Thomas Coopers Wheat Beer

[Otto Von Blotto]

I guess that's a personal preference thing really. In terms of clarity, if you're sticking to style regarding appearance then there's little point leaving it. In saying that though, I doubt an extra week would drop that much yeast out, given wheat beer yeasts tend to stay in suspension. It might be worthwhile to let the yeast clean up but I don't know how much of an issue that is in a wheat beer either.

 

Wheat beers aren't a style I enjoy, so I've never brewed one and don't really know about that kind of thing with them.

[Beeblebrox]

I think I'll just leave it another week; not out of necessity, but out of habit, & sheer convenience. It won't hurt to give it a little extra time, especially as the yeast would have had a siesta during primary, after my chilling snafu! The worst that will happen is the yeast will do some cleaning up, regardless of if it makes any difference to clarity or not. It's my first go around with a Wheat Beer, really just out of curiosity, & I figure the worst thing that's likely to happen is I'll end up with a brew of beer I'll drink. I don't think after making so many batches, & being so particular about cleanliness & hygiene I'm likely to have any real issues with this batch anyway.

[antiphile]

As you have already said, Two Heads, it won't make a brass razoo worth of difference leaving it another week or more. What I've noticed with the Fermentis wheat yeast (and I can't remember but maybe the Coopers yeast with the wheat kit as well) is that it takes aquite a while for it to drop out and sediment even in the bottle. After a month or more it's still reasonably cloudy, but if you leave it quite a bit longer than that (maybe several months or more), you have a choice to keep it upright and handle it very carefully to get quite a clear beer, or to roll it around slowly on its side to put the yeast back into suspension to yet the yeast mixed up in the beer (which is what the smarty-pants call "mit hefe" - I think this just translates as "with yeast", but it sounds very classy!).

 

BTW, I still think I prefer your head with the very long snout.

[Beeblebrox]

Thanks Uncle Phil.

I definitely agree, my furry head with the long snout is my better head!

It doesn't get all clouded with overthinking, isn't so moody, & likes things simple; a much better perspective on life!

Anyway, I ended up bottling on Wednesday last week, the FG was 1.010, so around what I expected, & should give the range you said, around the low 4% mark.

I'm liking my lighter coloured brews with a lower A/V, whereas I am starting to appreciate darker brews with a higher A/V.

That said, I'm still yet to do an IPA, or stronger ale, so that could be in the pipeline soon.

 

I should have enough bottles to do another batch this week, so I almost feel like writing a list of brew styles & playing a pin the tail on the donkey type game to figure what brew to make next!

 

Maybe an IPA, or maybe a tried & true, like a Canadian Blonde, APA, or something like that.

 

BTW, Harry got his Trainee Service Dog coat last week, so now I can take him wherever I want to go, even the LHBS, which I'll probably do this week!

 

Cheers & beers.

[Bogmore]

I've had the first really good drink of it since I bottled it, it does taste good and everyone I have given it too likes it as well, but to me it seems a little tasteless, though it does seem to have a odd taste probably added by the stock yeast. More like a standard Lager than a Wheat beer and it's crystal clear.

 

If I were to make it again I would add some things and use a professional yeast like the Weihenstephaner one.

 

I did add a full 1kg of a Coopers brew enhancer instead of the 700g that the instructions say and used 2 Coopers priming tablets per half litre or pint. The yeast is almost unmovable from the bottom of the bottle and it's very fizzy, I can't put it in a glass with a head maker in the bottom as the head froths quite high. The Germans drink this with half a slice of lemon floating in the top.

 

I may try a Kriek next time.

[porschemad911]

If I were to make it again I would add some things and use a professional yeast like the Weihenstephaner one.

G'day, if you make this one again I'd do a batch just changing the yeast first. This is where most of the interesting flavour comes from for these beers.

[Bogmore]

If I were to make it again I would add some things and use a professional yeast like the Weihenstephaner one.

G'day' date=' if you make this one again I'd do a batch just changing the yeast first. This is where most of the interesting flavour comes from for these beers.[/quote']

Thanks, now all I have to do is figure out the right yeast to buy. It would have to be online from a UK shop or ebay. I think it was probably the supplied yeast that is causing taste I have.

 

I've been looking at the recommendations on the first page of this thread.

 

I was looking at Mangrove Jack's or a Saflager W-34/70

[Otto Von Blotto]

34/70 is a true lager yeast, not a wheat yeast. Have a search for wheat yeasts. I know Fermentis do have one, I think it's called WB-06.

[Bogmore]

34/70 is a true lager yeast' date=' not a wheat yeast. Have a search for wheat yeasts. I know Fermentis do have one, I think it's called WB-06. [/quote']

 

Okay, now I know exactly what to buy, I found one on ebay, thanks again.

[Bogmore]

34/70 is a true lager yeast' date=' not a wheat yeast. Have a search for wheat yeasts. I know Fermentis do have one, I think it's called WB-06. [/quote']

 

Okay, now I know exactly what to buy, I found one on ebay, thanks again.

 

I made the brew again recently with the WB-06 Yeast, it's been in the bottle for about 10 days now and they are still cloudy. I also used the Coopers 2 enhancer, Coopers Priming tablets and nothing else.

 

I had a taste of it and it's so much better than the first one which I think was with the Lager yeast that came with the kit. The old one had what I think of as "the homebrew taste", this latest one has absolutely none of that, it does actually taste like a commercial brew.

 

I really wish that Coopers would include the WB-06 yeast as standard as it makes the brew vastly superior than the yeast it ships with.

 

I can't stress it enough, if you do this beer get the WB-06 yeast, you really won't regret it.

[Loch Brewer]

I recently made one with the TC 1.7kg can + approx 1.1kg TC wheat malt extract and the fermentis WB-06 yeast. Made up to 23 Litres.

Tastes great, but is surprisingly clear unlike a wheat beer should be. Was in the fermenter for 13 days.

Once I've got a free FV i'll be doing the Darth Weizer using the danstar / lallemand Munich wheat beer yeast (same yeast strain as the fermentis wb-06 apparently) so it'll be interesting to see how it turns out.

[Beeblebrox]

The whole batch is gone now, down the hatch & through my system.

It wasn't a bad example of a wheat beer, but it reminded me why I hadn't done one before, & why I won't do one again.

 

There wasn't really anything wrong with it, just that it's far from my favourite style.

I hadn't had a wheat beer in quite some time, & when I did it reminded me of a beer I had when we visited The Bavarian Bier Cafe; a pronounced yeasty flavour & quite cloudy.

It also gave my alimentary canal a workout, as the yeast is known to have that effect.

 

So as good an example as it was of wheat beer, I won't be doing it again; not that it's not good, it's just not really to my taste, & I'm ok with that.

Not everyone likes the same thing, & I don't have to like wheat beer just because others do.

 

That's one of the great things about home brewing, you can really choose what style, what ingredients, how bitter, how hoppy, how malty & how much alcohol, rather than having to pick something some brewer has decided suits their market.

 

So TC Wheat Beer, a good example of the style, but not really my preferred brew.

[Bogmore]

Hi All,

 

I'm back again. Okay I have made another the same as last time and I tried some when I was bottling it and it was just like a commercial wheat beer but flat, in other words, really good, no sign of what I call the "homebrew" taste. It was very Bananary and a small amount of Cloves.

 

When I bottled it I used Coopers priming tablets 1.5 per 500ml or pint and now when I come to taste it, most of that taste is gone, it's clear and it has the "homebrew" taste again. I must be doing something wrong with the bottling, priming or storage. The taste is not of vinegar and I've tried swirling the bottles and the taste is worse. Usually I get about a quarter of an inch of sediment at the bottom of the bottle.

 

I am sterilising the bottles and lids properly and this time I washed out some bottles with water before bottling as well, just in case it was the sterilising liquid. The bottles that I washed and didn't wash taste exactly the same, with that "Homebrew" taste, the same taste kits 20 years ago had when I used to make them. I have never tasted a commercial brew with the taste.

 

From what I understand the priming sugar doesn't make much difference but is there anything else I can prime it with and how long should I leave it to prime and at what temperature? How should I store it after it's primed, in a fridge, a cool place or at room temperature?

 

I have made one of those Apple schnapps kits recently and that turned out great.

 

I feel like I may give on it but I really like the beer style and may give it one more go and if that fails either try something else or give up.

 

Edit: One more thing, the one I mention in the last post changed and got that "Homebrew" taste later on.

[Otto Von Blotto]

Perhaps it's something to do with the brew enhancer. Try one with a tin of wheat malt extract and see how it goes. Although that doesn't really explain why it was fine at bottling time but then went bad after it carbonated. Long shot but maybe the carb drops had some bugs on them that caused a bit of an infection that affected the taste a bit? You can also prime with table sugar or dextrose, or dry malt extract but you need more of the DME than the other sugars because it isn't fully fermentable.

 

Just store them at or above 18C for carbonation for 2-3 weeks. After that, they can remain there or be moved to a cooler spot or put into the fridge, up to you really.

 

I'm in the same camp as Beeblebrox in my dislike of wheat beers, as such I've never brewed one and probably never will. However, I seem to recall reading somewhere that they are better consumed fresh and don't age very well. Can anyone confirm this? This may be a reason why the other batch was fine initially but then went downhill.

 

Also how old was the kit you used on the latest one?

[ChristinaS1]

I used WB06 on my BeeKeeper recipe last month and it worked well' date=' no complaints from me (picture below).

 

On the Fermentis website is suggests the following fermentation temperatures:

for clover flavors : below 22°C (71.6°F)

for banana flavor: above 23°C (73.4°F)

 

Cheers + beers,

Mark[/quote']

 

Hi ICzed. I think you meant clove flavors, not clover. LOL! Clover would be lovely as I am not a fan of phenols in my beer. I prefer to make the wheat kit with US-05 or regular Coopers dry ale yeast, for an American style wheat, which is very refreshing. But to each their own.

 

FIW, PB2 has mentioned that the yeast that comes with the kit is not a wheat yeast, but something a little less intense.

[Bogmore]

The kit was well within the "Use by" date, otherwise the brew wouldn't taste so good after fermentation.

 

Is there a way to sterilise the primer? I know it would have to be done carefully as sugar burns in a pan. I assume you can .dissolve it and very carefully boil it. Maybe a 10 second drop in boiling water for the coopers priming tablets? They do seem to be coated with something.

 

As I mentioned, if the flavour had stayed the same as when the fermentation finished I would be very happy so I'm of the opinion it's something to do with the bottling. I am sure I'm sterilising the bottles and lids properly.

[ChristinaS1]

Is there a way to sterilise the primer? I know it would have to be done carefully as sugar burns in a pan. I assume you can .dissolve it and very carefully boil it. Maybe a 10 second drop in boiling water for the coopers priming tablets? They do seem to be coated with something.

 

As I mentioned' date=' if the flavour had stayed the same as when the fermentation finished I would be very happy so I'm of the opinion it's something to do with the bottling. I am sure I'm sterilising the bottles and lids properly.[/quote']

 

That sounds hard to do. Why don't you forget about the carbonation drops and try bulk priming? It is so much easier (if you are bottling a whole batch). Boil around 130gm table sugar or 145gm dextrose in about 2 cups of water and add it to your bottling bucket before transferring from your primary. The transfer will do a fairly good job of mixing the priming solution with the beer, but you can also stir with a sanitized spoon to be sure it is well mixed.

 

But I doubt what you are noticing is a result of infection in your bottles or priming tablets. I suspect that all that has happened is that the yeast have cleaned up the esters created during fermentation while it ages in the bottles. I am not sure how long you are letting your brews age but generally speaking ester-y beers should be drunk young. I suggest that as soon as your beer is carbonated (about three weeks) you put your bottles in the fridge and keep them there. This will cause the yeast to drop out of suspension and slow down the process of the yeast "cleaning up" the esters.

 

Regarding that "homebrew" taste, there is much debate about its cause. Some of the common theories are: stale and/or canned extract, too much simple sugar, light-struck, contamination, under-pitching, fermenting too warm etc. In your case you say your extract was plenty fresh, and a single box of BE2 would not give you "too much" simple sugar. Was your yeast also fresh? Did you buy it from a shop that keeps it refrigerated? Do you keep it refrigerated? Did you rehydrate it (sprinkling dry directly onto the wort results in the death of about 50% of the cells). What temperature did you ferment at?

 

The other possibility is that you don't actually like phenolic beers as much as you think you do. While I like fruity esters (banana), I detest phenols (clove/medicinal). They remind me of contaminated homebrew.

[Bogmore]

The yeast was Safbrew WB-06 (this stuff http://www.northernbrewer.com/shop/safale-wb-06 ) and I bottled straight from the Fermentation container, it has a tap at the bottom, but the taste was good, actually really good, out of that Fermenter, very bananary, if that's a word. I had sterilised the tap too.

 

I sprinkled the yeast directly onto the wort without any preparation and the Temperature was 25-26 degrees to bring out the banana flavours.

 

I left the brew to prime for 5-6 days then put it straight in the fridge and it cleared.

[ChristinaS1]

The yeast was Safbrew WB-06 (this stuff http://www.northernbrewer.com/shop/safale-wb-06 ) and I bottled straight from the Fermentation container' date=' it has a tap at the bottom, but the taste was good, actually really good, out of that Fermenter, very bananary, if that's a word. I had sterilised the tap too.

 

I sprinkled the yeast directly onto the wort without any preparation and the Temperature was 25-26 degrees to bring out the banana flavours.

 

I left the brew to prime for 5-6 days then put it straight in the fridge and it cleared.[/quote']

 

You only let it carbonate for 5-6 days? Isn't that a bit short? Carbonation usually takes about three weeks, doesn't it? Not sure but maybe putting it in the fridge so soon has something to do with your cider-y taste? After just five days the priming sugar would barely be fermented, and any by-products of this mini-ferment in the bottle would not have been reabsorbed, although the amount of sugar is small, so I am not sure. I don't know, just guessing....Is your beer flat?

[Bogmore]

The beer is very fizzy, I think I'll try one more and leave it out of the fridge for a lot longer and maybe only put it in a few hours before I want one.

 

I think I might try a few different ways of Priming it, Normal Sugar, Tablets and Dextrose but I'm not sure.

 

Up until Bottling it's really good so I might not be leaving it long enough.

[Otto Von Blotto]

The type of priming sugar (of those three) is unlikely to make any difference to the flavour of the beer. After all, it all gets fermented and turned into gas and alcohol.

 

If you decide to bulk prime and dissolve all the sugar/dextrose for it, if you have a Pyrex jug or something like that which is microwave safe, you can weigh the sugar in it, tip in some boiling water to dissolve, then stick it in the microwave for 20-30 seconds or whatever. That should be enough to kill off any potential bugs, although it doesn't sound like your issue is bugs.

 

It would appear that the likely cause is that the yeast are cleaning up their esters for some reason, causing the flavours from the fermenter to go away after some time in the bottles. I'm not really sure what you can do to stop this.

[Bogmore]

I was bought a wheat beer kit from a different manufacturer for Christmas, an English company called Wilko it's an everything in two tins kit. I've made it and it has none of the bad taste I was talking about before, it's still a bit rough after 2 weeks in the bottle though. It tastes almost like it did when the fermentation had finished.

 

The only thing I did different was I primed with normal sugar that you'd put in your coffee and I left it in a warm place for those 2 weeks instead of putting it in the fridge after a week.

 

Next time I brew I will get a Coopers Wheat beer kit and a WB-06 yeast and leave it in a warm place until a few hours before I drink it and then put it in the fridge. Hopefully that was why the others weren't very good, I put them in the fridge much too early.

 

I don't think I said it before, thanks for the help.

[Someguy]

Here's a take on the Coopers wheat with wb-06 yeast

[Bogmore]

Here's a take on the Coopers wheat with wb-06 yeast

The problem is you didn't just use the kit but added other stuff, that is what made the taste you got, cascade hops, very citrusy.

 

I have used the wheat beer kit only, with the beer enhancer by coopers with the WB-06 and it tasted like a commercial wheat beer (Franziskaner) before I bottled it but for some reason the bottling killed the flavour, probably to do with my inexperience.

 

I have had Berliner Weisse in Berlin at a place called Zum Nußbaum and they usually put a syrup with woodruff or raspberry in, though not many places use woodruff anymore, just something that tastes like it.

[Corksniffer]

Hey guys,

 

I've got a new Coopers Preachers Hefe Wheat kit. Before I make it up, what kind of yeast is provided with the kit and is it worth ordering the Safbrew 06 yeast instead?

 

I can't really imagine Coopers calling it a 'Hefe' if they just stick the same old ale/lager mix in?