| So you want to brew your own beer? It's easier | | | | Leaving your beer alone for at least two weeks in |
| than you think with a Mr. Beer Brewing Kit. The main | | | | the fermenter is critical to allow as much settling as |
| requirements are clean working conditions (very | | | | possible. You will bottle a clear beer, but there will still |
| important), following directions, and patience, | | | | be enough yeast remaining to produce sufficient |
| Patience, PATIENCE!! | | | | carbonation. |
| The first two requirements are critical, but if you | | | | As a result, after two weeks in the bottle you will |
| want a good, clean, tasty beer after spending the | | | | see a very light layer of sediment. The sediment was |
| time to brew it, you need to exercise patience. Yes, | | | | so miniscule in my final brews, literally just a dusting, |
| you can have home brewed beer in two weeks, but | | | | that I was able to enjoy a beer right out of the |
| I HIGHLY RECOMMEND You wait Four Weeks. Well, | | | | bottle! Of course, to fully appreciate your home |
| at least three and a half, that's how long I waited to | | | | brewed ale you should pour it into the proper glass. |
| try mine. :) | | | | Brewing with liquid extracts in general results in a |
| First, let's run through the brewing process and check | | | | very clear beer, with a fine layer of sediment at the |
| out the ingredients, instructions and equipment | | | | bottom. If you're seeing a thick bed of white |
| provided by Mr. Beer. | | | | schmutz on the bottom of your bottle, wait longer |
| My first Mr. Beer batch was the West Coast Pale | | | | before bottling next time. |
| Ale, one of their Standard Brew Packs. It included a | | | | I used standard 12 oz. pop-top bottles that I save |
| can of hopped liquid malt extract, a pouch of | | | | when I buy my favorite micro-brewed ales, but you |
| Booster(TM) (they can trademark Booster?) and a | | | | can pick up a Mr. Beer Deluxe Bottling System for |
| packet of dry brewing yeast. Don't panic like I did | | | | about $15. That system includes 8, 20 oz. plastic |
| when you discover that the yeast packets are not in | | | | bottles, so you'll have to buy two sets in order to |
| the shipping carton, they're conveniently stowed | | | | bottle your whole batch. You'd probably get about |
| under the plastic lid on each can of malt extract. | | | | 10-12 of those 20 oz. bottles filled, and have a few |
| The Boil... | | | | extras just in case (no pun intended). I got about 18 |
| The Mr. Beer brewing process will last approximately | | | | 12 oz. bottles out of my batch. |
| 15 minutes once the water is up to temp. Begin | | | | The Result... |
| heating the water and as it warms stir in and dissolve | | | | My final beer weighed in at around 3.3% just prior to |
| the Booster(TM), once it reaches a boil you can turn | | | | bottling. At first I thought something had gone wrong |
| off the heat and begin stirring in the malt extract | | | | but Mr. Beer states that the final ABV should be |
| (what they call the "beer mix") until it is fully | | | | around 3.7%, under optimum conditions. So I was |
| dissolved. | | | | close enough. |
| Why such a short boil? In extract brewing where | | | | The beer pours a nice pale golden color, has a nice |
| raw hops are added a full 60 minute boil is required | | | | malty nose and a smooth mouthfeel before giving |
| so the brewer can introduce specific amounts of | | | | way to a pleasant hop bitterness at the end. As it |
| hops along the way to achieve the desired result. In | | | | sat in the glass it became a little fuller in flavor, given |
| the case of the hopped malt extracts included with | | | | some time to "breathe." |
| the Mr. Beer ingredient kit this step is already done | | | | It did have that mild homebrewiness to it, but I find |
| for us, there is no need to do anything but fully | | | | that maximum time in the fermenter keeps that to a |
| dissolve the fermentables so the yeast has | | | | minimum by reducing the amount of trub the beer will |
| something to munch on to produce the alcohol. | | | | sit on in the bottle. |
| Once the sugars are all dissolved what you have is | | | | One disappointment was the rather short lived head. |
| called the wort, pronounced "wert." Next you will add | | | | I had to pour rather aggressively to acheive one in |
| your wort to the 4 quarts of cool water already in | | | | the first place, and it only lasted about 15 seconds. |
| the keg fermenter (follow the Mr. Beer directions). | | | | The carbonation is a bit inconsistent due to the |
| Add more cool water to bring it to the 8.5 quart | | | | addition of priming sugar to each bottle, in dry form, |
| mark. I suggest filtered tap water that has been | | | | prior to bottling. |
| cooled in the fridge, stir it up good. I put the cap on | | | | A typical priming situation involves dissolving dry malt |
| and sloshed it a bit back and forth too, but be | | | | extract or corn sugar into a small amount of water |
| careful, the cap is not air tight. Which brings us to... | | | | and stirring that solution thoroughly into the |
| Fermenting Mr. Beer... No Airlock? | | | | fermented beer before bottling, which results in more |
| Why is there no airlock on the Mr. Beer fermenter? | | | | consistent carbonation. |
| I'd like to address this because it may raise concerns | | | | One suggestion for priming with a Mr. Beer set up |
| among home brewers as an open door to | | | | would be to dissolve no more than 3/8 of a cup of |
| contamination. Two small notches in the lip of the | | | | priming sugar (you can use confectioner's corn sugar) |
| fermenter allow carbon dioxide gas to escape, which | | | | into 1 pint of hot water. Let it cool then divide evenly |
| creates a positive flow of of gas outward from | | | | among the bottles before bottling the beer, just |
| beneath the lid, for most of the fermentation | | | | about 1/2 ounce per bottle should do it. This will help |
| process. The big lid which screws onto the lip of the | | | | you get an even amount of priming sugar into each |
| fermenter provides adequate protection from foreign | | | | one, resulting in even carbonation. Better this than |
| material and any microorganisms that could potentially | | | | adding the dry sugar to each bottle and hoping it all |
| take up residence in the fermenting brew. | | | | dissolves into the cool wort. |
| Microorganisms don't fly around looking for stuff, and | | | | You can estimate how much to add by measuring a |
| they aren't going to slither up the side of your | | | | 1/2 ounce of water and seeing how far up it goes in |
| fermenter looking for a way in. If you're work area is | | | | the bottle, then just add this much of the sugar mix |
| clean, the fermenter is clean, you didn't get any | | | | to each bottle before adding the wort. It will mix as |
| nasties onto the lip of the fermenter, AND you leave | | | | the wort flows in, but feel free to swirl it a bit as it |
| it covered for the duration of fermentation, you'll be | | | | fills. By the way, you can trust my measurements, I |
| fine. NO PEEKING! | | | | did the math. :) |
| If you want to see what's going on in the fermenter, | | | | In Conclusion... |
| scale up and buy a glass carboy. The Mr. Brew | | | | I titled this post "Mr. Beer - Good Beginner Brewing |
| fermenting keg is dark brown for a reason, yeast | | | | Kit" but in fact it is a great kit to keep around and |
| works better in the dark. To make your yeast | | | | reuse, even for the more advanced brewer. The Mr. |
| happier yet, keep the fermenter in a dark location, | | | | Beer kit offers a quick, convenient, and virtually |
| and at a relatively consistent temperature, between | | | | hassle-free way to make very good tasting beer |
| 68-76 degrees F according to the Mr. Beer directions. | | | | over and over again. I highly recommend it for |
| Though I have successfully fermented brews at | | | | anyone who'd like to give home brewing a try, but |
| 65°, right around 70° is the standard. A | | | | doesn't know where to start. This is a great way to |
| slight drift high or low, by a couple of degrees, will | | | | get your feet wet, and learn the basics of the home |
| not mess things up. | | | | brewing process. |
| Bottling... | | | | |
