Using Brew Enhancer 2

[JimInCollie]

On the Brew Enhancer 2 pack it says to use it instead of sugar. So, to make a Coopers DIY Beer recipe, say Coopers Lager, the recipe would be:

Either use:
1x can Coopers Extract + Ikg sugar
-- or --
1x can Coopers Extract +1kg dextrose
-- or --
1x can Coopers Extract + 1kg box of Brew Enhancer 2

But, given that Brew Enhancer 2 contains maltodextrins, and possibly other non-fermentables, we know that:
1kg Brew Enhancer 2 is NOT EQUAL to 1kg sugar (or dextrose).

Does this mean that Brew Enhancer 2 gives us a lower ABV% than using sugar or dextrose would?

I prefer full strength beers to mid-strength, and I always use Brew Enhancer instead of sugar or dextrose. Should I add some dextrose to the brew, when using Brew Enhancer, to keep the alcohol content up to the desired level (say, 4.5%)?

Kind regards,
Jim
(JimInCollie)

[Tone boy]

57 minutes ago, JimInCollie said:

Does this mean that Brew Enhancer 2 gives us a lower ABV% than using sugar or dextrose would?

Yes

 

57 minutes ago, JimInCollie said:

Should I add some dextrose to the brew, when using Brew Enhancer, to keep the alcohol content up to the desired level (say, 4.5%)?

Yes if you like beers with less body. If you like more body you could add dry malt extract instead of sugar.

BE3 has less maltodextrin than BE2, so gives a higher ABV. 
BE2 has less maltodextrin than BE1.

[Uhtred Of Beddanburg]

2 hours ago, JimInCollie said:

On the Brew Enhancer 2 pack it says to use it instead of sugar. So, to make a Coopers DIY Beer recipe, say Coopers Lager, the recipe would be:

Either use:
1x can Coopers Extract + Ikg sugar
-- or --
1x can Coopers Extract +1kg dextrose
-- or --
1x can Coopers Extract + 1kg box of Brew Enhancer 2

But, given that Brew Enhancer 2 contains maltodextrins, and possibly other non-fermentables, we know that:
1kg Brew Enhancer 2 is NOT EQUAL to 1kg sugar (or dextrose).

Does this mean that Brew Enhancer 2 gives us a lower ABV% than using sugar or dextrose would?

I prefer full strength beers to mid-strength, and I always use Brew Enhancer instead of sugar or dextrose. Should I add some dextrose to the brew, when using Brew Enhancer, to keep the alcohol content up to the desired level (say, 4.5%)?

Kind regards,
Jim
(JimInCollie)

Add the whole brew enhancer plus half a kilo LDM

[jennyss]

10 hours ago, Uhtred Of Beddanburg said:

Add the whole brew enhancer plus half a kilo LDM

@Uhtred Of Beddanburg and @JimInCollie Sounds similar: My brew no. 10 included 1x tin Coopers Pale Ale extract,  1 x Coopers Brew Enhancer no.2, 1 x 500g packet of Coopers LDM and 1 x 12g bag of Galaxy hop pellets. I am drinking this brew now, and it is quite yummy. Best wishes for your brews.

Edited November 16, 2022 by jennyss

[Aussiekraut]

13 hours ago, JimInCollie said:

On the Brew Enhancer 2 pack it says to use it instead of sugar. So, to make a Coopers DIY Beer recipe, say Coopers Lager, the recipe would be:

Either use:
1x can Coopers Extract + Ikg sugar
-- or --
1x can Coopers Extract +1kg dextrose
-- or --
1x can Coopers Extract + 1kg box of Brew Enhancer 2

But, given that Brew Enhancer 2 contains maltodextrins, and possibly other non-fermentables, we know that:
1kg Brew Enhancer 2 is NOT EQUAL to 1kg sugar (or dextrose).

Does this mean that Brew Enhancer 2 gives us a lower ABV% than using sugar or dextrose would?

I prefer full strength beers to mid-strength, and I always use Brew Enhancer instead of sugar or dextrose. Should I add some dextrose to the brew, when using Brew Enhancer, to keep the alcohol content up to the desired level (say, 4.5%)?

Kind regards,
Jim
(JimInCollie)

Yes, ABV will drop a little but you'll still get a full-strength beer. You can add a little extra DME if you want but it won't make much difference. Generally, to get the same fermentable sugars of 1kg dextrose, you need approx. 1.2kg of DME. This does not mean your ABV will drop by 20% though.

[Classic Brewing Co]

Posted 28 minutes ago

  2 hours ago, jennyss said:

@Uhtred Of Beddanburg and @JimInCollie Sounds similar: My brew no. 10 included 1x tin Coopers Pale Ale extract,  1 x Coopers Brew Enhancer no.2, 1 x 500g packet of Coopers LDM and 1 x 12g bag of Galaxy hop pellets. I am drinking this brew now, and it is quite yummy. Best wishes for your brews.

@jennyss I remember when we first suggested adding a minimum of 500g of LDM to your brew, I am glad you have & acknowledge that it has improved your beer.

If you get the opportunity, you could use some LME which is malt in liquid form just to compare the difference, as far as I know Coopers only sell it in 1.5gm tins but smaller amounts are available in 600gm pouches in Light/Amber/Dark - for various types of brews. Mangrove Jacks & other brands are available but your location & access to LBHS may be an issue.

Either way the addition of any malt will always be beneficial to your beer. Wheat Malt is also available.

 

[Tricky Micky]

What's in Coopers brewing sugar products?

 

 

100% light dry malt (500g)

Coopers Dextrose

100% dextrose (1kg)

Coopers Brewing Sugar

80% dextrose, 20% maltodextrin (800g/200g)

 

Coopers Brew Enhancer 1

60% dextrose, 40% maltodextrin (600g/400g)

Coopers Brew Enhancer 2

50% dextrose, 25% maltodextrin, 25% light dry malt (500g/250g/250g)

Coopers Brew Enhancer 3

50% Light Dry Malt, 30% Dextrose, 20% Maltodextrin (500g/300g/200g)

 

In my short time of brewing I've found the addition of white sugar into the brew can have the desired effect if you want a pub style like beer. 

But for me, in a volume of somewhere in the vicinity of 21-23 litres - 600 grams seems to be a threshold, at least anecdotally - to my rotten taste buds anyway.  Anything over this amount of sugar in that volume seems to give the beer a really thin taste, and - for want of a better description, a cidery type taste.
 

[jennyss]

3 hours ago, jennyss said:

@Uhtred Of Beddanburg and @JimInCollie Sounds similar: My brew no. 10 included 1x tin Coopers Pale Ale extract,  1 x Coopers Brew Enhancer no.2, 1 x 500g packet of Coopers LDM and 1 x 12g bag of Galaxy hop pellets. I am drinking this brew now, and it is quite yummy. Best wishes for your brews.

Forgot to mention; my brew no. 10 mentioned above finished up with an ABV of 5.02% after an OG of 1045 and FG of 1008 (if I have calculated correctly).

[Coopers DIY Beer Team]

20 hours ago, JimInCollie said:

On the Brew Enhancer 2 pack it says to use it instead of sugar. So, to make a Coopers DIY Beer recipe, say Coopers Lager, the recipe would be:

Either use:
1x can Coopers Extract + Ikg sugar
-- or --
1x can Coopers Extract +1kg dextrose
-- or --
1x can Coopers Extract + 1kg box of Brew Enhancer 2

What we say on the box under HANDY HINTS is:

USAGE - intended to be used instead of white sugar. 

We did tell brewers to use a kilo of white sugar in conjunction with the can when we launched the Original Series in the early 80's but this was because people were taking up home brewing largely to save money. We certainly don't encourage this today, with the exception of really big beers like our Vintage Ale recipes, Tripels and IIIPA's and then we'd usually recommend dextrose, unless the style guidelines called for sucrose.  

 

TL;DR: "intended to be used instead of white sugar" doesn't mean that our alternative recommendations are 1kg of white sugar or dextrose. 

Cheers! 

[JimInCollie]

Thanks to all of you for the advices and comments.

JimInCollie