We All Love to Hate Mr. Beer
The Mr. Beer line of brew-at-home kits has an interesting place among modern homebrewers. Many accomplished homebrewers claim to have started with this ill-perceived product, it being their gateway into this fascinating hobby. The same goes for Dad and myself as well. However, when Mr. Beer pops up in conversation or appears on an Internet forum, disdain always seems to follow.
Mr. Beer kits are sold at many large retailers and is often considered as a great gift for your beer-loving friends and family. Know someone who loves beer? Of course you do! What could be more fun than giving your beer-loving compatriot a way to make the very thing they enjoy so much? Why, these simple little kits have everything you need to get started along with easy to follow instructions. So what's the problem then?
Much like any other hobby, these relatively cheap Mr. Beer starter kits prove useful to spark interest, however the focus of these products is convenience not quality. Anybody who's read a beer brewing book can tell you the flaws present in the products and methodology often included and described with these kits. While they do supply you with everything you need to get started, the results are often sub-par as the instructions don't give much information as to why you are doing the things that it asks you to do. The common result is that most of the critical analysis is stripped out in favor of following the instructions as closely as possible. While this method will produce beer, it does little for education and opening your mind to the true breadth of possibilities that homebrewing can provide.
The above reasons are most often why Mr. Beer is looked down upon in the homebrewing community. It gives you the tools to make a small sample of what is possible, but does little to educate you and prepare you for what is truly possible. Perhaps even install a few bad habits as well. Once you've started to learn how to homebrew using proper ingredients and methods, it doesn't take long before you realize just how limited those pre-hopped extract kits are. Hence the odd place Mr. Beer has in the community. While the use of a Mr. Beer kit screams newbie (I certainly consider myself one) and some love to trash it, many owe it thanks for getting them started in the first place.
So why the big TL;DR post? Especially at the beginning of your brand spanking new blog, ya goof! It's a primer for what's to come. Get your time machines ready, we're going to take a look back at my very first homebrew adventure: J. and Dad vs. Mr. Beer American Light!