Ideas for Coopers Draught

Scientist83 · 04-09-2009, 01:56 AM

Hello All!

Currently I have a quite experimental brew in my secondary, already high in ABV, which is what I was going for. However, in the last few days I was given a case...yes thats right...a case of Coopers Draught (a friend is getting married and subsequently the wife wants him to give up his hombrewing equipment, because of religious reasons). However, working in the science industry, I am not afforded a whole lot of time for brewing. So taking this case of Coopers seemed to be a logical fit for me. With the Coopers, I took his 3 boxes of Dextrose as well. Now I've been brewing for awhile, and I brew at work (not in the way of ethanol though...more like isobutanol and organic petroleum), but I have yet to work with the Cooper's Draught. I'm not entirely comfortable with the pre-hopped pre-made area of homebrewing, so I need some help. If anybody knows anything good to use with this kit, I'd be indebted to you. I will be trying it out on an "as-is" basis, but I'd like some ideas for the subsequent brews.

Thanks!

SeamusMac · 04-09-2009, 02:52 AM

Don't bother with the dextrose, swing by your LHBS and pick up some DME to use in place of the dextrose. I made my first pre-hopped extract kit with dextrose and the "cidery" flavour it imparted on the beer was still evident after 2 months in the bottle. Dextrose is only good for making Apfelwein and priming bottles IMHO. I believe dextrose is nearly 100% fermentable and DME is around 75% fermentable, so you'll have to increase the amount of DME used to reach the target ABV.

As a side note, I don't think I could ever give up beer for religion, poor guy

His wife-to-be must be a bombshell!

**Nurmey** · 04-09-2009, 03:02 AM

Cooper's Daught
"A full and flavorsome beer displaying a clean crisp taste with a subtle "bitter" flavor. Coopers Draught displays a good head with a fresh bright color. This style is sometimes better described as Draught Bitter."

I wonder if you could steep some Crystal 60 and a little chocolate malt make a Mild? I don't know what the hops are but they can't be anything too much since the website puts the IBUs at 20. I have absolutely no idea how it would turn out because I don't know what the flavor is to begin with.

**Yuri_Rage** · 04-09-2009, 03:05 AM

Use it just like light LME. Cut the bittering hops according to style, assuming a base of 20 IBU.

Voskar · 04-09-2009, 05:01 AM

Add kit (1.7kg) + 500kg Light Dry Malt Extract + fininshing hops

Add water to 17 litres and ferment.

Leave out the sugars unless you little a light beer.

Sum1Stu · 04-09-2009, 06:47 AM

I just made this kit, and am tasting it for the past two days now. Its pretty good, I used just regular sugar to get the alcohol to 5% range.

My LBS doesnt carry DME or LME but they have every single coopers can though.... I can say one thing that will improve this beer is extra hops, im not sure how much though or what kind as ive never done a "real brew" before.

ruffdeezy · 04-09-2009, 06:48 AM

craigtube did two cans plus 300 grams of dextrose for once batch and says it is fantastic. I would like to try doing it that way although I've moved on from doing cooper's kits. However, cooper's draught turned out the best out of all the ones I did.