Questions about Mr Beer brewery kit

[Scott Miller]

I got a Mr Beer kit for X-mas, as I like to drink beer, I personally have no preference (favorite?) beer, I enjoy the different styles and flavors and understand what makes beers different.

If your not familiar with these kits, they're a 2.5 gallon plastic fermenter, with vents in the top cap to leak pressure out the threads,the brew ingredient kits come with a can of LHE and 2 cups of basically refined corn sugars,(cans of LME can be used instead). Sanitize everthing, stir the sugars into cold water, boil it, remove from heat, add the LHE, pour cold water into the fermenter, then put the wort into the fermenter, top off with cold water to the proper level.add dry yeast packet.stir.

I did this once and it didnt turn out bad, It was definately beer, albeit lacking some in the full on flavor it leads you to believe your going to be getting.

So what kind of tricks can I try the next time I use it? I know I should use LME. Is there anything that I can purchase at the local store that will add malt? theres no homebrew stores around here.
Should all the wort be boiled, then cooled?
Should I cap it better and use a good airlock like a bubbler?
Should I find something for a secondary fermenter?

I'm already drooling over that kit that northern brewers got with the glass carboys. But I'm going to practice a few times with this thing, so if anyones got any ideas....

[danno]

Scott, welcome!! a lot of people (but not me) got started in this hobby with a Mr. Beer kit, and you pretty much identified it's issues. basically, replace the sugar with DME or LME, use real hops instead of a hop extract, get yeast with known manufacturing dates, and you'll be well on your way to making good beer.

I'll be the first to admit I can seem like a shill for Northern Brewer (http://www.northernbrewer.com/), it's my local HBS, etc, etc... but for a new kit, I really like what Midwest Supplies (http://www.midwestsupplies.com/) offers for a starter kit, including a video of what to do...

then, after that, there's full volume boils, wort chillers, kegging, all grain, competitions, building your next house around your brewery/bar, etc. etc. etc... welcome to the obsession! :D

[brewmonkey]

Welcome to the hobby, next thing you know you will be brewing a kick ass Saison!

[BrewDog]

Welcome-

I started out with Mr. Beer as a Christmas gift, too a couple of years ago. Here is a thread (http://www.realbeer.com/discussions/showthread.php?s=&threadid=3770&highlight=Beer+Machine) that I recommend you should check out. It talks about the Beer Machine as well as my experience with Mr. Beer. You are thinking along the right lines. It can be greatly improved upon.

To get better results from a Mr. Beer kit:
1) Before doing anything else, READ, READ, READ. Palmer's online book (http://www.howtobrew.com/intro.html) Is IMO, the best place to start.
2) You should definitely skip the "Booster", and go with more LME (or DME).
3) You can easily steep specialty grains to add flavor and aroma to your beer.
4) You can add additional hops to it.
5) Let it sit in the little primary fermenting "keg" for no fewer than 10 but no more than 14 days. Then let it bottle condition for a minimum of 3 weeks. Patience, Grasshopper.
6) Move up to 5 gallon batches (and secondary fermentation, etc). You will not regret it.
7) Keep coming to this site. Newbies are most welcome and you'll find the answers you seek.

HTH-

[brewmonkey]

5) Let it sit in the little primary fermenting "keg" for no fewer than 10 but no more than 14 days. Then let it bottle condition for a minimum of 3 weeks. Patience, Grasshopper

Something to help along with that first batch anxiousness is to hit your local beer store and get yourself a nice selection of beers to determine your next brew and to orient yourself to what is out there. A good site to hit is www.bjcp.org for learning about the beer styles as well for each style they list classic examples.

If you see a beer you would like to try but cannot find hit the swap meet (http://www.realbeer.com/discussions/forumdisplay.php?s=&forumid=16) and post what you are looking for and someone should be able to help out.

[Scott Miller]

Whew! I thought I'd be cut to shreds by you guys for using a Mr. Beer:D

Thanx for the link's, about the beer machine and Palmers book on brewing. That should help out nicely.

Did ya ever stop and think about all those glass bottles you threw away before? I've started a solid diet of sam adams, the bottles are brown and recappable, and the box is heavy duty.

[BluesHarp]

Originally posted by Scott Miller
Whew! I thought I'd be cut to shreds by you guys for using a Mr. Beer

Not a chance...everybody starts somewhere.
Now if you were asking for a Miller Lite recipe to make in it, then there might be an issue...;)

Welcome to the board...you will learn more than you ever wanted to know about beer and brewing (and occasionally other far sillier topics!)

[brewmonkey]

Brush up on your Monty Python as well!

[BrewDog]

Or else you will be turned into a Newt!

[Dartgod]

Originally posted by BrewDog
Or else you will be turned into a Newt!
A newt?

I got better.

[Scott Miller]

Well I went through the Yahoo Yellow pages and actually found a brewing supplies store thats only about 30 miles away.
www.titgemeiers.com
When I get a chance to go, I'm going to pick up some DME or LME. They carry Muntons- there a good brand right?
I might also get a small glass carboy for a second fermenter, and some good yeast.

Oh who am I kidding I'm going to blow my whole paycheck there.

:D

[axis714]

Blowing paychecks on beer? Ive never heard of such a thing:confused:

[Chefasaurus]

Heh... the obsession begins!


Soon, you'll be like some of us, who completely overrun the entire house with beer brewing stuff. There's carboys, bottle brushes, bottle caps, and everything else in different rooms of my house. Eventually, the whole apartment will become one big brewhouse!