Need some advice...

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mattRPCA

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I am pretty much giving up on homebrewing. I've brewed a few batches and they all always end up tasting funny, etc. I've done everything by the book, literally LOL. Granted, I have been using Coopers products as well as the Coopers fermenter (the one without the airlock). I live in Arizona and at times it is harder to ferment at a lower temperature in the summer (unless I invest in small fridge to control the temperature which aren't cheap) so I am at the mercy of my home air conditioning. All my batches so far has been 1-2 degrees outside the "normal" range. I wanted to brew a good batch or two, and then invest in a more deluxe beer equipment kit (primary/secondary fermenter, boil hops, large boiling pot, etc). I'm going to do one more batch (Coopers English bitter, 500g DME, 1kg corn sugar). If this batch doesn't turn out I'm done with homebrewing.

If anyone can give me any hints/advice that would be great because I want to be a good homebrewer someday. I always hear that homebrewed beer is better than store-bought beer but so far I'm not convinced.
 
I'd ditch the Cooper's products entirely (although the fermenter is fine) and try a quality "real" kit from a place like austinhomebrew.com. I made only one Coopers kit which was terrible, but I made excellent beers right away with a quality kit and quality yeast from austinhomebrew.com. A good extract kit comes with fresh grains, great directions, and quality ingredients.

You do need to have controlled temperatures though. Fermentation really needs to be in the 60s to have a drinkable good tasting beer.
 
mattRPCA said:
Granted, I have been using Coopers products as well as the Coopers fermenter (the one without the airlock).
Click to expand...

Well, there's your first problem right there.

Temperature control is the next issue. Even small improvements in temp control can yield large improvements in the final quality.
 
I live in AZ as well and temps can be a problem. however you don't have to invest in fridge/freezer to drop temps. a swamp cooler for your beer does wonders. I've made FANTASTIC beer in the dead of summer with only swamp cooling to cool my house (no A/C)
 
Yeah, listen to Yooper. Look into a swamp cooler to keep your fermentation cool. One thing new brewers don't realize is the suggest temp for fermentation is the temp of the fermenting wort not the ambient temp. A good fermentation can raise the temp of the beer 5-10 degrees above room temp.

The most important part of brewing is fermenting.

Good luck
 
I had issues with some funny tastes in my beers as well, not terrible, just a tad noticeable. That's when I built a ferm chamber...................awesome beer every since along with quality kits from austinhomebrewsupply.com and midwestsupplies.com. I can't tell you how much a difference in the beer there is when you start using crushed grains.
 
Yeah, I would bet an extract kit from any of the online retailers would be good. I made the best beers of my life from MoreBeer.com kits. Even though I do all-grain brewing now, their Janet's Brown Ale and Pliny the Elder extract kits are still the best brews I have ever made.
 
If you don't have a fellow experienced homebrewer to brew with - find one and brew a batch together.

There is a lot to be said for seeing how this process is done successfully and finding out what you may be doing wrong.
 
mattRPCA said:
I am pretty much giving up on homebrewing. I've brewed a few batches and they all always end up tasting funny, etc. I've done everything by the book, literally LOL. Granted, I have been using Coopers products as well as the Coopers fermenter (the one without the airlock). I live in Arizona and at times it is harder to ferment at a lower temperature in the summer (unless I invest in small fridge to control the temperature which aren't cheap) so I am at the mercy of my home air conditioning. All my batches so far has been 1-2 degrees outside the "normal" range. I wanted to brew a good batch or two, and then invest in a more deluxe beer equipment kit (primary/secondary fermenter, boil hops, large boiling pot, etc). I'm going to do one more batch (Coopers English bitter, 500g DME, 1kg corn sugar). If this batch doesn't turn out I'm done with homebrewing.

If anyone can give me any hints/advice that would be great because I want to be a good homebrewer someday. I always hear that homebrewed beer is better than store-bought beer but so far I'm not convinced.
Click to expand...

Well I just joined but I think that you need to explain to everyone what you're doing so we can all get a better feel for what you might be doing wrong.
 
He is using the coopers kits, the directions on them are pretty much, pour 2lts boiling water in fermenter add can of extract and add 1kg of sugar. Mix up well. Fill with cold water to 23lts add yeast seal up and wait.
So it's a pretty basic start. I started with these and found them to be drinkable but not great.
To the OP, what people are suggesting you try is to buy an extract kit from where they are saying.
I've never bought from any of those shops (live in Aus) but I'm assuming it would have an amount of dry or liquid malt extract, hops, yeast and maybe some grain. This is a different method than the coopers cans.
Have a look in the extract section, I'm sure there will be a sticky on how to use the kits people are suggesting.
But yeah, it is a different process than the coopers. Don't get yourself down, the coopers ones don't really get that great of a beer by them selves.
Just give one of those kits a try and see what you think then.

Gab.
 
Thanks for all your responses! One thing I may try is putting the primary fermenter into the bathtub, filling it with water, and putting ice cubes in it (reinforcing it from time to time).

Plus I may just give in and get a deluxe equipment kit.....I watch a lot of Craigtube and he always praises Coopers products/equipment...and he makes it look so easy!
 
brewmasterdave said:
Well I just joined but I think that you need to explain to everyone what you're doing so we can all get a better feel for what you might be doing wrong.
Click to expand...

I sanitize everything really good and then I boil water....then mix it with the sugar/DME really good in the Coopers fermenter....then I add the can of Coopers extract....then mix it really good....I always have hot/cold water on standby to get the temperature in the "recommended" zone while filling up the fermenter to the 21 liter mark (not 23 liter mark because I like a higher ABV)...once the temp is in the zone, I then add the yeast...I then seal up the fermenter for a month, then bottle.....
 

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