JonathanM3 Posted July 22, 2010 Share Posted July 22, 2010 Hello everyone! I want to say that using the Coopers kit was a breeze. I went ahead and ordered the Brewmaster Wheat beer kit with my microbrewery kit order, and brewed it up. I left it in the fermenter for 2 weeks, bottled about 2 1/2 weeks ago and am happy with what I tasted so far, although it's a little sweet on the tongue at the beginning and finishes a little flat with no head. There are bubbles and everything, and I think the taste will balance out with age. I am really happy with how it worked out. The only changes I made were to add just a little unmeasured dextrose [happy] and cut the volume to 22L from the prescribed 23L. OG was 1052-1054 (still getting used to that hydrometer), finshed at 1014 (at an ambient temperature about 3 degrees C warmer than the original measurement. Again, very pleased. I'm looking for help deciding what to do with the Lager kit included with the fermenter - specifically what a good secondary malt / hopped malt would be to mix with it to make something a little more "concentrated" I guess you would say - What I have on hand is - ~700 grams dextrose from wheat kit package 1 kg brewing sugar (from lager kit) 1 hopped malt extract (Coopers Lager ) I'm looking to probably get something around 6.0 - 7% ABV and here in Syracuse now, I can keep the temperature in the 21-27 degree ale range. I think to get the ABV I'm looking for above I'd need another kit can of hopped malt extract with yeast, but I'm new to this so I'm not sure. I also thought about the Amber malt extract, but I didn't want to mess with adding my own hops or anything like that yet. I know this was talked about in the strong beer section, but I'd like some guidance from experienced individuals such as yourselves as to what works and what doesn't. I also am not familiar with the taste of Coopers other products because of where I live. Thanks for your help! I also have one other thing to ask, I saw it around here somewhere - It costs you $28 for a 6 pack of Sam Adams Boston Ale? Ouch! The main beer from Australia we get here is Fosters, and all that Shiraz wine that you guys seem proficient at making :) Both cheap here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kearnage Posted July 22, 2010 Share Posted July 22, 2010 Welcome Jonathan. There is another thread about the lager kit and a few other things HERE It depends a bit on what style of beer you like. If you like the Fosters etc style, then the kit may suit you. I think Coopers excel with their Ales and Stout personally, so that is what I tend to concentrate on (drinking, and now brewing!) If you want a stronger beer you could use the lager with another can of concentrate of your choice and then add dex and or malt. Best results seem to be gained at the low end of the suggested temperature range (ie 18 - 21 deg C). Trust me, there is more to Australian beer than Fosters! Cheers Dan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndrewC5 Posted July 22, 2010 Share Posted July 22, 2010 Toss away the brewing sugar haha. Or keep it for priming. If you want something with a bit of body, try some light dry malt extract (light/pale DME). about 1kg of LDME and 500g of dex will give you a decent kick in the pants. If you want some taste, try some late hops, about 15 in a 10 min boil. Saaz or something German would help the kit a bit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JonathanM3 Posted July 22, 2010 Author Share Posted July 22, 2010 Whats wrong with the brewing sugar? I'll need to use that 1kg somehow... I would like to use some of what I have on hand, and the maltodex in the brewing sugar might help the head on my beer, right? As far as adding hops, I know it's a simple step, I just don't think I'm ready for that. Would adding a second can of hopped malt extract be a good idea? Something like an IPA can? That second packet of yeast might be good in a higher gravity brew. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JonathanM3 Posted July 23, 2010 Author Share Posted July 23, 2010 @Kearnage : I'm very sure there is much better things in Australia than Foster's. Although as they say in the ads here - Foster's: Australian for beer haha not quite I'd say. As far as tastes go, I'd like to give the lager more body, with a good hop finish without making a porter. My guess would be the IPA kit would be a good fit, but I am not familiar with the tastes of the other Cooper's Ales to know which would fit best. As above, is there any reason to avoid the brewing sugar? I wouldn't think so, as it seems to be a Dex / Maltodex mix... Also as far as temperature, I think the LAger kit that comes with the fermenter is really "cream ale" because it comes with the cooper's ale yeast (At least I think that what Paul (PB2) said in one of the posts around here, so I think it will be OK as long as I'm below 27 deg. right? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kearnage Posted July 23, 2010 Share Posted July 23, 2010 Yeah, I also found there was much more to American beer than Bud and Millers when I spent a couple of months in Alabama, but that's another story. The brewing sugar should be fine, as you say it is dex/maltodex not sucrose, just keep it in balance with other ingredients. Adding some light dry malt in place of some of the dex may give a bit more body and flavour if that is what you are after. It will definitely brew at the higher temps (it is an Ale yeast) but the lower the temp the less 'funky' flavours, probably important to avoid in a beer like the lager. If bitterness / hops are what you are after the IPA is probably a good thing (I've never brewed one myself - I'm actually a rank amateur, I may have started brewing 20 years ago, but I've only made about a dozen batches [pouty] ) There is a strong IPA recipe HERE See if you can track down a Coopers Sparkling Ale or Best Extra Stout (the beer, not the kit!) to get an idea what so many of us love about Coopers... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JonathanM3 Posted July 23, 2010 Author Share Posted July 23, 2010 Yeah Bud is definitely not the King here in America, not by a long shot. It's amazing how in the last 25-39 years well over 1000 microbreweries opened up here in America, starting in California and radiating out from coast to coast. Every style imaginable! Heck, about 2 hours from my house there's an authentic Belgian brewery called Ommegang, open fermentation and all that. My favorite local brews are Middle Ages Kilt Tilter (Scotch Ale) and Lake Placid Ubu Ale Great stuff! I started with the Coopers Wheat, with a starting temp about 22 and it rose to about 25-26 at bottling time, hasn't gone above that. Maybe the Wheat yeast handles the higher range a little better - no real tangy tastes in my beer at all, even though it's hardly sat for a couple of weeks. I guess I'll start it as low as I can, and see where it takes me. My whole goal is to use mostly what I have on hand, with an addition of another coopers can (I thought IPA, but maybe the real ale might keep it a little lighter?) Cooper's IPA isn't anywhere near an American Pale Ale in bitterness / floral qualities, right? Thanks again for your insight, so far my experience with the Coopers stuff has been phenomenal and I want to keep it going... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PB2 Posted July 23, 2010 Share Posted July 23, 2010 There is a Scotch Ale recipe here. Coopers Brewing Sugar is 80% dextrose and 20% maltodextrin. If you want to make a beer with a bit more character, drawing only from the ingredients at hand, you could try using the Lager beer kit and half the Brewing Sugar but only make it to 18 litres. Use the yeast supplied (yes it's an ale strain) and try to ferment at 21C. As for US beers - there are so many excellent examples - the latest I've tasted is Anchor Liberty Ale, outstanding!![love] [love] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JonathanM3 Posted July 23, 2010 Author Share Posted July 23, 2010 I just love beer a lot. I think my intention with the lager kit really was to see what it's like with a second kit added, I'm just not familiar with the flavors of Cooper's beer to know which one I want to try - the IPA or maybe the Real Ale, and I certainly don't want to make a bad beer.... With two kits I would still go with 23L right, or is OK to go a little short, like 20L? How much brewing sugar to add 500grams too much? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ninja_drift Posted August 3, 2010 Share Posted August 3, 2010 sorry a bit off topic, but I was originally from just near Syracuse! small world! didnt realize homebrew over there was big! but yeah definately alot of microbreweries poping up everywhere, makes the challenge of trying every beer in the world pretty difficult! if you ever find yourself up in toronto go to the steam whistle brewery, loved them Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JonathanM3 Posted August 4, 2010 Author Share Posted August 4, 2010 Just noticed your post. HOme brewing is definitely on the upswing here, but the US as a whole is a real beer mecca, as it seems Australia is becoming as well. What may have been perfected in Europe is definitely owned by the New World now :) Anyways, I live in Lakeland, NY by the NYS fairgrounds, glad to meet someone from around here. I walked by the steam whistle brewery a few years ago, meant to take the tour but it was the wrong time. Toronto is a great city, hope you like it there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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