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Making mead with Mr. Beer

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knowlesbrew

NewBee
Registered Member
Dec 8, 2008
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A friend of mine gave me a Mr. Beer kit that he bought and never used. My thinking is that I can use the 2.5 gallon plastic fermentor that it comes with to make mead.

My question is could I use it as both a primary and secondary fermentor, like move the mead to a glass carboy, clean the Mr. Beer fermentor and then rack the mead back into the Mr. Beer for secondary fermentation?

My thought is it doesnt have an airlock it just has very small slits around the top to let air out. I might have to invest in a couple one gallon jugs and just split the batch.

Thanks
 
I wouldn't use Mister Beer to make beer. The system is a joke!

As for making mead with it.... the system is a joke! It's flimsy plastic that us not meant to age anything. If you try making a mead with it, it will be extremely oxidized before it's ready.


Phil
 
Good to know. I got one for my birthday and hadn't started it yet. I will push that off indefinitely.
 
Not that I would EVER condone the purchase of a Mr Beer kit...I will say that I know a lot of people who got into homebrew by first using their kits. And a few who use them regularly, despite their inferior product. ???

Speedy, If you have one why not go ahead and make it...then decide for yourself...not everybody has the same taste.
 
Yeah I went ahead and whipped up a batch with the ingredients it came with. I added a cup of DME and about 1/4 oz of cascade hops to liven it up a little. Plus if you are aleady a home brewer I wouldnt use the yeast that comes with the kit, use the typical dry or liquid yeast.

I am not holding out much hope for it but who knows.
 
True - everyone ones tastes are different and it will give me a chance to test out a different type of brewing and process. I have a few meads going right now, but would like to know more about different home brews.

Speedy
 
I have more experience brewing than mead making. I wouldnt recommend Mr. Beer past the supplies you already have. You are better off using the 5 gallon batch extract kits that Northernbrewer or midwestsupplies sell.
 
Vino said:
Not that I would EVER condone the purchase of a Mr Beer kit...I will say that I know a lot of people who got into homebrew by first using their kits. And a few who use them regularly, despite their inferior product. ???

Speedy, If you have one why not go ahead and make it...then decide for yourself...not everybody has the same taste.
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And I know a lot of people who gave up on brewing after one or two batches of Mr. Beer beer. The system makes a lovely planter, I hear.

You really can't keep anything in that for more than two or three weeks before the oxidation sets in. It's cheap plastic.


Phil
 
dogglebe said:
And I know a lot of people who gave up on brewing after one or two batches of Mr. Beer beer.
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That's like eating your first hamburger and it came from Krystals (puke!) and deciding to never try another hamburger. Anybody that gives up after one experience without doing research (especially with the internet) probably shouldn't be making beer anyway.

The first mead I ever tasted was commercially produced, and after two drinks I poured it down the drain, that didn't stop me from wanting to try other meads...on the contrary it sparked my curiousity and eventually brought me to this site.

Besides if everyone brewed beer I wouldn' t have anybody to buy mine! ;D

So I guess I should thank the makers of Mr Beer (although I won't).
 
My thought is it doesnt have an airlock it just has very small slits around the top to let air out.
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I've never seen this particular system or set up...but that sounds like it actually might work allright for primary fermentation? Well, I guess the slits might let out the krausen all over the place... Maybe just for a one gallon batch?
 
Vino said:
That's like eating your first hamburger and it came from Krystals (puke!) and deciding to never try another hamburger. Anybody that gives up after one experience without doing research (especially with the internet) probably shouldn't be making beer anyway.
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You're comparing brewing beer with eating a hamburger? Are you serious?

Brewing beer (or making mead) requires time and effort, and is something people don't need to do since there are so many good beers out there. If your first attempt, or two, result in inferior beers then you're not going to keep it up; you're going to stop and buy crafts beers.


Phil
 
dogglebe said:
You're comparing brewing beer with eating a hamburger? Are you serious?

Brewing beer (or making mead) requires time and effort, and is something people don't need to do since there are so many good beers out there. If your first attempt, or two, result in inferior beers then you're not going to keep it up; you're going to stop and buy crafts beers.


Phil
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Are you saying that everyone makes a "good" mead or beer on their first or second attempt? Are you serious?

The food was an example that could have been almost anything...I can think of several things I've tried and had less than stellar success at initially.

If someone is serious about learning a craft like beer or mead or wine making, then they aren't going to give up after one or two attempts.
 
I have been brewing beer for two years now...after I made my first batch about 10 years ago and thought it was the most horrible thing I have ever drank! I learned a lot more about it since and realized that patience (and sanitation) is key to both beer and mead!

I currently have my 2nd, 3rd and 4th meads (1 gallon batches) bubbling away happily at 70 degrees...notice, I didn't talk about batch #1 for a reason!! :)
I should have listened to my instincts as a brewer...we'll leave it at that.

Point is...I didn't give up and that is why my beers and meads will do nothing but improve as I gain even more knowledge and experience...
 
How many people are going to buy one beer making kit, brew a batch or two of crappy beer, and then say, "Maybe I should drop more money and buy a second homebrewing system." They're going to give it up and buy beer after that.

And my first mead was incredible!


Phil
 
I have to admit I made a batch of Mr. Beer with the stuff my buddy gave me and it turned out pretty good. It was the West Coast Pale ale. Of course It probably helped that I added some Cascade hops, some DME, and used fresh Yeast instead of the crap that came with the kit. The finished product def didnt taste like a Well hopped Pale ale more like a light Lager in the Bud Miller Coors style. But like I said considering the set up it wasnt too bad. But I think I will stick to my All Grain Brew.
 
knowlesbrew said:
I have to admit I made a batch of Mr. Beer with the stuff my buddy gave me and it turned out pretty good. It was the West Coast Pale ale. Of course It probably helped that I added some Cascade hops, some DME, and used fresh Yeast instead of the crap that came with the kit. The finished product def didnt taste like a Well hopped Pale ale more like a light Lager in the Bud Miller Coors style. But like I said considering the set up it wasnt too bad. But I think I will stick to my All Grain Brew.
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I've been wondering what beer kit to use since I've always wanted to start brewing my own beer. Is Mr. Beer good? Thanks!
:confused:
 
+1 on the bucket. Most beers do not need a secondary and will be just fine in the bucket for the requisite 10-14 days. Most homebrew stores will sell beer kits for $30-40/5 gallons with all the ingredients you need included.
 
+2 on the bucket...the only time a beer "needs" a secondary (IMHO) is when it is a BIG beer (we are talking 10%+) that would benefit greatly by sitting for a few months (to a few years) in a bulk aging type situation.
 
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