How should I proceed with fermentation?

I started my first brew a week ago (cooper's lager) and don't know what to do now. My brew has been in a plastic pail this whole time with the lid on but not sealed to allow gas escape. Instructions from my homebrew supplier say trasfer to secondary in the glass carboy after 3-4 days but there was still a thick krausen even after 5. As a beginner, should i just leave it in the pail for another week and then bottle? If so, what should I do about the lid since there is no place for an airlock?

Leave it for another week. I like to primary for at least two weeks and secondary for a week. A steady gravity reading will let you know that its finished fermenting and ready to secondary.

I highly recommend drilling a hole in the lid for an airlock prior to your next batch. While airlock activity isn't a completely reliable fermentation indicator, it's a decent hint, and will definitely keep out the nasties. :rockin:

brewinggunner said:

leave it for another week. I like to primary for at least two weeks and secondary for a week. A steady gravity reading will let you know that its finished fermenting and ready to secondary.

I highly recommend drilling a hole in the lid for an airlock prior to your next batch. While airlock activity isn't a completely reliable fermentation indicator, it's a decent hint, and will definitely keep out the nasties. :rockin:

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+1

So you think I should still transfer to the carboy in a week or just bottle and let sit for secondary?

Leave it for 3 weeks then transfer for the lagering period. Can you lager? What temp are you fermenting at?

Well even though the package said lager, I'm pretty sure it's an ale. It's currently brewing at about 18 degrees. The instructions are bogus I think because they call for less than a week of fermentation before bottling and temperatures of up to 27 degrees. The yeast is ale yeast too.

Cooper's kits ferment out in about 1 week (at recommended temperatures) but if you want a better beer (not really a lager) let it stay in the bucket for 3+ weeks and then bottle. The worst thing you can do is open the lid to check things out. If you keep the lid on semi-tight where CO2 can escape the layer of CO2 formed will protect your beer from oxidation. Keep opening it wil only allow the blanket of CO2 to be wafted out and allow air to get at the beer.

bosco

Ime,Cooper's kits or recipes I use the Cooper's cans in take between 2-3 weeks to finish fermenting & settle out clear. And yes,the Cooper's OS Lager he has is really a light colored pale ale. It def needs flavor hops added to make a bit better,like Czech saaz. 18C (64.4F) is bare minimum fermenting temp for Cooper's ale yeast. So it should come out cleaner tasting,but it'll also take longer to finish fermenting at that low temp.

How would I go about adding the hops and has anyone tried this beer, how is it on its own?

It's not bad on it's own,light & a bit malty. But you can def tell it's lacking flavor hop additions. Cooper's OS (denotes Original Series) cans have bittering only with Pride of Ringwood hops. I think,from talking with them on the Cooper's forums,that they make them that way on purpose to make experimenting the completing factor for those beers. Since you should NEVER boil pre-hopped extracts,I started adding half a 3lb bag of Munton's plain light DME,or plain extra light to the partial boil for flavor hop additions @ 20 & 10 minutes,1oz each. Then stir in the remaining DME & all the Cooper's can quickly at flame out. Cover & steep the still very hot wort for a few minutes. Since it's still 180F+,& pasteurization happens @ 162F,steep covered a few minutes & Bob's your uncle.