What are you drinking in 2023?

[Classic Brewing Co]

16 minutes ago, jennyss said:

The photo is not up to scratch, but now there is no Pale Ale left to compare with the new drop; the Coopers Brew A IPA! I also read all my tasting beer info (thanks @Classic Brewing Co and others) and still struggled to describe the flavours of these two beers. The IPA is on the left, and Pale Ale on the right.

Despite having no head,  both beers have a reasonable carbonation.  Both have body; not thin or 'hollow' like my husband's Tooheys New. The IPA has an earthy, spicy taste, but no citrus notes that I can detect. I think the IPA is quite bitter. I have enjoyed the last batch of Pale Ale which had 24g of Galaxy hops added via 'hop teabags'. The IPA had 1.5kg of Light Dry Malt added. 

@jennyss It is great to see your producing beer & trying new recipes but with the greatest respect I am disappointed in the lack of head formation. I do not mean that in a critical manner & hope you understand we are all here to help newer brewers.

If you could supply the exact recipe & your procedure the answer may lie there & we may help you get a nice tight white head.

I don't mean a bubbly ice cream head of foam but a nicely formed tight, solid head like the photos you see in beer advertising media.

I suspect is in your early preparation when adding your ingredients right up to pitching your yeast.

Some of the basic, obvious causes are your glasses are not 'beer clean', brewing temperature problems & also ingredients lacking certain malts etc for the particular brew. 

Of course, it depends on how old the beer is & how it was stored, maybe it is not carbonated. I & many others have been guilty of a snaky taste on day 11, 12 of a new brew yet still managed a nice head.

This is my Coopers Bootmaker Pale Ale 14 days old.

If you like I could send you a detailed list of my methods for you to compare & see if that helps.

I realise many others are able to help & agree/disagree with mine, but the answer lies in photos like this.

I hope you post your brew day schedule to me so that I mab help.

Cheers

Phil

[ozdevil]

2 hours ago, jennyss said:

The photo is not up to scratch, but now there is no Pale Ale left to compare with the new drop; the Coopers Brew A IPA! I also read all my tasting beer info (thanks @Classic Brewing Co and others) and still struggled to describe the flavours of these two beers. The IPA is on the left, and Pale Ale on the right.

Despite having no head,  both beers have a reasonable carbonation.  Both have body; not thin or 'hollow' like my husband's Tooheys New. The IPA has an earthy, spicy taste, but no citrus notes that I can detect. I think the IPA is quite bitter. I have enjoyed the last batch of Pale Ale which had 24g of Galaxy hops added via 'hop teabags'. The IPA had 1.5kg of Light Dry Malt added. 

@jennyss look I think your IPA which I say is in the right hand side in the schòoner  it looks  very under carbed to me in which won't help with head.

 

Using the ldme in your wort should helped with head so its basicly telling me  lack of carbonation wether it needs a bit more time  in the bottle before drinking  or you haven't primed your bottles enough.

 

Depending on your hop schedule  and if you only did hops for the boil at 60 minutes it will probably lack that aroma you was expecting.

Maybe dry hop around day 3 or 4 Depending on the Krause as it's starting to drop  off with little activity  to get some aroma.

 

Also an IPA should be on the bitter side  but with time  the bitterness will ease and what you maybe getting here is hop burn being a young beer  .

You are still making beer thats what matters

 

 

[jennyss]

Thank you@Classic Brewing Co and @ozdevil for your replies to my post. Both the Coopers Australian Pale Ale and the Coopers Brew A IPA are extract brews, no boiling involved! The IPA had the 1.5kg LDM added, and no extra hops or other additions. The Pale Ale had BE2, 1x LDM 500g, and 2x12g bags of Brigalow hop pellets added after steeping in boiling water. The sugar is added at bottling via a red sugar scoop - the big side, one scoop for each 750ml PET bottle. The IPA is on the left; it was a lot darker than the Pale Ale.  I like the bittery taste of the IPA. I admit, it has only been in the bottle for two weeks! 

So: first cab off the rank; attention to beer glasses (lol), and check amount of sugar actually getting into the bottle.

[Classic Brewing Co]

7 minutes ago, jennyss said:

Thank you@Classic Brewing Co and @ozdevil for your replies to my post. Both the Coopers Australian Pale Ale and the Coopers Brew A IPA are extract brews, no boiling involved! The IPA had the 1.5kg LDM added, and no extra hops or other additions. The Pale Ale had BE2, 1x LDM 500g, and 2x12g bags of Brigalow hop pellets added after steeping in boiling water. The sugar is added at bottling via a red sugar scoop - the big side, one scoop for each 750ml PET bottle. The IPA is on the left; it was a lot darker than the Pale Ale.  I like the bittery taste of the IPA. I admit, it has only been in the bottle for two weeks! 

So: first cab off the rank; attention to beer glasses (lol), and check amount of sugar actually getting into the bottle.

First thought is to increase the LDM to 1 kg, either Dried or Liquid, Wheat Liquid Malt would boost the body & help with the head retention. These tins usually come in 1.5kg tins but it would make a difference, you could try it instead of the other, so just use the tin of extract & this.

Thomas Coopers Wheat Malt Extract is a high quality 100% malted barley & wheat extract that improves head retention and delivers a softer mouthfeel.  Use as an adjunct or as a base to create your own recipes.

Our Master Brewers have produced a range of premium malt extracts, made from Australia's finest 2-row barley, malted at our on-site Maltings Plant. Coopers unique low temperature evaporation method allows us to maximise the natural flavour and colour characteristics of the malt whilst avoiding caramelised flavours. 

With the beer glasses, I follow a strict regime, place them in the sink with hot water & use 1tsp of Bi-Carbonate of Soda stirring well to dissolve it & a fresh Wettex (only use this for your glasses) clean them thoroughly paying attention to the rim inside & out.

Rinse them with hot & then cold water & drain upside down on the sink upside down, on a clean tea towel if you want.

I usually leave them overnight & then (this is important) use a microfibre cloth to dry them with & don't use it for anything else.

I use a better brand but if you do this your glasses will be spotless aka 'beer clean'

Forget detergent, dishwashers & greasy tea towels. This will give you a better head.

Carbonation - if you buy a proper sugar measure & use the bigger end, that is the correct measurement for 740/750 PET bottles.

Finally, I would try to get hold of some glass bottles, even a few to see the difference but involves going further down the rabbit hole as you would need a bottle capper & crown seal tops.

I hope this helps.

Cheers.

 

 

 

[DavidM]

10 hours ago, Classic Brewing Co said:

If you like I could send you a detailed list of my methods for you to compare & see if that helps.

@Classic Brewing Co Phil, you have such a Wealth of information on K&K and K and Bits

Why not start a new thread on Best Practice for the K&K brewers!

It will become a place to send newbies, as K&K is where most start and some stay.

As you move to All Grain Brewing, this could help a lot of Current and future brewers.

All the tips in one place! Not lost somewhere on page 39 or what ever..

You and Others have been so helpful to me and I pass on my thanks to you All

[ozdevil]

1 minute ago, DavidM said:

@Classic Brewing Co Phil, you have such a Wealth of information on K&K and K and Bits

Why not start a new thread on Best Practice for the K&K brewers!

It will become a place to send newbies, as K&K is where most start and some stay.

As you move to All Grain Brewing, this could help a lot of Current and future brewers.

All the tips in one place! Not lost somewhere on page 39 or what ever..

You and Others have been so helpful to me and I pass on my thanks to you All

interesting but if he does that , will people go back to page 1 after page 400  lol

unfortunately we need to repeat on occasions

[iBooz2]

Time for a beer after a brew day.

This is my Outback Pub Lager, kegged on 16 February 2023 and been lagering at 2 C under pressure.  Very glad I have two kegs of this as it is a very nice smash-able lager at 4.5 % ABV.

Notice how clear it is.  No need for lining you bowels and kidneys with a plastic (Polyclar) coating to get clear beer.  Just time in the keg and proper lagering does all that for you.  I only used Whirlfloc in the kettle in all my beers and don't use a filter either (even though I do have one laying around here somewhere).

A fair bit of condensation on the glass near the top.

Edited April 24, 2023 by iBooz2

[iBooz2]

6 hours ago, Classic Brewing Co said:

Forget detergent,

Yes @Classic Brewing Co , you have been banging on about this "no detergent" for years and what did you do just a month or so ago?

Bought a bulk pack of beer glass cleaner that was exactly that - Detergent for god's sake.  I will see if I can find the post, my mind boggled when I read it.

I air dry mine and no microfibre cloths come near them.  Both air drying and cloths leave behind microscopic particles.

For the moisture to evaporate off the surface of the glass it has to draw latent heat out of the surrounding air.  When it does this, it drags any microscopic particles like dust or whatever that is suspended in the surround air at that time, and leaves this on the glass.  But I am being a bit too pedantic here.  You could settle for air dried or microfibre dried and end up with the same result.

I suspect @jennyss problem is her beers and technique.  I will try and help her.

Edited April 24, 2023 by iBooz2

[Classic Brewing Co]

34 minutes ago, iBooz2 said:

Yes @Classic Brewing Co , you have been banging on about this "no detergent" for years and what did you do just a month or so ago?

Bought a bulk pack of beer glass cleaner that was exactly that - Detergent for god's sake.  I will see if I can find the post, my mind boggled when I read it.

I air dry mine and no microfibre cloths come near them.  Both air drying and cloths leave behind microscopic particles.

For the moisture to evaporate off the surface of the glass it has to draw latent heat out of the surrounding air.  When it does this, it drags any microscopic particles like dust or whatever that is suspended in the surround air at that time, and leaves this on the glass.  But I am being a bit too pedantic here.  You could settle for air dried or microfibre dried and end up with the same result.

I suspect @jennyss problem is her beers and technique.  I will try and help her.

I didn't buy the product as the freight was dearer & I will continue to clean my glasses my way because it works.

Edited April 24, 2023 by Classic Brewing Co

[Classic Brewing Co]

58 minutes ago, DavidM said:

@Classic Brewing Co Phil, you have such a Wealth of information on K&K and K and Bits

Why not start a new thread on Best Practice for the K&K brewers!

It will become a place to send newbies, as K&K is where most start and some stay.

As you move to All Grain Brewing, this could help a lot of Current and future brewers.

All the tips in one place! Not lost somewhere on page 39 or what ever..

You and Others have been so helpful to me and I pass on my thanks to you All

Well David nice words & thoughts but I am afraid if I did that it would be attacked, criticsised & ripped part by others who have different views, so I am happy to help where I can but don't confess to be better than anyone else.

I have been brewing for many years & of course not in the world of AG brewing, so I like to limit my comments to what I know & what works for me.

 

 

[jennyss]

1 hour ago, DavidM said:

Why not start a new thread on Best Practice for the K&K brewers!

That is a great suggestion @DavidM, and I also respect @Classic Brewing Co's hesitation to spearhead such an idea.

And I second your thanks to all the Coopers Community members who always stump up and help homebrew learners.

[Uhtred Of Beddanburg]

1 hour ago, Classic Brewing Co said:

Well David nice words & thoughts but I am afraid if I did that it would be attacked, criticsised & ripped part by others who have different views, so I am happy to help where I can but don't confess to be better than anyone else.

I have been brewing for many years & of course not in the world of AG brewing, so I like to limit my comments to what I know & what works for me.

 

 

In all fairness to other people regarding this statement I think we can all be guilty of looking inwards sometimes. We all bang on about what works for us and can turn a nose to others ways. 

You and others discourage detergents and bleach and even belittled certain people for using the practice and suggested it could make crap beer. Many other instances where it was more than just an opinion. 

@Pale Manand many others have posted photos of detergent washed glasses with megaswill that stain the glass and look damn fine.

Some of us towel dry or air dry whatever works for us i suppose. I could say i was going to start drying my glasses with a hair drier. I may get support or a lot of abuse and opinions.

I think the biggest thing to remember is it is a forum for people who drink and we have different reactions at different times. 

I often think I'm being funny or sarcastic and it's not taken that way so I end up deleting comments or just feeling silly. 

I have the advantage of being on the outside looking in most of the time. Depending on my work schedule I'm not a frequent poster on this forum but have been treated well.

I have said some stupid stuff also. I tried cleaning glasses with sanitiser as the @ozdevil suggested and thought it was crap.  Maby I done it wrong or different?

Different strokes for different folks we do what works for us. Have an opinion without making someone else's way a dooms day affair.

[Classic Brewing Co]

13 hours ago, iBooz2 said:

Yes @Classic Brewing Co , you have been banging on about this "no detergent" for years and what did you do just a month or so ago?

Bought a bulk pack of beer glass cleaner that was exactly that - Detergent for god's sake.  I will see if I can find the post, my mind boggled when I read it.

I air dry mine and no microfibre cloths come near them.  Both air drying and cloths leave behind microscopic particles.

For the moisture to evaporate off the surface of the glass it has to draw latent heat out of the surrounding air.  When it does this, it drags any microscopic particles like dust or whatever that is suspended in the surround air at that time, and leaves this on the glass.  But I am being a bit too pedantic here.  You could settle for air dried or microfibre dried and end up with the same result.

I suspect @jennyss problem is her beers and technique.  I will try and help her.

I wasn't going to bother to reply to this but after sleeping on it I will, I wash my glasses my way because it simply works & I will continue to do so, I even take my own beer glass for a drink at some of the neighbours to get a decent head.

I will bang on about this one more time as this article pretty much sums up what I do, not all of it, but most of it,

For those of you don't believe it is correct, fine, do it your way. 

We all have different opinions, ideas, budgets, time frames etc but we are all free to do what we want. I am merely passing it on in the hope that someone may try it or vary their own routine & discover that it actually does work.

This post is not meant to be rude, patronising or anything other than a discussion, in the meantime, have a great Anzac Day 2023.

https://theinstituteofbeer.com/beer/question-how-to-clean-beer-glasses-properly.html#:~:text=To get your glasses “beer glass clean%2C” follow,the glass upside down on a drying rack.

[Uhtred Of Beddanburg]

Like anything in life there are many different ways that work. I have tried most of them from bicarb soda to sanitiser and detergent.  Even the dishwasher.

The biggest factor seems to be how much fresh water we seem to be willing to waste rinsing. 

Most methods seem to use a fair amount to rinse. So really the method before it if it works is pointless if the same result is acheived or satisfactory for the person. 

The biggest problem is when people put their arguments across as this is how I do it and it works. Or this is how to do it properly the same as the article is titled. At the same time saying don't use detergent as it's bad so that is digging someone else's method up.

When others clearly do differently with great results also. I can't believe how many different threads this topic has covered and it keeps coming up

 

 

Edited April 25, 2023 by Uhtred Of Beddanburg

[Tone boy]

English Bitter. 
Here’s to the Anzacs!

[DavidM]

35 minutes ago, Tone boy said:

English Bitter. 
Here’s to the Anzacs!

Sensational..

[DavidM]

Just another Pale Ale.

[Uhtred Of Beddanburg]

@Tone boy looks good you're own EB?

[DavidM]

3 minutes ago, Uhtred Of Beddanburg said:

@Tone boy looks good you're own EB?

He's the EB specialist !

[Uhtred Of Beddanburg]

3 hours ago, DavidM said:

He's the EB specialist !

you must be the Coopers PA specialist then they all look good

[Pints]

1 hour ago, Uhtred Of Beddanburg said:

you must be the Coopers PA specialist then they all look good

Yeah he sure is, I'd buy his ales they look so tasty 

[Tone boy]

4 hours ago, Uhtred Of Beddanburg said:
@Tone boy looks good you're own EB?

Yes Uhtred, my own recipe. Been fiddling around with it for a while now (as the actress said to the bishop)… 

see the thread above if you’re interested in ESB type brews, and my recipe attached.

Cheers
 

[Shamus O'Sean]

My Hoegaarden clone.

• Spicy, citrus and coriander aromas
• Flavour to match
• Not great carbonation
• Not as good as my earlier versions, but it has only been in the bottle for just on 2 weeks.

[Tone boy]

2 minutes ago, Shamus O'Sean said:

My Hoegaarden clone.

• Spicy, citrus and coriander aromas
• Flavour to match
• Not great carbonation
• Not as good as my earlier versions, but it has only been in the bottle for just on 2 weeks.

Looks delicious SOS. 
Sometimes I find the carbonation from swing top bottles a little underwhelming if the seal is a bit older.

Also cold crashed beers seem to take an extra week or two to carb up to their full potential in my experience any way. But that could be my process fault(s) haha!

Enjoy. 

[Uhtred Of Beddanburg]

22 minutes ago, Pints said:

Yeah he sure is, I'd buy his ales they look so tasty 

yes you would not even know was from a bottle unless knew his regular posting looking good.

You had some good ones going last year then dropped off posting?  like the guiness been on it myself we both in southern hemisphere I get ya drift etc.

@Tone boydespite what others say I think cold crashed beers can take longer and more sugar levels to carbonate in the bottle. Depending where you live and temperature stored for the averages of course