Need help, Coopers Brew A (IPA) (Cloudy/Milky)

[jcbeer]

Hi all,

I need some help. This is my first attempt back at brewing after about 10yrs! I have a Coopers Brew A (IPA) fermenting (7 days so far). I have just completed two hydrometer readings yesterday (6th day) and today (7th day) both have settled to about 1011. Original (OG) reading was 1048. 

The beer looks super milky though (Pic attached).  

Should i; 

1. Leave it to ferment longer

2. Leave it to ferment longer but without heat band and on the cold cement floor to maybe let yeast drop

3. Throw it out..?

Couple of things to note what i used;

• Coopers Brew A extract 1.7kg
• 1kg Coolers light dry malt
• 11g Aust Galaxy Hops (Tea bag style, added to a cup of boiling water, tipped into fermenter before yeast)
• Safale US-05 11.5g Yeast
• Total liquid size 19L

I have had it wrapped and with a temperature controlled heat belt (the belt added 3 days into fermentation). 

Thank you!

Justin

 

[Otto Von Blotto]

That's normal. I'd let it go a few more days anyway to let the yeast clean up and probably drop out a bit too, but it's fine. The yeast will drop out in the bottles once carbonation has been done.

What temperature did it ferment at?

[jcbeer]

2 minutes ago, Otto Von Blotto said:

That's normal. I'd let it go a few more days anyway to let the yeast clean up and probably drop out a bit too, but it's fine. The yeast will drop out in the bottles once carbonation has been done.

What temperature did it ferment at?

Thanks Otto, I've had the controller set to 21, but the actual temp has been constantly just under 20c through the process. normally around 19.5-19.9. The first few days it was around the 20c but one night it dropped to about 17-18 thats when i got the heat belt and controller. 

I've had it wrapped in an insulated silver type padded stuff they use on your house insulation  

I'll probably need to just be patient and leave it a few more days. 

Oh, one more thing to note, when i did the test today, i poured it into a glass first to taste, and after the remaining 5mm of liquid was tipped out, the sediment was fairly thick. in the bottom of the glass. 

[RDT2]

3 minutes ago, jcbeer said:

Thanks Otto, I've had the controller set to 21, but the actual temp has been constantly just under 20c through the process. normally around 19.5-19.9. The first few days it was around the 20c but one night it dropped to about 17-18 thats when i got the heat belt and controller. 

I've had it wrapped in an insulated silver type padded stuff they use on your house insulation  

I'll probably need to just be patient and leave it a few more days. 

Oh, one more thing to note, when i did the test today, i poured it into a glass first to taste, and after the remaining 5mm of liquid was tipped out, the sediment was fairly thick. in the bottom of the glass. 

Hi Justin 

+1 what Otto said

It will settle down it’s like the ocean you have to wait for the swell to drop off and it will clear in this case the yeast.

The sediment in the glass would be for this reason also and if you don’t tip the fist bit of the tester out you will get the crap that has settled in the tap opening after that it should be more clear.

Hope it makes sense and relax it looks fine look forward to hearing how it tastes in he glass

[jcbeer]

3 minutes ago, BHB19 said:

Hi Justin 

+1 what Otto said

It will settle down it’s like the ocean you have to wait for the swell to drop off and it will clear in this case the yeast.

The sediment in the glass would be for this reason also and if you don’t tip the fist bit of the tester out you will get the crap that has settled in the tap opening after that it should be more clear.

Hope it makes sense and relax it looks fine look forward to hearing how it tastes in he glass

Fantastic, thanks guys! phew. This is why i think i gave it up a number of years ago. Failed attempts. I made sure i had everything carefully sterilised. 

Makes sense why it didn't taste super bad, just not ready. 

Thanks again!

[jcbeer]

Ok, little early by a few days but am doing a taste test today - needs some more carbonation overtime but definitely drinkable. Just curious, it still has a sweet (malt) smell, and to taste. Just curious if this is standard for extract brewing? It still retains some of that smell from the extract after mixing it in the water.

Will this smell/flavour go after letting them bottle for longer? 

Looks good - although head disappeared but not too bad. 

Thanks in advance! 

Justin

[Lab Cat]

31 minutes ago, jcbeer said:

Ok, little early by a few days but am doing a taste test today - needs some more carbonation overtime but definitely drinkable. Just curious, it still has a sweet (malt) smell, and to taste. Just curious if this is standard for extract brewing? It still retains some of that smell from the extract after mixing it in the water.

More likely that you used 1kg of malt, and the hop addition was minimal - I never got a anything out of teabagged hops. 

A basic extract can and 1.5 malt with no hops to balance it (as per the can's instructions), is going to be malty. This is why coopers have the recipes page.

I brewed the Bootmakers as per the can, instruction and that's what I got - a thick sweet malty malt bomb. I then started using the recipe page, added hops and beers got better.

[Shamus O'Sean]

5 hours ago, jcbeer said:

Ok, little early by a few days but am doing a taste test today - needs some more carbonation overtime but definitely drinkable. Just curious, it still has a sweet (malt) smell, and to taste. Just curious if this is standard for extract brewing? It still retains some of that smell from the extract after mixing it in the water.

Will this smell/flavour go after letting them bottle for longer? 

Hi Justin

Your brew looks a lot like my version of the Brew A IPA did.  I upped the LDM to 1.6kg though.  This kit has the highest IBU of any of the Coopers kits, other than the Mr Beer craft cans.  The smell and flavour should mellow out a little in time.

All of the Hop Slam IPA recipes on the Coopers website use this can as their base.  These recipes give some great options for pimping this can.

[jcbeer]

Thanks guys, yeah it was drinkable. But by the end of the glass it was getting fairly sweet haha Hopefully it does mellow it a little bit. I'm going to try a BIAB brew this weekend, but a 10L batch in case it turns out horrible!