Kearnage Posted June 18, 2010 Share Posted June 18, 2010 First I'd like to say thanks to all on this forum for making my return to brewing after 20 years so easy. My first batch circa 1990 was a stout that ended up tasting like sour vegemite and produced a hangover after half a glass. Despite being a student in search of cheap beer, I used it as fertiliser. Following recipes and advice, my current 'stouter stout' has been a roaring success - even my wife has been complimentary (no, that is not normal). My Irish Ale has been stable at an SG of 1012 for 2 days now (at day 5!) and seems ready for bottling. The main problem I have had is that every time I take a hydrometer reading, the airlock water gets sucked into the fermenter, even if I slow it to a trickle. Am I doing something wrong or do I have a psycho airlock? Should I break the seal on the fermenter or remove the airlock when testing the SG or just put up with it? Cheers Dan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2 bird brewing Posted June 19, 2010 Share Posted June 19, 2010 Hi Kearnage in my humble opinion air locks are not needed I ferment in a coopers bucket with a clingwrap cover and a pin hole vent held on by the lid gasket or a 32l stock pot with a pin hole vent. The risk of infection seems low as the frementing beer produces a layer of c02 that helps to protect it. With this set up you can pick up your frementer or pull off a sample with no water sucked in[joyful] The stock pot is great too just boil to snanitize steep hops and add beer kit.I have done 15 brews with no air lock and no issues. Give it a go I think you will like it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muddy Waters Posted June 19, 2010 Share Posted June 19, 2010 G'day Kearnage, Like 2BB, I use glad wrap instead of a lid and airlock. One of the reasons I switched is that I always forgot to remove the airlock or loosen the lid when I took a sample. I've never used a stock pot so can't comment on that - I'm intrigued though [roll] Give the glad wrap a go - Once you've gone wrap you'll never go back [biggrin]. If you want to stick with the airlock just remember to loosen the lid or take the airlock out before taking a sample or lifting the fermentor. BTW - Welcome back to brewing [happy] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kearnage Posted June 19, 2010 Author Share Posted June 19, 2010 Thanks Muddy and 2BB. Sounds like I need to try gladwrap - it is frustrating not being able to see your creation bubbling away with the lid on, so a double benefit. I'm glad to be back - with a little extra knowledge gained by reading the archives here and proper equipment (well, the Coopers kit), I've been amazed at the quality of my first brew, and how easy it was. It looks like I'm hooked. I'm trying the Coopers Scotch Ale next (it used to be my standard tap beer before it changed to dark ale - are they actually the same beer re-named?). I may even try re-culturing the Coopers yeast. Pity about having to down a 6 pack of Pale to do it, but you have to what you have to do [biggrin] Cheers Dan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2 bird brewing Posted June 19, 2010 Share Posted June 19, 2010 Kearnage is scotch ale a coopers kit ? after you make somthing close to beer you get hooked I have 2 frementers running full bore and may add 1 more. If the 6 pack is to hard to do send it to me and I will take care of it for you[biggrin] [biggrin] [devil] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slurtis Staggersalot Posted June 19, 2010 Share Posted June 19, 2010 You better get the yeast culture going for him too and ship it back. I'll bet that by the time it gets back to AUS it'll be useless, but it would be a fun experiment [biggrin] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kearnage Posted June 19, 2010 Author Share Posted June 19, 2010 Kearnage is scotch ale a coopers kit ? Scotch Ale is a recipe Paul posted a little while back: 1.7 kg Thomas Coopers Sparkling Ale, 1.5 kg TC Amber Malt Extract, 500g dark brown sugar, 21 l, ferment 18 deg. I am thinking of adding 100g roasted barley I have. Does that seem a good idea? Scotch Ale was also the Cooper's dark beer available on tap in Adelaide (not sure if elsewhere), I think I was drinking it in the early 90's. Dan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slurtis Staggersalot Posted June 19, 2010 Share Posted June 19, 2010 I'm starting to get a little jealous of the guys that can buy all of the Cooper's products. I have access to 8-10 different Cooper kits, LDM that is not made by Coopers, and Coopers carbonation drops (I bulk prime instead) The kits still turn out nice as long as I take care to sanitize (never had an infection) I'm going to start mail ordering supplies soon. I need hops, medium and dark malt, I'm going to work with dry malt because it ships cheaper. I might find that the base kits are pretty darn good and just make them with what I can get, or I might need a steady supply of hops... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kearnage Posted June 19, 2010 Author Share Posted June 19, 2010 Slurtis, I may be from Adelaide (grew up about 500 metres from the original Coopers Brewery), but I still mail ordered the Thomas Cooper products. The HBS just down the road from me stocked Coopers gear but closed down a few months before I did my first brew. The only other semi convenient HBS is a competitor and they don't stock Coopers. I did ask my better half if she would take me to the Coopers Store (conveniently located in the secure section of Adelaide airport!)and drive around a few times whilst I went through security and bought a few tins of extract, but I can't tell you her response (it breaches forum rules). So I mail ordered - it took a week, and they turned up in a handmade taped up box with lots of big dents in the tins, but it's the contents that are important! Dan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trusty1 Posted June 20, 2010 Share Posted June 20, 2010 kearnage - I'm sure there is a Multi-national supermarket or department store somewhere in Adelaide? Try any of them for most of the coopers range! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kearnage Posted June 20, 2010 Author Share Posted June 20, 2010 Thanks Trusty My local Woolworths and Big W both stock the original and international series and BE1 and 2 and dry malt, but the Thomas Cooper range and liquid malts aren't stocked by them. Teach me for getting fancy this early! Cheers Dan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisH15 Posted July 29, 2010 Share Posted July 29, 2010 Ive noticed the same, Coles dont have them either. Does anyone know where this range is available in Adelaide... preferably southern suburbs? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muddy Waters Posted July 29, 2010 Share Posted July 29, 2010 [rightful] Unfortunately the Thomas Coopers Range is only available at home brew stores and not at supermarkets. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kearnage Posted July 29, 2010 Author Share Posted July 29, 2010 I mail ordered some from the Coopers site. Cost $8 something for the postage, but better than driving to Gawler to find what I needed wasn't in stock [crying] Irritatingly the major home brew shop franchise in Adelaide don't stock anything Coopers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slurtis Staggersalot Posted August 5, 2010 Share Posted August 5, 2010 I found a great hops supplier, free delivery and he sells more than just hops, so that part is taken care of. I can get any product I want in the coopers range but I have to bulk order it. I have two friends that are home brewing now, but not full bore, just casually. I'm pretty sure that I can talk them into trying a few different kits from the Coopers range that aren't available in town. Minimum order is 6 cans... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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