Mr. Beer - I know i know...

[Stinkin Hoppy]

I received a Mr. Beer kit for Christmas and haven't put it to good use (if it even can be put to good use) yet. I have no experience in brewing but do find it to be interesting. I'm sure a lot of beer aficionado's scoff at the kit, but I was wondering what you guys think of it? Can the given recipe's be altered to brew something decent?

[Ray Grace]

I've never personally used him and I've heard various stories about them. First of all that they use far too much sugar in the mixture but they are also a great entryway into homebrewing. I say give it a try but if it doesn't turn out great don't get discouraged. Homebrewing is a wonderful hobby that can be very addictive.
Hopefully one of the other Alechemists out there will have some experience with Mr. Beer.

[Chipper Dave]

You know, it doesn't matter how you brew beer or what kinda kit or equipment you use. What matters is that you're making beer! Any homebrew is a good thing in my book. You can learn a lot from any kind of kit really. Hope this sparks the interest for doing even more later.

[Mike Hahn]

I got one, too! It's in the fridge now and is supposed to be "ready" soon. I'm scared. But it was easy, and thankfully my wife bought me "real" gear a couple years ago. We're gonna try our hand with fresh ingredients this weekend. I'll re-post when we open the Mr. Beer and *gulp* try it.

[Stinkin Hoppy]

Haha, good luck! Let us know how it tastes. What type are you brewing in the Mr. Beer?

[Shawn, the Beer Philosopher]

Well put, guys. I haven't used the Mr. Beer kits either, but it certainly is an "entry point" to homebrewing and has to be useful for that, at least. Once you get the fever, my friend, I'd suggest getting a good starter kit and brewin' a few extract batches. Wanna learn more, feel free to join us in the Aleuminati Alechemists group - we've got brewers at all levels of experience there. Just remember, we all started somewhere ... the important thing is that you're startin'!

[Paul Sinderson]

I've been brewing for 4 years and it all started with a Mr. Beer kit that I bought at a department store over the holidays! The thing I like about Mr. Beer is that is makes people think about the possibilities. No, I did not think that the beers I made with the kit were great, but it got me thinking about the process and it was a wonderful way to see if I would even like it. A friend in one of our homebrewing groups still uses a Mr. Beer...he makes some pretty decent brews. Once you understand the process, you have opportunities to be creative, like a regular extract brewer.

I only made 5 batches with the Mr. Beer kit. I got so hooked that I went straight to all-grain. I wouldn't recommend that for most people because that's a big step and it took quite a while to brew something really good. What I DO recommend if you decide you like the process - READ! There are so many great resources (Like the Aleuminati) for homebrewers both online and hardcopy publications. If you're like most of us, you'll be hooked :)

Go for it, use the kit and learn how things work. If you ever need any help, everyone in this forum has been great and there are many other places where homebrewers congregate.

Paul