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No I did not use anything. Would it have helped if I did? I do have some, but I didn't use it. I did not forget, I just didn't bother.

It is difficult, but I find the most difficult part is that each batch produces such different results. I use different yeast, different kits, different everything and I am constantly asking myself "is this normal for what I have done?" It usually ends up OK, I have never had infection. However...

Yeah, that is normal. I get it when I make ciders. It will fade over time, regardless of whether it smells in the fermenter or the bottle. I had an undrinkable cider for 9 weeks because of the smell from the bottle. I almost chucked it out, but leaving it taught me not to. I don't think the...

I have never experienced this with the Coopers yeast or the S04 by Safale, but with the US-05, after fermentation, there was a thick yeast layer on top of the beer that wouldn't go to the bottom. It is not foam, like mid fermentation, but it looks like what should normally be at the bottom of...

They were in my room, all at the same temp - about 20 Celsius. I know it's a bit warm, but I don't have a choice in my house - no room. I guess it was down to the more yeast speeding up the process. I am not sure I will steep grains in my dark ales again.

The yeast smell will fade better at warm, but it also means the beer won't last as long. As long as it has had time to carbonate (3 weeks minimum at warm) it will be OK. Think of it like you are fast-forwarding the process in the warm. In the fridge, you are slowing it down. It's the same...

As others have said, it is most probably down to the high attenuation. Alcohol as about 7 calories per gram, a figure you wont' get rid of. The low calories is due to the stuff being like vodka, just not 40% but 4%. It will have no flavour and be alcoholic water.

Coopers Canadian Blonde - 2 weeks Coopers dark Ale - 6 weeks Coopers English Bitter - 4 weeks Coopers IPA - 4 Weeks It is so true that the higher ABV and the darker the beer the longer it takes. I usually try to make sure I have a quick conditioning beer on the go all the time so the dark...

I did a coopers dark ale a while ago and it had the most head retention I have ever had from a home brew. It was like an ice cream when looking at it. I wish I had a picture, but I don't, unfortunately. Anyway, I have done another one, this time with some chocolate malt and crystal malt...

I am just starting out in brewing, and I have come to the conclusion that experimentation is the key. I have deliberately brewed an IPA, a 'lager' (ale yeast) and a dark ale - all from the Coopers line up of kits. I have tried them from only 1 week in the bottle, and 1 week intervals from then...

I have recently brewed an IPA, an English Bitter, a Canadian Blonde and a Dark Ale. I have sampled them all along the way to see how they are maturing in the bottles, and I started to ask myself the factors that determine how long to leave a beer before it tastes its best. I have only ever...

I have just done a hard apple cider with apple juice and champagne yeast and it turned out wonderful. I want to go berry picking, such as for blackberries as they are prolific where I live, and ferment them into a drink. I am unsure, however, about the methanol by-product that can come as a...

For the price of new maltodextrin, I would toss it. It is not worth the risk of screwing up a batch of beer that will cost you more if it is no good and that ruins the batch.

This may sound stupid, but some of the kits that state those high abv percentages state that it will make less pints than other kits. In all fairness, you could just reduce the water in any beer kit and make a higher abv beer - the difference being that the brewery that made those kits have...

School boy errors, to me, are burning the liquid extract to the bottom of the stove pot, not sanitising properly, and being too eager and impatient to taste your brew and getting disappointing first opinions. Thankfully, I read a lot before I started and did not have this happen (apart from...

How long did you leave it in the primary fermenter? If you racked it into bottles after a long time in primary, there is less yeast in suspension when you do rack. This causes carbonation to happen much slower than if you left it in primary less time. Don't worry, though, there is still plenty...

It is so good when someone new gets into the hobby. Unfortunately, for every one person that gets into it, there are probably lots of failed first batches where people have done something that was not quite right. I keep buying more bottles so when people come for a drink I can say "what do you...

Your excel spreadsheet of your beer log is more complex than your university coursework.

You will have no problem leaving it where it is until you get a new hydrometer. Do not rack without taking a gravity reading to make sure it is finished. I know that from experience. Just be patient until the new hydrometer arrives. When it does, take three consecutive readings to make sure it...

I usually let my ales age for at least 4 weeks in the bottle. Lagers should be even longer. I would say at least 3 months.