How to Use Mr. Beer

Home brewing is easy with the Mr. Beer brew kit. My husband has been using one for years and has gotten quite a bit of enjoyment from it. Likewise, our friends who like beer have enjoyed the benefits of my husband's hobby. If you are considering brewing your own beer, this article will prepare you for what is involved.

Things You'll Need

• Mr Beer Brew Kit (Keg, tap, etc.) Beer Kit (malt and yeast) 5 gal. filtered water 2 cups white table sugar 3-gallon (or larger) stainless steel pot Stirring spoon Can opener Stove Chlorine bleach Soap Tap water Sterilized glass bottles (12 to 32 oz) Bottle caps Cap press Measuring spoons Funnel

Instructions

How to Use Mr. Beer

1. Wash the Mr. Beer keg, tap, lid and cooking pot in soapy water and rinse thoroughly.

2. Sterilize the pot, keg, tap and lid in a chlorine bleach solution (2 tablespoons bleach per gallon water) and rinse thoroughly.

3. Open the can of the Mr. Beer beer mix you have chosen. Set aside the yeast package, but do not lose.

4. Pour the mix into the pot along with the quantity of filtered water specified for your mix.

5. Heat the mix to boiling and add 1 1/2 cups of sugar.

6. Boil for 45 minutes (or time specified on your mix instructions), stirring periodically.

7. Pour filtered water to half-fill the Mr. Beer beer keg.

8. Carefully pour the boiled malt mixture into the Mr. Beer beer keg.

9. Add filtered water to bring the level in the keg to the 8.5-quart level shown on the back end of the keg.

10. Stir the water and malt mix thoroughly.

11. Open the package of yeast and sprinkle the contents into the keg, trying to achieve an even surface covering.

12. Wait 5 minutes for the yeast to begin to activate and then stir the yeast into the malt mixture.

13. Store the keg in a dark location which will stay in the 70 to 80 degree range for 7 to 10 days. This is primary fermentation.

Bottling your beer

1. Using measuring spoons and funnel put sugar into each sterilized glass bottle.
   12 oz bottle - 3/4 teaspoon sugar
   16 oz - 1
   22 oz - 1 1/2
   32 oz - 2 1/2

2. Pour beer from the Mr. Beer keg tap into each bottle slowly. Swirl the bottle softly to mix the sugar into the beer as the bottle fills. Fill no closer than 1 inch from the top of the bottle.

3. Press a cap onto each bottle using the cap press.

4. Store the filled and capped bottles in a dark, temperature-stable location for at least two and preferably six weeks. This is where secondary fermentation occurs and the flat beer mixture gains carbonation.

5. Open and enjoy.

Tips & Warnings

• Arguably the second-best part of home brewing is playing with the recipes. There are hundreds of tried and true recipes available from Mr. Beer and other online sources. Mr. Beer kits produce roughly 2 1/2 gallons of beer. Most other beer kits target homebrewers making 5-gallon batches. If you use one of these other (larger) kits, do not add sugar. These kits have more than enough malt to give a very rich product without needing sugar, booster, or malt. Additional booster or malt added to a Mr. Beer kit during the boiling step will add richness and flavor. Other additions to fine-tune your beer to your taste may include honey (for smokier flavor), fruit purees, peppers, additional hops, or extracts. Many purists will substitute liquid yeasts for the yeast package included in the Mr. Beer mix kit.

• The boiled mixture poured in Step 8 is hot and sticky. Be careful not to splash on yourself. During secondary fermentation, too much pressure MAY build inside the bottle. Bottles have been known to explode. During secondary fermentation, store the beer somewhere safe and easily cleaned.

References

• Mr Beer
• Great Belgian kits useable with Mr. Beer