Product Review: Mr. Beer

The Ranting Chef does not get paid or receive any revenue from manufactures or retailers of products reviewed. I occasionally receive products that I am asked to use and see what I think. I take a look, try them out and tell you all about them.

Several months ago, I received a large box from Mr. Beer. For those unfamiliar with the brand, they are the world’s leader in home brewing.

Many, many years ago I had tried a home brewing kit from another company and had nothing but disaster, so I was excited to see how well the Mr. Beer kit worked.

The Mr. Beer Brewmaster’s Select Kit surprised me with so many items inside. It included:

• 2 Gallon Fermenter with Lid
• Spigot, Washer and Nut
• 2 Cans Brewing Extract
• 2 Yeast (under lid of Brewing Extract)
• 2 No-Rinse Cleanser Packets
• 11 Reusable Plastic 740-ml Bottles
• 11 Bottle Caps and Labels
• 2 Packets Mr. Beer Carbonation Drops
• Stick-On Thermometer
• 2 Pint Glasses with Mr. Beer Logo
• Baseball Cap with Mr. Beer Logo
• T-shirt with Mr. Beer Logo
• Brewing with Mr. Beer DVD
• Easy-to-Follow Brewing Instructions

Included are two cans of brewing extract. The first was the Bewitched Amber Ale. I love me some amber beer!

The other was their Diablo IPA.

While the instruction book is pretty clear on the steps, I thought the videos were really helpful. Seeing the steps really helped me insure I did everything right.

The mini-keg (fermenter) is the key to where all the action happens.

The most important thing to brewing beer is sanitation. It is not sufficient to rinse. It is not sufficient to wash. Everything that might come in contact with the beer, equipment or ingredients, must be sanitized. Luckily Mr. Beer provides what you need. Note the can opener getting sanitized.

Loosening up the extract by putting the can in some hot water. I decided to make the amber ale first.

It comes out almost like molasses.

After some heating it is ready.

Pour it in the fermenter and let it sit for two weeks. You can’t rush perfection!

After two weeks it is time to bottle. But first, you need to sanitize the bottles.

After sanitizing, time to fill the bottles. After filled, add a carbonation drop and let it work its magic over three more weeks.

Grab a cold frosty mug and pour!

My Take: My skepticism from my earlier experience was completely removed with the Mr. Beer kit. The process was very straightforward, easy to do and most importantly, PRODUCED GREAT TASTING BEER! Producing two gallons of beer at a time, your hard work is rewarded with quite a bit of awesomeness. Yes, it is easier to run to the store and buy a six-pack, but there is just something about making it yourself. Mr. Beer has a number of different kits, including one that makes six gallons at a time. Their catalog of beers that you can make is nothing short of impressive and I am excited to make beer making one of my new hobbies. You can pick up a kit or other supplies here.