Beginner Coopers Lager kit - Which yeast, which enhancer?

[JoeCMorgan]

I've recently purchased the Coopers Lager kit (https://www.the-home-brew-shop.co.uk/acatalog/Coopers_40_pint_Lager_Beer_Kit.html), which comes with Brew Enhancer 1. I've also purchased a Copers Bootmaker Pale Ale kit (https://www.the-home-brew-shop.co.uk/acatalog/coopers-bootmaker-pale-ale-beer-kit.html), as well as SafAle-US 05 yeast as I've read it's meant to be a lot better than the yeast supplied with the kits.

 

I'd like the brew the Lager first, however I've read that BE1 + SafAle-US 05 + Coopers Lager kit may not be the best combination. I was hoping that someone may be able to point me in the right direction regarding a nice tasting, easy to make beginners Lager, using the lager kit. As in, which is the best yeast and best BE to use with this kit (I'm aware it's all personal preference, but as I've never done this before I'm just hoping for a Lager that I can drink and tastes half decent...). I've read about DME's and LME's and am just getting a bit confused as to what's best to use for a first brew.

 

If anyone can also offer advice on the best way to brew the Bootmaker Pale Ale as well that would be great.

 

With both kits I'm happy to experiment a bit (if recommended).

 

Thanks in advance,

Joe

 

[ChristinaS1]

Hi Joe,

 

Welcome to the forum, and the hobby!

 

I suspect that a lot of forum members would advise you to ditch all of the the brew enhancers in favour of using all malt, either 1.5kg light liquid malt extract (LME), or 1kg dry malt extract (DME), whichever is cheaper in your area. That will give you a much nicer beer. Brew Enhancers are mostly dextrose and un-fermentable maltodextrin. BE1 doesn't contain any DME, BE2 has a bit (250gm), and I believe BE3 has 500gm.

 

Brew Enchancers are designed for beginners who are relying on the kit yeast. There is nothing wrong with Coopers own dry ale yeast, which comes with all of the Original series kits, and a couple of the International series kits. It is actually one of my favs: starts quickly, reliable, very vigorous fermentation, pretty clean if fermented 18-21C. The main problem with the yeast is the size of the package: 7gm. If you use more than 500gm of DME, you really ought to have a larger amount of yeast. Note that sugar is easier for yeast to ferment than DME.

 

Some of the International series kits, and all of the Thomas Coopers kits, come with third party yeast, which may not tolerate dry pitching and under-pitching as well as Coopers own dry yeast. Coopers don't want you to use Brew Enhancers with any of the Thomas Coopers kits. They recommend adding anywhere from 1kg to 1.5kg of dry malt extract, in which case 7gm of yeast is definitely not enough.

 

Personally I am not a fan of US-05. I prefer to buy two kits, use both kit yeasts in the first kit, then save some slurry from the bottom of the fermenter on bottling day to ferment the second kit.

 

As I mentioned, Coopers own ale yeast tolerates dry pitching pretty well, but the same cannot be said for some third party yeast. If you are making an ale from the Thomas Coopers series, or if you are buying US-05 etc, you ought to rehydrate the yeast in 35C water.

 

Cheers,

 

Christina.

[JoeCMorgan]

Wow, thanks Christina that's cleared a lot up! I've gone ahead with BE1 and the Coopers yeast for the lager, hopefully I'll get some good results.

 

What would be the best method for brewing the Bootmaker Pale Ale then?

 

Thanks

[ChristinaS1]

For the Bootmaker I would use either 1.5kg of LME, which is easy to use, or 1.5kg DME, if it is cheaper in your area. Note that DME will give you a bit higher ABV than the LME as there is no water in it.

 

As for yeast, I would go with Mangrove Jack's New World Strong Ale yeast; I think it is easier to work with than US-05. I would rehydrate it in water for 30 minutes at 35C.

 

As for the kit yeast, you could throw that in too if you want, but it is another strain. Other option would be to save it in the fridge until you have another yeast from a Bootmaker, Brew A IPA, or Family Secret Amber kit, which all come with the same yeast.

 

Cheers,

 

Christina.

 

PS You could dry hop it three days before bottling with 15gm of Cascade hops, if you wanted to try that.

[Peter_1983]

Hi Guys,

 

I have picked up 1/2 a brewing kit from my mate, he has all the accessories and only 1/2 the ingredients I think.

What he has was the big tin, sanitizer, finishing hops and BE2 (which resembles a brick) and no instructions - Could I use these to make a brew?

 

I did however err on the side of caution and bought: carbonation drops, Brew Blend (malt + booster -it is Dextrose, Malt and Corn syrup).

 

The guy at the shop said it is easy, dissolve the pack, add the can make it up to 20L and 20C sprinkle in the yeast and leave is 4 days at 20C, remove the Krausen collar, throw in the hop tea bag leave it 10 days and then bottle it. Is it that simple?

What is BE2? should it use that with the can and the yeast and then have another go with the brew blend?