Coopers Canadian Blonde...

Would love to know your thoughts and techniques on this kit?

Try using DME instead of sugar, use a different yeast (Nottingham for example) keep the temp around mid 60's and leave it ferment for14 - 21 days...it'll turn out much better then the kit instructions bottle and leave in dark room around mid 60's DO NOT drink for at least 2 weeks, 3 is better

Spot on. The exact direction I was looking for. On bottling do you use carbonation drops?

Thanks

Also what quantity of DME did you use.

Thanks again

Replace sugar with same amount DME. For that kit coopers carb drops work well if your using 500 ml bottles, 1 per bottle. If using smaller bottles use priming solution, it'll even out carbonation. Read the stickie on bottling, revy is the author
That was my first brew, it turned out fine using kit instructions BUT replacing the yeast and sugar improves the kit tenfold.
I also suggest you try one bottle after 1 week then 1 after 2 weeks....then at week 3 you'll have, in that glass, all the answers you wanted to ask after wk 1 and 2.

Yeah I'm using 500 ml bottle so will get they drops.

I'll crack on with researching the right DME and yeast to suit. Unless you can recommend any.

Thanks for your help really appreciate it.

Extra light dme and Nottingham yeast will keep nice n clean

Here's a handy conversion table for converting amounts of grain, DME & LME...http://www.jaysbrewing.com/2011/11/17/lazy-chart-for-converting-dme-lme-grain/
It may give you some ideas on amounts...

Hi again

I purchased the coopers Canadian kit earlier and upon reading the instructions noticed it recommended 1 KG of brewing sugar and 500g of brew enhancer, I've bought the extra light DME as you recommend to replace the 1KG of brewing sugar but wondered if you used the enhancer during the process?

I also bought the Nottingham yeast to replace the standard which is 7g. The Nottingham is 11g would using the full amount be the wisest option?

Thanks again

You could use the brew enhancer but it doesn't need it. Use the full pack of Nottingham. Rehydrate it first then pitch it at the RIGHT temp. Then KEEP THE TEMP CORRECT!,, try for 17/18c and leave it do its thing for 2/3 weeks..bottle and walk away fir 3 weeks if u can

Pitching the re-hydrated yeast within 10 degrees of current wort temp will ensure a healthy yeast pitch & lower lag time.

grantr92 said:

Hi again

I purchased the coopers Canadian kit earlier and upon reading the instructions noticed it recommended 1 KG of brewing sugar and 500g of brew enhancer, I've bought the extra light DME as you recommend to replace the 1KG of brewing sugar but wondered if you used the enhancer during the process?

I also bought the Nottingham yeast to replace the standard which is 7g. The Nottingham is 11g would using the full amount be the wisest option?

Thanks again

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Did you brew it yet? How did you get on?

Yeah I brewed it 10 days ago and followed all your instructions. Been keeping an eye on my room temp everyday and it is sticking around the mid 60s.
A week on Tuesday is bottling day then it'll be the hard part trying to hold of on starting to drink them haha

grantr92 said:

Yeah I brewed it 10 days ago and followed all your instructions. Been keeping an eye on my room temp everyday and it is sticking around the mid 60s.
A week on Tuesday is bottling day then it'll be the hard part trying to hold of on starting to drink them haha

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Well done, that'll be 3 weeks fermenting, should clean up nicely. Remember 3 wks in the bottle and you'll have nice beer. Try one after 2 wks and you'll see why u need to wait.
Also put one or two away and forget about them. I found 2 of that beer after a year it showed how much my beer improved over time. The beer was nice and still very drinkable but you'll move on and experiment a bit and a bit more then you'll be fcukd I mean hooked

Last year I made my younger brother a batch of Cooper's Canadian Blonde as a thank you for a favor he did for me. He stored most of it in a corner closet in the basement at our parent's house because his friends (he has a lot and they show up at his place a lot) would have drank the works pretty quickly if they were stacked up at his place. "What, you got 5 dozen free beer! Share the wealth *******!"

Every now and then he would grab a half or full dozen and bring it home.

I was visiting my Mom last week and found that there was still a dozen or so left so I helped myself to one. It was still pretty good. This was the last kit-n-kilo (can + 1kg Munton's beer kit enhancer) I've done. I'm not sure exactly how old they are (14+ months) but they still compare favorably against a Labatt's Blue or Molson Canadian.

I told my brother about it the next day to which he replied "There's still some left! Guess I'll be stopping by the house this evening." He thought he had already finished off the batch that's why there were still some there. I should have kept my mouth shut.

Well is it what you expected? As in is it beer

I had something like this happen with my dampfbier v1. After some 4-5 months in the bottles, they aged into something much like a fine lager. interesting development.

Bottled it on Tuesday looking really good! I've taken a lot of time and care into it so hoping it will pay off!!

grantr92 said:

Bottled it on Tuesday looking really good! I've taken a lot of time and care into it so hoping it will pay off!!

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It will...give 2 wks then taste 1 and wait another week for the rest. You will see the difference. Remember to leave about 1/4 inch in bottle when pouring, keeps the yeast in the bottle.

So I just tried my first after 2 weeks! What a taste really enjoyed it, slightly concerned about the lack of carbonation thought wee bit flat and not much head. Used 1 coopers drop for a 500ml bottle will it be better for next week?

That's exactly what that week of extra time is for.

skw said:

That's exactly what that week of extra time is for.

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Good to hear! Was starting to worry a wee bit.

Worry not.... Have a beer and think about all the goodness to come

grantr92 said:

So I just tried my first after 2 weeks! What a taste really enjoyed it, slightly concerned about the lack of carbonation thought wee bit flat and not much head. Used 1 coopers drop for a 500ml bottle will it be better for next week?

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Cooper's generally recommends 1 drop for a 340ml bottle and 2 for a 750ml bottle (like their PET bottles) so you are a little under the recommended rate but not enough to result in flat beer. I actually find the general recommendation to be a bit high for some styles of beer anyway.

Time will help but just a quick question. How warm is it where you are storing your bottles to carbonate? If they are in a cold location it will take a little longer for them to carbonate. I store mine for three weeks at 20C before sticking a couple in the fridge to sample. If the samples are carbonated enough (three weeks is usually plenty) I'll move the rest of the batch somewhere cooler for storage.

Yeah. Once bottled the higher than primary carb & condition temps don't matter. But the lower end temps do. Too low & they may stall out on carbonating. So temps near 70F are best for carb & condition time.

My aren't we all a helpful bunch 😜 I reckon we all have something in common 🍻🍺🍷🍹🍸🍺🍻

Maybe...just a little...

Unbelievable after my first brew was a epic fail this is just great! Tastes fantastic. Thanks for your help!

Well done ...... It great that u can sit there and enjoy a pint that you made....now your hooked start thinking about your next one before you run dry (you will run dry fast). I suggest to get the coopers heritage lager and use some specialty grains etc. not much different then what you've done but the beer will be even nicer.... I have a few recipes I could pm u if you like or if uniondr hops in he has plenty under his avatar... Again WELL DONE

Yeah, my recipes link has some easy-to-brew beers. APA, IPA, etc. Have a look. I've brewed a lot of beers with Cooper's products & different DME's, hops, steeps & mashes. I may have to list some newer recipes though.

Would greatly appreciate some of both your top recipes for me to try next going to get it kick started shortly with Christmas coming up 40 pints won't last long!

40 pints.... You'll need 2 brews coming up to Christmas 😝 I'll pm you details of a dark lager I did that went down realllllll well

Would you ever recommend using hops in your brew? Was just having a look online at recipes at work the other day and seen a couple that they had put hops in a Muslin bag a left in there to ferment

I pm'd you a recipe to look at.
It'll break you in gently to the world of grains and hops.