How to use Coopers Extract? Proper way to mix up Sparkling Ale?

[WeirdBeer]

In regards to the unhopped cans of liquid malt, do they need boiling?

 

Or what order should I add stuff to my fermenter for a batch of Sparkling Ale?

 

This is what I figure . . . .

 

1. Dry malt in the bottom of dry fermenter

2. Hot water on top of the Dry Malt

3. Swirl around the dry malt and water to disolve

4. Add the Dextrose and some more water.

5. Add can of Sparkling Ale

6. Add can of light malt

7. Top up to 23L

8. Stir like hell

 

How does that sound?

[Muddy Waters]

I'd be adding the dextrose and then the dry malt first (In that order). Then immediately add hot or boiling water and swirl it aroud to dissolve the malt.

 

I'd then open the sparkling ale can and the liquid malt and tip them in. I leave the lids partially on and lay the sppon across the open fermentor. I then suspend then on the spoon to let them drain into the fermentor for a few minutes while I prepare other things. Afert this I'll add a splash of boiling water to the cans to get any remaining ingredients.

 

Then top up to 23L.

 

Stir like hell.

 

Pitch yeast.

 

Wait 10-14 days....bottle....wait again...enjoy.

 

[biggrin]

[PB2]

In regards to the unhopped cans of liquid malt, do they need boiling?

No Coopers brewing products require boiling [biggrin]

[ChrisK]

Uh-oh.

 

Stirring, eh?

 

I put down my SMOTY last night and I don't remember stirring in the fermenter.

 

I gave it a bit of a swish when it was half full, but no thorough stirring.

 

uh-oh.

 

These are the mistakes you make when you've not been brewing for three weeks :(

[Muddy Waters]

[lol] That is what the big spoon is for Chris.[ninja]

 

You should be right. Stirring just helps things mix properly and helps get lots of oxygen into the wort to make the yeast happier.

[AndrewC5]

can boiling a LME with hops enhance it in anyway? or is this just a waste of time? because i see alot of people suggesting this on other sites.

[PB2]

Hop additions give aroma, flavour and bitterness. Easily achieved by boiling the hops in water.

 

Boiling hops in wort (malt extract and water) is not necessary but it could reduce the amount of bitterness extracted from the hops and for many, it gives a sense of more personal input to the brew [whistling

 

To get consistancy with extraction rates, when boiling hops in wort, look to make the wort up at the same density each time.

[Slurtis Staggersalot]

The boiling business sounds like a PITA I'd like to start adding Hops to my beer but I want to do it the easy way.... what would that be PB2?

[Muddy Waters]

Paul,

 

How would you recommend boiling hops. To use the example of an Amber Recipe you posted recently in response to a request you mentioned that the beer could quite easily accommodate triple the fuggles and cascade you suggested - 1/3 in the boil for 15 mins and the rest dry hopped.

 

Therefore, if 15g of each hop were used in total with 5g of each going into the 15 min boil (and the remaining 10g of each dry hopped), what would your boil consist of (volume etc.)?

 

I'm just curious because I made this up the other day and was wondering what the PB2 method would be. I used malt in my boil but if water is all you need I'd prefer to do that.

 

Do you have a general preferred system you could share with us in regards to using hops? I'm often unsure what method to use when it comes to boiling hops.

[Slurtis Staggersalot]

I have so much confusion about hops that I'm actually embarrassed, I've never seen them or held them in my hand. I intend to mail order some soon, I'm thinking some fuggles and some cascade hops and also maybe some goldings I only have a vague Idea of how to use them but I'll figure it out like everyone else here that's hopping their beer[ninja]

[Muddy Waters]

Hops are great Slurtis [love]

 

I've been using them for a while but I have usually been spoon fed the method of using them by recipes and recommendations - and everybody has a different method which is why I asked for PB2 to shed a little light as to his methods.

 

I'm trying to find a good source of info so that I can learn more about them and go a little more "freestyle" with my hops use.

[PaulV]

I think most of the questions above could be answered through a read of John Palmer's book 'How to Brew'. A very good investment which helped me make the jump to all grain brewing. It is useful resource for extract brewing as well

[Slurtis Staggersalot]

Paul, I've got a friend that is All grain brewing and he recommends the same book [cool]

 

Muddy, I've read a lot here and elsewhere about hopping but until I put it into practice I really have no idea what does and doesn't work for me. I can't wait to start experimenting though [biggrin]

[AnnM]

Well, after reading various forums books, this is how I do it when adding to kits. I like to make my boil the same gravity as the brew - it apparently assists with hop utilisation. I use LDME or whatever fermentables I'm using in the brew at the ratio of 100gm LDME/1 litre, ie. 200gm LDME in 2 lts. Chuck the pellets in and boil for however long the recipe says (40-60 mins for bittering, 20 mins for flavour & 5-10 mins for aroma). Boil with the lid on to reduce evaporation. Then you need to cool the pot in a sink of ice water till it comes down to around 25-27 deg C, because you shouldn't aerate hot wort. Then add to fermenter before filling with cold water and then you can aerate like crazy! (I like to pour the cold water in at a great height, which achieves lots of aeration!! [happy] ). You don't need to strain the hops out because they will all sink to the bottom eventually.

 

Works for me! [love]

[PB2]

Link to the online version of How To Brew by John Palmer

[AndrewC5]

Slurtis Staggersalot, Hops are great, they really change your basic beer kits into something completely different. I like alot of hops, maily for taste and aroma, but they can also assist in bittering. Very easy to use, but boil and add! If your dry hopping you just chuck them into the fermentor.

If you want some step-by-step have a look for "Chris tries LCPA" thread, thats a good example of this sorta stuff.

 

Ann, you right in saying you don't need to strain the hops, but it will assist in clearing you beer alot, the yeast drops to the bottom of the bottle but the hops floats around and can be unplesent in your mouth.

All you need to do is get a sift (for flour or what ever) then pour the wort off into fermenter, then also squeez the juices out of the hops into the fermentor.

Also, you don't need to bother cooling the 2-3 liters, because when you add the cold water it will bring the whole sample to a reasonable 20-28. If you cool it down to 25-27 then add cold water it will become too cold and harder to get the temp back up.

 

Thats just my opinion. It works for me.

[Muddy Waters]

Hop additions give aroma' date=' flavour and bitterness. Easily achieved by boiling the hops in water.[/quote']

 

[roll] Paul - Could you please expand on techniques for boiling hops in water only and what volume of water is best. All other literature seems to say you need malt as well and I'd like to know more about water only techniques. I've often read through the John Palmer site for info but always get confused by the hops stuff...to much converting from old fashioned to metric [crying] . I'll have another stab at making sense of it but I'd still love to know more about your water only techniques.

 

[Slurtis Staggersalot]

Good info about the hops everyone, thanks! Also PB2 thanks for the link to the how to brew book.

 

I actually originally clicked on this thread because, I have a can of Sparkling Ale, and only a can. I can't buy it here, my brother shipped it to me...

 

I also can't seem to find Liquid malt extract, and I'm wondering if Light dry malt extract will be a suitable substitute. I'm going to have to start ordering some of the good stuff online, or start a Home brew supply that doesn't suck! [roll]

[PB2]

Thomas Coopers Sparkling Ale kit + 1kg Light Dry Malt + 250g of dextrose to 23 litres makes a nice beer.

[Slurtis Staggersalot]

Thanks PB2 I'll try that, what sort of ABV would that recipe come out to? I like a beer that has some kick [biggrin]

[2 bird brewing]

PB2 I may have over done my tin of sparkling ale due to a lack of availbility of the products to make the recipe on the can.I put it down as follows 1 tin SA 1 tin mex cerveza 500g ldm 382g dex Og 1060 fg 1014 in the bottle since june 3 tasted good out of the fv. How will this compare to the real thing[sideways]

[PB2]

Only guessing...[unsure]

 

Mexican Cerveza carries aromatic hops while Sparkling Ale (beer kit and the commercial ale)doesn't. It will be higher in alcohol and the aromatic hops may be hidden behind the esters from fermentation.

[Slurtis Staggersalot]

PB2 I may have over done my tin of sparkling ale due to a lack of availbility of the products to make the recipe on the can.I put it down as follows 1 tin SA 1 tin mex cerveza 500g ldm 382g dex Og 1060 fg 1014 in the bottle since june 3 tasted good out of the fv. How will this compare to the real thing[sideways]

 

I might hold off on putting my Sparkling ale down until I hear how this brew came out. You've put it down the other way before too haven't you 2BB? I'm referring to using dry malt instead of liquid malt. I like the Mexican Cervesa idea because it's cheaper than buying a bunch of LDM. I'm wondering if it would be a good idea to boil the Cervesa for a little while to drive the hops off before mixing it in, or if maybe the hops in the Cervesa are a nice addition...

 

[2 bird brewing]

Slurtis I did a sa with 500g ldm 500g dex and it was good but I want to make my beers malty with abv between 5.5 and 7% abv. I think this calls for lots of malt and just a bit of dex to kick start the yeast.I do still make the kit and heavy kilo brews to fill bottles cheap for when I feel like KD brew or mates who have no taste in beer[lol]

[AnnM]

Quote from Andrew: "Also, you don't need to bother cooling the 2-3 liters, because when you add the cold water it will bring the whole sample to a reasonable 20-28. If you cool it down to 25-27 then add cold water it will become too cold and harder to get the temp back up."

 

Actually Andrew, you do need to cool the boil before aeration - From John Palmer's book:

 

"To prevent a thing called "hot side aeration".

Aeration of hot wort will cause the oxygen to bind to various wort compounds. Over time these compounds will break down, freeing atomic oxygen back into the beer, where it can oxidise the fatty acids and alcohols, producing off flavours and aromas like wet cardboard or sherry. The generally accepted temperature cutoff for preventing hot wort oxidation is 27\xbaC."

 

I learned the hard way! Of course, I guess if your pot is big enough you could add a litre or two of cold water to cool it instead of putting it in an ice bath. It's no problem to bring your brew to the correct temperature - just keep an eye on the thermometer on the side of the fermenter and adjust as needed with hot tap water. [roll]