HOP COMBINATION FOR COOPERS REAL ALE

[NorthStar]

From everyone's own experience making Coopers real ale brew what combination of hops would you suggest using. (Amarillo & Cascade) or (Fuggles & Kent Holdings) etc.  

Is there a website that explains what hops works with different styles of beer?

Different ways to add hops to your brew.

Pretty new to brewing and it's mind blowing with all the information that's involved in making beer but that's the fun of it I guess.

[Shamus O'Sean]

Hi @NorthStar, reference the Coopers Recipe Spreadsheet again.  Search for recipes with the Real Ale can.  See what hop combos and methods are used with the recipes.  This will provide a great guide to what works well.

25g Amarillo and 25g of Cascade would go extremely well in a dry hop with the Real Ale can.

A short boil with some Fuggle or East Kent Goldings plus a dry hop with one or both of them would also be nice.

As you say, the options are literally endless.

Lots of websites out there that compare hops, advise of what styles they go well with, and what flavours you will get from them.  Here's one I use a fair bit: http://www.hopslist.com/hops/ and another https://www.txbrewing.com/hop-substitution-chart.html and a more recent one that somebody else put me on to https://beermaverick.com/hops/hop-comparison-tool/

[NorthStar]

Thanks Shamus

[RDT2]

1 hour ago, NorthStar said:

From everyone's own experience making Coopers real ale brew what combination of hops would you suggest using. (Amarillo & Cascade) or (Fuggles & Kent Holdings) etc.  

Is there a website that explains what hops works with different styles of beer?

Different ways to add hops to your brew.

Pretty new to brewing and it's mind blowing with all the information that's involved in making beer but that's the fun of it I guess.

Cascade and Amarillo for me I tried the real ale can at a friends place I think they just had table sugar or dextrose in it, it still tasted nice if I become time poor I think I would be trying this can. I think it would just about be the only one I haven’t tried

[NorthStar]

20 minutes ago, RDT2 said:

Cascade and Amarillo for me I tried the real ale can at a friends place I think they just had table sugar or dextrose in it, it still tasted nice if I become time poor I think I would be trying this can. I think it would just about be the only one I haven’t tried

What would be your favorite can from Coopers?

[Journeyman]

37 minutes ago, NorthStar said:

What would be your favorite can from Coopers?

While I do use other cans from Coopers, the Real Ale is my goto - I use it as a base for many different beers. It's very drinkable even with something as simple as adding LDME and mosaic or citra as a tea.

[Tricky Micky]

1 hour ago, Shamus O'Sean said:

Hi @NorthStar, reference the Coopers Recipe Spreadsheet again.  Search for recipes with the Real Ale can.  See what hop combos and methods are used with the recipes.  This will provide a great guide to what works well.

25g Amarillo and 25g of Cascade would go extremely well in a dry hop with the Real Ale can.

A short boil with some Fuggle or East Kent Goldings plus a dry hop with one or both of them would also be nice.

As you say, the options are literally endless.

Lots of websites out there that compare hops, advise of what styles they go well with, and what flavours you will get from them.  Here's one I use a fair bit: http://www.hopslist.com/hops/ and another https://www.txbrewing.com/hop-substitution-chart.html and a more recent one that somebody else put me on to https://beermaverick.com/hops/hop-comparison-tool/

Shamus, thanks for posting this info much appreciated. I'm about to do a pseudo lager (Nott yeast) and I'm trying to figure out what hops to add to the brew. I'm using the OS Coopers Lager. Not sure what hops has been used to produce this extract. I don't want to add any bitterness so I'm thinking a steep/whirlpool at about 70 degrees for 20 minutes. I have in the fridge tettnanger, sazz, super pride, Galaxy, cascade and vic secret hops. Any help much appreciated. TIA.

[Malter White]

50 minutes ago, NorthStar said:

What would be your favorite can from Coopers?

My experience is the next can is always my favourite. I made the Real Ale very early in my brewing days. It was fantastic and I made it again and then I tried Dark Ale and that quickly became my new favourite. Now Brew A IPA is my current favourite but it'll probably be replaced by Devil's Half Ruby Porter soon because I plan on ordering that next. In other words they're all pretty good and worth trying. I haven't had a bad one yet.  

[RDT2]

1 hour ago, NorthStar said:

What would be your favorite can from Coopers?

Mine would be Aussie pale ale with kg of malt and Amarillo steeped with Nelson as a dry hop with US05

[NorthStar]

19 minutes ago, MUZZY said:

My experience is the next can is always my favourite. I made the Real Ale very early in my brewing days. It was fantastic and I made it again and then I tried Dark Ale and that quickly became my new favourite. Now Brew A IPA is my current favourite but it'll probably be replaced by Devil's Half Ruby Porter soon because I plan on ordering that next. In other words they're all pretty good and worth trying. I haven't had a bad one yet.  

So hearing that you done many brews, do you have a go to procedure for brewing or its different for each.

[Worts and all]

18 minutes ago, MUZZY said:

My experience is the next can is always my favourite. I made the Real Ale very early in my brewing days. It was fantastic and I made it again and then I tried Dark Ale and that quickly became my new favourite. Now Brew A IPA is my current favourite but it'll probably be replaced by Devil's Half Ruby Porter soon because I plan on ordering that next. In other words they're all pretty good and worth trying. I haven't had a bad one yet.  

Your experience mirrors mine @MUZZY. I brew APA and a Dark Ale, or it’s variant Nut Brown as my regulars. I did the Devils Half and it is delicious I must try to fit it in to my schedule soon. I think I may have try to drink more! Just bottled a Nut Brown. I will give it 4 weeks to reach near it’s scrumptious best.Tried the Real Ale once but never had the urge to repeat it. Don’t remember why Must give it another chance. So many recipes, so little time! Oh, and don’t forget the English Bitter. It’s a beauty.

[Malter White]

15 minutes ago, Worts and all said:

Your experience mirrors mine @MUZZY. I brew APA and a Dark Ale, or it’s variant Nut Brown as my regulars. I did the Devils Half and it is delicious I must try to fit it in to my schedule soon. I think I may have try to drink more! Just bottled a Nut Brown. I will give it 4 weeks to reach near it’s scrumptious best.Tried the Real Ale once but never had the urge to repeat it. Don’t remember why Must give it another chance. So many recipes, so little time! Oh, and don’t forget the English Bitter. It’s a beauty.

I usually brew two batches at a time between 42-50 litres and usually of the same type of beer so they can share the same temperature settings. I guess there is merit in brewing smaller batches so more variation can be achieved. My problem is I have a phobia of running out of beer if I do.  

[Shamus O'Sean]

3 hours ago, Mickep said:

Shamus, thanks for posting this info much appreciated. I'm about to do a pseudo lager (Nott yeast) and I'm trying to figure out what hops to add to the brew. I'm using the OS Coopers Lager. Not sure what hops has been used to produce this extract. I don't want to add any bitterness so I'm thinking a steep/whirlpool at about 70 degrees for 20 minutes. I have in the fridge tettnanger, sazz, super pride, Galaxy, cascade and vic secret hops. Any help much appreciated. TIA.

I would use the Tettnanger or the Saaz for the more lager aroma/flavours.  The others are more fruity and not traditional lager additions. However, you could experiment with any of them and see if you like it.

[Tricky Micky]

1 hour ago, Shamus O'Sean said:

I would use the Tettnanger or the Saaz for the more lager aroma/flavours.  The others are more fruity and not traditional lager additions. However, you could experiment with any of them and see if you like it.

Thanks heaps Shamus. I think I'll go with Tettnanger and see how that goes. 

[alilley]

6 hours ago, Shamus O'Sean said:

Hi @NorthStar, reference the Coopers Recipe Spreadsheet again.  Search for recipes with the Real Ale can.  See what hop combos and methods are used with the recipes.  This will provide a great guide to what works well.

Until recently all the coopers vintage ale recipes used the real ale and the APA can.  I did the '19 recipe with a real ale can as I couldn't get the english bitters tin last year. They use many varieties of hops. Cascade and Mosiac is a fine choice though.

[Malter White]

7 hours ago, NorthStar said:

So hearing that you done many brews, do you have a go to procedure for brewing or its different for each.

I pretty much follow the Coopers instruction video but there can be variations eg. Fermenting temperatures for different styles of beer. Lager yeast ferments at lower temperatures than ale yeast.

[Malter White]

@NorthStar Getting back to your mind blowing comment, the best advice I received when I started out was to get the basics right first. Then as you improve you can start experimenting a bit more.

Have you taken a look at the Coopers instructional videos in the Brewing Support section of this site? If not, do yourself a favour and have a look. They only go for a few minutes.

[Stickers]

7 hours ago, NorthStar said:

So hearing that you done many brews, do you have a go to procedure for brewing or its different for each.

if you haven't already, have a look at the coopers recipe archive. it's a great place to start when looking to expand your brew days beyond a tip and mix kit and kilo.

i know for me about 6 months into starting brewing i found a procedure that works well for me, but i'm experimenting with the same techniques with different cans, hops, grains, yeasts etc. making beer that i like and learning so much through trial and error. getting there, saving $ and making better beer than i was expecting when i started

[BlackSands]

On 4/9/2021 at 1:26 PM, MUZZY said:

...and then I tried Dark Ale and that quickly became my new favourite. 

I haven't actually used a Coopers can for quite some time now but the DA was also favourite.  Last brew I did with it was a partial with Styrian Goldings and Fuggles additions -  the idea of which was inspired by a popular English ale called Hobgoblin. That was a very nice brew and one I've been intending to do again sometime.

[Classic Brewing Co]

On 4/9/2021 at 11:44 AM, MUZZY said:

I usually brew two batches at a time between 42-50 litres and usually of the same type of beer so they can share the same temperature settings. I guess there is merit in brewing smaller batches so more variation can be achieved. My problem is I have a phobia of running out of beer if I do.  

My problem is I have a phobia of running out of beer if I do

I share your phobia @MUZZY  I recently built my brewhouse ( office/showroom/man cave ) up to 4 fermenters 1 x Coopers 23l, 1 x Ampi 30l, 1 x Mr Beer 10l 1 x Ampi 15l.

I have 3 working most of the time, sometimes 4 amassing a huge quantity of bottled beer in various formats but after 4,6,8 weeks etc you start to chip away at the different brews & it is amazing how quickly you go through them, especially when you finish a batch of Pale Ale that was good.

So I have to keep them working constantly. 

Cheers.

[LRWOZ]

Sort of an it depends.  

My POV is in any kind of English style ale, Fuggles and Kent are go to hops.  Great flavour, not too high in bitterness and good in aroma.  
 

Lager wants good bitterness and Saaz, Hallertauer are pretty traditional…

 

now having said all that, there are no many flavours and aromatics available.  Sheamus was spot on ang gave some good links to explore…. https://www.hops.com.au Is a real good one.

 

Best of luck and good brewing.

[Pezzza]

On 4/9/2021 at 3:11 PM, Mickep said:

Thanks heaps Shamus. I think I'll go with Tettnanger and see how that goes. 

Reckon that is a good way forward @Shamus O'Sean and @Mickep... the old Tettnang should make a nice brew ; )