my brother gave me a kit. . Didn't have any ingredients, just a basic kit. . And I just picked up a 2 Pack refill kit fit $4.99!!! so I'm officially ready and excited to start my first brew!
Commenting on an older video, but still - I recently bought one of the newer Mr Beer kits. They now come with a miniaturized Coopers kit style fermenter. It's adorable. I gave up brewing a while ago.. it became bit of a chore and space is at a premium where I am. But the smaller batch size of these kits are great.
First. Your funny man. Second. Very informative. I was the dude who got it for xmas last yr. Its currently sitting in the keg for 8 days. Slight bubbles on top. If it wasnt for the fact my cousin from California (michigan here) was arriving dec 26. Its still be in the box lol. But after watching your video, im a try it again. Inscrewed mine up a bit. I didnt sanitize the can opener. And well, cold in Michigan idk temp is right. Took a yaste even without second fermenting process. It maybe ok. Thanks man. Cheers.
Craig, I wanted a coopers kit and got a mr. beer. While I was a little disappointed, at first I figured it would be a great way to start. My first batch was great, my second, I chilled it when I bottled it and forgot to give it time to carbonate, it sucked. Anyway, One more reason to use mr beer over the more larger kits, is that it actually makes a fair amount of for folks who drink not a case in one sitting. I want to make wine in this fermenter, please consider a video about that later.
As for the using of my Mr. Beer, it has not set idle, I was checking out the home moonshine recipes and scaled them down to 2 gallons. It works FANTASTIC!
The beer you were enjoying during the video must have been pretty good, Craig. Elst' wise you'd probably realized you spelled 'thumbs up' with an 'n' instead of a 'm' (1:25 mark). LOL And don't give us this fat-finger excuse. Oh, and I'm all in on this Mr. Beer kit to teach myself about home brewing. Thanks!
I have never brewed a mr. Beer kit but I can see where its a perfect entry level for brewing. Everything in one box and no intimidation factor. Well presented Craig. Keep up the good work!
For years I thought of getting one, Now I think I will, looks fun. Does he not look a little like Richard Dreyfuss?Stay out of the water.....with your beer!
that mr beer keg would probably be good to put ready to drink wine batches in if you dont plan on fermenting in it again. can fit easy in the fridge for white wine or can leave it out for red wine.
I owned a Mr Beer kit long ago and they used to have the old school air lock system on them plus they came with three different types of malt extract as well. Other than that they still ate the same. I'm surprised that they don't rain more about disaffecting it thoroughly like you do. I ruined my first batch when I did it years ago. I think now it probably was from bacteria.
Ok thanks for the info I wasn't aware of that. Also I'm thinking of ordering the Coopers DIY kit however I'm in the military stationed over seas. My dorm room stays at about 80 degrees farenheight do you think that will be to hot to have my beer fermenting in. Or are the Cooper kits pretty forgiving with temperatures?
Just came back to this video to let you know that this video is what got me started on home brewing. I got this for my dad for Christmas and had so much fun with him brewing it that I got into the hobby myself! I did a couple of their extract brews then quickly moved onto all-grain. After a year and a half I'm still having fun with it!
Great look at the Mr Beer kit. Do they really recommend using a metal spoon in the plastic fermentor!? I can see it when stirring in the pan, but not in the plastic. Same with placing the metal tools in the fermentor, I wouldn't do that just out of habit for fear of internal scratches.
I finally brewed my first ever batch of beer and had a problem.If I read the paper right you put 4 quarts of water in the keg, than when the LME pot is done and pour it in there and top it off with cold water and stir. Well they sent me the thermometer and I put it on right away and after 1 hour the wart was still too hot ,I waited and it got down to the check mark was showing and the too hot mark the same time to add the yeast.I added it at that point and hope I didn't ruin it.
This and inmate wine making have gotten a lot of folks in my town into homebrewing. i would give them some of my stuff and then they wanted to try it, so basic is always a great primer. mr beer for beer and welches for wine
That's pretty cool. i tasted Shock Top Honeycrisp Apple Wheat. and really liked it. im thinking about buying one of those kits pretty soon. (First time brewing) would you have any idea on how to give the beer that apple taste?
I bought a Mr Beer kit for only $30 and it came with bottles. I still used those bottles now, they rock! 1L pet bottles. I have been home brewing 6 months now, this is how I started. We really enjoyed the octoberfest that came with it. THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH THIS FOR BEGINNERS. Haters, stay away :-) Now I no longer make Mr Beer beer. However, I still use the bottles, and I still use the fermenter, if I'm doing a 2 gallon test batch. This is what i used for my first Cider batch.
they DO recommend a thermometor if you read your promotion pamphlet they are going to mail you a free one that sticks to the keg that basically has 3 colors on it RED YELLOW GREEN for when to pitch your yeast.
I cracked open my Mr. Beer kit for the first time today, I got it about 2 years ago and just never got around to it. My kit had a package of what it called "dried corn syrup" which was just corn sugar like you use. The sanitizer says "contains percarbonate" and from the look and feel of it to me, it appears to be Sodium Carbonate which is sold as coffee maker cleaner but also known as Washing Soda as it is a water softener. Sodium Carbonate in water feels very slick like very soft water. Also wanted to point out this is not Baking Soda, that is Sodium BiCarbonate. I tasted my concentrate and it was pretty good. It reminded me of molasses. I guess in a week I'll see what happens to it.
Very well done! I've never brewed my own beer before but I got one of these for Christmas. I'm looking forward to using it after I get over the flu LOL Thanks for the very detailed video and sharing your expertise! Sub and Like added!
Nice video Craig. I think the most useful part of the Mr. Beer kit is the nice little fermeter. It should be nice to make small / test batches of scaled down recipes.
Hi Craig my name is Doug. I have been home brewing since I was about 12. However we brewed in porcelain tubs around 10 gallons at a time. The recipe was simple 5 5 5. Sterilize everything with boiling water. We had well water so no need to buy mineral water. Add 5 gallons of water to 5 pounds of , I don't remember the name it came in a red can, I think muntons or something like that, to 5 pounds of sugar. Tie a cloth sheet around the top of the tub.
I brewed my first batch with the beginner kit. They gave me "Czech Pilsner" hops. It's been about 2.5 weeks and I still have yeast particles on top. Should I wait a little longer before I start bottling/sugar addition? thanks
Great job Craig. I started brewing with Mr. Beer almost 13 yrs. ago, and thanks to you I'm brewing 5 gal. batches. But I still go back to Mr. Beer every once in a while, just to take a break from the whole all-grain thing....Cheers.
Mr. Beer kits are a great and inexpensive way to start off in home brewing just to see if you like the general hobby of it. They do make a nice gift for somebody and they are kind of fun for 2 gallons of ale.
I have been doing th Mr.Beer for 2 years . I use regular beer store ingredients. I like the smaller fermenter . Easy to keep at the right temp. I live in a very Hot location.
I have been watching for almost 2 years now and this Saturday I finally got a Mr. Beer kit. the HME that came in the kit was an American light beer, but I don't like light beer so I also bought a verity refill pack. it has an Oktoberfest, a Vienna lager and a High country Canadian draft. I decided to go with the Oktoberfest, I also decided that in place of the 12.5 OZ. booster I used 1 pound of amber DME and 1 OZ of maltodextiron. it is fermenting nicely, I will let you know how it comes out. should be ready for drinking on New years..
Hi Craig. I started out with Mr. Beer and the beer is very good. It is also easy to brew and I am lazy so we are a good match. You mentioned the instructions mention using a metal spoon. I do not remember that but no matter...they do recommend using a spoon long enough to get in to the wort. I use one just short enough to allow me to drop it all the way in. But, I have progressed a bit so my set up is a little different; more like you demonstrate using a little tub. Anyway, my point in mentioning the spoon is to say, the Mr. Beer instructions I have used, say to use a spoon so after the batch is topped to the 2 gallon line, it is recommended that you stir up the wort briskly so as to whip oxygen in to the wort, but not so brisk as to cause a splash. Then pitch the yeast, place the cap on and set the LBK (their present title for this keg...Little Brown Keg) aside for 2 weeks. Works for me. happy brewing.ron
Hmm seems like there has been some flickering in the videos since the green screen got introduced. Not so noticeable, but if you look closely you can see it. Perhaps the green screen can be covered for videos when it's not a necessity like this one?
I've made wine off and on for a few years, and made a beer kit about 30 years ago, but not since. I'd been thinking about trying a beer kit again, and ran into 3 Mr. Beer kits on sale at Goodwill, for $25 each. Needless to say I grabbed all 3. I have started one a few days ago, and this is at least, getting me started with beer making again.
this is a great video. I just picked up a mr. beer at a yard sale brand new.. only 2 gallons is good. if it turns out bad your only wasting 2 gallons not 5. then you can up grade if you like the hobby of beer making,
ADVICE: I recently visited a buddy and saw that he had an empty Mr. Beer barrel on top of his cabinet. I got excited because I had never tried it before, but he said don't bother because it tasted like crap. He had brewed it a few months ago, drank two bottles, and stored the rest. Being curious, I cracked open a bottle and was surprised to find it actually tasted really good. So, he cracked open a bottle too, and sure enough, Mr. Beer apparently, greatly benefits from aging for about a month.
As a beginner brewer I love these videos. One question, I bought a malt extract that makes 23L however I only have the mr. beer fermenter shown in this video. If I only make 8L at a time, how should I store the leftover malt extract to avoid any contamination? How long can it be stored for?
Mr Beer kits are just mini Coopers. Too bad they don't have wheels. Mr Beer uses the LBK...Little Brown Keg. I use it, plus a 2 gallon conical, and when I want a big batch, I use my 8 gallon buckets for 6-7 gallon batches.
i bought this kit from sears earlier today on clearance (and found out it was american light beer YUK!) and tried it out. i also sanitized the can like you did but i wish i thought of pouring it back into the can to get every last bit. im hoping it turns out well, brewing is a lot simpler than i thought it was so if this goes well ill probably invest in some better home brewing equipment. i also didnt want to use tap water because i felt like it negated the purpose of the sanitizer (my tap water also smells heavily of chlorine) so i used my pur filter to filter the tap water. i also didnt think to sanitize the scissors but i agree that would have a been a good idea.
The result from the fruitiness is the esters from fermentation and not so much the beer. When I used the Mr. Beer kits this was a common issue. Keep watch of your temperature with a candy or meat thermometer. Make sure all your stuff is clean and sanitized too because that would cause off flavors. Best of luck
When it came time to top it off to the Last fill line(after adding and stirring the wort mixture) My beer had a ton of foam? is this bad or good? It made it hard to add the yeast on the top. I had to blow some of the foam away to do it.
Hi Craig, should always use a one peice spatula, never use a 2 peice/joined spatula. Bacteria can get caught in the joint seam and may "to an extent" even be protected from heat and sanitizer. Then as you stiring your ingredients there is a high chance the bacteria may be ejected from the seam...tought it might be worth a mention. . Like your channel, love your kit reviews :) Cheers.
Also, my Mr Beer kit came with a little sticker for the side, that tells you if the temperature is in ideal range. I ran out of room in my last post, I only do all grain now, but I have nothing bad to say about the fermenter itself. I made my first ever cider batch in this, which was perfect to use. I also made a 2 gallon experimental beer batch so I used this. I only have 5 - 6 gallon fermenters / carboys, so this is perfect for 2 gallon batches. I also love those bottles and bought more.
Thats the "post-coopers" kit. the can is no different then making a coopers kit and kilo other then of course theres no ?"kilo" the yeast is superior to the old stuff as well. Its will be the same as your big coopers brew. the old kits were garbage, i got 2 of each one. yep, 4 kegs lol.
not worth it mate, because your better off gettin the coopers diy beer kit for like £67 online tbh as 1. u make more and 2.can use all types of kits with it not just the mr beer kits as they are alot less
Years ago, I started with a Mr Beer kit. It was fun, however that quickly led me down the rabbit hole. Not long after that, I had advanced into partial mash and all grain brewing at five and ten gallons at a time. I had a nice little micro brewery at home. I moved across the country and had to get rid of my setup. Now several years later, somehow I ended up with another Mr Beer. Starting all over again. 😃
I posted on your discussion board about brewing the Mr. Beer kit my wife and adult children bought me. It was too hot when I added my yeast so I waited two days, sprayed the fermenter down with star san and re-yeasted it with a packet of Muntons dry yeast I had been holding on to. I sanitized my hands, the scissors, packet and the outside of the fermenter lid. The lid was cracked open just far enough to pour in the years. Even though I poured it straight in it spread evenly in seconds. Any idea what this will do to the taste due to the added packet of yeast?
+Phillip Furgason ---- I accidentally dropped the whole packet of yeast into the barrel... my hands were sanitized so I snatched it back out.. so I hope the brew turns out! I hope your brew turned out well, and hope mine does too..
+zellerized It turned out really well. I served it without saying it was home brewed and heard a few good comments. I really have no complaints with this beer.
I got a Mr. Beer kit for Christmas a while ago, I keep wanting to make it but things keep coming up. I myself have done a ton of research on Mr. Beer and noticed a trend, a lot of people act like teenagers, they got started with a Mr. Beer and got into the hobby of home brew, but once they graduated up to a more advanced level they started bad mouthing the process as simplistic. What Cads!
I've been watching your videos for a couple of months now. I sent a Mr. Beer kit for Christmas to my buddy when he PCS'd to Annapolis. Since then I've been watching your videos and decided to go with the Cooper's DIY kit. I brewed the Lager out of the box with some success I believe (experienced brew buddy declared it drinkable!). I had a question for you - the hydrometer that comes with the Cooper's Kit seems pretty cheap.
This would be perfect for brewing some of the premium Brewpaks Beers of the World kits which are supposed to be brewed in 2 gallon batches. They sell their own "BrewBox" fermenter / keg but this seems like a much more durable design. Also many of the Brewferm kits are designed to be brewed in smaller batches. I think this has a far greater life than just getting someone into brewing then being replaced by larger fermenters. Since I don;t have much space for multiple fermenters I might get one.
I can appreciate the 2 gallon batch size; it may be fun for experimenting or specialty brews (Scottish Heavy Ales or a George Washington Porter for example), but the only thing detracting me from a Mr Beer kit is the silly brown plastic keg design. If it was more of a standard 2 gallon fermenting bucket with spigot (that you can buy for around $10), I'd try it out. I think the design may just be a little off-putting to lots of people, since it looks like the EZ-Bake oven of homebrewing.
Hey Criag, I know My President is a Homebrew Fan here in America. So I thought why not ask Craig. Did the "One" Obama send lots of damming papers with the Mr. Beer Kit?. Because everyone at My Whitehouse has no clue about anything or they heard about it LIKE ME last friday. Some, Here know what happens to building that hold Incriminating Documents inside, They loose Their Structural Integrity and fall in their own foot print. If so, You might want to burn the paperwork? I like Your video's
Craig why do you sanitize the can opener the spoon and the spatch and even the can when you put these things in boiling water anyway? Why did you sanitize the measuring spoons already? In the time until bottling they will get dirty anyway and you will have to re-sanitize them I think you forgot to check the gravity. I’m not sure but I think I saw something like the Mr Beer Kit that allows you to carbonate the beer by changing something on the lid. Does the Mr Beer have it too?
WOW, what an awesome gift! Jay_Muff is an amazingly generous guy & a dedicated homebrewer with a true passion for the homebrew lifestyle, and by enlisting the biggest homebrewing ADVOCATE on the planet Craig Farraway & "The CraigTube Army", Jay_Muff has just introduced the homebrewing lifestyle to a whole new generation of future homebrewers. Take a bow Jay_Muff, you earned it. Cheers, 17!
I think most fermented drinks do tend to get better with time. I make really cheap wine out of fruit juice which after a month is way different to when it was when first bottled. also the few beers i have done have been the same too , after a month they get better than when bottled. Its even the same with spirits.
hi craig thank you for doing the videos very enjoyable. you got me hooked on brewing my own beer and wine as well as two of my mates.all watching the videos. coopers stout is my favourite so far been brewing since January. what's your favourite kit. always look forward to your vids all the best dave from the uk
Also that must be a different kit that I saw with the carbonation in the fermenting vessel. The person who made that video said to watch out on the lid setting because if you close the lid during the main fermentation it would explode. Can’t remember where I saw it. Have you heard about something like that?
The only flaw I could detect was maybe a bit of banana flavor from fusel alcohol, but that could have been from fermenting in too high a temperature. Overall though, while I've had much better beer brewed from other malt extract kits, it still tasted great and was very drinkable.
I considered buying the ibrew Complete Homebrew System Tap-a-draft. It's a way of producing beer with a view to carbonating it in a pair of 10 pint pressure vessels. But £65 for the kit (with an additional 20 pint refill included) I thought it was too expensive for what it was.
I have two mr beer fermenter's. I like using them because they are small and I can make two of different types of beer at a time. I rarely use the Mr. Beer refills. I just buy DME from homebrew shops on the internet and find recipes online.
The guys that bash Mr. Beer are ridiculous! That was my first kit, it tasted like shit but that was more then likely my fault. Now I brew all grain which is much better then extract. I don't fault the can guys at least they are brewing.
After my beer goes through the fermenter, I use the Mr. Beer keg to rack my beer. One way is to use a long hose with a bottling wand to fill the bottles, or use a 1" piece of hose and the bottling wand. It depends on how you like to do it. You either bring the hose down to the bottle or bring the bottle up to the wand. I have learned that if you have a dishwasher, open the dishwasher and fill over the open door. That way any spillage can be easily cleaned up when you close the dishwasher door and do you normal dishes. 17 Cheers!
Hey craig did you notice the glitches on your pot lid and also on your spatula lol guessing its from the software for greenscreen :-) i thought it was condensation digitally added till i seen it was going in patterns.
Part 2. I was wondering if you think I need to go ahead and get a new one? Does it make too much of a difference at this point in my brewing experience or do you think I'd be wasting my time and money?
True, I don't have the space to store 40 pints of beer so I brew one half of a 'two can' kit and try to time the next brew for when the 20 or so Coopers bottles are empty. Cheers and enjoy your brewing.
If you register your kit they will send you a magnetic priming scale and a cheesy little stick on thermomemter , that works just fine, for your fermenter free!
My son who lives in Texas just sent me here in California, a Mr Beer Kit for fathers day no kidding..so this video has come in handy..thanks Craig....17
Why are you saying they want you to use the metal spoon?( around 19:30). You said in a later video that you found that spoon in front of your house .... I don’t get it and I am pretty sad because I love your channel
I get them locally from Complete Home Brewing. You could give them a call and ask where you could order them. They're in Canada so I'm not sure they'll ship to you, but they might know where you can order them from. (905) 383-8825
+CraigTube holy cat. Thanks for replying Craig, I wasnt sure if you would but I've been watching your videos for some time now. Not because I want to learn new things about brewing but because I enjoy your passion for brewing and beer in general. I've always considered you to be very down to earth but this confirms it. Thanks for responding!
MzaAndy, check finevinewines.com and midwestsupplies.com for similar buckets and MrBeer.com for their 6 gallon fermenter. The latter is a bit pricey. Craig demonstrated it on his CraigTube video and seemed to like it. I am considering getting one because I have limited space and small sinks in my apartment and cleaning will be easier using the krausen collar. But, I am also looking at a conical fermenter from Midwestsupplies.com because I am starting to harvest my yeast and the conical makes that very easy.(This guy is a hoot ain't he? I have learned a lot from Craig and really enjoy watching him.)Cheersron
my brother gave me a kit. . Didn't have any ingredients, just a basic kit. . And I just picked up a 2 Pack refill kit fit $4.99!!! so I'm officially ready and excited to start my first brew!
4.99 is an excellent price
Commenting on an older video, but still - I recently bought one of the newer Mr Beer kits. They now come with a miniaturized Coopers kit style fermenter. It's adorable. I gave up brewing a while ago.. it became bit of a chore and space is at a premium where I am. But the smaller batch size of these kits are great.
First. Your funny man. Second. Very informative. I was the dude who got it for xmas last yr. Its currently sitting in the keg for 8 days. Slight bubbles on top. If it wasnt for the fact my cousin from California (michigan here) was arriving dec 26. Its still be in the box lol. But after watching your video, im a try it again. Inscrewed mine up a bit. I didnt sanitize the can opener. And well, cold in Michigan idk temp is right. Took a yaste even without second fermenting process. It maybe ok. Thanks man. Cheers.
I haven't started home brewing yet but I've watched everything on craigtube and I think I'm ready.......CHEERS
Craig, I wanted a coopers kit and got a mr. beer. While I was a little disappointed, at first I figured it would be a great way to start. My first batch was great, my second, I chilled it when I bottled it and forgot to give it time to carbonate, it sucked. Anyway, One more reason to use mr beer over the more larger kits, is that it actually makes a fair amount of for folks who drink not a case in one sitting. I want to make wine in this fermenter, please consider a video about that later.
As for the using of my Mr. Beer, it has not set idle, I was checking out the home moonshine recipes and scaled them down to 2 gallons. It works FANTASTIC!
The beer you were enjoying during the video must have been pretty good, Craig. Elst' wise you'd probably realized you spelled 'thumbs up' with an 'n' instead of a 'm' (1:25 mark). LOL And don't give us this fat-finger excuse. Oh, and I'm all in on this Mr. Beer kit to teach myself about home brewing. Thanks!
I have never brewed a mr. Beer kit but I can see where its a perfect entry level for brewing. Everything in one box and no intimidation factor. Well presented Craig. Keep up the good work!
For years I thought of getting one, Now I think I will, looks fun.
Does he not look a little like Richard Dreyfuss?Stay out of the water.....with your beer!
I could instantly tell this dude was a "Cannuck" when he blurted the word "About" at :19 hahaha nice review BTW !!!
From someone starting out, thankyou!
I apreciate the level stance you approach these kits. Thanks!
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that mr beer keg would probably be good to put ready to drink wine batches in if you dont plan on fermenting in it again. can fit easy in the fridge for white wine or can leave it out for red wine.
I owned a Mr Beer kit long ago and they used to have the old school air lock system on them plus they came with three different types of malt extract as well. Other than that they still ate the same. I'm surprised that they don't rain more about disaffecting it thoroughly like you do. I ruined my first batch when I did it years ago. I think now it probably was from bacteria.
Ok thanks for the info I wasn't aware of that. Also I'm thinking of ordering the Coopers DIY kit however I'm in the military stationed over seas. My dorm room stays at about 80 degrees farenheight do you think that will be to hot to have my beer fermenting in. Or are the Cooper kits pretty forgiving with temperatures?
Just came back to this video to let you know that this video is what got me started on home brewing. I got this for my dad for Christmas and had so much fun with him brewing it that I got into the hobby myself! I did a couple of their extract brews then quickly moved onto all-grain. After a year and a half I'm still having fun with it!
Great look at the Mr Beer kit. Do they really recommend using a metal spoon in the plastic fermentor!? I can see it when stirring in the pan, but not in the plastic. Same with placing the metal tools in the fermentor, I wouldn't do that just out of habit for fear of internal scratches.
I finally brewed my first ever batch of beer and had a problem.If I read the paper right you put 4 quarts of water in the keg, than when the LME pot is done and pour it in there and top it off with cold water and stir. Well they sent me the thermometer and I put it on right away and after 1 hour the wart was still too hot ,I waited and it got down to the check mark was showing and the too hot mark the same time to add the yeast.I added it at that point and hope I didn't ruin it.
This and inmate wine making have gotten a lot of folks in my town into homebrewing. i would give them some of my stuff and then they wanted to try it, so basic is always a great primer. mr beer for beer and welches for wine
That's pretty cool. i tasted Shock Top Honeycrisp Apple Wheat. and really liked it. im thinking about buying one of those kits pretty soon. (First time brewing) would you have any idea on how to give the beer that apple taste?
I bought a Mr Beer kit for only $30 and it came with bottles. I still used those bottles now, they rock! 1L pet bottles. I have been home brewing 6 months now, this is how I started. We really enjoyed the octoberfest that came with it. THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH THIS FOR BEGINNERS. Haters, stay away :-) Now I no longer make Mr Beer beer. However, I still use the bottles, and I still use the fermenter, if I'm doing a 2 gallon test batch. This is what i used for my first Cider batch.
they DO recommend a thermometor
if you read your promotion pamphlet
they are going to mail you a free one that sticks to the keg
that basically has 3 colors on it
RED YELLOW GREEN
for when to pitch your yeast.
I cracked open my Mr. Beer kit for the first time today, I got it about 2 years ago and just never got around to it. My kit had a package of what it called "dried corn syrup" which was just corn sugar like you use. The sanitizer says "contains percarbonate" and from the look and feel of it to me, it appears to be Sodium Carbonate which is sold as coffee maker cleaner but also known as Washing Soda as it is a water softener. Sodium Carbonate in water feels very slick like very soft water. Also wanted to point out this is not Baking Soda, that is Sodium BiCarbonate. I tasted my concentrate and it was pretty good. It reminded me of molasses. I guess in a week I'll see what happens to it.
Very well done! I've never brewed my own beer before but I got one of these for Christmas. I'm looking forward to using it after I get over the flu LOL Thanks for the very detailed video and sharing your expertise! Sub and Like added!
Nice video Craig.
I think the most useful part of the Mr. Beer kit is the nice little fermeter. It should be nice to make small / test batches of scaled down recipes.
Craig, this is fantastic!! Your additions and suggestions are great, and you're wonderfully thorough and so engaging! Thumbs up and thanks a bunch :)
Hi Craig my name is Doug. I have been home brewing since I was about 12. However we brewed in porcelain tubs around 10 gallons at a time. The recipe was simple 5 5 5. Sterilize everything with boiling water. We had well water so no need to buy mineral water. Add 5 gallons of water to 5 pounds of , I don't remember the name it came in a red can, I think muntons or something like that, to 5 pounds of sugar. Tie a cloth sheet around the top of the tub.
I brewed my first batch with the beginner kit. They gave me "Czech Pilsner" hops. It's been about 2.5 weeks and I still have yeast particles on top. Should I wait a little longer before I start bottling/sugar addition? thanks
Great job Craig. I started brewing with Mr. Beer almost 13 yrs. ago, and thanks to you I'm brewing 5 gal. batches. But I still go back to Mr. Beer every once in a while, just to take a break from the whole all-grain thing....Cheers.
Mr. Beer kits are a great and inexpensive way to start off in home brewing just to see if you like the general hobby of it. They do make a nice gift for somebody and they are kind of fun for 2 gallons of ale.
I have been doing th Mr.Beer for 2 years . I use regular beer store ingredients. I like the smaller fermenter . Easy to keep at the right temp. I live in a very Hot location.
I have been watching for almost 2 years now and this Saturday I finally got a Mr. Beer kit. the HME that came in the kit was an American light beer, but I don't like light beer so I also bought a verity refill pack. it has an Oktoberfest, a Vienna lager and a High country Canadian draft. I decided to go with the Oktoberfest, I also decided that in place of the 12.5 OZ. booster I used 1 pound of amber DME and 1 OZ of maltodextiron. it is fermenting nicely, I will let you know how it comes out. should be ready for drinking on New years..
Hi Craig. I started out with Mr. Beer and the beer is very good. It is also easy to brew and I am lazy so we are a good match. You mentioned the instructions mention using a metal spoon. I do not remember that but no matter...they do recommend using a spoon long enough to get in to the wort. I use one just short enough to allow me to drop it all the way in. But, I have progressed a bit so my set up is a little different; more like you demonstrate using a little tub.
Anyway, my point in mentioning the spoon is to say, the Mr. Beer instructions I have used, say to use a spoon so after the batch is topped to the 2 gallon line, it is recommended that you stir up the wort briskly so as to whip oxygen in to the wort, but not so brisk as to cause a splash. Then pitch the yeast, place the cap on and set the LBK (their present title for this keg...Little Brown Keg) aside for 2 weeks. Works for me. happy brewing.ron
Those lids are tight but they got a way to open them, but there is always a way to ripping then too
Hmm seems like there has been some flickering in the videos since the green screen got introduced. Not so noticeable, but if you look closely you can see it. Perhaps the green screen can be covered for videos when it's not a necessity like this one?
If I wanted to purchase a seperate Liquid Malt Extract for my Mr Beer kit what would you recommend? And should I use a hopped LME or unhopped?
hello mr craig. i was wondering if you thought it would be ok steeping a tea bag in the water when you boil it. peach or a fruit tea
You can add anything you want. You're the Captain.
I've made wine off and on for a few years, and made a beer kit about 30 years ago, but not since. I'd been thinking about trying a beer kit again, and ran into 3 Mr. Beer kits on sale at Goodwill, for $25 each. Needless to say I grabbed all 3. I have started one a few days ago, and this is at least, getting me started with beer making again.
this is a great video. I just picked up a mr. beer at a yard sale brand new.. only 2 gallons is good. if it turns out bad your only wasting 2 gallons not 5. then you can up grade if you like the hobby of beer making,
Nice
ADVICE: I recently visited a buddy and saw that he had an empty Mr. Beer barrel on top of his cabinet. I got excited because I had never tried it before, but he said don't bother because it tasted like crap. He had brewed it a few months ago, drank two bottles, and stored the rest. Being curious, I cracked open a bottle and was surprised to find it actually tasted really good. So, he cracked open a bottle too, and sure enough, Mr. Beer apparently, greatly benefits from aging for about a month.
As a beginner brewer I love these videos. One question, I bought a malt extract that makes 23L however I only have the mr. beer fermenter shown in this video. If I only make 8L at a time, how should I store the leftover malt extract to avoid any contamination? How long can it be stored for?
In the fridge or freezer.
Mr Beer kits are just mini Coopers. Too bad they don't have wheels. Mr Beer uses the LBK...Little Brown Keg. I use it, plus a 2 gallon conical, and when I want a big batch, I use my 8 gallon buckets for 6-7 gallon batches.
what make is your brewers bucket with tap and insert and where did u buy it?
What do you think the original gravity was Craig? I'm thinking a little low for our tastes and wants, lol.
i sampled the wort today, 8 days after fulling the keg. It had a zingyness on the tongue... is that OK?
i think this is a great kit for beginners such as myself
i bought this kit from sears earlier today on clearance (and found out it was american light beer YUK!) and tried it out. i also sanitized the can like you did but i wish i thought of pouring it back into the can to get every last bit. im hoping it turns out well, brewing is a lot simpler than i thought it was so if this goes well ill probably invest in some better home brewing equipment. i also didnt want to use tap water because i felt like it negated the purpose of the sanitizer (my tap water also smells heavily of chlorine) so i used my pur filter to filter the tap water. i also didnt think to sanitize the scissors but i agree that would have a been a good idea.
nice sc!
Is beer from Cooper's kits cidery/fruity like Mr. Beer?
The result from the fruitiness is the esters from fermentation and not so much the beer. When I used the Mr. Beer kits this was a common issue. Keep watch of your temperature with a candy or meat thermometer. Make sure all your stuff is clean and sanitized too because that would cause off flavors. Best of luck
hey i didnt stir my cleaner stuff i just shook it i dont think it disovolved very well do you think my beer gonna be ok
When it came time to top it off to the Last fill line(after adding and stirring the wort mixture) My beer had a ton of foam? is this bad or good? It made it hard to add the yeast on the top. I had to blow some of the foam away to do it.
don't stir the wort in the keg, ever.
wish i had half the equipment you have Craig.
#MrBeer is a great start,. but not much more than a start. :)
craig have you tried any other brands of malt in the mr beer kit other than the one they supply
I have only brewed the one batch so far. No reason that any prehopped extract won't work in this system.
Hi Craig, should always use a one peice spatula, never use a 2 peice/joined spatula. Bacteria can get caught in the joint seam and may "to an extent" even be protected from heat and sanitizer. Then as you stiring your ingredients there is a high chance the bacteria may be ejected from the seam...tought it might be worth a mention.
.
Like your channel, love your kit reviews :)
Cheers.
yes it is a good start. for us.. and like it and it works for me.
Thumbs up. Cheers
Also, my Mr Beer kit came with a little sticker for the side, that tells you if the temperature is in ideal range. I ran out of room in my last post, I only do all grain now, but I have nothing bad to say about the fermenter itself. I made my first ever cider batch in this, which was perfect to use. I also made a 2 gallon experimental beer batch so I used this. I only have 5 - 6 gallon fermenters / carboys, so this is perfect for 2 gallon batches. I also love those bottles and bought more.
Thats the "post-coopers" kit.
the can is no different then making a coopers kit and kilo
other then of course theres no ?"kilo"
the yeast is superior to the old stuff as well.
Its will be the same as your big coopers brew.
the old kits were garbage, i got 2 of each one. yep, 4 kegs lol.
not worth it mate, because your better off gettin the coopers diy beer kit for like £67 online tbh as 1. u make more and 2.can use all types of kits with it not just the mr beer kits as they are alot less
Years ago, I started with a Mr Beer kit. It was fun, however that quickly led me down the rabbit hole. Not long after that, I had advanced into partial mash and all grain brewing at five and ten gallons at a time. I had a nice little micro brewery at home. I moved across the country and had to get rid of my setup.
Now several years later, somehow I ended up with another Mr Beer. Starting all over again. 😃
I posted on your discussion board about brewing the Mr. Beer kit my wife and adult children bought me. It was too hot when I added my yeast so I waited two days, sprayed the fermenter down with star san and re-yeasted it with a packet of Muntons dry yeast I had been holding on to. I sanitized my hands, the scissors, packet and the outside of the fermenter lid. The lid was cracked open just far enough to pour in the years. Even though I poured it straight in it spread evenly in seconds. Any idea what this will do to the taste due to the added packet of yeast?
Phillip Furgason It might be a bit more "yeasty" but it's a Mr. Beer kit. It will be fine. Just let it settle and clear before you drink it.
***** Will it hurt to let it ferment another week (21 days)?
+Phillip Furgason ---- I accidentally dropped the whole packet of yeast into the barrel... my hands were sanitized so I snatched it back out.. so I hope the brew turns out! I hope your brew turned out well, and hope mine does too..
+zellerized It turned out really well. I served it without saying it was home brewed and heard a few good comments. I really have no complaints with this beer.
I got a Mr. Beer kit for Christmas a while ago, I keep wanting to make it but things keep coming up. I myself have done a ton of research on Mr. Beer and noticed a trend, a lot of people act like teenagers, they got started with a Mr. Beer and got into the hobby of home brew, but once they graduated up to a more advanced level they started bad mouthing the process as simplistic. What Cads!
I've been watching your videos for a couple of months now. I sent a Mr. Beer kit for Christmas to my buddy when he PCS'd to Annapolis. Since then I've been watching your videos and decided to go with the Cooper's DIY kit. I brewed the Lager out of the box with some success I believe (experienced brew buddy declared it drinkable!). I had a question for you - the hydrometer that comes with the Cooper's Kit seems pretty cheap.
This would be perfect for brewing some of the premium Brewpaks Beers of the World kits which are supposed to be brewed in 2 gallon batches. They sell their own "BrewBox" fermenter / keg but this seems like a much more durable design. Also many of the Brewferm kits are designed to be brewed in smaller batches. I think this has a far greater life than just getting someone into brewing then being replaced by larger fermenters. Since I don;t have much space for multiple fermenters I might get one.
I can appreciate the 2 gallon batch size; it may be fun for experimenting or specialty brews (Scottish Heavy Ales or a George Washington Porter for example), but the only thing detracting me from a Mr Beer kit is the silly brown plastic keg design. If it was more of a standard 2 gallon fermenting bucket with spigot (that you can buy for around $10), I'd try it out. I think the design may just be a little off-putting to lots of people, since it looks like the EZ-Bake oven of homebrewing.
Hey Criag, I know My President is a Homebrew Fan here in America. So I thought why not ask Craig. Did the "One" Obama send lots of damming papers with the Mr. Beer Kit?. Because everyone at My Whitehouse has no clue about anything or they heard about it LIKE ME last friday. Some, Here know what happens to building that hold Incriminating Documents inside, They loose Their Structural Integrity and fall in their own foot print. If so, You might want to burn the paperwork? I like Your video's
Craig why do you sanitize the can opener the spoon and the spatch and even the can when you put these things in boiling water anyway? Why did you sanitize the measuring spoons already? In the time until bottling they will get dirty anyway and you will have to re-sanitize them I think you forgot to check the gravity.
I’m not sure but I think I saw something like the Mr Beer Kit that allows you to carbonate the beer by changing something on the lid. Does the Mr Beer have it too?
WOW, what an awesome gift! Jay_Muff is an amazingly generous guy & a dedicated homebrewer with a true passion for the homebrew lifestyle, and by enlisting the biggest homebrewing ADVOCATE on the planet Craig Farraway & "The CraigTube Army", Jay_Muff has just introduced the homebrewing lifestyle to a whole new generation of future homebrewers. Take a bow Jay_Muff, you earned it. Cheers, 17!
Proper sanitation key word! thank you
I think most fermented drinks do tend to get better with time. I make really cheap wine out of fruit juice which after a month is way different to when it was when first bottled. also the few beers i have done have been the same too , after a month they get better than when bottled. Its even the same with spirits.
hi craig thank you for doing the videos very enjoyable. you got me hooked on brewing my own beer and wine as well as two of my mates.all watching the videos. coopers stout is my favourite so far been brewing since January. what's your favourite kit.
always look forward to your vids all the best dave from the uk
Also that must be a different kit that I saw with the carbonation in the fermenting vessel. The person who made that video said to watch out on the lid setting because if you close the lid during the main fermentation it would explode. Can’t remember where I saw it. Have you heard about something like that?
The only flaw I could detect was maybe a bit of banana flavor from fusel alcohol, but that could have been from fermenting in too high a temperature. Overall though, while I've had much better beer brewed from other malt extract kits, it still tasted great and was very drinkable.
I considered buying the ibrew Complete Homebrew System Tap-a-draft.
It's a way of producing beer with a view to carbonating it in a pair of 10 pint pressure vessels. But £65 for the kit (with an additional 20 pint refill included)
I thought it was too expensive for what it was.
I have two mr beer fermenter's. I like using them because they are small and I can make two of different types of beer at a time. I rarely use the Mr. Beer refills. I just buy DME from homebrew shops on the internet and find recipes online.
The guys that bash Mr. Beer are ridiculous! That was my first kit, it tasted like shit but that was more then likely my fault. Now I brew all grain which is much better then extract. I don't fault the can guys at least they are brewing.
now youre going to have to sanitize the measuring spoons twice.
that whole batch is one friday night worth of beer! lol
I don't know why...but that barrel shaped fermenter drives me crazy.
After my beer goes through the fermenter, I use the Mr. Beer keg to rack my beer. One way is to use a long hose with a bottling wand to fill the bottles, or use a 1" piece of hose and the bottling wand. It depends on how you like to do it. You either bring the hose down to the bottle or bring the bottle up to the wand. I have learned that if you have a dishwasher, open the dishwasher and fill over the open door. That way any spillage can be easily cleaned up when you close the dishwasher door and do you normal dishes. 17 Cheers!
Hey craig did you notice the glitches on your pot lid and also on your spatula lol guessing its from the software for greenscreen :-) i thought it was condensation digitally added till i seen it was going in patterns.
Part 2. I was wondering if you think I need to go ahead and get a new one? Does it make too much of a difference at this point in my brewing experience or do you think I'd be wasting my time and money?
True, I don't have the space to store 40 pints of beer so I brew one half of a 'two can' kit and try to time the next brew for when the 20 or so Coopers bottles are empty. Cheers and enjoy your brewing.
If you register your kit they will send you a magnetic priming scale and a cheesy little stick on thermomemter , that works just fine, for your fermenter free!
My son who lives in Texas just sent me here in California, a Mr Beer Kit for fathers day no kidding..so this video has come in handy..thanks Craig....17
Why are you saying they want you to use the metal spoon?( around 19:30). You said in a later video that you found that spoon in front of your house .... I don’t get it and I am pretty sad because I love your channel
everytime i make mr beer it taste like cider should call it mr cider .i bought a 5 gallon fermentor and used coopers malts guess what no cider
I was looking forward to seeing the contents of this kit. I see no reason why it shouldn't turn out just like a Coopers kit. Cheers, 17 Craig!
Excellent video Craig! I got started homebrewing with Mr. Beer. I'll be looking forward to seeing what you think about the finished beer.
Hey Craig what do you think I should try for a first time brewer?
store.defalcowines[DOT][com]/cart.php?target=category&category_id=269
The Dude can show you how to save money with your Mr. Beer kit. I make
beer for 35 cents per bottle, Canadian. That's about 2 cents American.
But the bad thing it's canadian beer that tastes like cotton candy and sailors so really it's 1 cent American
Hey craig where do you get those clear buckets from? I'm in the US btw
I get them locally from Complete Home Brewing. You could give them a call and ask where you could order them. They're in Canada so I'm not sure they'll ship to you, but they might know where you can order them from. (905) 383-8825
+CraigTube holy cat. Thanks for replying Craig, I wasnt sure if you would but I've been watching your videos for some time now. Not because I want to learn new things about brewing but because I enjoy your passion for brewing and beer in general. I've always considered you to be very down to earth but this confirms it. Thanks for responding!
highgravity.com
MzaAndy, check finevinewines.com and midwestsupplies.com for similar buckets and MrBeer.com for their 6 gallon fermenter. The latter is a bit pricey. Craig demonstrated it on his CraigTube video and seemed to like it. I am considering getting one because I have limited space and small sinks in my apartment and cleaning will be easier using the krausen collar. But, I am also looking at a conical fermenter from Midwestsupplies.com because I am starting to harvest my yeast and the conical makes that very easy.(This guy is a hoot ain't he? I have learned a lot from Craig and really enjoy watching him.)Cheersron
How about brewing 2 gal of beer because you don't drink a lot. That is why I brew 2 gal at a time , Oh an I don't use MR. BEER.
"Time for a little cleanser myself". Lol :)
Nice video Craig, very informative. Did they mention what style of beer it is? I'm guessing an ale...
How much booster do I need to use in a 2 gallon tank? My kit came with two bags.
Don't you worry about metal shavings getting into the can when you open it?
Mine turned out flat, 30 bucks for 11 bottles of flat beer. Back to the beer store for me.
Awesome- I caught view number one! Now should I post as such? :) Cheers Craig. Hope you are lovin the spring weather this week. Happy May 2-4
You didn't mention to make sure the spigot is turned off... Lol.
You should be a television presenter. Great job Mate.