My first Mr. Beer batch... tastes funny

[Graffinius]

Hello all. This would be my first post on this forum regarding my first batch of beer. It's a Mr. Beer Pale Ale, and it's been in the fermenter for two weeks. I was going to bottle it today, and decided to taste a little of it first (as recommended by Drew from Cryptobrewology). It smells like beer, but tastes like wine and has a slight carbonation to it. Has it not fermented long enough? Is it screwed up? Is it supposed to taste like that?

Help me please

 

[hpz937]

it should be fine, flavors mellow out over time. Once you bottle it, let it sit for another 3 weeks and it should turn out well. Carbonation from bottling/kegging will also make it taste more like beer

 

[TipsyDragon]

RDWHASBB. Your beer is fine just green and flat. Let it sit one more week then bottle. Let it sit another 3 weeks and it should taste good. Also stick it in the fridge for a day or two before you open it. This lets the carbonation bond with the beer.

 

[Graffinius]

Great. Thank you! Should I let it condition outside of the fridge for 3 weeks?
Also, when I sanitize my bottles (half liter Grolsch style), should they be filled up all the way with sanitizer solution for ten minutes? Or will filling one, shaking the solution around for a few minutes, then pouring that solution into the next bottle work?

 

[Graffinius]

RDWHASBB. Your beer is fine just green and flat. Let it sit one more week then bottle. Let it sit another 3 weeks and it should taste good. Also stick it in the fridge for a day or two before you open it. This lets the carbonation bond with the beer.

Oh, so I should let it ferment for another week?

 

[tandersen123]

I got a mr.beer kit for xmas...was about to throw it out but what the heck. it tasted like miller highlife. I tossed it all. (and I went the loger femrention like it suggested to make it better)

 

[BrewinHooligan]

If you use the sanitizer that comes with the kit, let it sit full for the 10 minutes. I suggest getting some Star-San though, a quick swish and you are good to go... You can bottle now or let it sit another week, shouldn't matter too much. If it is the standard kit, it should be carbed after 3 weeks at temps of 70F or higher, but it will taste much better after a few months in the bottles, especially if you let it get too hot during fermentation. If you keep using the Mr Beer kits and using the Booster, do yourself a favor and add 1 pound of DME (dry malt extract) to the batch as this will make a far better beer.

 

[Graffinius]

UPDATE

So I let the beer ferment for another week, and I bottled it yesterday. It still tasted a little funny, kind of sour actually. I hope the batch isn't ruined...
Thank you for you advice !

 

[Pie_Man]

UPDATE

So I let the beer ferment for another week, and I bottled it yesterday. It still tasted a little funny, kind of sour actually. I hope the batch isn't ruined...
Thank you for you advice !

You may have a mild infection. I have a friend that does Mr.Beer and he had a similar result on his second batch. I blame it on the cleaner/sanitizer that comes with the kit. StarSan (don't fear the foam) is a much better product. Many of us use oxiclean free or PBW for cleaning equipment and Starsan for sanitization. Also, try not to scrub the Mr.Beer plastic fermenter in a way that causes scratches or microscratches. These scratches make it difficult to completely sanitize.

 

[DroolingNeoBrewery]

Hello all. This would be my first post on this forum regarding my first batch of beer. It's a Mr. Beer Pale Ale, and it's been in the fermenter for two weeks. I was going to bottle it today, and decided to taste a little of it first (as recommended by Drew from Cryptobrewology). It smells like beer, but tastes like wine and has a slight carbonation to it. Has it not fermented long enough? Is it screwed up? Is it supposed to taste like that?

Help me please

That sounds right.

Did you use the booster? If so its not going to have the body it would if you used the pale export UME or a bag of DME.

HME + Booster = 2 weeks
HME + UME/DME = 3 weeks

Also a lot of people even hard core Mr. Beer fans think the Mr Beer West Cost Pale Ale tastes funny. I have not noticed that personally but I have never followed the Mr. Beer recipe.

I had 2 cans of Mr Beer WCPA. With the first I used this recipe:

Amount Item Type % or IBU
500.00 gm Extra Pale Dry Extract (6.0 SRM) Dry Extract 40.7 %
550.00 gm Mr. Beer West Coast Pale Ale HME (5.0 SRM) Extract 44.7 % (add at flame out)
10.00 gm First Gold [8.50%] (20 min) Hops 21.9 IBU
180.00 gm Mr. Beer Booster (0.0 SRM) Sugar 14.6 %
1 Pkgs Cooper Ale (Coopers #-) Yeast-Ale

Est Original Gravity: 1.045 SG
Measured Original Gravity: 1.046 SG
Est Final Gravity: 1.011 SG Measured Final Gravity: 1.015 SG
Estimated Alcohol by Vol: 4.4 % Actual Alcohol by Vol: 4.0 %
Bitterness: 40.0 IBU Calories: 434 cal/l
Est Color: 6.2 SRM

This is an English style bitter, it tastes great but was a little green until 5 weeks. I fermented at 66F for 21 days and cold crashed for 7 days. Bottle primed with corn sugar (one large scope if you have the priming spoon for a 500 ml bottle)


Second can I used this recipe:

Amount Item Type % or IBU
500.00 gm Amber Dry Extract (15.0 SRM) Dry Extract 33.3 %
250.00 gm Extra Pale Dry Extract (6.0 SRM) Dry Extract 16.7 %
550.00 gm Mr. Beer West Coast Pale Ale HME (5.0 SRM) Extract 36.7 % (add at flame out)
10.00 gm Northern Brewer (Canada) [9.00%] (60 min) Hops 22.4 IBU
10.00 gm Fuggles [4.00%] (15 min) Hops 4.9 IBU
200.00 gm Turbinado (10.0 SRM) Sugar 13.3 %
9.00 L Kamloops, BC Water
2 Pkgs MB Dry Ale Brewing Yeast (Mr Beer #MB-Y15111 SKU#12000) Yeast-Ale

Beer Profile

Est Original Gravity: 1.060 SG
Measured Original Gravity: 1.060 SG
Est Final Gravity: 1.015 SG Measured Final Gravity: ???? SG
Estimated Alcohol by Vol: 5.8 % Actual Alcohol by Vol: ???? %
Bitterness: 43.5 IBU Calories: 569 cal/l
Est Color: 8.6 SRM

This is an and ESB. I fermented this for 28 days, I am currently cold crashing. Plan to bottle today or tomorrow. Smelled and tasted amazing, warm, and carmelly during the boil and while fermenting. I cannot wait to try this at bottling, and the finished product of course. I'm thinking I will batch prime with about 35 grams of Turbinado for a carb of 2.0 vols.

If you followed Drew's advise in the videos and on his website I'm sure your pale ale will be fine.


PS: Beer Smith is your friend

 

[DroolingNeoBrewery]

You may have a mild infection. I have a friend that does Mr.Beer and he had a similar result on his second batch. I blame it on the cleaner/sanitizer that comes with the kit. StarSan (don't fear the foam) is a much better product. Many of us use oxiclean free or PBW for cleaning equipment and Starsan for sanitization. Also, try not to scrub the Mr.Beer plastic fermenter in a way that causes scratches or microscratches. These scratches make it difficult to completely sanitize.

Unlikely that's just what Mr Beer tastes like at that point. It will bottled condition out.

 

[BrandonGilbreath]

I just tasted my first batch of American Pale Ale, and it had a "funny taste" to it. The flavor profile favored the hops, which tasted good, however, the beer was a little flat. I bottle conditioned for weeks after fermentation.

I think I will let it condition one more week in the bottles to see if the flavors balance out. Maybe this will yield more carbonation also?