The Brew Times
Why you should tilt your bottle during bottling?
{{widget type="Solvature\VideoSlider\Block\Widget\VideoSliderWidget" video_embed1="iX20-mv-Mp8" video_title1="Why you should tilt your bottle during bottling?" video_cta_color1="white" video_cta_color2="white" video_cta_color3="white" video_cta_color4="white" video_cta_color5="white"}} We always tell brewers to tilt their bottles while filling them from the spigot, well this is why you should do it. So in our instructions when it comes to bottling we tell you to tilt the bottle at an angle when filling. What this does is it prevents oxygen from getting in the beer which can create off-flavors. This can lead to a stale or a cardboard flavor in your beer. Not something that you want. So what you want to do is have the beer flow down the side of the bottle. This helps prevent the beer from kicking up at the bottom of the bottle and getting oxidized. If you have ever poured beer from a tap or into a glass it is the same thing. You pour the beer down the side to prevent from getting a glass of foam, so you do the same thing for bottling. If you want a sure proof way to help reduce the risk of oxidation during bottling even more then I would recommend using a bottling wand. They fill your bottle from the bottom up and they are a great way to reduce the risk of oxidation as well as make bottling easier. Cheers, Robert
Read moreThe Brew Times
How long does our No-Rinse Cleanser last in solution?
{{widget type="Solvature\VideoSlider\Block\Widget\VideoSliderWidget" video_embed1="ySRR-IwB6YY" video_title1="How long does our No-Rinse Cleanser last in solution?" video_cta_color1="white" video_cta_color2="white" video_cta_color3="white" video_cta_color4="white" video_cta_color5="white"}} This is a question we get quite often regarding our Mr. Beer No-Rinse Cleanser. How long can it last once it is mixed up? Unlike other sanitizers such as Star San, our No-Rinse Cleaners is a little different, in that it must be used once it is mixed up. Once you wet the dry ingredients of the cleanser and mix it up, it then becomes active. You typically have a few hours left of the sanitizing activity. 2-3 tops. Over time the germ-fighting ingredients are lost to the atmosphere. So the longer the solution sits the less effective it will become. That is why you should always use it right away once it is mixed. Then you know that you will get the best results and that your equipment is properly sanitized. The No-Rinse cleanser in its dry form will last indefinitely. If you want to have a solution that will last a while we would recommend getting Star San. Following the mixing ratios on the bottle, you can mix some up into a spray bottle and it will last around 3-4 weeks. This is a great extra tool to add to your brewing arsenal. We use it daily in our brew room. If you brew a lot you can also mix some up and store it in a 3-gallon keg or some other airtight container and then you can use that to sanitize as well when it comes to brew day. Cheers, Robert
Read moreWhat is the difference between sanitization, sterilization and cleaning?
{{widget type="Solvature\VideoSlider\Block\Widget\VideoSliderWidget" video_embed1="cfK9mrzoP0Q" video_title1="What is the difference between sanitization, sterilization and cleaning?" video_cta_color1="white" video_cta_color2="white" video_cta_color3="white" video_cta_color4="white" video_cta_color5="white"}} Often times people wonder if these are the same when related to brewing. You want to make sure all your equipment is clean and sanitized but what exactly are you doing and when? So first off sterilization is the process of killing all living organisms on a surface, think like surgical instruments and stuff like that. This is not something that we use in brewing. When you are preparing your brewing equipment you will cleaning and sanitizing. Alight so the first thing you are going to do when brewing is sanitization. This is a reduction or impairment of invasive, and or harmful pathogens, usually up to 99%. This is what you want to do with your fermenter, bottles, and other equipment that you are going to use during the brewing process. We always say that it is better to be safe than sorry when it comes to sanitizing your equipment. So, sanitize anything and everything that you might even be considering using on your brew day or bottling day. There is nothing worse than having an infected batch of beer! So, sanitize everything! So now the next part of this cleaning. This is the act of removing unwanted substances, such as infective agents, dirt, and other contaminants from an item or environment. It is normally done as the first step for preventing cross-contamination. The best time to clean your fermenter or bottles is right after you use them. So after you bottle your beer you will want to clean out your fermenter right away. The best way to do this is first to give it a good rinse with warm water to make sure you get all the trub and all that junk out. Make sure to run some water through your spigot and take it apart to rinse well. Then I will usually get a paper towel or a soft cloth and make sure to wipe the inside really well to be sure that you are not leaving anything behind. You can also you Brewery Wash. We sell the Craftmesiter Oxygen Brewery Wash which works great and I highly recommend that. Now when it comes to bottles you will want to rinse these really well in warm water after you drink the beer that was in them. Also, it never hurts to soak your bottles every so often in some brewery wash just to make sure there is nothing hanging out in there. Cheers, Robert
Read moreHow to Sanitize for & Add Hops for your Dry Hop Additions?
{{widget type="Solvature\VideoSlider\Block\Widget\VideoSliderWidget" video_embed1="2jLnnR5U3II" video_title1="How to Sanitize for & Add Hops for your Dry Hop Additions?" video_cta_color1="white" video_cta_color2="white" video_cta_color3="white" video_cta_color4="white" video_cta_color5="white"}} How should you sanitize for dry hopping and how do you do it? We break it all down in this week’s episode of BrewTalk with Mr. Beer. So Dry hopping, it’s a pretty cool thing. Adding hops late in fermentation for aroma can add that extra element to your beer. A lot of our recipes, especially IPAs call for dry hopping. Not a lot of people are sure how to sanitize the hop sack for dry hopping though. Yes, you do need to always sanitize everything that will come in contact with your beer. Depending on what recipe you are brewing we will have you dry hop with our without a hopsack. This is mostly dependent on how many hops you are adding. You don’t want to add 3oz of loose hops into your LBK, you might have a few issues when it comes time to bottling. Okay so to sanitize your hopsack you can do a few things. If you have any extra sanitizer packets or something like Star San you can mix it up and let hop sack soak in that. If you don’t have any extra sanitizer you can boil the hop sack in water for a few minutes to sanitize it that way. Always make sure to sanitize any other equipment you might be using as well. That would be scissors to open the packet of hops and then tongs to get the hop sack out of the boiling water. If you are not using a hopsack then you just want to make sure to sanitize your scissors and you will be good to go. When adding the hops to the hop sack make sure not to touch the outside of the hop bag with the hop sack. The risk of infection this way is very low, but you don’t want to take the chance! Once you pour in the hops you will want to tie off the hop sack. Make sure to tie the knot a little high as the hops will expand once they get soaked up in the beer. From there you open your lid quick and gently drop them in. If you not using a hopsack then you would just gently pour the hops in the keg. Then once you're done put the lid back on and your good to go. Just remember when doing this always be careful about sanitization. Make sure to wash your hands and that everything is clean. This is a place where a lot of people can get infections to make sure to be careful. Cheers, Robert
Read moreWhat's the difference between carbonating and conditioning your homebrew?
{{widget type="Solvature\VideoSlider\Block\Widget\VideoSliderWidget" video_embed1="Ov0KLH74lQA" video_title1="What's the difference between carbonating and conditioning your homebrew?" video_cta_color1="white" video_cta_color2="white" video_cta_color3="white" video_cta_color4="white" video_cta_color5="white"}} This seems to be a question that we see quite often. How can you tell when one stage ends and the other begins? The truth is you really can’t they kind of happen at the same time for the first 2 weeks after your beer has been in the bottle. The whole process of carbonating and conditioning your beer in the bottle is called Bottle Conditioning. We just like to break them out separately. The reason that we call them out as separate things is just to help you better understand the entire process and know what is going on. Between carbonating and conditioning you don’t need to do anything different with your brew. They can stay in the same spot at the same temperature. During the first 2 weeks is when the carbonation is taking place. The yeast is eating up your carbonation drops or sugar and creating CO2. This is what gives your beer a nice layer of foam and also helps create those little carbonated bubbles. Another thing that carbonation does it helps the flavors and aromatics of the beer to come together. If you have ever tasted a beer before you bottle when it is flat and then you taste it after it is carbonated the difference is night and day. The CO2 really helps tie it all together. After the first 2 weeks of carbonation, we say that the beer is now conditioning. During this time some of the harsh flavors are mellowing out and everything is coming together. This is also where some off-flavors will get cleaned up. If your beer has a green or cidery taste to it, this is the time where those flavors will clean up and go away. Conditioning is one of the best things you can do for your beer. Especially for malty beers and beers high in ABV. When you let them sit over time those flavors start to blend together to get the best possible version of your beer. One thing to note with conditioning is that Hop flavor and aroma will dissipate over time, so if you want a hoppy beer just keep that in mind when you are conditioning your beer. Cheers, Robert
Read moreHow long can you leave your homebrew in the fermenter?
{{widget type="Solvature\VideoSlider\Block\Widget\VideoSliderWidget" video_embed1="kkVDU8stpUM" video_title1="How long can you leave your homebrew in the fermenter?" video_cta_color1="white" video_cta_color2="white" video_cta_color3="white" video_cta_color4="white" video_cta_color5="white"}} It's happened to the best of us. You brew then get busy and totally forget about bottling your beer! You may think it's no good and should toss it, but hold a sec! We break down how long is too long in this week's episode. So let's paint a picture, you brew an awesome Mr. Beer recipe, but then life gets busy. You forget you brewed a batch and then one night you're sitting there and you realize that your beer has been sitting there for 4 weeks! It’s happened to all of us. Things come up and bottling your homebrew is just not a priority at the moment. A common question we get is from people that have left their beer for to long and are thinking about dumping it. Before you ever dump your beer always try it. You may think something is bad but when you taste it you could be surprised. It could be totally fine, or if you did get some type of infection it could be a good one that turns your beer into a nice sour! For brewing with Mr. Beer, we always recommend that you bottle your beer no later than 24 days in the fermenter. You can go longer but the longer your beer sits the more chance you have to get an infection and get off-flavors in your beer. The 24-day mark has always worked well for us. We have gone over in some cases but mostly by a few days. If I had to put a date on it, I would say you want to bottle your beer around 28 days, or if you cannot bottle it then you would want to rack it into a secondary fermenter to get it off the yeast. The main reason you want to get your beer off the yeast is due to Autolysis. This happens when the yeast cells die and rupture they release several off-flavors into your beer. So getting your beer off the dead yeast will help prevent those flavors from happening. When you have a brew that has succumbed to Autolysis it will have this burnt rubber taste and smell to it and will most likely be undrinkable. At that point, you would want to toss it. Now I do want to note that you can keep beer in the fermenter for longer. When you have healthy yeast and good temperatures your beer can sit longer and be fine but the longer it goes the chances of infection will increase. So make sure when your brewing to plain out your bottling day as well so you don’t forget! Cheers, Robert
Read moreWhat is a tincture in homebrewing?
{{widget type="Solvature\VideoSlider\Block\Widget\VideoSliderWidget" video_embed1="SmGBRBOJHfA" video_title1="What is a tincture in homebrewing?" video_cta_color1="white" video_cta_color2="white" video_cta_color3="white" video_cta_color4="white" video_cta_color5="white"}} What the heck is a tincture and how can you use it in homebrewing? We break it down for you in this week's episode of BrewTalk with Mr. Beer. This is something that I have seen a few people ask about in the group. I know that Ashley is a big supporter of this to get some unique flavors in your beer. At its basic definition, a Tincture is an infusion created with fruits, spices, flowers, etc. using alcohol. Tinctures can be made using clear rum or vodka, which fortunately sanitizes the ingredients you use in your brew. This works great when you are using fresh ingredients, so fresh fruits, herbs, spices, peppers, etc. to impart flavor into your homebrew. Now you might be thinking this seems like it could be a little difficult, but it's actually very simple. What you will need to do this is a mason jar, your choice of fruits or herbs, and then vodka. You will add your fruit or whatever you are using to the mason jar then you will cover it with vodka and then put the lid on and let it sit for 1-2 weeks. Depending on what you are using in your tincture you will want to put it into a hopsack. So if you are using chunks of fresh fruit, or peppers, or an herb or even bacon, you will want to put it into a hopsack. If you are using a puree you don’t need to put it into a hopsack. Now when you go to add this to your fermenter you will want to open the jar and pour it all into your fermenter. The fruit, vodka, all of it. You will want to do this about 5-7 days before you bottle your beer. This will impart that flavor into your beer. It is also good to note that adding this to your beer will increase the ABV so be mindful of how much alcohol you are adding and what the ABV of the beer is that you are brewing. Tinctures are a unique way to add some crazy flavors to your brew. So next time you want to mad scientists try doing a tincture in your brew. Cheers, Robert
Read moreWhat type of bottles can you use to bottle your homebrew?
{{widget type="Solvature\VideoSlider\Block\Widget\VideoSliderWidget" video_embed1="u20fUMJBh8M" video_title1="What type of bottles can you use to bottle your homebrew?" video_cta_color1="white" video_cta_color2="white" video_cta_color3="white" video_cta_color4="white" video_cta_color5="white"}} There are a lot of different bottles you can use to bottle your homebrew. We talk about some that are great to use and ones you should not use in this episode of BrewTalk with Mr. Beer. I see this question get asked quite often by new brewers in our Facebook group or just in general. There are obviously a ton of bottles out there that you can use but we wanted to break down some of our favorite ones to use and ones you should not sure when you go to bottle your homebrew. Up first is our Mr. Beer 740mL and ½ liter PET bottles. These bottles are great for bottling your homebrew for a few reasons. One they are plastic so you can't drop them or have them shatter when bottling which can happen. Another reason I like these is you can also perform the squeeze test to see when they are fully carbonated. Once they are fully carbonated they will be rock hard. Also, this is a good way to see if you have one or two bottles that are leakers that never carbonate. That is why it is always good to number your bottles so you can track down issues easier. Next would have to be pry-off glass or swing-top bottles. These work great and are awesome for storing beer for long periods of time. They are easy to clean and they do a great job of preventing oxygen from getting in your beer. If you are going to be aging any beer for 5+ months I would suggest using these glass bottles. Now, when using beer bottles make sure to only use swing top or pry-off bottles. The twist-off glass beer bottles or metal bottles for that matter will not hold the CO2 for your beer and you will get a flat beer so make sure to not use those. You also want to be careful about using growlers, I know some people do, but they are not designed to hold that kind of pressure build-up that takes place during carbonate so we suggest to not use them. Some other bottles that you can use are basically anything that has held a carbonated beverage, like soda bottles for example. Just make sure that you clean them out very well, and if they are clear, make sure you keep them out of sunlight. For all the bottles that we listed any size will work, just make sure you adjust your priming sugar accordingly and you will be good to go! Cheers, Robert
Read moreWhat to do with old or extra yeast?
If you brew and brew a lot, you may get an excess pile of extra yeast packets. Often with our Mr. Beer Recipes, you will use a different yeast and not use the one that is under the lid of the HME. Now most people will just save the yeast, or they will even toss it! Don’t ever toss the yeast, its always good to keep some backup yeasts lying around. You never know when you’re going to misplace a packet or possibly lose a packet of yeast, which can be devastating! Can you imagine you are all done brewing, then you go to pitch your yeast, and it's gone! Noooo!!! Always, make sure you are saving these packets, and it's always a good idea to just buy a few extra and store them in your refrigerator for long term storage. Another thing you can do with the excess yeast packets is to use them as yeast nutrients for your brew. This will help give your yeast a little more life and get it to a strong and healthy fermentation. To do this you can add 1-2 of the gold packets, the little 5 gram packets that come under the lid of your HME, to the last 15 minutes of your boil. Now what this does is it will kill the yeast, but it will keep the nutrients their to promote healthy yeast growth when you do pitch your new yeast. This is great for those big brews that are 8%+ ABV. Those beers have a lot of fermentable sugars for the yeast to eat so giving them something to help them grow will help your fermentation. So, always make sure to store those extra yeast packets in the refrigerator for long term storage and make sure to keep a few available just in case one gets missed placed. A bad brew day is no fun for anyone. Cheers! Robert
Read moreHow to easily brew hard cider with Mr. Beer.
{{widget type="Solvature\VideoSlider\Block\Widget\VideoSliderWidget" video_embed1="0mJiOBTouns" video_title1="How to easily brew hard cider with Mr. Beer" video_cta_color1="white" video_cta_color2="white" video_cta_color3="white" video_cta_color4="white" video_cta_color5="white"}} Making hard cider is pretty simple, but we wanted to break down what you will need to do it in this episode of BrewTalk with Mr. Beer. I have noticed a few questions where people are asking if they can use their LBK to make hard cider. The answer is yes you can, the LBK is perfect for fermenting any beverage of choice. To make hard cider it is pretty simple. You need your fermenter, cleanser, yeast, bottles, and apple juice. Picking the juice can be the hardest part for most people. The best option is fresh-pressed juice, you can press it yourself or you can purchase freshly pressed juice from a local orchard or farmers market. You can also buy juice from the grocery store, just make sure it is free of preservatives like sorbates. When brewing its pretty simple, make sure you sanitize your equipment. Then you need enough juice to fill your LBK up to line 2 on the back. It is about 2.25 gallons of juice. You add in the juice, give it a little stir for some aeration then pitch your yeast. We have used S-04 for a long time with our cider and it works well. Then you let it ferment for 2 weeks and carbonate and bottle. This will get you a cider that is around 5% ABV and will be dry. There are all kinds of different things you can do with cider, you can add fruit, different adjusts like brown sugar or you can use different juice like pear and make a pear cider. Cider is a fun way to experiment and try some new things. Cheers!
Read moreHow quickly can your beer be done fermenting?
{{widget type="Solvature\VideoSlider\Block\Widget\VideoSliderWidget" video_embed1="MTu-DkPhwWE" video_title1="How quickly can your beer be done fermenting? " video_cta_color1="white" video_cta_color2="white" video_cta_color3="white" video_cta_color4="white" video_cta_color5="white"}} Can your beer really be done fermenting in 10-14 days? We let you know in this episode of BrewTalk with Mr. Beer. I have seen this question a few times so I thought it would be helpful to break it all down for how quickly a beer can truly be done fermenting. If you are brewing any of our standard refills, we give you the time frame of 10-14 days for the brewing process. Often times you will try your beer on day 10 and it seems to your surprise it tastes like flat beer, but you think there is no way it is done, well it is! We have done countless tests in our brew room and we work with Coopers brewery very closely to develop our instructions for brewing. One key to our products is the Coopers yeast that we use. It is a descendent from distillers yeast so it has a very fast and robust fermentation and it can be fermented at slightly warmer temperatures. Now, with any fermentation, the primary fermentation takes place in the first 72 hours. After that has passed the yeast is cleaning up the more complex sugars and any possibly off-flavors that may be present from the fermentation process. We give that extra 4-day window on the refills just to make sure the yeast can clean up those flavors and if your temperature is off that extra time will help as well. Our recipes are a little different they will either ferment for 14 or 21 days depending on how big the recipe is. But again with these, the primary fermentation is done in 72 hours, and the rest of the time the yeast is eating those complex sugars and cleaning up any off-flavors. So yes, your Mr. Beer Standard Refills can be done fermenting in as little as 10 days. Which is awesome if you're looking for a quick amazing beer to brew. Always remember to follow your instructions, the best up to date instructions are on the website, sanitize everything, and make sure your brewing temperatures are consistent.
Read moreIs it better to condition beer in the refrigerator or at fermentation temperature?
{{widget type="Solvature\VideoSlider\Block\Widget\VideoSliderWidget" video_embed1="-isqiauUepE" video_title1="Is it better to condition beer in the refrigerator or at fermentation temperature?" video_cta_color1="white" video_cta_color2="white" video_cta_color3="white" video_cta_color4="white" video_cta_color5="white"}} Both of these can do some great things for your beer, but we find one of them better than the other. With a lot of new brewers out there we thought it would be good to answer this question. Depending on what you read or who you ask everyone has a different answer to these questions. So we are going to tell you what we think you should do and why you should do it. When it comes to conditioning your beer it is better to let it sit at fermentation temperature. Just like wine beer’s flavor will improve with time. When you bottle your beer and you add your carbonation drops or sugar the yeast wakes back up again to eat those sugars and create the C02 in your beer. The yeast will also clean up off-flavors during this time. The longer your beer sits the more time the yeast will have to clean up off-flavors. So if you have a bad taste in your brew let those bottles sit out at room temperature for another a few weeks and the majority of the time that flavor will clean up. With all of our bottles of beer that we have in the office, we have them sitting at fermentation temperature for a few weeks. Then when we are getting ready to drink some, we will move them into the fridge. Now letting your beer sit in the refrigerator will do a few things. The cold will help your beer clear up and have all that sediment settle to the bottom of the bottle. The cold will also help your beer absorb all the C02 that was created to make sure it is nice and carbonated when you go drink it. The general rule of thumb is to let your beer sit in the fridge for a minimum of 48 hours. We always try and go for at least 72 or longer. A few tips for you when it comes to conditioning your beer. Hop bitterness and aroma will fade over time, so don’t let those IPA’s and Pale Ales sit for too long. Beers high in ABV will smooth out over time during conditioning. If your going to condition a beer for longer than 6 months we would suggest getting oxygen barrier bottles or glass bottles for that. Cheers!
Read moreHow to carbonate and condition a true lager?
{{widget type="Solvature\VideoSlider\Block\Widget\VideoSliderWidget" video_embed1="AP9ff9-Vjd0" video_title1="How to carbonate and condition a true lager?" video_cta_color1="white" video_cta_color2="white" video_cta_color3="white" video_cta_color4="white" video_cta_color5="white"}} I saw this question the other day, and I thought it would be a great episode as it is a question that I have had as well! Now for this, we are talking about brewing true lagers, so those are beers that are brewed between 53 and 59 degrees Fahrenheit. This is not for our lager-style beers like the American Lager, Oktoberfest Lager, Etc. However, you can take any of our lager styles and brew them as a true lager if you can hold the fermentation temperature. Lagers that are brewed with lager yeast tend to be a little crisper, and smooth and they are also very clear. Also, brewing with lager yeast can take a little longer than normal as the yeast can move a little slower at those temperatures. Alright, so you brewed your lager and your bottling it now, do you let it carbonate at the fermentation temp or room temperature? Either way will work, one will just take longer. If you let them carbonate at room temperature you can let them sit at room temp for 2 weeks to build up the C02. If you are not in a rush you can carbonate them at the fermentation temperature but they do take significantly lager to carbonate at that temperature. Now the term conditioning can also be referred to as aging or lagering. Lagering is when you store beer for a longer period of time at a cold temperature. The ideal temperature for that seems to the range, but it does seem consistent that for long term lagering of 3-4 weeks you will want to be at a temperature of below 40 degrees Fahrenheit. Most brewers seem to be around 32-34 degrees. Cheers! Robert
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