I'm new with a question

[DrewB]

Hi to all,

 

Firstly, wow. working in marketing it is great to see Coopers embracing the home brewer. Multiple markets.... fantastic.

 

I have been brewing Coopers Larger for some time now and i think i'm ready to start adding my own stamp. i would like to try to get something like a pale ale with some citrus and corrianda and perhaps a little honey.

 

Would it be possible to boil the other ingredients and add them to the larger kit (or a more appropriate kit if available) to start to venture into my own world of beers based on the Coopers kits?

[The Brew Master]

........... over to you Muddy! How much Larger is Andrew's larger than my Lager? [unsure]

 

Cheers,

 

Peter

[DrewB]

that's a lot of larger up against the wall. so to speak [biggrin]

[Muddy Waters]

Bigger kits don't necessarily make the man or the beer. Myself I don't usually go larger than 1.7kg.

 

Except for toucans of course [lol]

[Muddy Waters]

What kind of lagers (not largers [innocent] ) do you like Andrew?

We can give you some tips on what personal tuvhes you can make if we know what you like.

 

In the brewing world talking about "largers" only brings out the smart arses - not including myself of course [tongue]

[DrewB]

That's fair enough.

 

i prefer more of the pilsner or pale ales or white ales rather than the largers. the larger is what i've used before. i'm trying to find out what kit would be best to add some orange, corrianda and maybe some honey to a coopers kit to create something more like my previously mentioned. and also how do i add these other ingrediants.

[Muddy Waters]

[pinched] all that and you went and asked for another "Larger".

 

[lol]

[Muddy Waters]

Sorry mate [cool] - no offence intended.

 

It is an old theme around here:

 

Larger = Bigger

 

Lager = A type of beer

[Sculpty]

I just bottled a simple yet unusual brew (my own recipe to share)... Not a lager for the purists however it may be of interest to you AndrewB37

 

Liquorice Lager approx 6.3%Alc. Vol.

 

2 x Coopers Lager Kits

500g Brown Sugar (adds a subtle fruit/malt in my opinion)

2 x Star Anise added on the 5-6th day of the brew or there abouts (no more than two days in the keg or else it gets too overbearing)

22 litres of soft water

 

[innocent] This brew has a balanced mix of flavours and is a refreshing beverage summer and winter alike.

[DrewB]

Muddy Waters, i appreciate that. i tried to play along but i'm new. i'll get there though. i like a sence of humour as much as i like a good beer.

 

i had to look twice at andrewb35 as i thought someone had posted under my user id? i then realised there are 37 andrewb's. me the last so far :)

 

AndrewB35, is that a heavy beer or a lighter one more like a pilsner or white ale? i like liquorice but thought it more suited to ouzo and such. sounds interesting though as long as it's a light flavour.

 

i'm still trying to find out how one would go about add any extras to a kit. also what kit would more suit a lighter flavour.

 

thanks and grins all round on me.

[DrewB]

I appreciate the welcome. didn't get it at first but as a good friend of mine old sam once said in the 1800's, I allus has wan at eleven. there is a very good story the above comments [happy]

[DrewB]

Putting a whole heap of replys on my own question [pinched] Muddy waters, just notices your from Queenscliff. is that Vic. if so i lived in Queenscliff for many years when i was younger. i also meant i have an interesting story about old sam if anyone knows about old sam?

[Sculpty]

I thought the same... alas, it is too late now to change username (or is is?).

 

Licorice Lager is a fairly light beer, heavier than a typical lager of course due to the double amount of everything. As the malts, etc. are light in a lager kit the flavour remains so.

 

I am not expert enough to classify this particular brew into its specific category - sorry. Perhaps if you make it you can provide feedback on what category you think best describes it?

 

From what I have read Ales are best suited to coriander and citrus... My next brew is going to be a double Trappist Ale - similar hopefully to a Hoegaarden Forbidden Fruit.

 

It will have both coriander and orange peel in it, as well as some candied sugar from the local lolly shop. I plan to boil the peel and coriander separately, then when cool add it to the brew half way through the first fermentation. Not sure if there is a better way than this.

[DrewB]

Hi AndrewB35, that's what i'm wanting to with the citrus and corriander but have only worked with Coopers Larger. was wanting more info on what kit would more suit this.

 

what kit will you use?

[Sculpty]

In all honesty I will probably use a real ale kit and a sparkling ale kit, together with some amber malt, dark malt, candy sugar.

 

The alcohol percent will be at the limit of the ale yeast (I believe) so will try and keep the temp moderate to low - this will be a brew to age and I wont try it until Christmas.

 

Perhaps if you and I did a similar brew but with slightly different kits we could send each other a couple of bottle to try and work out how to best match the brew?

 

[DrewB]

Most certainly that would be great. i posted this to try to learn how to add extra ingrediants to a kit. i've only used a kit only before and have no idea of the best way to add extra's to a kit. can you please share how to add extra's to a kit?

 

i understand how to make a bear from full grains and such but i can't figure out how you would add things to a kit. is it a case of adding the kit to the water and boiling the extras as you nomaly would and adding these to everything else?

[PB2]

Andrews B35 and B37 [biggrin] here is a thread about changing your details.

[Sculpty]

Name changed thanks PB2,

 

DrewB,

 

how I understand it there is no one way to add different flavours/spices to a brew... everyone has their most effective way and this may change depending what they add.

 

Following the rule that everything you add should be sterile is probably a good indication of how you should add extras to your brew. I will add dry spices and similar to the brew when it is at its most durable (not at the beginning or the end, but when the yeast it most active).

 

Additions can also be very over powering, you only need a tiny bit of spice in for a few days and it can be very noticeable.

 

There are no doubt many more people on this forum with FAR more experience on this than I, perhaps they can add something?

[DrewB]

Yes thanks PB2 for the name change bit.

 

I hadn't thought of adding things in the middle of the process. i was thinking more (if possible) to boil my things up at the start and add it with the water and tin mix.

 

I thank you Sculpty for your suggestions and will balance them with others as well. i probably also need to just try some as well.

[weggl]

Drew,

Don\u2019t feel rejected by these boofheads, they mean well, but like to take the mickey, I know they kicked sh** out of me over the LARGER Lager thing, but I\u2019m still here. You will learn in time to give them a bit of stick back, they will appreciate it, you see they are all pisspots. In the meantime here is a good drop made from a SMALLER Lager 1.7 Kg.

 

CAN LAGER

BE1

100g DEX

200g DME

15g GALAXY AND CASCADE BOIL 10MIN

23L

Warren

 

[LeonardC2]

Wheat beers are usually the ones that have orange zest,lemon zest,coriander,& spices added to them. If you're adding DME,then get 2.5 gallons (about 9.5L) of water boiling,then add your orange zest & coriander for a 10-15 minute boil. Use hop sacks to make removal easier. Take them out at the end of the time. Add your cooper's can(s). I've used hops this way too & it works pretty well.

Also,Belgian white ales are very good with these sort of additions. But a cooper's wheat beer kit would be nice.

[Snags]

Doesn't using that much water for boiling the hops then make the wort too hot for the addition of the yeast?

[NewtownClown]

I agree, that would take some serious cooling to get it down to pitching temp.

 

6+ litres IS recommended for hop utilisation, you can use less but will need more hops.

I typically do a 4 litre boil with 400 grams DME or 520 grams LME to get it to approx 1.040 when adding hops.

If it is just the adjuncts - coriander etc., use the volume you usually use to mix your extract and sugars (2 litres?) but let it slow boil first with your added spices for 15 mins to pasteurise, then use it to mix your can and sugars...

 

 

[Muddy Waters]

It is a good idea to always have plenty of cold water ready to go to bring your wort dwon to pitching temp. I have 2 bunnings 5L jerry cans which I always fill with water and put in the fridge the day before brewing. Makes things a lot easier [biggrin]

[Snags]

So going down the boiling road, as opposed to the dry hop road, what would be a good amount of hops to add for some nice aroma and flavour?

 

I am considering now just doing the Normal lager, with a boil of either Hallertau or Tettnanger or possibly Lublin hops if I can get my hands on some. So you boil with half the Malt then add the rest with the Lager tin?

 

I was going to try liquid Malt for my next brew also.

 

Is this going to mainly add extra bitterness doing this approach? Or would the dry hop addition be better for extra flavor and aroma?