Frequently Asked Questions | Mr. Beer

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You may use your gift card for any order made on www.mrbeer.com, www.mrcider.com, and www.mrrootbeer.com. You may add the gift certificates to your account for future use, or you may apply them directly to an order as part of the checkout process. If you have any questions or need help using your gift card please call us at 800-852-4263

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Before deciding to return an item, please contact a customer service representative to discuss other possible resolutions to your situation. If you do decide to return an item, Mr. Beer will issue a refund for the purchase price less a 20% restocking fee. Mr. Beer will not refund the original shipping charges or the return shipping costs. Products must be returned in sell-able condition. To ensure this, it may be necessary to repackage the order at your cost. Damaged, defective or missing items: If you receive an item that is damaged or defective please retain the box and packaging material your order came in and notify Mr. Beer within five (5) days of receiving your order. We will make every reasonable effort to resolve the situation to your satisfaction. In most cases, a replacement item will be sent out immediately. Return exceptions: Mr. Beer will not accept the return of any items after thirty (30) days and does not refund any shipping charges incurred on the initial order or for the return of an item. Product warranties: Mr. Beer guarantees all products to be free from defects in materials and workmanship at the time of purchase. If you find any product to be defective please contact us and we will work with you to resolve the issue. In order to protect the integrity of Mr.Beer products and ensure our customers receive authentic, fresh, and quality products, warranties are void on any items purchased through an unauthorized source (e.g. eBay.com, Craigslist.com, flea market, garage sales, etc.)

We charge sales tax on orders originating in Arizona or Wisconsin. Orders from other locations are not subject to sales tax.

You may change or cancel your order anytime prior to processing. In order to do so, you will need to contact one of our friendly customer service agents. Give us a call (toll-free) at 800-852-4263, or contact us. We will do everything we can to accommodate your request, but keep in mind that we process orders as quickly as possible to ensure timely delivery.

To check your order status, login in to your account and view your current orders. If you checked out as a guest or have trouble logging in, contact us for assistance. For more details, see our shipping info.

Login in to your account and view your current orders to find tracking information. If you placed your order as a "Guest Shopper" or are having trouble logging in, contact us for assistance.

All orders ship in a plain brown box without logos. The shipping label indicates "Coopers DIY, LLC" as the return address.

Our products are primarily available through our website. For local availability, please contact customer service for assistance.

HME stands for Hopped Malt Extract, a pre-hopped malt extract used in brewing to simplify the process.

LME stands for Liquid Malt Extract, a syrupy form of malted barley extract used in brewing.

DME stands for Dry Malt Extract, a powdered form of malted barley extract used in brewing.

Ale yeast ferments at warmer temperatures (60–75°F), producing fruity and complex flavors, while lager yeast ferments at cooler temperatures (45–55°F), resulting in clean and crisp flavors.

ABV stands for Alcohol by Volume, indicating the percentage of alcohol in a beverage.

IBU stands for International Bitterness Units, measuring the bitterness of beer contributed by hops.

SRM stands for Standard Reference Method, measuring the color intensity of beer.

Dry hopping involves adding hops to fermenting beer to enhance aroma without increasing bitterness.

Priming is adding fermentable sugar to the beer before bottling to naturally carbonate the beer.

Conditioning refers to the maturation phase after fermentation, allowing flavors to develop and stabilize.

Sanitization is one of the most important steps in brewing. Without it, unwanted bacteria or wild yeast can take over, leading to off-flavors, spoiled beer, or even a completely undrinkable batch. To ensure a great-tasting brew, always sanitize all equipment that touches your beer—including your fermenter, bottles, and tools—before every step of the process.

Cleaning removes visible dirt, while sanitizing kills microorganisms that can spoil beer.

Use a no-rinse sanitizer like Star San, and let the solution sit on the fermenter’s surface for at least 1–2 minutes before draining.

Yes, but it must be rinsed thoroughly, and the odor may linger. A brewing-specific sanitizer is better.

Run a sanitizer solution through them using gravity or a pump to ensure thorough coverage.

Yes, always sanitize bottles, caps, and anything that comes into contact with the beer.

Only if it remains untouched in a clean, sanitized environment. Otherwise, re-sanitize before use.

Most solutions last up to 24 hours if stored in a sealed container. Discard if it becomes cloudy.

Ales: 60–75°F. Lagers: 45–55°F. Yeast performance is temperature-dependent.

Check gravity readings with a hydrometer over 2–3 days. If it stabilizes, fermentation is complete.

Avoid opening unless necessary; exposure can lead to contamination.

Sulfur smells are normal in some fermentations, especially lagers. They usually dissipate with conditioning.

Krausen is the foam layer that forms on top of fermenting beer, made up of yeast and proteins.

High fermentation temperatures, contamination, or unhealthy yeast are common causes.

Steeping grains is a simple way to add fresh grain flavors to your beer without doing a full mash. You soak the grains in hot water (155-160°F) for about 30 minutes, which releases flavors, sugars, and proteins that enhance your brew.

Booster dissolves much easier in cool or warm water. If added to boiling water, it can clump up and become hard to stir. Mixing it in cooler water first ensures a smooth, even blend.

Yes, but be cautious. Many municipal water supplies contain chlorine, which can cause off-flavors in your beer. Hard water can also impact taste. For best results, we recommend using bottled spring or filtered water.

Distilled water lacks essential minerals that help yeast thrive. While our brewing extracts contain some minerals, it's best to use spring or filtered water when possible.

Using cold water helps cool your wort faster, so you can pitch your yeast without delay. If the wort is too hot, it can kill the yeast or cause off-flavors. Cold water also helps prevent thermal shock to your fermenter.

You don’t have to, but it makes pouring much easier! Warming the extract helps it flow smoothly, so you get every drop into your brew.

We keep the most up-to-date instructions on our website. You can find them on each product page under the "Instructions" tab or visit our brewing instructions page for a complete guide.

In most cases, yeast should be pitched between 67-75°F for best results.

That is your recipe! Our recipes use extract cans and LMEs as the base. Your instructions will guide you in combining them to create the final beer.

Standard: Comes with Boosters, which increase ABV without changing flavor.
Deluxe: Replaces Boosters with LME for improved body, flavor, and foam retention.
Craft: Uses a larger extract can, reaching ~5% ABV without additional fermentables.

Unless your recipe specifies otherwise, you can leave it in or remove it after transferring your wort to the fermenter.

Boiling hops releases bitterness by converting humulone into iso-humulone, balancing the beer's sweetness.

If steeped too hot, grains can release tannins, leading to harsh, astringent flavors—similar to over-steeped tea.

The extract stays stable for a couple of years, but the yeast packet under the lid may be expired. You can replace the yeast, but older extract will be darker, less hoppy, and maltier.

As long as the seal isn't compromised, a dented can is perfectly fine to brew.

The instructions on the can are a baseline for brewing with just the extract. For full recipe instructions, visit our brewing instructions page.

Yes! You can use up to 3 gold yeast packets for a stronger fermentation, better off-flavor cleanup, and a cleaner final product.

No. The yeast under the can’s lid is a standard option. If your recipe includes a different yeast, use that one instead and discard the lid yeast.

Grains: Best stored in an airtight bag in the fridge if kept longer than 60 days.
Yeast: Store in the fridge and bring to room temp before using.
Hops: Store in an airtight container in the freezer.

Booster is made from corn syrup solids and raises alcohol content without thinning body or changing flavor.

Higher ABV recipes require longer fermentation to fully convert sugars into alcohol.

Not at all! Visible bubbling (krausen) slows down after the most active fermentation period, but the yeast is still working.

No. The Mr. Beer fermenter has built-in vents to allow CO₂ to escape.

Yes! Fruit should be sanitized and added after high krausen (about day 7). Herbs and spices can be added during the boil or later in fermentation for stronger flavor.

Yes! Our products meet kosher and halal certification standards.

Use half a packet of No-Rinse Cleanser per gallon of water.

Yes, but only use brushes with sponges instead of bristles. Bristles can scratch the plastic, creating spots for bacteria to hide.

No, as long as they have been sanitized and drained, you can fill them immediately.

No, PET bottles can melt in the dishwasher.

No, you can also prime with table sugar using our priming sugar chart.

If fermentation is complete (no longer sweet), you can bottle. Most beers fully ferment in 14 days at 70°F.

Use cold crashing—place the fermenter in the fridge for 24-48 hours before bottling. This helps sediment settle at the bottom.

Add the priming sugar or carb drops first, then fill the bottle with beer.

Yes, as long as you have a proper dispensing method.

Leave about 1 inch of space from the top.

Yes, the black plastic caps are reusable.

Too much sugar can cause excessive foaming, gushing, or even bottle explosions.

At least 3 weeks. Some beers benefit from longer conditioning.

No, the yeast goes dormant in cold temperatures.

Yes, as long as the bottles can be sealed properly.

Fill one plastic bottle as a test—if it firms up, your glass bottles are also carbonating.

Check your conditioning temperature—it should be around 72-75°F. Also, make sure your bottles are sealed properly.

It depends on the beer, but PET bottles should be consumed within 6 months.

CO₂ fully absorbs into the beer at cold temperatures, improving carbonation.

Gushing can be caused by over-priming, bottling before fermentation was complete, or an infection.

Yes! Many brewers use leftover beer for cooking or repurpose yeast trub in recipes.

Yes, but thoroughly clean and sanitize between batches to prevent flavor carryover.

Yes, but ensure it doesn’t contain preservatives like potassium sorbate, which can inhibit fermentation.

Cider typically ferments in 1–3 weeks, depending on temperature and yeast type.

Yes, as long as no barley or malted grains are used.

Fruits like cranberries, spices like cinnamon, or honey can enhance cider flavor.

No, use a dedicated root beer kit to avoid cross-contamination and flavor carryover.

Secondary fermentation involves transferring your beer to another vessel after primary fermentation. It's used for clarifying beer, aging, or adding flavors like fruit or spices.

Absolutely! Add fruit, spices, or other flavorings during secondary fermentation or directly to the fermenter after the primary phase.

Use extra fermentable sugars like malt extract, honey, or corn sugar. Ensure you pitch a healthy amount of yeast and monitor fermentation temperature closely.

Use a souring method like kettle souring (adding lactic acid bacteria before boiling) or fermenting with wild yeast strains like Brettanomyces.

Barrel aging involves maturing beer in wooden barrels to impart flavors like oak, vanilla, or whiskey. For homebrewers, oak chips or cubes are a great alternative.

Add priming sugar (dextrose or table sugar) to your beer before bottling. The remaining yeast will ferment the sugar, creating natural carbonation.

Use fining agents like gelatin or Irish moss during brewing, and cold crash your beer (lowering the temperature before bottling) to encourage particles to settle.

A yeast starter is a small batch of wort used to grow and activate yeast before pitching. It ensures healthy fermentation, especially for high-gravity beers.

Avoid splashing or agitating your beer after fermentation. Use closed transfers and minimize exposure to air when bottling or kegging.

Yes, multi-stage dry hopping enhances aroma complexity. Add hops in stages during primary fermentation and again after active fermentation has slowed.