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Welcome to home brewing with Mr.Beer!
Hello. I'm Peter Gariepy, customer service manager at Mr.Beer
Today i'm going to show you how easy it is to make great tasting beer with your new
Mr.Beer home brewing system.
Let's get started!
Gathering Your Equipment
Your Mr.Beer home brewing system includes
a 2 gallon keg fermenter, a lid
a spigot assembly
yeast
a packet of no rinse cleanser
and a can of hopped malt extract.
Most kits also come with plastic bottles and caps.
If your kid did not include bottles, you'll need to collect enough bottles
and caps to hold 256 ounces of beer.
Any bottle that previously held a carbonated beverage will work great.
in addition you'll also need
a can opener
a three quart pot
a metal spoon
three gallons of refrigerated water
measuring cup
measuring spoons
a plate
a large mixing bowl
and some white granulated sugar.
To make the brewing process even easier, you may also want a whisk,
a rubber spatula,
a flashlight,
and a funnel.
Now that you have everything to start brewing, it's time to assemble your keg.
Put the washer on the spigot with the beveled edge facing out...
like this.
And then insert it into the keg and attached the nut from the inside.
It's always a good idea to test your keg for leaks.
Fill it halfway with water...
and put it on a dry surface while we move on to sanitizing.
Sanitizing is important
because it kills bacteria and wild yeast that can cause off flavors in your beer.
Make sure your work area -- and you -- are clean before you begin.
To sanitize your equipment first fill the keg with lukewarm water to the four
quart mark on the back of the keg.
Then sprinkle in half a packet of No-Rinse cleanser.
Stir until the power is fully dissolved...
then screw on the lid.
Once dissolved, your sanitizing solution is ready to use.
Sanitize your keg by sloshing it around and flipping it over so no surface goes untouched.
Don't worry if some of the solution leaks from the ventilation notches built
into the mouth of the keg.
They're there to allow C02 to vent during fermentation.
Now it's time to sanitize your equipment.
First, fill your large mixing bowl with sanitizing solution.
Sanitize the utensils by placing them in the bowl and make sure that the solution
makes contact with all surfaces of the utensils.
Once done,
you may want to place the utensils on a sanitized plate for use in the next step.
Finally,
enter the remainder of the solution from the keg.
There's no need to rinse.
Once the No-RInse cleanser has been dissolved, it turns into hydrogen peroxide
which sanitizes your equipment.
After that, it continues to break down into a simple combination of water and
minerals
which are non-toxic and healthy for the yeast.
Now it's time to brew!
Brewing is the process of combining hopped malt extract with yeast
and water.
The yeast eats the sugars in the malt and produces alcohol
and carbon dioxide.
Remove the yeast packet from under the lid of the can't put the can into a
container of hot water to make the extract easier to pour in the next step.
Pour approximately four cups of water into the pot
and bring it to a boil.
Once it's boiling turn off the heat.
Now
open the bottom of the can of hopped malt extract with your can opener...
and pour the mall into the hot water.
Pour slowly and stir constantly until the malt is fully dissolved.
Get as much malt out of the can as possible.
This is where a spatula really comes in handy.
Next, fill your keg to the four quart mark with refrigerated water.
I'm using spring water but you can use tap water.
Don't use distilled water as it doesn't contain minerals necessary to keep your
yeast healthy.
Now, carefully pour your mixture of hot water and malt
into the keg.
Top off the keg to the 8.5 quart mark with more refrigerated water
Once the keg is full, stir vigorously to mix well.
The mixture of unfermented beer in your keg is known as wort.
Finally, sprinkle your yeast onto the surface of the wort
and close the lid.
Store your keg in a dark place with a study temperature between 68
and 76 degrees Fahrenheit to begin fermentation.
It's crucial to ferment your beer at the correct temperature.
Too cold, your beer won't ferment.
Too hot,
and your yeast will make off flavors.
Fermentation will usually reach its peak in 2 to 5 days.
This is known as high krausen.
During this time you'll see the most visible activity in the keg.
Use a flashlight to get a good look.
You may see a layer of foam on top of the wort
and possibly even a bathtub like ring on the inside walls of the keg.
You'll also see a layer of white sediment on the bottom of the keg.
All of these are signs that your beer is fermenting.
It'll take about two weeks for your beer to completely ferment.
Don't open the lid.
I know it's hard, but be patient!
This time-lapse video was taken during the first 72 hours of a
typical fermentation process
to give you an idea of what you can expect your beer to look like during the
peak of fermentation.
After this first 72 hours it may look like nothing more is happening
inside your keg
but rest assured that is not the case.
The yeast will continue to ferment your beer for the next 10 to 14 days.
Your beer will likely be ready to bottle in about two weeks, but you want to test
it to be sure.
First, inspect your beer visually.
Using your flashlight, look into the keg.
If your beer is still fermenting the liquid will look milky.
But if fermentation is complete, light will penetrate the liquid and the
surface of your beer will have no or very few remaining yeast colonies.
To be doubly sure fermentation is complete, taste a small amount of your beer.
If it taste sweet, give it a few more days to finish fermenting.
If it tastes like flat beer
you're ready to bottle.
You need to sanitize your bottles first.
Empty the remainder of your No-RInse cleanser into 1 gallon of lukewarm water
and shake it until it's fully dissolved.
Once the solution is ready
fill each bottle about half-way...
cap it...
then shake it so that the solution coats the inside of the bottle.
When you've sanitized all the bottles
empty them into them into the sink.
Remember -- no need to rinse.
To carbonate your beer, add 2 level teaspoons of white granulated sugar to each
750 millileter bottle found in most kits.
For 1 liter bottles about 2 1/2 teaspoons.
For 1/2 liter bottles, add 1 teaspoon.
If you have different sized bottles, be sure to refer to your instructions.
For easier carbonation, try our carbo drops available at mrbeer.com.
The yeast remaining in your beer will eat the sugar and in turn create C02, or as
it's better known,
carbonation.
Once you've added sugar to each bottle fill the bottles from the keg to about
1 1/2 inches from the lip.
Make sure to hold them at an angle to reduce aeration.
Cap the bottles, then invert them a few times.
Be sure to store your bottles in a cool dark place.
It'll take about a week to carbonate your beer, but I recommend two weeks to
ensure full carbonation.
And now's the perfect time to wash your equipment so you don't end up with dried
up gunk in your keg.
Remember to wash with clear liquid hand soap and a soft cloth.
You'll be able to tell when your beer is ready by feeling the bottle.
When the beer is fully carbonated the plastic bottles will be firm to the
touch.
Refrigerate overnight before drinking.
Finally, it's time for you to enjoy your home brewed beer.
Congratulations!
You're a home brewer!
If you like, let the bottles sit in the refrigerator for a few more weeks.
This is known as conditioning.
You'll be surprised at just how much a little conditioning can do to improve
your beer's taste.
Your new Mr.Beer brewing systems are totally reusable.
Mr.Beer sells the supplies you need to make even more great tasting beer.
Fourteen different refills, dozens of advanced recipes
as well as specially yeasts
hops and equipment.
Visit mrbeer.com today.