making real beer so i did.
now after 15 or so batches made i will stay with the 5 gal kits..............
i only make about 4 to 6 batches a year every one made -1 was vary good i sug. a full 5 gal kit to everyone with a mr beer mostget started makeing real beer.
God Emporer BillyBrew
Well-Known Member
The other thing about a Budweiser like beer is that it will be very hard to make taste very good with homebrewing techniques. Jim Koch was on the History Channel the other day praising Budweiser for their ability to make such a flavorless beer without any off flavors.
Thank you guys so much. I've got my mr. beer going been sitting there for 3 days now, if i just let the beer sit longer in the container would that achieve the secoundary container effect before priming. bottleing? Again thanks for all the insight now i just need to do some reading and experment
Not really,
The idea of moving to secondary is to get the beer of all the gunk (trub) at the bottom.
Don't worry about it, leave it the 7 days then prime and bottle it as per instructions. Leave it in the bottles for at least 10-14 days at room temperature then chill, sample and enjoy.
Don't forget to get your second batch going asap so you don't run out.
You'll need to get drinking some store boughts while you're waiting. You'll need the empty bottles.
The idea of moving to secondary is to get the beer of all the gunk (trub) at the bottom.
Don't worry about it, leave it the 7 days then prime and bottle it as per instructions. Leave it in the bottles for at least 10-14 days at room temperature then chill, sample and enjoy.
Don't forget to get your second batch going asap so you don't run out.
You'll need to get drinking some store boughts while you're waiting. You'll need the empty bottles.
Just for future reference. i'm going to bottle them in 8 quart containers (what comes with the kit) i'm going to wait about 10-14 days for the beer to be bottled from orginal day. now from my understanding before you bottle the beer you would add a certain amount of surgar as per what you will be bottling with. My instructions say that a quart/liter will need 2 teaspoons or regualy white table sugar. (if i'm not mistaken this it poured into the bottle before the other substance in the keg is poured in) If been reading that corn sugar is what i want to use. Should i do this? Also i was reading that sugar goes hand in hand with alchol content in the beer. I am used to drinking American beer which from my understanding doesn't have much % of alch. Now my question is what is the content of my beer that i'm making with the mr.beer will have, and how much or can i add sugar to make this number go alittle higher. I'm not wanting like 8-9% but something in the neighborhood of like 6-7% would be killer. Again thanks for all the assistance.
Sorry for shouting.
BUT DO NOT INCREASE THE AMOUNT OF PRIMING SUGAR IN THE BOTTLE!
You are right in what you say but adding the sugar in the primary will increase the ABV.
Theres nothing wrong with brews at 3.5 to 4.5% that's what most kits are designed to do. Taste and quality are the most important thing.
If you add more sugar to the bottle then all that will happen is more CO2 will be made and that can either be dangerous (exploding bottles) or annoying (Fizz fountains with no beer).
I'd just go as per instructions for this one, that way you know what the basic beer will taste like and you can learn an improve from there.
The reason some/most people don't use sugar is it can in some peoples opinion affect the flavour of the beer. Using corn sugar gets rid of the possibility, you need to use a tiny bit more. I think the best bet if you don't want to use sugar is to use DME (dried malt extract and increase the amount by 20%)
On the next kit If you want to increase the ABV then you could add say 200g of DME in with the MR beer ingredients. If you go to high on ABV the yeast can struggle.
BUT DO NOT INCREASE THE AMOUNT OF PRIMING SUGAR IN THE BOTTLE!
You are right in what you say but adding the sugar in the primary will increase the ABV.
Theres nothing wrong with brews at 3.5 to 4.5% that's what most kits are designed to do. Taste and quality are the most important thing.
If you add more sugar to the bottle then all that will happen is more CO2 will be made and that can either be dangerous (exploding bottles) or annoying (Fizz fountains with no beer).
I'd just go as per instructions for this one, that way you know what the basic beer will taste like and you can learn an improve from there.
The reason some/most people don't use sugar is it can in some peoples opinion affect the flavour of the beer. Using corn sugar gets rid of the possibility, you need to use a tiny bit more. I think the best bet if you don't want to use sugar is to use DME (dried malt extract and increase the amount by 20%)
On the next kit If you want to increase the ABV then you could add say 200g of DME in with the MR beer ingredients. If you go to high on ABV the yeast can struggle.
I beleve what the kit comes with the the liquid extract it was 500g i know that much came in a can. For the next batch should i buy another can from mr.beer and get the "booster" kit also or what would you recommend for using the same kit but a different extract/booster. What is the booster ? sugar? just wanting to see if i can save myself some money this way the beers are coming out to be about 10 dollars for 8 quarts. Thanks again.
JOHN51277
Well-Known Member
I started off with the Mr Beer kit and brewed the american light which was horrible the first few weeks, but after 3-4 weeks in the bottle they were great, and my friends who drink Buttwiper loved it. I added about 1 cup of orange blossom honey to the boil before pouring it into the 2.5 gal keg. I would advise if you are going to continue using the Mr Beer kit to get yourself another 2.5 keg from them for 10 bucks. which can act as your secondary. I brewed about 3-4 batches with this system and decided I wanted to expand my posibilities and flavors. I have been very happy with my 5 and 6 gallon ferment carboys. The Mr Beer kits are also made of plastic which will scratch and lend to the growth of bacteria, and wild yeasts. If you plan on doing this more and more, like alot of people on this forum I would definately reccomend a 5-6 gallon starter kit.
Of course this is just my opinion.
Of course this is just my opinion.
Genghis77
Well-Known Member
I would recommend buying some DME and adding somewhere around 2 to 2-1/2 pounds to the MrBeer mix (eliminating booster or sugar from their recipe). That should kick things up to the 6 or 7% ABV you are wanting. If you stick only to Mr. Beer, an additional 2 cans of their UME will up the cost of a batch quite a bit. Definitely, buy and add additional hops and switch to the Wyeast liquid yeasts or look into some of the other dry yeasts available. Bad thing in brewing only 2 gallons is that you will be running out about the time you begin to enjoy it.
Cheapest way is to buy a kit that is designed for 40 pints (requiring sugar etc.) but use it on it's own to make the 20 pints. It'll cost a bit less than the MR beer stuff, be stronger and better and easier to do.
Try one like that then the next one you could always add a little extra dme to boost the ABV and body.
https://secure3.nexternal.com/share...=516059517&ProductID=1267&Target=products.asp
Try one like that then the next one you could always add a little extra dme to boost the ABV and body.
https://secure3.nexternal.com/share...=516059517&ProductID=1267&Target=products.asp
if i purchase some DME from lets say that last site posted would it come with another set of instructions. or would i just bring water to boil (exclude the boost mixing) then mix in the DME then add to clean water in tank to being fermantation (as what i did per mr.beer instructions) and exclude the sugar? even when bottleing would i exclude the sugar? using the 2-2.5lb of mix as Gen recommended. and what is UME? DME i'm figured is Dry Malt Extract? UME is that the liquid version as what came with mr.beer. Thanks for all the help guys. sorry to be a pain
El Pistolero
Well-Known Member
Read How-to-Brew. That should be all the instructions you need to get started.JaZy84 said:
JOHN51277
Well-Known Member
UME is unhopped malt extract
Use the DME to replace the booster but I'd add 20% more because it's not fully fermentable. (Hence adding more body)
sudsmonkey
Well-Known Member
I, too, started with Mr. Beer. I now look at it as sort of a toy brewing setup. No offense, it's just small. Try it for a while to see if you like it, then get bigger if you want to.
The kit you have is a liquid malt extract that is hopped. The booster is, indeed , corn sugar, as you guessed. They also include a pacet of dry yeast with the kit. That is the most basic setup that I know of. The recipe book that came with the kit is also neat.
If you go to the local homebrew store, you can get all those ingredients there cheaper than you can buy them from Mr. Beer. You can buy kits that have hopped LME and yeast. You can add DME to increase alcohol content. You can Buy DME and add your own hops. You can make brewing as simple or complicated as you want to. Obviously, you'll get a better beer from the more complicated processes. The main thing is to have fun.
Work it man !
Sudsmonkey
The kit you have is a liquid malt extract that is hopped. The booster is, indeed , corn sugar, as you guessed. They also include a pacet of dry yeast with the kit. That is the most basic setup that I know of. The recipe book that came with the kit is also neat.
If you go to the local homebrew store, you can get all those ingredients there cheaper than you can buy them from Mr. Beer. You can buy kits that have hopped LME and yeast. You can add DME to increase alcohol content. You can Buy DME and add your own hops. You can make brewing as simple or complicated as you want to. Obviously, you'll get a better beer from the more complicated processes. The main thing is to have fun.
Work it man !
Sudsmonkey
I did my first 3 brews in one.
I'm going to chuck some bits in one in the morning. I want to see if I can get a drinkable english bitter out of one in 2 weeks.
One week in the keg and a week in the bottle.
I'm going to use .9kg of pale unhopped LME with 1 gallon of water do a 60 minute boil with 3 hop additions for bitterness flavour and aroma. I'll add 1 gallon of bottled water to the keg then add the boiled wort and pitch with dried nottingham english ale yeast straight from the pack. Leave for 7 days and I'm going to try bottling in 2l soda bottles.
I'm tempted to do away with thermometer and hydrometer readings but I don't think I'll be able to.
Can any one suggest if it'd be worth steeping with crystal malt (how much)
I'm going to chuck some bits in one in the morning. I want to see if I can get a drinkable english bitter out of one in 2 weeks.
One week in the keg and a week in the bottle.
I'm going to use .9kg of pale unhopped LME with 1 gallon of water do a 60 minute boil with 3 hop additions for bitterness flavour and aroma. I'll add 1 gallon of bottled water to the keg then add the boiled wort and pitch with dried nottingham english ale yeast straight from the pack. Leave for 7 days and I'm going to try bottling in 2l soda bottles.
I'm tempted to do away with thermometer and hydrometer readings but I don't think I'll be able to.
Can any one suggest if it'd be worth steeping with crystal malt (how much)
Radarbrew
Well-Known Member
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I started with a 5 gal kit. Lots of water, a can of extract, a kilo of corn sugar. It was OK. I wound up doing an ingrediant kit with loose hops, grains, cheesecloth bags, and all that. Wow...what a difference. I will never go back to the one can method. But the disclaimer...it's all an experimental thing, get in and see what happens when you change it up a bit. Everybody starts somewhere. It's all good, and you get to drink your mistakes.
Anyhow. Just brew it....
Anyhow. Just brew it....
JaZy84 said:
Ok, I started out brewing with a mr beer kit. The booster is corn sugar. It will make a decent beer, yes, but better beers await once you get some brews under your belt. Dont rush it. As for the beer you want to produce, i think you would need to dabble into all-grain to do, because budweiser puts rice in the recipe to add cheap fermentable's and to raise the alcohol unless you get a light malt extract and add rice syrup to lighten the body, and raise the alcohol like budweiser. I think you really dont know what kind of good beer you can make yet. Once you get going, budweiser will taste like carbonated urine. Happy brewing
