Beercules281 Posted March 22 Share Posted March 22 As the title says i finally made the jump into homebrewing with the Coopers DIY kit. I'm excited and nervous all at the same time. Looking forward to pumping out some lovely brew and saving lovely coin. Been lurking on here already for a while getting some extra tips here and there. You guys seem like a world of knowledge. My cousin and a work friend are heavily into their homebrews so i've got a large support network. Wish me luck! Round 1: Coopers lager. 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Classic Brewing Co Posted March 23 Share Posted March 23 54 minutes ago, Beercules281 said: As the title says i finally made the jump into homebrewing with the Coopers DIY kit. I'm excited and nervous all at the same time. Looking forward to pumping out some lovely brew and saving lovely coin. Been lurking on here already for a while getting some extra tips here and there. You guys seem like a world of knowledge. My cousin and a work friend are heavily into their homebrews so i've got a large support network. Wish me luck! Round 1: Coopers lager. Hi @Beercules281 Welcome to the forum, it looks like you are off to a good start, keeping records will be your best asset as you can go back over your previous brew notes & learn from mistakes & also improve your beers. I note the temperature gauge so I can see you are aware of temp control; do you have a spare fridge? If not, your brews can be monitored at ambient temperatures & covered to warm up etc. You will find unless you are making a really 'stacked up brew' you won't need the krausen kollar. Good Luck with your first brew & dial in anytime you need help. Cheers Phil. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beercules281 Posted March 23 Author Share Posted March 23 11 minutes ago, Classic Brewing Co said: Hi @Beercules281 Welcome to the forum, it looks like you are off to a good start, keeping records will be your best asset as you can go back over your previous brew notes & learn from mistakes & also improve your beers. I note the temperature gauge so I can see you are aware of temp control; do you have a spare fridge? If not, your brews can be monitored at ambient temperatures & covered to warm up etc. You will find unless you are making a really 'stacked up brew' you won't need the krausen kollar. Good Luck with your first brew & dial in anytime you need help. Cheers Phil. I've got my whiteboard and an app going as well. I'm a sucker for record keeping. Wanted to be able to monitor the temp inside the laundry cupboard to see how well it kept temp as a brew station. So far so good. Temps in Adelaide have been in the mid 20s so it's been alright. I do have a spare fridge. Just gotta drink the contents of the fridge first! Unsure if it will be an adequate size but i'll cross that bridge when i get to it. I've been looking into temperature controllers, heat bands etc. My end goal will be kegging beers. My SO already has enough to say about this initial setup.. So i best wait until the dust settles to spring that idea on her. I have read that about the kollar but i thought id do my first batch "by the book" and use it as a bit of a base for future brews. In future i probably won't use it. Less to clean up! Thanks for the tips! Appreciate it. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Classic Brewing Co Posted March 23 Share Posted March 23 22 minutes ago, Beercules281 said: I've got my whiteboard and an app going as well. I'm a sucker for record keeping. Wanted to be able to monitor the temp inside the laundry cupboard to see how well it kept temp as a brew station. So far so good. Temps in Adelaide have been in the mid 20s so it's been alright. I do have a spare fridge. Just gotta drink the contents of the fridge first! Unsure if it will be an adequate size but i'll cross that bridge when i get to it. I've been looking into temperature controllers, heat bands etc. My end goal will be kegging beers. My SO already has enough to say about this initial setup.. So i best wait until the dust settles to spring that idea on her. I have read that about the kollar but i thought id do my first batch "by the book" and use it as a bit of a base for future brews. In future i probably won't use it. Less to clean up! Thanks for the tips! Appreciate it. I am in Adelaide (Glenelg North) & yes, the weather is getting cooler, especially by the beach! I brew a few brews at ambient temperature in the cooler months, but I do have a dedicated brew fridge with temp control. I keg all of my brews, mainly AG these days but I do still make the odd kit beer or FWK (fresh wort kit). 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beercules281 Posted March 23 Author Share Posted March 23 5 minutes ago, Classic Brewing Co said: I am in Adelaide (Glenelg North) & yes, the weather is getting cooler, especially by the beach! I brew a few brews at ambient temperature in the cooler months, but I do have a dedicated brew fridge with temp control. I keg all of my brews, mainly AG these days but I do still make the odd kit beer or FWK (fresh wort kit). I'm in Seaford Meadows so I know how you feel! I think I've picked the right time of year to start brewing. Once I've done a couple kit beers I'll dive into some more advanced stuff. Really want to do a sparkling ale (Honestly my favourite beer). Plan to use the commercial yeast for that one. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kegory Posted March 23 Share Posted March 23 3 hours ago, Beercules281 said: Looking forward to pumping out some lovely brew and saving lovely coin. The former is achievable. The latter is a lie we tell ourselves or our SO's. Well, most of us, anyway. I believe some manage to keep it cheap and simple, the rest of us get seduced by the pretty, shiny toys. Welcome to the forum. 1 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beercules281 Posted March 23 Author Share Posted March 23 3 minutes ago, Kegory said: The former is achievable. The latter is a lie we tell ourselves or our SO's. Well, most of us, anyway. I believe some manage to keep it cheap and simple, the rest of us get seduced by the pretty, shiny toys. Welcome to the forum. I imagine all the shiny toys will lure me in at some stage. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aussiekraut Posted March 23 Share Posted March 23 15 minutes ago, Beercules281 said: I imagine all the shiny toys will lure me in at some stage. Oh they will, I can pretty much guarantee it Brewing beer is fairly cheap but only if you don't take the extras into consideration. A ferment fridge here, a second fermenter there, an all grain nano brewing system, a kegerator, kegs, gas bottles, gadgets like WiFi-enabled hydrometers, a keezer to lager, another ferment fridge for the 2nd fermenter, cubes to store beer, a grain mill, a better grain mill, a smart speaker for entertainment, remote controlled temperature controllers and powerpoints and so on. It is never-ending. Before you know it, you have several grand worth of equipment sitting there and you are still dreaming of more Brewing is a great hobby, I think we all can agree with that. But once the descent into the rabbit hole has begun, you just go deeper and deeper. In terms of beer, you save heaps but the pursuit of beer can be costly 4 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beercules281 Posted March 23 Author Share Posted March 23 The deeper I dive into recipes and ideas the bigger my wish list gets. Hopefully my brewing hobby goes better than my Golfing hobby. I suspect one will cost more than the other... 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beerdo Posted March 23 Share Posted March 23 4 hours ago, Beercules281 said: As the title says i finally made the jump into homebrewing with the Coopers DIY kit. I'm excited and nervous all at the same time. Looking forward to pumping out some lovely brew and saving lovely coin. Been lurking on here already for a while getting some extra tips here and there. You guys seem like a world of knowledge. My cousin and a work friend are heavily into their homebrews so i've got a large support network. Wish me luck! Round 1: Coopers lager. Mate, welcome to the brother/sisterhood of brewing. You clearly have good grounding in what you're doing. I can see that by your whiteboard notes. Out of curiosity, are you planning to bottle on day 6? Your brew, your call but if you're happy to take some advice I'd leave it a few days more before bottling. It'll give the beer a chance to clear up a bit more. However I do know how impatient one can be when doing the first brew. We want to drink it yesterday. 5 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Classic Brewing Co Posted March 23 Share Posted March 23 13 minutes ago, Beercules281 said: The deeper I dive into recipes and ideas the bigger my wish list gets. Hopefully my brewing hobby goes better than my Golfing hobby. I suspect one will cost more than the other... As others has mentioned, there is an endless list of equipment, gadgets, toys & bells & whistles you can buy, but some of it isn't really necessary, it just sounded like a good idea at the time. If you upgrade from kit brewing, you will end up needing lots of accessories apart from those you can improvise with already in the kitchen/cupboards etc. The best advice is to keep it simple, just adding bits that are really necessary, once you start looking in Home Brew Shops or online you are tempted to add all sorts of stuff to your brewery. I for one have half a house full of brewing equipment, bar & taproom, a collection of beer glasses & collectables, anything with a beer logo on. I live by myself so I can put up posters & hang stuff wherever I want to. I also have boxes & drawers full of stuff I haven't used for years. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beercules281 Posted March 23 Author Share Posted March 23 2 minutes ago, Beerdo said: Mate, welcome to the brother/sisterhood of brewing. You clearly have good grounding in what you're doing. I can see that by your whiteboard notes. Out of curiosity, are you planning to bottle on day 6? Your brew, your call but if you're happy to take some advice I'd leave it a few days more before bottling. It'll give the beer a chance to clear up a bit more. However I do know how impatient one can be when doing the first brew. We want to drink it yesterday. I brewed on Wednesday and planned to brew this coming Wednesday. But after reading a few posts and the like I may wait until Saturday to bottle. I have a 2 year old who I imagine would make bottling very difficult on a weeknight so what's a couple extra says gonna do. As much as I would like to drink my brew yesterday, I know patience is key. It will give myself more time on Saturday too as I plan to go straight into Pale Ale for my next brew. 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beercules281 Posted March 23 Author Share Posted March 23 3 minutes ago, Classic Brewing Co said: As others has mentioned, there is an endless list of equipment, gadgets, toys & bells & whistles you can buy, but some of it isn't really necessary, it just sounded like a good idea at the time. If you upgrade from kit brewing, you will end up needing lots of accessories apart from those you can improvise with already in the kitchen/cupboards etc. The best advice is to keep it simple, just adding bits that are really necessary, once you start looking in Home Brew Shops or online you are tempted to add all sorts of stuff to your brewery. I for one have half a house full of brewing equipment, bar & taproom, a collection of beer glasses & collectables, anything with a beer logo on. I live by myself so I can put up posters & hang stuff wherever I want to. I also have boxes & drawers full of stuff I haven't used for years. We barely have enough room with my 2 year olds toys scattered around the house. So i have to be strategic. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Classic Brewing Co Posted March 23 Share Posted March 23 8 minutes ago, Beercules281 said: I brewed on Wednesday and planned to brew this coming Wednesday. But after reading a few posts and the like I may wait until Saturday to bottle. I have a 2 year old who I imagine would make bottling very difficult on a weeknight so what's a couple extra says gonna do. As much as I would like to drink my brew yesterday, I know patience is key. It will give myself more time on Saturday too as I plan to go straight into Pale Ale for my next brew. Personally, I would give it at least 10 days in the FV, most of mine get 14, they clear up much nicer. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beercules281 Posted March 23 Author Share Posted March 23 6 minutes ago, Classic Brewing Co said: Personally, I would give it at least 10 days in the FV, most of mine get 14, they clear up much nicer. I'll be sure to give it a try. Thanks heaps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Back Brewing Posted March 23 Share Posted March 23 42 minutes ago, Beercules281 said: I'll be sure to give it a try. Thanks heaps. Do you have a hydrometer? Take a reading on day 6 then on day 9 if they are the same it's ready for bottling no need to wait any longer than 10 days it will clear in the bottle over the next 14 days while carbonating 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Malter White Posted March 23 Share Posted March 23 1 hour ago, Beercules281 said: I plan to go straight into Pale Ale for my next brew. A very good choice. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beercules281 Posted March 23 Author Share Posted March 23 11 minutes ago, Back Brewing said: Do you have a hydrometer? Take a reading on day 6 then on day 9 if they are the same it's ready for bottling no need to wait any longer than 10 days it will clear in the bottle over the next 14 days while carbonating Got the Coopers hydrometer. That's my plan. Will be sure to bottle on Saturday. Mainly because I'll have more time. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kegory Posted March 23 Share Posted March 23 4 hours ago, Beercules281 said: The deeper I dive into recipes and ideas the bigger my wish list gets. Hopefully my brewing hobby goes better than my Golfing hobby. I suspect one will cost more than the other... Brewing and golf. Welcome to the club. Brewing is easier, in my experience. But both are infinitely branching rabbit holes. 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kegory Posted March 23 Share Posted March 23 2 hours ago, Beercules281 said: Got the Coopers hydrometer. That's my plan. Will be sure to bottle on Saturday. Mainly because I'll have more time. Bottle when it's ready to bottle. IMO it can sit a little longer in the fermenter if needs be. Better safe than sorry. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jennyss Posted March 23 Share Posted March 23 8 hours ago, Classic Brewing Co said: Looking forward to pumping out some lovely brew and saving lovely coin. Achievable! I have been brewing extracts for over two years now. With help from the Coopers Community, I have made yummy beer at about 1/4 the price of shop bought. But only if you stay away from the rabbit burrow! 6 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChairmanDrew Posted March 23 Share Posted March 23 (edited) 29 minutes ago, jennyss said: Achievable! I have been brewing extracts for over two years now. With help from the Coopers Community, I have made yummy beer at about 1/4 the price of shop bought. But only if you stay away from the rabbit burrow! Yeah, you and hubby seemed to have managed to steer away from stockpiling equipment. Like you, I have managed to be happy with extract ingredients and adding things here and there to improve the quality. The only extra thing I've invested in since I started is a good sized stock pot (so far ). Edited March 23 by ChairmanDrew 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aussiekraut Posted March 23 Share Posted March 23 13 hours ago, jennyss said: Achievable! I have been brewing extracts for over two years now. With help from the Coopers Community, I have made yummy beer at about 1/4 the price of shop bought. But only if you stay away from the rabbit burrow! If you are happy with what you are making, there is no need to go down that path. I'm driven by curiosity, so I can't help myself. I never thought I'd be brewing all grain but when I got to a certain stage, it was just beckoning me. Now that I am there, there are other things taking my interest like getting a little more into yeast and its characteristics. I'm even toying messing with water chemistry, although this is still some time away. All in the pursuit of better beer. Not that I complain about most of my beers, I still want to make them a little better. When I say better, I mean better in my books. While I seem to only get positive feedback, in the end, I brew for me and it is important that I like my beers. If others do, it is just a bonus. I fully understand that others simply want to make some tasty beer and not worry about what is behind it all. Good beer is good beer, regardless of how it is made. I'm too curious not to seek out what's behind the scenes. That's just how I am wired. As a kid, I always had to take things apart to see how they worked. Needless to say, I broke a lot of things in the process because I wasn't that interested in knowing how to put them back together again 7 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jennyss Posted March 24 Share Posted March 24 I love your description of your brewing journey @Aussiekraut . Yes, I was boasting about sticking to basics, but I am also fascinated by the brewing process, especially in a see-through Coopers fermenting vessel where you can watch the changes day by day as the yeast and all the other ingredients doing their thing. Cheers! 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beercules281 Posted March 28 Author Share Posted March 28 So just bottled my first batch of Lager. How exciting! I immediately washed and sanitised and jumped straight into brew No.2. My O.G reading was 1028 with water at 24C. Is it anything to be worried about not being the 1038 as per packet instructions or just suck it and see? Thanks in advance! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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