Favourite Brew

[JimInCollie]

I have a 6-tap keezer (pictured) and in recent times I have been giving visitors a sample of each in small glasses, like they do in craft brewery restaurants, so that they can choose the one they like best - then I pour them a schooner or pint of the one they have chosen. 

I find the one nearly all of them choose is the Coopers Original Australian Pale Ale which was ROTM sometime this year, They choose this one over my all-grain alternatives and any other Cooper's extract beers I might have on tap. For that reason I keep brewing it to replace empty kegs, while experimenting with other beer styles, both all-grain and Coopers cans, on the other taps.  I usually modify the recipe and add some grain if making a can-based brew, just to get rid of that 'home brew' side taste (and it obviously works in the case of my Coopers Original Australian Pale Ale).

My question is: do any of you have a beer, either based on canned extract or all-grain, that most or all of your friends like the best?  I'm looking for a second favourite to have on tap all the time.

Kind regards, Jim  (JimInCollie)

[Classic Brewing Co]

18 minutes ago, JimInCollie said:

I have a 6-tap keezer (pictured) and in recent times I have been giving visitors a sample of each in small glasses, like they do in craft brewery restaurants, so that they can choose the one they like best - then I pour them a schooner or pint of the one they have chosen. 

I find the one nearly all of them choose is the Coopers Original Australian Pale Ale which was ROTM sometime this year, They choose this one over my all-grain alternatives and any other Cooper's extract beers I might have on tap. For that reason I keep brewing it to replace empty kegs, while experimenting with other beer styles, both all-grain and Coopers cans, on the other taps.  I usually modify the recipe and add some grain if making a can-based brew, just to get rid of that 'home brew' side taste (and it obviously works in the case of my Coopers Original Australian Pale Ale).

My question is: do any of you have a beer, either based on canned extract or all-grain, that most or all of your friends like the best?  I'm looking for a second favourite to have on tap all the time.

Kind regards, Jim  (JimInCollie)

I usually find the majority of my visitors prefer the Pale Ales & Draughts I brew, however a few of them like the IPA/APA/XPA's. 

I always have at least one Pale Ale on Tap which is nice, but I lean towards hop-forward beers with a bit of gusto.

I suppose to please the masses a Pale/Lager/Draught choice would be the overall favourites. Of course depending on seasons, a nice Dark Ale/Porter & Stout are always a good choice.

I like your setup, Jim.

Cheers.

 

[John304]

Wow great set up

[JimInCollie]

ERROR:

When I posted this new topic I got the name of the beer wrong. I said the favourite beer tap on my keezer was the Coopers Original Australian Pale Ale which was incorrect. The beer my friends like most is the Coopers Original Draught.  However, this is not important as the reason for this post was to ask you which brew, all-grain or canned extract, is most popular with your friends.

Kind regards, JimInCollie

[JimInCollie]

Thanks for the replies and comments.

[John304]

In winter English browns and Guinness are a hit, in summer lagers seem to be the go, otherwise I brew what I prefer

[JimInCollie]

7 minutes ago, Classic Brewing Co said:

I suppose to please the masses a Pale/Lager/Draught choice would be the overall favourites. Of course depending on seasons, a nice Dark Ale/Porter & Stout are always a good choice.

I like your setup, Jim.  (Thanks, Jim)

Good advice.  I'll stay with the Coopers Original Draft 9as modified by me) for the moment, as it is currently my friends' favourite.  i have an all-grain pale ale recipe I favour.  Do you have a particular lager recipe that is outstanding or at least very good?

Cheers, Jim

[JimInCollie]

3 minutes ago, John304 said:

In winter English browns and Guinness are a hit, in summer lagers seem to be the go, otherwise I brew what I prefer

I agree. I have made stouts in the past, and i quite like them, but I find Coopers Devils own Ruby Porter to be quite nice too, and more likely to be chosen by friends than stout.  Thanks for the advice. I will include a porter in my offerings.  So, I have:

• Pale Ale
• Lager
• Draught, and
• Porter or Stout

in my list, which leaves me with two taps to go.  Maybe I can use them to try each ROTM, or other experimental beers, unless you have anything else to suggest?

Thanks for your interest, and for replying,

Jim

 

[JimInCollie]

Is it Phil from Classic Brewing Company?

Thanks for your advice on generic beers: Pale/Lager/Draught. I'd be interested to know if you brew from canned extracts or all-grain, or a combination thereof?

Thanks, Jim

[Otto Von Blotto]

Of the few who have tasted them I'd say the Czech pilsner is probably the most popular followed by some sort of pale ale. They aren't always the same recipe as I change up the hops, but the pilsner stays the same. All my beers are AG.

[Classic Brewing Co]

33 minutes ago, JimInCollie said:

Good advice.  I'll stay with the Coopers Original Draft 9as modified by me) for the moment, as it is currently my friends' favourite.  i have an all-grain pale ale recipe I favour.  Do you have a particular lager recipe that is outstanding or at least very good?

Cheers, Jim

I don't make a lot of lagers as I prefer to ales & like to make something to drink now rather than muck about with CC, lagering-waiting etc. but with some of the German styles I can put up with that.

I do like my AG Pales & IPA's & like experimenting with different yeasts, I find Verdant/Nottingham/New England East Coast/US West Coast M44 to be among my favourites.

 

[Classic Brewing Co]

28 minutes ago, JimInCollie said:

Is it Phil from Classic Brewing Company?

Thanks for your advice on generic beers: Pale/Lager/Draught. I'd be interested to know if you brew from canned extracts or all-grain, or a combination thereof?

Thanks, Jim

Yes, it's me. 

[Classic Brewing Co]

31 minutes ago, JimInCollie said:

I'd be interested to know if you brew from canned extracts or all-grain, or a combination thereof?

Strictly AG, I haven't done an extract brew for ages, I do occasionally buy a FWK to relax a bit on all of the cleaning up etc.

If I see some cans on special, I may grab a few just for a quick brew but they will also have grain additions & heaps of hops.

[Shamus O'Sean]

2 hours ago, JimInCollie said:

I have a 6-tap keezer (pictured) and in recent times I have been giving visitors a sample of each in small glasses, like they do in craft brewery restaurants, so that they can choose the one they like best - then I pour them a schooner or pint of the one they have chosen. 

I find the one nearly all of them choose is the Coopers Original Australian Pale Ale which was ROTM sometime this year, They choose this one over my all-grain alternatives and any other Cooper's extract beers I might have on tap. For that reason I keep brewing it to replace empty kegs, while experimenting with other beer styles, both all-grain and Coopers cans, on the other taps.  I usually modify the recipe and add some grain if making a can-based brew, just to get rid of that 'home brew' side taste (and it obviously works in the case of my Coopers Original Australian Pale Ale).

My question is: do any of you have a beer, either based on canned extract or all-grain, that most or all of your friends like the best?  I'm looking for a second favourite to have on tap all the time.

Kind regards, Jim  (JimInCollie)

Hi Jim, 

I wasn’t going to reply considering what you initially said was your most popular beer.  However, you clarified it is the Coopers Genuine Draught.  So I recommend the Coopers Original Pale Ale.  I have an all grain version here.  I developed it off a recipe done by @iBooz2.

I rarely make the same beer twice.  However, I am planning my third version of the COPA in a few weeks.  I will tweak it again to try to get the sharper bitterness that I taste in the commercial version.

[JimInCollie]

Thanks for the recommendation and recipe, Shamus.  I've copied it and I'm looking forward to trying it soon.

[Red devil 44]

I’m pretty much All Grain these days, but may throw a K&K partial down to pick up the slack, I just picked up a Coopers Pale Ale tin yesterday on special, haven’t decided what I will pimp it out with yet

[Pale Man]

One beer I brew very consistently that is a favourite of mine and family is my All Grain Hefe Weizen. I really nail it every time with that lovely banana and clove after taste.

[Malter White]

Hi @JimInCollie
I'm purely an extract brewer. I share with friends and get mixed reactions. However, the reactions to Coopers Stout brews are the most positive and it doesn't seem to matter how I do them, whether I use kit yeast or harvested CCA yeast or light malt or dark malt additions, they are always received well.

[Red devil 44]

10 minutes ago, Pale Man said:

One beer I brew very consistently that is a favourite of mine and family is my All Grain Hefe Weizen. I really nail it every time with that lovely banana and clove after taste.

You read my mind @Pale Man, have you got the recipe, or on brewfather ?

[Pale Man]

9 minutes ago, Red devil 44 said:

You read my mind @Pale Man, have you got the recipe, or on brewfather ?

Its actually one of the easiest all grains to brew. The key for me is mill your grains as fresh as possible, so on brew day is what I do.

Mill your wheat and barley separately. Wheat needs a finer crush.

I go about 60% wheat, 40% barley and then just a really good dry yeast such as Lallemand Munich Classic Wheat, or Abbaye Belgian. Both great yeasts. Dont worry about over pitching, you actully want to stress the yeast to get that banana.

I'll hop with Hallertauer Mittelfrueh ( or another good German hop ) at 30 minutes for around 16 - 18 IBU.

Thats about it, you can play around with this recipe its that easy.

[Pale Man]

4 minutes ago, Pale Man said:

Its actually one of the easiest all grains to brew. The key for me is mill your grains as fresh as possible, so on brew day is what I do.

Mill your wheat and barley separately. Wheat needs a finer crush.

I go about 60% wheat, 40% barley and then just a really good dry yeast such as Lallemand Munich Classic Wheat, or Abbaye Belgian. Both great yeasts. Dont worry about over pitching, you actully want to stress the yeast to get that banana.

I'll hop with Hallertauer Mittelfrueh ( or another good German hop ) at 30 minutes for around 16 - 18 IBU.

Thats about it, you can play around with this recipe its that easy.

One little tip I forgot to mention is I do use rice hulls, but i dont throw them in the wet mash. I mill my wheat, then mix in dry rice hulls with my dry wheat grind, until it looks like a consistent barley grind ( if that makes sense ). Then mash that in with barley. Never had a stuck mash.

[Shamus O'Sean]

4 hours ago, JimInCollie said:

Thanks for the recommendation and recipe, Shamus.  I've copied it and I'm looking forward to trying it soon.

If it helps, Jim, here is the Brewfather link to my recipe https://share.brewfather.app/igJ37TduSLXg1F 

You will need to adjust it for your volume and system.

[DavidM]

I'm into Pale Ale as my goto brew.

But I do like a Special brew a few times a week.

Right now it's a Nut Brown Ale (Extract)

All my friends love it.

Love your set up!

[Greenyinthewestofsydney]

I reckon my best brews are my Belgians but my most popular are my asian lagers. I drink more of them than anything else as well as they are sessionable. Visitors also drink them the most as well. I guess that's the reason commercially that lagers dominate ales. Sure ales might taste better but it's hard to have 4 or 5 ales and quite easy to have 4 or 5 lagers.