time to upgrade from mr.beer

[superrican]

after many succesfull mr.beer brews , i want to take on the next step , i have a few questions with the wort process, with mr.beer its in a can pretty much dummy proof ready .... so can anybody explain what mash and extracting is / differences ? and what would be an easy but not mr.beerish easy method of stepping it up ..

 

[Hokie_Brewer]

http://www.howtobrew.com/intro.html

 

[Weizenwerks]

Extract means the mash has been done for you. You are taking the concentrated wort sugars and boiling them to mix and sanitize it. Hops are boiled along with it, then fermented, and bottled when ready.

In all grain, you use crushed grain soaked in water for an hour or so, drain the grain, rinse, and there's your wort. Boil, add hops, ferment, bottle.

All grain you make the sugars that make the wort. Extract you take sugars already made for you and make the wort. Extract eliminates a step.

When you get into extract and all grain brewing, there is so much going on in the boil. I suggest you start with extract brewing, get your process down, then go all grain if that's your thing. There is so much to learn about the three phases of making beer (boil, fermentation, yeast) you don't need to complicate it with going all grain from the start.

 

[Yooper]

I think a logical procession from mr. Beer would be an extract kit with specialtry grains. Those kits all make 5 gallon batches. They have some "Brewer's Best" kits which are pretty good (if you get them fresh), or you can try some of my favorite kits from austinhomebrew.com. Here: http://www.austinhomebrew.com/index.php?cPath=178_452_43&osCsid=ba0cee1b8aec8d502803526329e01ba6 I've done the Fat Tire, the Pete's Wicked, and a few other "clone" kits. Make sure you get the "extract" kits, and they have steeping grains with them along with great instructions.

I like that they have hundreds and hundreds of choices, so you can make what you like. A couple of suggestions- stay away from lagers for the near future, and make ales; and get the dry yeast option until you're comfortable with yeast starters and handling liquid yeast.

 

[FromZwolle]

assuming that you've been brewing according to the mr. beer instructions/methods, i think the best step up from mr. beer should start with equiptment. you can keep brewing partial boils with all extract beers, but you should start fermenting in one container and bottling with a separate vessel. after that, go with the kits Yoop mentioned.

 

[superrican]

awesome , definitely clears things up . ya extract seems the best way till i get more exp , as im reading

 

[FromZwolle]

as long as the specialty grains are just steeping grain, it only adds about 20 minutes or so to the brew day. it's only when you have to mash something, that brewdays take 4+ hrs.

Edit-Forgot to mention that it really is worth it to get some kind of steeping/flavor grains into the extract. My best shift in flavor/quality came when i went from all extract to recipes with some grain. it just adds a nice layer to the flavor that you can't get with extract alone.

 

[BaldManBrew]

I would recommend checking out Austin Home Brew, Northern Brewer, or Midwest Supplies. Their service is very good, and their instructions are even better than the Brewers Best. I Brewed a Brewers Best kit with a friend for his first time batch, and I was glad I was there because their instructions were vague in spots.

Austin Homebrew
Northernbrewer
Midwest Supplies

Those are direct links to their extract recipe kits.

PS. Austin is having a 20th Anniversary sale, their kits are just $20 for some of their most popular kits.

 

[Caboose]

I think a logical procession from mr. Beer would be an extract kit with specialtry grains. Those kits all make 5 gallon batches. They have some "Brewer's Best" kits which are pretty good (if you get them fresh), or you can try some of my favorite kits from austinhomebrew.com. Here: http://www.austinhomebrew.com/index.php?cPath=178_452_43&osCsid=ba0cee1b8aec8d502803526329e01ba6 I've done the Fat Tire, the Pete's Wicked, and a few other "clone" kits. Make sure you get the "extract" kits, and they have steeping grains with them along with great instructions.

I like that they have hundreds and hundreds of choices, so you can make what you like. A couple of suggestions- stay away from lagers for the near future, and make ales; and get the dry yeast option until you're comfortable with yeast starters and handling liquid yeast.

I want to thank you for posting this link to Austin Supply. I have been using Brewers Best, which are great, but I have been wanting to make some Dog Fish, or Stella...hell even a Fosters (Im an Aussie) but couldnt find anything without starting an All Grain which Im not quite to that point yet.

 

[RM-MN]

I want to thank you for posting this link to Austin Supply. I have been using Brewers Best, which are great, but I have been wanting to make some Dog Fish, or Stella...hell even a Fosters (Im an Aussie) but couldnt find anything without starting an All Grain which Im not quite to that point yet.

Since you're an Aussie, check out the Brew in a Bag system developed in Australia. If you can bring a specific quantity of water (like 6 1/2 gallons) to a specific temperature (like 160 to 165F) and hold it you are ready to explore all grain. I started with smaller batches since I didn't really believe it could be so simple and I could then do them in the kitchen and it's been a great experience. I've done 3 half size batches now and I've hit the OG and FG right on the nose and I like the flavor too.

 

[Caboose]

I will definitely have to try that out!

 

[Bishop916]

My first experience outside of the Mr. Beer kits was brewing a 2.5 gallon Irish Red recipe I crafted using the web software @ Brewmaster's Warehouse. There are plenty of user-recipes there, you can pick and choose or make your own.

Moving on to the 5 gallon equipment really made the efforts of brewing worth it. I have cases of beer sitting around, and I have a kit to brew some time this week.

Any respectable LBHS will have extract recipe kits with grain.
Pick one up when you get your plastic carboy and bottling bucket.
Also, get an autosiphon; I speak from experience.