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Need some help starting up
So over my winter break (yes still in college, a wee bit young I know but I am 21) a couple of weeks back, I was over a friends and he was showing me his mr.beer kit he picked up and we gave it a whirl. It was alright and all, and I had some beer he made earlier and while it was better then your Keystone or Natty or PBR or typical college piss water, it was still pretty, for lack of a better word, shitty. However, I've been looking in to home brewing as a result and have become very interested. Only problem is I don't want to get a mr. beer kit, it was a cool idea and definitely turned me on to this, but the beer sucked. It may be cheaper but I want to do this right, not halfway. So I could really use some advice.
What would you guys recommend as a better alternative to mr. beer as a start up kit? Something that's still relatively affordable but produces a better product? Keep in mind that sadly, I am a total newbie so I would need a beginner kit or something somewhat simple.
Thanks ahead of time, I really appreciate any advice you guys have to offer.
If Mr. is the only kit you can afford then I say go for it.
There are other slightly more advanced kits that many of us can steer your towards. But getting started is whats important. I don't know what the Mr beer kits cost, but I have heard that people get good results with them. You just need to use attention to detail and the freshest ingredients you can get. I'd still purchase your yeast from a reputable homebrew shop.
I've been working off of the Brewers Best standard equipment kit (list of whats included below although the thermometer is really a sticker that goes on the fermenting bucket). I've had good results so far only 3 batches in. The Anchor Steam clone was a little extra hoppy due to trouble getting the temp down after the boil in August (who could have foreseen this problem, honestly). The hefeweizen just recently bottled is promising but I think could use to sit another week. But the brown ale was quite possibly the best brown ale I've ever had. Overall all were at least as good a quality as off the shelf craft brew. This is based on prepacked kits, brewers best and true brew, with the next kit I'm branching into a kit put together by the homebrew shop hoping for slightly fresher ingredients.
I think I paid about $100 for the equipment including the first ingredient kit. $30ish per ingredient kit after that, not a bad price for 50 good bottles of beer. So the way I figure in 3-4 batches the equipment has paid for itself vs the cost of a case of craft brew. O you'll also need a brew pot, I picked up a decent stainless steel one for 30ish on sale at Target.
6.5 Gallon Ale Pail Primary Fermenter with Drilled and Grommeted Lid,
6.5 Gallon Ale Pail Bottling Bucket with Bottling Spigot,
Home Beermaking Book,
Easy Clean No-Rinse Cleanser,
Bucket Clip,
Twin Lever Capper,
Hydrometer,
Airlock,
Liquid Crystal Thermometer,
Siphon and Bottling Set-Up
Bottle Brush,
Equipment Instructions
The Mr. Beer kit is $40 or something. I was thinking about starting with that and saving up some money over time to get something better, but if there's one out there significantly better for say around $100, give or take a little, then I think it would be worth it to start with that.
Mick, that sounds great I will definitely check it out, thanks!
check out any of the online homebrew shops. they all offer starter kits from around $60-80 that will get you going.
http://www.rebelbrewer.com/shoppingcart … t-Kit.html
[url]http://www.midwestsupplies.com/homebrewing-equipment/equipment-kits.html[/url
those are a couple kits to look at. you'll also need a big pot to boil in, and a collection of pry top bottles.
As far as Mr. beer goes, it's a great product to get started on, it's what I started on. The problem with Mr. beer, is that the ingrediants are pretty expensive if you buy them from the web site. You do not need to use their malt, or hops, you can get those on your own. I think an extra fermenter is 10 bucks. You can make a 5 gallon batch, and split it between the fermenters, and then add water to both to get a full 5 gallons. Or you can just make the normal amount of beer in the fermenters, just get a recipe program like beer tools, that can configure smaller batches so you don't have to figure it out.
The booster they use in the basic kits is just Sugar, you do not need booster. You can buy your own yeast, and just split it between the two fermenters. Since your in college, i'm sure space is hard to come by, that's why i'm suggesting sticking with 2 small fermenters. Once you start getting comfortable, or, have more space, you can just move up to a 5 gallon bucket, or carboy.
I made over 40 batches in the Mr. beer kit doing it this way, it's a great way to experiment, then I went to the larger 5 gallon fermenters, and then to all grain brewing. I just drilled 5 holes in a stand up freezer for my Kegerator. That's right baby, 5 taps, Ha ha.
That's what's good about this hobby, you can go as far as you want with it. I'd say make some beer with what you have now, or what you planned on getting. Then get things as you need them, and learn all you can, brew days help, if you can hook up with some brewers in your area, go for it. You learn as much in 1 brewday with a bunch of brewers, as you would brewing 10 batches by yourself.
Bruguru is right, the Mr. Beer system can make a good beer, but just as with any brewing set up, you need to get the process down to get good beer. fresh ingredients helps too. There is a member of the forum Screwy Brewer who uses the Mr Beer fermenters and has done a lot of recipes. Try finding one of his posts and clicking the link to his website, I think he lists his recipes there. Then you can get the ingredients from a site like Midwest Supplies that always has fresh stuff. Once you get the process down, you'll be enjoying good beer, regardless of what size batch you're making, or who makes the brewing equipment you use.
Welcome to the obsession. I think a Mr. Beer kit is a good way to get started without the commitment level of a full out kit, but like everyone else, I recommend dispensing with the Mr. Beer products and going with something you can get at a local brewshop...
An acquaintance of mine (friend of a friend kinda thing) got a Mr. Beer and was convinced his was up to par with "big" homebrewers. Like your friend's results, they were better than commercial examples... a little. Despite our mutual friend's assurances that he wasnt getting the full effect, the acquaintance was certain that I was an idiot for spending the extra $ on start up equipment. We ended up having a taste-off (party) at his instigation with both of us producing a kit straight up stout.
I dont know what the Mr. Beer folks put in their ingredient kits, but it produces some gross stuff. I won hands down. Everyone liked his beer ("yeah, it's ok") but mine won ("this is awesome") ... when he argued about the "fairness" of the contest his best friend pointed out that mine was gone first even though I made a lot more.
I know weren't asking for an anecdote, but thought this one might help you in your decision 
For a few $$ more than the Mr Beer kit you can get this
http://www.midwestsupplies.com/brewing- … t-kit.html
and make some really good beer. While you're at it order one or two of these to brew up
http://www.midwestsupplies.com/homebrew … -ales.html
You WILL be rewarded!
Sounds like the cost of Mr.Beer ingredients makes upgrading to a bucket/carboy type kit more economical after the first couple batches. Making 5 gallons of beer at a time is probably a little more rewarding that the 2 or so that MR beer makes.
Of course, this is where the screwy brewer should chime in.... Here's your chance to really defend the Mr Beer kit dude!
Also, check out craigslist. Sometimes you can find a ton of equipment on there, cheap.
You can use a 5 gal carboy for a fermenter. I've bot glass ones for $15 from spring water companies that have switched to plastic.
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