Rookie question--do I need a booster pack for a Mr Beer kit?

[kdoglovesbeer]

Or can I use sugar? I just bought a refill kit of Octoberfest and was getting ready to brew (only my second batch in 2 years) and realized I need a booster pack. Thought that would come with the refill??

Any thoughts or should I go get booster pack?

Thanks-

kdlb

 

[boydster]

Add some dry malt extract instead. It will be more betterer.

 

[TipsyDragon]

The "booster pack" is just enough corn sugar to raise the ABV by 1%. Table sugar will work just as good.

 

[BlackGoat]

as the others have said, the "booster pack" is just extra sugar. You can just replace that with a portion of corn sugar, or regular table sugar, or preferably some dried malt extract.

 

[boydster]

I'm pretty sure it has both fermentable sugar and unfermentable sugar in it, so there is some additional mouthfeel as well as the extra ABV. Adding sugar will get you the extra alcohol, but not extra body. What you add depends on what you want the final beer to be.

 

[finsfan]

As someone who started with mr beer not too long ago, I would suggest not making them anymore. Even tho they are easy, extract kits give you such better beer! Id look into some one gallon batches on northerbrewer and you can still use your mr beer fermenter, even for 2 one gallon batches combined.

 

[BlackGoat]

I'm pretty sure it has both fermentable sugar and unfermentable sugar in it, so there is some additional mouthfeel as well as the extra ABV. Adding sugar will get you the extra alcohol, but not extra body. What you add depends on what you want the final beer to be.

Just looked it up and you're right: 8% glucose, 56% maltose, 16% maltotriose, and 20% dextrins.

 

[boydster]

As someone who started with mr beer not too long ago, I would suggest not making them anymore. Even tho they are easy, extract kits give you such better beer! Id look into some one gallon batches on northerbrewer and you can still use your mr beer fermenter, even for 2 one gallon batches combined.

^ This! I started with the Mr. Beer LBK also. I still use it for test batches.

 

[Oginme]

pick up some dry malt extract from your local home brew supply store. It'll be just as good, if not better.

 

[Tombstone0]

Mr. Beer doesn't use booster anymore, so you don't need to add anything. The new standard refills are 100% malt extract. I wouldn't argue against adding a little extra dme to the basic kits, though.

 

[kdoglovesbeer]

Thanks guys. Really appreciate the info. Got my brew going over the weekend. Be ready for Christmas.

 

[Briannewbrewer]

Hi. Just wondering if Mr beer doesn't use a booster anymore what is the final alcohol content of the brew

 

[Briannewbrewer]

Mr. Beer doesn't use booster anymore, so you don't need to add anything. The new standard refills are 100% malt extract. I wouldn't argue against adding a little extra dme to the basic kits, though.

So what is abv of this kit without the booster ?

 

[Oginme]

What is on the can? You can look up the projected ABV on the Mr. Beer web site from the name of the recipe from the can if it is not printed directly on the can.

 

[stopthemad]

Would you just use the same weight of table sugar what the booster pack contained (6.25 oz)?