The Brew Times
Should you cap your beer bottles as you fill them or at the end of bottling?
{{widget type="Solvature\VideoSlider\Block\Widget\VideoSliderWidget" video_embed1="ze1XqWHtq_U" video_title1="Should you cap your beer bottles as you fill them or at the end of bottling?" video_cta_color1="white" video_cta_color2="white" video_cta_color3="white" video_cta_color4="white" video_cta_color5="white"}} Should you be capping your bottles as you go or should you wait and cap them all at the end of bottling? We break down what you should be doing in this week's episode of BrewTalk with Mr. Beer. I saw this question presented in our Facebook group the other day and I thought It was very interesting. This is not something that we explicitly call out in our instructions, so I thought it would be good to discuss this topic. So in an official capacity, you should cap your bottles right after you fill them, and there are a few reasons for that. Also, I don’t see any real benefit to filling all your bottles then capping them all at the end. All you are doing is creating the risk for infection. The first is just having them sit there with no caps on and the beer in them, it can open up the risk for them to get an infection. You could have anything floating around in the air that could just drop into your bottle of beer and cause an infection. You want to keep those caps sitting on your bottles at all times. A proper procedure for helping to keep your bottles safe and clean should be like this. Sanitize your bottles. Pour out the sanitizer and put the cap on top of the bottle, you don’t need to tighten it, just set it on top. Then when you are ready to fill your bottle, add your carbonation drops, then fill your bottle with beer, then cap it. That would be the best way to minimize the risk of infection during bottling by reducing the amount of time the inside of the bottles is not covered after sanitizing. Cheers, Robert
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Is brewing all grain really cheaper?
Many craft beer enthusiasts choose home brewing as an enjoyable hobby and extension of their love for fermentation and the freedom to create their own custom recipes, but another notable advantage is, financial. If you love craft beer; I likely don’t have to tell you that buying it can get expensive, a “bottle shop” 6-pack, at a time. For many, homebrewing can a great way to reduce overall costs, especially if you like to enjoy and share those classy-craft-brews, on a regular basis. Here at Mr. Beer, we have spent some time talking about how brewing with our products, especially refills, can save you on both ingredient costs, equipment costs, and of course, time… But it may seem with our recipes, that an all-grain version might be a “less expensive” option. I decided to see if that was true. Is it a better value to brew with Mr. Beer when it comes to recipes, over an all-grain equivalent? I selected one of our more complex “clone” recipes from the site and compared it to the cost of brewing the same beer, but all-grain, and shopped all the needed ingredients for the “official” all-grain” version of the recipe. The recipe I selected for this comparison was “Gnomes in The Abbey”, as this our “Mr. Beer version” inspired by Lost Abbey’s seasonal favorite, “Gnoel De Abbey”. Luckily, the publication “Brew Your Own” provided us with an all-grain “clone” recipe of this beer to compare with… I should really say “beers”, as the all-grain version they have provided, requires you to brew two separate batches in order to achieve the final product, after finally conducting a 70/30 blend. That is probably the first, most noticeable advantage of brewing the Mr. Beer version of this beer; you are only required to execute ONE brewing and fermentation process. Now, let’s look at the finer details starting with a list of ingredients for both versions, as well as the total estimated cost for each when shopped online: Mr. Beer’s Gnomes in The Abbey 2 Canadian Blonde Brewing Extract (HME) 2 Packets of Robust LME 1 Packet of Booster 1 Packet of Vienna Malt 1 Packet of Honey Malt 1 Packet of Chocolate Malt 1 Packet of Crystal 60 1 Packet of Northern Brewer Hops 1 Packet of Oak Chips 3 Muslin Hop Sack 1 Packet of T-58 1 Packet of No-Rinse Cleanser Cost from Mr. Beer: $39.95 All-grain Version from “Brew Your Own” magazine: (Both recipes below are for 5 gallons, however, the final total represents what it would cost to shop these ingredients for a 2.25-gallon batch. I have listed the 5-gallon quantities to maintain the integrity of the original clone recipe.) Blending beer #1 Abbey Blonde 9.75 lbs. (4.4 kg) American 2-row pale malt 5 oz. (0.23 kg) German Vienna malt 6.3 AAU US Magnum hops (90 min.) (0.45 oz./12.8 g at 14% alpha acids) 0.07 oz. (2 g) freshly ground coriander (15 min.) 1⁄2 tsp. Irish moss (15 min.) White Labs WLP830 (German Lager) or Wyeast 2124 (Bohemian Lager) or Mangrove Jack’s M84 (Bohemian Lager) yeast Blending Beer #2 Imperial Stout 13.4 lbs. (6.08 kg) American 2-row malt 0.4 lb. (0.18 kg) Gambrinus honey malt 0.4 lb. (0.18 kg) crystal malt (70–80 °L) 0.4 lb. (0.18 kg) crystal malt (120 °L) 0.4 lb. (0.18 kg) crystal malt (165 °L) 0.4 lb. (0.18 kg) chocolate malt 0.4 lb. (0.18 kg) Weyerman Carafa® II malt 0.8 lb. (0.36 kg) roasted barley 0.8 lb. (0.36 kg) flaked barley 1.75 lbs. (0.79 kg) dextrose 16.4 AAU US Magnum hops (90 min.) (1.1 oz./31 g at 14.9% alpha acids) 4.9 AAU Cascade hops (15 min.) (0.65 oz./18 g at 7.6% alpha acids) 1⁄2 tsp. Irish moss 4 oz. (113 g) Bourbon-soaked oak chips White Labs WLP001 (California Ale) or Wyeast 1056 (American Ale) or SafAle US-05 yeast Wyeast 1098 (British Ale) or White Labs WLP007 (English Dry Ale) or LalBrew Nottingham yeast Total cost estimate AFTER modifying for 2.25 gallons, shopped on a competitor’s website: $60-65 These estimates demonstrate how brewing the Mr. Beer option can save you money where ingredients are concerned, but there are even more advantages to be had. Continuing to use the all-grain version above as an example, even when the weights of the grains are reduced by half, storing, milling, and working with several lbs. of malted grain can be quite a hassle, and the equipment required for processing it and brewing with it, demands quite a large commitment to space. Next, we have the time-saving aspect. All-grain brewing can often be an all-day commitment from start to finish. That factor becomes even more pronounced when it comes to brewing two beers on the same day! By comparison, our clone version only requires about 2 hours maximum of your time, from the start of your brew day to the cleanup. Not worrying about where to store two fermenters is also another advantage in this case, and you will not have to worry about any pesky blending once fermentation is complete! Not having to blend two separate beers after fermentation, also greatly reduces the chance of infection and unwanted oxygen exposure. To sum it all up, Mr. Beer's recipes allow you to brew beers easily and cost-effectively, which would typically be time-consuming, complicated, and expensive in their all-grain forms. We do all the hard work for you, so what’s left is an enjoyable and successful brewing experience; A greater chance of success, and a faster path to advancement in the flavor complexity of the beers you brew! We think home brewing should be inclusive to everyone, that means cost, accessibility and ease-of-use are always some of the biggest factors we consider when creating these recipes for our brewers. The value goes beyond money, time, and space; you might save a little on your sanity, too! All-grain brewing is awesome, but the truth is, not everyone has the resources of time, space, and money to achieve their goals and that makes our recipes a unique value! I hope you enjoyed this, and like always, if you have any questions or suggestions for future topics, do not hesitate to let us know! We always value hearing your thoughts and feedback! Cheers! Ashley
Read moreDo you add your hopsack to your fermenter after a hop boil?
{{widget type="Solvature\VideoSlider\Block\Widget\VideoSliderWidget" video_embed1="OgU8afJ5do8" video_title1="Do you add your hopsack to your fermenter after a hop boil?" video_cta_color1="white" video_cta_color2="white" video_cta_color3="white" video_cta_color4="white" video_cta_color5="white"}} This is a question that we get all the time with our recipes. So we thought it would be helpful to clear the air! When brewing any of our recipes you will always leave the hopsack in the fermenter unless the instructions tell you to take it out. This goes for any adjunct that you might be using, zest, oak chips, cacao nibs, hops, etc. If the instructions do not tell you to take it out then it goes into your fermenter for the duration of fermentation. Leaving your hops in during fermentation will add a touch (very small amount) of flavor and aroma to your brew. Now boiling hops does reduce the impact of hop flavor in aroma, but you get some great bitterness out of the hops. If you are looking to get more flavor and aroma from your hops then you will want to add them either when you take your pot off the heat. Throw them in and let it sit for a minute. You can also add them later as a dry hop. So to wrap it up and make it clear, you will always leave your hopsack in the fermenter unless the instructions tell you otherwise. Cheers, Robert
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Strawberry Malted Milkshake Cheesecake Bites
Very few desserts bring back nostalgic, summer memories, quite like the flavor of an “old-fashioned” strawberry malted milkshake. Now tell me you didn’t smile a little just thinking about it?! Assuming you have had a chance to look at some of my previous recipes, you already know I love to cook and bake with beer, but did you know that liquid malt extract makes for an incredible cooking ingredient, too? Well, I am here to show you how, with these mouthwatering and decadent cheesecake bites, inspired by one of my favorite summer treats from childhood. This recipe captures the flavor and spirit of those classic malted milkshakes, but with a “grown-up” twist that makes an awesome and easy to prepare party snack… Or you can eat all 36 of them yourself while hiding in the hallway coat closet; I am not here to tell you how to live! But seriously, these things are GOOD, so you will probably want to stash a couple in the freezer behind the frozen peas, as they are not known to last very long! Without any further delay, let’s make some! Ingredients: 36 whole Vanilla Wafers 24 ounces, weight Cream Cheese, Softened 3/4 cup Milk Powder 4 Tablespoons Pale or smooth LME ½ cups Sugar 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract 1 cup Strawberry Jam or preserves (not jelly, because that has gelatin, and we don’t need that for this) 1 pinch Salt 3 whole Eggs ¾ cups Sour Cream Whipped topping: 1-½ cup Heavy Cream ¼ cups Powdered Sugar Other Items: Enough cupcake tins and wrappers to make 36 bites A small shot glass to crush each wafer inside the tin Sliced strawberries to use as a garnish (optional) How to make them: Preheat the oven to 300ºF. Place a vanilla wafer in each lined muffin tin, cup. Using your shot glass, press the vanilla wafers until crushed to fill the bottom of each liner. Using an electric mixer, combine the cream cheese, milk powder, malt, and sugar until fluffy, 3 minutes. Add the vanilla and jam. Beat until well incorporated. Scrape the bowl and add the salt, eggs, and sour cream; beat until smooth. Add about 1/3 cup of cheesecake batter to each cup in your tins and make sure each crumbled wafer is covered. Bake for 30-45 minutes until the centers are just set. Check at 30 minutes with a toothpick. The center should be still a little loose, but mostly solid. They can take up to 45 minutes. Just make sure you watch them! Take them out of the oven and let them cool for about 10 minutes at room temp and then into the fridge for 4 hours. Once the bites are fully chilled, whip the heavy cream and powdered sugar together. Dollop the whipped cream on top of each cheesecake and top with a strawberry slice. I hope you love this recipe! Let me know if you would like to see more recipes that use LME or DME as an ingredient! ENJOY! Ashley
Read moreWhy you should put your beer in the fridge for 48-72 hours before drinking it?
{{widget type="Solvature\VideoSlider\Block\Widget\VideoSliderWidget" video_embed1="tQrDM0pDYWM" video_title1="Why you should put your beer in the fridge for 48-72 hours before drinking it?" video_cta_color1="white" video_cta_color2="white" video_cta_color3="white" video_cta_color4="white" video_cta_color5="white"}} So this is one of the last steps in our instructions, but a crucial step that often gets overlooked. You have spent all this time waiting to taste your beer and you just want to chill it real fast and drink it now! Well, you might be better off letting it sit in the fridge a bit before you drink it. The reason we tell you to leave your beer in the fridge for 48-72 hours is that it will help with your carbonation. If you have ever pored a warm beer you will notice that although it will pour foamy the C02 is lacking a little bit or will dissipate rather quickly. When a beer is cold it helps the C02 absorbed better into the beer. So if you let it sit for those 72 hours you will have a much better-carbonated beer. Having a well-carbonated beer also help bring out all those hop flavors and aromas that you might not taste otherwise. So it can provide a good balance to your beer and improve the flavor of IPAs for example. If you have a hard time waiting that long, then what I would recommend is putting 2 bottles in the fridge. One to drink if you just can't wait and the other to sit for at least 48 hours to allow that C02 to fully absorbed into the beer. You will definitely notice the difference in taste between the 2. The one that was allowed to sit in the fridge for a bit longer is going to taste much better. So make sure to leave your bottles in the fridge for at least 48 hours prior to drinking for the best results. Cheers, Robert
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What is Kveik yeast?
You probably have heard of this word, or maybe you have not until today, so let’s go ahead and answer the question in our title, first; “What is Kveik yeast?”. The very simplest explanation is that “Kveik” refers (currently) to about 3, brewer’s yeast strains that are native to Norway, specifically. Now, that is the short definition, but Kveik gets much more interesting than that! I field many questions about Kveik yeasts, every summer because, unlike most other brewing yeasts, it can tolerate very high temperatures by comparison, and it attenuates VERY quickly. Because of this higher temperature tolerance and blazing speed, warmer months seem to be when ya’ll really want to know about the stuff! Hey, I get it and you know by now, I need very little justification to talk about brewing yeasts, so here we go! “Where does Kveik come from?” As already briefly mentioned above, Kveik yeast originates in Norway and the word itself literally means “the yeast”! Certain varieties of Kveik can also be found in Lithuania, Latvia, and other surrounding areas… But these yeasts are part of the family associated with the “Norwegian farmhouse” style, or as we often call it nowadays, just “Farmhouse” style. Many of the original varieties of “old world” Kveik have been lost to time, but on the west coast of Norway, from Hardanger in the south to Sunnmøre in the north, there are still some yeast cultures that have survived and are in use to this day, along with more contemporary strains and blends, as well. Specific, regional cultures were usually passed down as well guarded family secrets, so the wild varieties of Kveik that we may not even know of today, likely existed on a vast spectrum. “What’s it got, that other “Ale” yeasts, don’t?” You likely already gleaned; Kveik’s special talents are SUPER fast fermentation and high-temperature tolerance… But so, what? There are other yeasts that do that too, right? Well, sort of… But there are not many yeasts that can do all that and still taste GREAT, that’s where Kveik gets “extra” special if time and temperature are management issues for you. Depending on the specific variety of Kveik you are brewing with, “ideal” fermentation temps can run anywhere from 90-104 degrees F! That is some sultry, stuff! “Can I only use this yeast for Farmhouse styles, then?” That is probably the best part of this whole “thing”. Kveik yeast is surprisingly flexible, at least far more flexible than you might think! Brewers across the country have used it to ferment anything from IPA’s to Pilsner-style beers! That means you can have wort, to beer in as little as 3 days and conditioning will happen much faster, too! “What kind of flavors can I expect to get from Kveik varieties?” Kviek yeast is typically characterized as “estery” (fruity), but usually low in phenols, which are those spicy flavors you will sometimes find in Belgian styles. Different labs will create varying mixtures of Kveik varieties a long with bacteria, in order to modulate and or manipulate various flavor characteristics, so it is very important to make sure you “do your research” prior to purchasing and brewing with a Kveik strain. Some varieties even boast “neutral” flavor profiles when brewed at the lower temperature ranges. Keep in mind though, with a few exceptions, Kveik’s usually provide the best flavors, at higher temperatures. “Where can I find Kveik yeast of my own to brew with?” While we are not yet carrying Kveik varieties, over at Mr. Beer… “YET, You might be please to learn that LOTS of specialized vendors carry it, so make sure to check in the brew shops that are local to you as well, they might just surprise you with what they have in stock! Alright, folks, that might have seemed like “a lot” but when it comes to the wild and funky world of Kveik, the rabbit hole can get MUCH deeper! I hope that answered some of your questions and if you find yourself wanting “more”, give us a call or send us a message and we will be happy to talk “shop” on wild yeasts with you! Until next time, Cheers! Ashley
Read moreWhat happens if you add too little or too much water to your LBK?
{{widget type="Solvature\VideoSlider\Block\Widget\VideoSliderWidget" video_embed1="KXNC7bySCdc" video_title1="What happens if you add too little or too much water to your fermenter?" video_cta_color1="white" video_cta_color2="white" video_cta_color3="white" video_cta_color4="white" video_cta_color5="white"}} I saw this question in the Facebook group the other day where someone had added too much water to their fermenter and was wondering what the effects would be. So I thought it would be good to talk about what can happen if you add too much or too little water to your fermenter. So for the most part this won't have that big of an impact on your final beer. Unless you go way over or way under like half a gallon or more. Then you will have some completely different beer. But if you are only slightly over or under the impacts will be minimal. If you go slightly under your beer will be a little stronger than normal. So the OG will be higher and the ABV of the beer will be higher. Also, the beer will be a little maltier than it normally would be. If you go a little over your beer will be a little weaker than it normally would be. Your OG will be lower and your ABV will be lower. Also, you will lose some of that malty flavor in your beer. Like I mentioned before these changes are minimal. If you are slightly above or below the proper fill line don’t worry, your beer will be fine! Cheers, Robert
Read moreHow to properly clean your bottles?
{{widget type="Solvature\VideoSlider\Block\Widget\VideoSliderWidget" video_embed1="inuamMSZav8" video_title1="How to properly clean your bottles?" video_cta_color1="white" video_cta_color2="white" video_cta_color3="white" video_cta_color4="white" video_cta_color5="white"}} Cleaning your bottles can often be an overlooked step in the homebrewing process, but if you want your bottles to last a while then you need to take proper care of them. We break down the proper way to clean your bottles in this episode of BrewTalk with Mr. Beer. Cleaning your bottles can often be an overlooked step when it comes to brewing. It is not something in most brewing instructions and not something that I see talked about often. So I wanted to break down the proper way to clean your bottles so you can keep using them well into the future. If you do not clean your bottles or clean them properly then you will increase the risk of getting infections in your bottles. Just sanitizing your bottles before you use them does not count as cleaning. So after you finish pouring the beer out of your bottles, or dinking your bottle what should you do? The first step is to rinse it with warm water in your sync. Fill it halfway up, swirl it around and dump it out. Fill it halfway up again add the cap then shake it real good then dump it out. Now at this point, I add a little bit of unscented dish soap and then fill it halfway up with water. I add the cap back on again and shake it up. Then I usually take a bottle brush and scrub the inside of it. But be careful about what type of brush you are using. Do not use a brush that is abrasive that will scratch the inside of the bottles. Scratches on the inside of the bottles can harbor bacteria and create infections in your beer. I would recommend getting a sponge brush, you can find those on Amazon for very cheap they work well and won't scratch your bottles. So after you scrub the inside of your bottle you want to rinse it well until all the soapy water is out of the bottle. Then let it air dry. So this is the step you to repeat every time you empty a bottle. If you can’t clean your bottle right after you empty it then just a quick rinse with water will do until you can get back to it later. One more thing I will do with my bottles after a few uses is to soak them in a solution of the Craftmesiter Oxygen Brewery Wash. I just fill up a 5-gallon bucket with a few gallons of tap water, follow the directions on the brewery wash. Then let the bottles soak for about 5-10 minutes. After the soak I make sure to rinse them very well. So if you want your bottles to last a long time then you need to take proper care of them and these steps should be helpful in doing that. Cheers, Robert
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Beer Battered Fish
Who said fish-fry? What? You didn’t say “anything”? Yeah, okay, whatever; you can’t just blame “EVERYTHING” on the voices in my head! Heh. Heh. Heh. Why were we here again? OH YEAH, FRIED FISH! Not just any fried fish either! Beer battered; fried fish is more like it! Not only is that “time of year” in the States, but May-September actually marks the “blue water” fishing season in Australia, too! I don’t know about you, but that’s enough justifiable excuses for me. So, without further delay, grab that apron, and let’s make some, BEER BATTERED FISH! What you will need: Approx. 1.4 Lbs.- White fish fillets (make sure they are boneless/skinless. This could be varieties such as flathead, snapper, whiting, cod, tilapia, or flathead) Make sure it dried off very well or it will not crisp well, and the coating will fall off. ¼ Cup rice flour for dusting Batter mix: ¾ cup all-purpose flour ¼ cup rice flour 1 ¼ teaspoons baking powder ¼ teaspoon salt PLUS extra for sprinkling onto fish 8 oz COLD, bottle conditioned “homebrew”. (Yes, it needs to be carbonated and cold. You can use just about any variety you would like but I would not recommend using dark beers like stouts or porters, including anything super “hoppy”) 4-5 cups of canola or vegetable oil for frying (If you would like, you can also use peanut oil. This also provides a nice flavor just make sure none of your diners have peanut allergies!) Tartar sauce for dipping Lemon wedges for squeezing! How to make it: Pat fish dry using paper towels. Cut into 7 x 3cm / 3 x 1¼" batons, or larger fillets if you prefer. If you have very thick fillets, cut them in half horizontally. Depending on where you get your fish, you may also be able to have someone from the shop cut them for you. Next, in a medium to a large bowl, add ¼ cup rice flour and set aside. This will serve as your “dusting bowl”. After that, it’s typically a good time to start heating your oil. Heat about 2" – 3" of oil in a large heavy-based pot over medium-high heat to 190°C/375°F. While the oil is getting hot, sprinkle 3 or 4 pieces of fish with a pinch of salt, then coat in rice flour and shake off excess. You can leave them like this for up to 10 minutes before you run the risk of soggy breading! Once your filets are dusted and prepared and your oil is hot, whisk together the flour, wet mix allocated rice flour, baking powder, and ¼ teaspoon of salt. Add cold beer into the batter and whisk just until incorporated evenly into the flour. Do not over-mix, do not worry about flour lumps. It should be a fairly thin batter but fully coat the back of a spoon. If it is too thick add a little beer 1 tsp at a time. Keep checking it with the spoon. Now, it’s time to dredge your dusted filets! Dunk a piece of fish in the batter, then let the excess drip off very briefly into the dredging bowl. Carefully lower into oil, dropping it in away from you, one piece at a time. Don't crowd the pot or those little fishes won’t brown! I recommend frying them in batches. Fry for 3 minutes, flipping after about 2 minutes, until deep golden. Make sure to have a paper towel-lined plate ready to receive those delicious, and now super crispy, aquatic critters! Serve them HOT with a side of tartar sauce and a couple of wedges of lemon! Note: These little morsels are at their pinnacle of “crisp” when eaten within 10-15 minutes of being cooked, so get ready to eat! I also recommend pairing your fried fish with a mug of the beer you used in the batter! It’s like a “Beer circle of life” HA! Alright folks, as always, I hope you enjoy this recipe, and feel free to let us know if you have any questions or suggestions! Cheers, Ashley
Read moreHow to add flavoring to your bottles?
{{widget type="Solvature\VideoSlider\Block\Widget\VideoSliderWidget" video_embed1="HM5eKh9CMMI" video_title1="How to add flavoring to your bottles?" video_cta_color1="white" video_cta_color2="white" video_cta_color3="white" video_cta_color4="white" video_cta_color5="white"}} Adding flavoring to your bottles is a great way to change up you’re the flavor of your beer and make it into something totally different. While the process may sound intimidating it is actually very simple! We break down how in this episode of BrewTalk with Mr. Beer. There are few things you should know when adding flavoring to your bottles so I wanted to go through what those are and the best way to add flavoring. When it comes to flavoring you can pretty much add anything you want. We did a video a while back about the best ones to add, but we find the best things to add to your bottle are, honey or maple syrup, vanilla extract, coffee or espresso shots, whiskey, and Monin flavor syrup. Now a few things to note. If you are adding something like honey or anything that will not be heated, you want to make sure you are using a fresh bottle. Anything that has been sitting around for a while has the potential to infect your beer. So an easy rule of thumb is to always use a fresh bottle. When using things like coffee make sure to cool it to room temperature before adding it to your bottle. When using different whiskeys you don’t want to add too much, we recommend nothing more than a shot per 740ml bottle. Also if you are adding something that contains sugar such as honey or syrup do not add your carbonation drops. We usually go by a 1 to 1 ratio. So if your bottle calls for 2 teaspoons of sugar for carbonation then you would add 2 teaspoons of honey. Any more and you could risk over carbonating the beer. If you are using the Monin Flavor Syrups just check to see if yours is sugar-free or not. If it is sugar-free then you still need to add carbonation drops. The Monin Flavor Syrups are probably the best way to try all kinds of different flavors in your beer, we highly recommend those. Now for adding it to your bottles, it is very simple, the bottling process does not change. If you are adding something with sugar such as honey, you will add your 2 teaspoons of honey to your bottles, then fill with beer and cap. That’s it, it's easy. If you are adding something without sugar like coffee, you will want to add your carbonation drops or sugar and then add your coffee, then fill with beer and cap. Simple! I think people get intimated a lot about trying to experiment with their brews, but this is a safe, easy and tasty way to try new flavors in your beer. Cheers, Robert
Read moreWhy you should trim away the excess material on your hop sack?
{{widget type="Solvature\VideoSlider\Block\Widget\VideoSliderWidget" video_embed1="O5uBc7m4eiw" video_title1="Why you should trim away the excess material on your hop sack?" video_cta_color1="white" video_cta_color2="white" video_cta_color3="white" video_cta_color4="white" video_cta_color5="white"}} This is one step in our instructions that we really do not explain, we tell you to trim away and access material on your hopsack, but what is the reason for that? If you have ever brewed one of our recipes and you're adding some hops or maybe one bag of grains you will notice that after you tie your hopsack you will have quite a lot of material left over. We always tell you to trim that material away. One reason is that if you have a lot of extra material just laying around it could be susceptible to harboring an infection. If you are doing a hop boil for example and you leave the excess material kind of laying over the lip of the pot and it never gets into that full boil, then it could not be properly sanitized which could result in an infection. Now the chances of this happening on very low but we always feel it is better to be safe than sorry. Another reason we tell you to do that is to help during bottling. If you have this long piece of cloth floating around your fermenter then when you go to bottle, you have a good chance of getting that cloth sucked into the spigot opening. This can really put a damper on your bottling process. So by cutting that excess material off you are reducing your risk for infection and remove the risk of headaches during the bottling process. Cheers, Robert
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How to Make Non-Alcoholic Beer
Alright, that is it! If I had a dollar for every time, I was asked about making NA homebrew, I could buy a lot of commercial NA beer! Seriously though, it comes up ALL THE TIME, so I thought, “ya know what? Let’s just go ahead and oblige these fine people, already.” So here we stand; you excited? Don’t answer that or do if the answer is “yes”. Moving right along… heh, heh, heh. What you may not know is that most NA beer starts as “regular” beer containing alcohol. That means that your average Mr. Beer Refill can indeed be made nearly alcohol-free. Before I get into the how there are a couple of things you need to know. The first thing is that alcohol is more volatile than other liquids and because of that, slow and long heating is typically the easiest method for alcohol removal from fermented beer. The next thing you need to know about making good quality NA homebrew is “all-malt” is better than trying to remove alcohol from a beer that is more adjunct heavy. We recommend reaching for a deluxe refill, HME can only, or a complete craft refill, with no Boosters. Why? Well, because we aren’t after alcohol production, we are after FLAVOR. Speaking of flavor, the next thing you need to ponder is your water quality. This becomes VERY important when dealing with any beer but NA beer especially… Alcohol covers up more than you think, so make sure you are using chemical-free (hello Chloramine) drinking water! Sticking with all malt options will also help shorten the evaporation process later and leave you with more “beer” flavor. So now that we have selected the appropriate refill, what next? Well, you brew and ferment that beer just as you would any wort! It is what we do AFTER fermentation is complete that makes it non-alcoholic. From here, I will break down the process from start to finish, below. For the Alcohol removal process, you will need a large, clean pot that will fit the entire volume of your beer, and a controllable heat source (stove) as well as a thermometer. Gently flow the fermented beer, ideally via tubing to reduce any splashing, into the large, clean pot. Insert your thermometer and begin gently heating the beer (you can stir it very occasionally with a sanitized spoon to help keep the heat even, but do not agitate the beer) Watch the temperature very carefully, do not allow it to exceed 175 degrees Fahrenheit and should stay closer to 173. You will maintain this temperature, allowing the alcohol to evaporate for about 20-30 minutes. To determine if you are done, a sample can be cooled and a hydrometer used, but it’s honestly a lot easier to designate a taste tester if you cannot taste the beer yourself. Temperature maintenance is key here, so watch that temp closely… If you creep too high, you can get some not-so-nice-off flavors!! Once you have evaporated the alcohol from your beer. The solution will need to cool. You can use a wort chiller or ice water bath, but the less agitation you create in the beer the better, so leaving it to cool is fine too. Avoid covering it as this can create condensation under the lid from steam, which will potentially dilute your flavors. Now that your beer has had its NA treatment… it is going to be really, really flat and probably kind of one noted, flavor-wise. Don’t worry! We have bottle conditioning up our sleeve. Before we get into that… Have you ever noticed that most NA beer still contains .5% alcohol? Usually, this is due to bottle conditioning. Using this process, however, is a big part of what makes NA beer, taste anything like “regular” beer. So, it is best not to skip it. Once your beer has cooled enough to not kill the yeast cells you are going to be adding, it is ready to bottle! For this, you will need carb drops or table sugar for bottle priming and you will conduct that normally with one addition… A pinch of yeast to each bottle! Once your beer has cooled enough you can transfer it back to the LBK for botting. (make sure it’s sanitized). It’s a good idea to stick with the same yeast you used in the fermentation for this as well. Sanitize and dry a small saucer or plate and empty a small Cooper’s gold yeast packet into the center of the dish. Wash and dry your hands very well. After you add carb drops or sugar and fill each bottle with beer, press the tip of your clean finger into the yeast on the plate and add whatever cells that stick to your finger (it’s usually plenty if there’s a fairly even layer on the fingertip) and sprinkle them over the beer in each bottle, seal the caps and allow them to condition at room temperature for 3 weeks before enjoying. While doing this, I think it’s best to work one bottle at a time, Prime, fill, yeast, cap. Repeat with the next bottle. As you can see, with a little extra work you CAN have NA homebrewed beer! If you decide to give this a whirl, just remember to stick with REFILLS that do not contain a booster addition (Use Deluxe, HME can only or complete craft options instead) and not “Recipes” as these may not lend themselves very well to the reheating process. As always, if you have questions about this or any other beer-related topic, never hesitate to reach out to us at the helpdesk! Cheers! Ashley
Read moreHow to use a bottling wand & what are the benefits of using one?
{{widget type="Solvature\VideoSlider\Block\Widget\VideoSliderWidget" video_embed1="DI-oNTuWXMU" video_title1="How to use a bottling wand & what are the benefits of using one?" video_cta_color1="white" video_cta_color2="white" video_cta_color3="white" video_cta_color4="white" video_cta_color5="white"}} The bottling wand is a very useful tool. We often get asked how to use it and is it required to use it. It is not required to be used in the bottling process, but it makes the process a whole lot easier. Let's dive into the benefits of using one first before we get into the how. The first one is that it just makes bottling easier. You can leave your spigot open and all you have to do is push your bottle against the bottom of the wand and it fills with beer. So its fewer movements in the process. It also helps reduce the amount of oxygen in your beer caused by bottling. Using the wand your bottles fill from the bottom up. This causes the beer to be splashed around less when just bottling right from the spigot. So now let dive into how you use it. Depending on when you got your beer kit you have one of two spigots. One that has a barbed end that opens from left to right and one that does not and the top pushes up and down. So I will cover both spigots real quick so you know. Let's do the pushdown spigot first. To get the bottling wand to fit you do not need the rubber attachment. Simply just slide the bottom of the wand into the spigot opening and push it up as high as you can. I usually let it sit for a few seconds just to make sure it is secure and not going to fall out. Then all you do is open the spigot by pulling up on the top lever. This will help the spigot say open. Then just insert the bottom of your wand into your bottle. Once you push the bottle on the black tip beer will come out. That’s it! So now for the barbed spigot. For this one, you will use the attachment and it will slide over the barbs. Again once you get it on just give it a few seconds to make sure it is on securely and not going to fall off. Then just open your spigot and your good to go. A few tips I also wanted to point out when using your wand. Always put a small bowl under the wand. This will help catch drips that happen to fall or if your wand happens to fall out it will help prevent a big mess. Make sure to sanitize your wand! That is very important. Run sanitizer through the wand. Make sure you are taking it apart after each use and cleaning it. Sometimes hops and other debris can get stick in the spring inside the wand. When filling your bottles with your wand, you want to fill them to right at the bottom of where the cap goes. The wand takes up some space in the bottle, so once you pull the wand out of the bottle, the beer will be at the perfect level. Cheers, Robert
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