Cooper's enhancer 2 clumping problem

Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum

Help Support Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

HughRichardson

Active Member
Joined
Nov 14, 2012
Messages
33
Reaction score
0
I just brewed a can of Cooper's Real Ale and used the enhancer 2 kit plus Nottingham Ale yeast.
I poured the Enhancer 2 (both bags) plus the contents of the can plus 500 grams organic molasses sugar in the bottom of the fermenter.
Then I added two litres of boiling water.
Almost immediately the brew enhancer started to form thick waxy clumps, and stuck to the bottom of my fermenter making mixing a nightmare.
I quickly boiled two more litres of water and added that and stirred hard for about fifteen minutes before adding the rest of the water.
I think I got most of the waxy lumps dissolved in the end, but certainly not all. I have heard since that I might be better to add the enhancer kit after I have cooled the wort down a bit as the hot water makes it coagulate.
Can anyone tell me if they have had similar experience and how to overcome it?
Will the yeasts still break down those clumps, or will I have a hard time cleaning up after I bottle this lot?
 
Whenever I use DME (brew enhancer 2 contains DME) with a canned kit this is the method I use (got it off CraigTube).

Put the DME in the bottom of the empty fermenter.

Add 2 litres of just boiled water (I use the electric kettle).

Immediately pick up the fermenter and swirl it to dissolve the DME. You may need to use your spoon to break up some clumps but I usually don't.

Fill the kettle again to boil some more water.

Pour in the extract from the can into the fermenter.

Fill the (nearly) empty can with just boiled water and give it a stir to dissolve whatever is left sticking to the side and bottom. Dump that into the fermenter.

Give the contents of the fermenter a stir while everything in there is still good and hot.

At this point everything should be well dissolved and you can start topping up with cold water.
 
Thanks da Neuf.
Sounds a bit like what I did apart from the swirling, although I had added the can contents first.
Maybe that's where I erred!
Fingers crossed - it will probably turn out OK in the end.
Hope to see fermentation started in the morning and then just have to wait and see!
 
I did my 1st brew (with Cooper's) that way. Did all in the brew kettle aftwer that. Chilled in ice bath after mixing,then into the fermenter. That's when i started developing my own process. Besides changing things a bit from that point on. I didn't like the mixing in the fermenter bit that Cooper's instructions have you do.
 
Back
Top