Enhancing Mr. Beer Recipes

[Jones4412]

I am finishing up the fermentation on my first batch with the Mr. Beer Brew Kit this week. This first batch is a plain old American Light Beer which came with the kit. I am not expecting anything special from my first batch, as I just followed the instructions which came with the kit. For my next batch I want to try and add other grains and hops to the wart to help kick up the specific types of malt extracts that I have ordered.

the recipe I ordered is called That Voodoo That You Do. the product info says it is amber in color yet a little hazy and malty, yet balanced with a twist of spice the wheat lends.

RECIPE INCLUDES:
1 Can Bewitched Amber Ale HME
1 Packet Dry Brewing Yeast (under lid of HME)
1 BrewMax SoftPack LME - Golden
1 Packet No-Rinse Cleanser

YOU PROVIDE:
1 Cup Brown Sugar, packed

Does anyone have any input on what I could do to help enhance this recipe. IE types of grains I can mash and or types of hops I could add to help make a great tasting beer.

I was hoping to go off some type of recipe like this one I found on YouTube, but tailored more for an amber ale.
YouTube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YDqnFPgpb-0


Thank you

[gwcr]

First off, Welcome to the Borg!

Now that that is out of the way, the recipes are typically already much better than just the single can refills that come with the kit. In this case, you are already adding more malt with the LME (Liquid Malt Extract) Softpack, and more fermentable sugars to kick up the abv with the brown sugar. The only thing I might suggest would be to steep about 0.25lbs of Carapils. That will give some added body and head retention without changing the flavor of the recipe. Brew a few more straight up (or slightly modified) to get a better feel for the flavor profile. If you start adding all sorts of grain and hops before you know what the original tastes like, you don't know what will make it better for your palate.

Welcome again! Keep posting and asking questions. Lots of great folks out here who love to help!

[FrozenInTime]

Welcome to the forum!

[LouieMacGoo]

It's nice to see another new brewer on the forum here! You will find these guys and gals to be a great resource for your questions and they will certainly help to make you a better brewer!

Looks like your off to a good start! The only thing that I would suggest for your first brew is to let it ferment for at least 2 to 3 weeks before bottling it. After you bottle give it another 4 to 6 weeks total to carbonate and condition. The more patience you have with that first beer the better it will turn out!

[BrownstotheBone]

Just did this recipe. I didn't like it very much after a month. I let it set for 2+ and it's really come along. My suggestion would be to brew it straight up first.

Let it condition for 8 weeks and see what you think. Then make your adjustments. It's actually pretty decent now. Can't believe what time will do for a beer. Really makes a difference.

[Root Skier]

Use better yeast, or a yeast more suited to the style or flavor your looking for.

[John Sand]

Welcome! You will find many helpful suggestions here. You can decide which to take. We all started where you are, I'm only a year along. I didn't do well with altering extracts. My advice is to be careful about your procedure, sanitation, and fermentation temps. Have fun, it's a great passtime, full of good people.

[Wings_Fan_In_KC]

All the advice posted thus far is good. Especially the part about brewing a few batches straight up to see what they are like before you start to tinker. It's like a guy who never had tea before deciding to put sugar in it before he even tastes it, ya know?

The 3/4 method is safest if you don't have a hydrometer to take gravity readings with. 3 weeks in the fermenter and then 4 weeks in bottles (2 weeks to carb and 2 weeks to condition) at room temp. Never chill your beer after 2 weeks as Mr Beer has been known to suggest. That cuts off the conditioning process as it puts all the yeasty beasties to sleep.

Steeping grain is done for 30 minutes at a starting temp of between 155 and 165F. Use a paint strainer bag (Home Depot sells nylon ones in two packs) for the grain and I use a small zip tie to hold it closed. I think adding the carpils is your first step. You could steep up to a half pound in a Mr Beer sized batch but most of us use a quarter pound.

[RickBeer]

Bewitched Amber is one of the Craft Series, meaning it has more malt in it. Then, you're adding more malt. Then, you're adding brown sugar.

I've made Bewitched Amber and it's one of the best refills. Adding malt will make it better. The brown sugar, ... I wouldn't.

[pghFred]

I made the ‘Voodoo’ from the BA with a couple additions.

I added 8oz Pilsen DME and also 1oz citra (1/3 for 10 minutes and 2/3 in the LBK as a dry hop). Just hit 4 weeks in the bottle and it is fantastic.

I don’t think the brown sugar is a bad addition as there is a LOT of malt in it too. I don’t notice the cidery flavor at all but that might have more to do with the hop addition. I also only added about a half cup of brown sugar, not a whole cup as the recipe states. Ended up around 7.46% ABV.

BIG Citra flavor and aroma and a nice smooth finish.

[Jones4412]

Just did this recipe. I didn't like it very much after a month. I let it set for 2+ and it's really come along. My suggestion would be to brew it straight up first.

Let it condition for 8 weeks and see what you think. Then make your adjustments. It's actually pretty decent now. Can't believe what time will do for a beer. Really makes a difference.

Thank you all for your input. It is greatly appreciated. Im thinking I will try this recipe straight up like advised. I do have one question though about the conditioning time. Is the extra conditioning time needed for this beer because of the extra malt and sugars put into it?

[Bluejaye]

Thank you all for your input. It is greatly appreciated. Im thinking I will try this recipe straight up like advised. I do have one question though about the conditioning time. Is the extra conditioning time needed for this beer because of the extra malt and sugars put into it?

Yes. In general, the higher the ABV content of the beer, which is what adding the extra malt and sugar is doing, the longer it needs to condition out. Standard exceptions to every rule apply.

[Wings_Fan_In_KC]

The Mr Beer site says that the conditioning time for Voodoo is 1 to 2 months. They are pretty often about 2 weeks off so I'd say 6 to 10 weeks conditioning.

[Jones4412]

Bewitched Amber is one of the Craft Series, meaning it has more malt in it. Then, you're adding more malt. Then, you're adding brown sugar.

I've made Bewitched Amber and it's one of the best refills. Adding malt will make it better. The brown sugar, ... I wouldn't.

I am going to try and brew this beer today. I decided Im going to try and steep .25 lbs of carapils for 30 mins like wings fan in kc has mentioned. If I follow the Mr. Beer Recipe I would start my boil with 4 cups of water before I steep the grains. Does it matter how much water I sparge the grains with, considering I will be just filling the rest of the LBK up with cold water to the 8.5 quart mark? Also I was wondering if I should just use the yeast Mr. Beer sent with the bewitched amber ale, or should I buy a better suited yeast for a higher gravity ale, since I will be adding the extra LME, Carapils, and brown sugar to the wort. Thanks again for all your guys help.

[RickBeer]

Water is fine, no sparging is necessary and the yeast is fine.