Coopers Wheat Beer Kit OG?

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.

BrewProject

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jul 15, 2006
Messages
602
Reaction score
10
Location
Texas
I just started boiling my second batch of beer.

This time I went for the Coopers Wheat Beer Brewmaster Selection and Muntons Plain Wheat DME...

But, I broke my hydrometer while sanitizing...

Does anyone know the approximate OG of this kit?

Thanks
 
btw, just had my first BOIL OVER... Now I have to clean the stove top. :(

is this a cause of the wheat beer or the DME?

so far, the second batch has had a couple more problems than my first. :drunk:
 
BrewProject said:
btw, just had my first BOIL OVER... Now I have to clean the stove top. :(

is this a cause of the wheat beer or the DME?

Neither. It is the cause of a brewer not watching the brewpot :) A watched pot never boils over :)
 
Beer Snob said:
Neither. It is the cause of a brewer not watching the brewpot :) A watched pot never boils over :)

The first batch I brewed (John Bull American Beer with corn sugar) did not come close to a boil over.

This batch boiled over in the time it took me to write this original post. It went from NO BOIL to over the top in less than 3 mins... I watch my boil closely, give or take 2 or 3 mins. DAMN, guess I have to stay right on top of it...
 
Yeah but that also means to brew outside... brewing outside SUCKS :D Heat, cold, rain, neighbors, possibly the smell of cow sh*t if your living in the right area.... Oh well... enough of my ranting :D
 
Beer Snob said:
Yeah but that also means to brew outside... brewing outside SUCKS :D Heat, cold, rain, neighbors, possibly the smell of cow sh*t if your living in the right area.... Oh well... enough of my ranting :D

Brewing outside would suck, especially during summer here in Texas...

I should have only boiled with 1.5 gallons of water, instead of 2. That would have saved me.

So aren't some beers more prone to boil overs?

btw, do you guys think the OG for this beer should have been about 1.040-1.045?

thanks again
 
BrewProject said:
The first batch I brewed (John Bull American Beer with corn sugar) did not come close to a boil over.

This batch boiled over in the time it took me to write this original post. It went from NO BOIL to over the top in less than 3 mins... I watch my boil closely, give or take 2 or 3 mins. DAMN, guess I have to stay right on top of it...

Kinda reminds me of mine:) It was just too funny. I was standing right there! I mean I was over the stove and all... right there. Took my eyes off it for seconds... just to read the damm recipe you know... just a few seconds was all it took. Had a boil over. I was LMAO! I mean to walk away and go on the net to look at porn for 20 minutes is one thing. Standing over the pot and talking your eyes off it for seconds is completely different you know....

A watched pot never boils over.... all I can say....
 
well i had to turn the heat off for about 30 seconds. then back on full, but never walked away after that. i turned the heat off once more for about 20 seconds to stop another boil over.

i then learned that a gentle blowing on the foam made it subside, so I finished up the boil with full heat.

it's in the primary now, yeast pitched.

next friday or saturday night will be my first bottling experience. The John Bull American will be ready then... :ban:
 
Another thing that they say works is a spray of water. I usually just take the pot off the stove for a moment.

I do not know of one type that is more prone to boil overs then another. I think they all are prone.
 
Beer Snob said:
Another thing that they say works is a spray of water. I usually just take the pot off the stove for a moment.

I do not know of one type that is more prone to boil overs then another. I think they all are prone.

ok, cool thanks for the info...

think i have decided to make this a Cherry Wheat beer by adding some extract to the secondary...
 
BrewProject said:
ok, cool thanks for the info...

think i have decided to make this a Cherry Wheat beer by adding some extract to the secondary...

That was my first "getting back into brewing" beer. Real easy. Get cherry puree from the wine making section. When you get to putting the beer in the secondary you need to rack it to a larger then 5 gallon carboy. Its going to go through a second fermentation. I did not know this and racked it to a 5 gallon. Had a big mess the next day. Just dump the whole can it... its already sterile. The first Cherry Wheat I tried a long time ago, I used that small extract bottle... did not like it... kinda tasted like cherry caugh syrup.
 
Beer Snob said:
That was my first "getting back into brewing" beer. Real easy. Get cherry puree from the wine making section. When you get to putting the beer in the secondary you need to rack it to a larger then 5 gallon carboy. Its going to go through a second fermentation. I did not know this and racked it to a 5 gallon. Had a big mess the next day. Just dump the whole can it... its already sterile. The first Cherry Wheat I tried a long time ago, I used that small extract bottle... did not like it... kinda tasted like cherry caugh syrup.

hey thanks for that information. I will check into that cherry puree...

my secondary is 6.5 gallons, so I should be okay. :mug:

BTW, i just hung up some clothes in the closet and the the Wheat beer is fermenting already. About 1 bubble a minute. :ban:

Had no idea fermentation could start that quickly. one hour after pitching the yeast :rockin:

btw, beersnob, i guess you didnt take an OG rating on this beer did ya?
 
Yup. Records say I started with 1.045. Problem is when you add the puree this will change as you are adding more fermentables.
 
Beer Snob said:
Yup. Records say I started with 1.045. Problem is when you add the puree this will change as you are adding more fermentables.

cool, that was what i was looking for...

so without the puree, this beer was intended to be about 4 - 4.5% ABV ?

a couple more questions if you don't mind...

what do your records say about your FG?

is there anyway to compensate for the added puree? in otherwords what extra percentage of alcohol do you think it adds?
 
BrewProject said:
This batch boiled over in the time it took me to write this original post. It went from NO BOIL to over the top in less than 3 mins... I watch my boil closely, give or take 2 or 3 mins. DAMN, guess I have to stay right on top of it...

If you're boiling in a small pot, you have to watch it continuously at least until the hot break subsides. I did my first batch in a small pot and had a boilover. I went out to walmart before doing my second batch yesterday, and bought a 22 qt stainless stockpot. I did a 3 gallon boil, and never came anywhere near a boilover. Also, I've learned that 3 gallons is probably the most I can boil on my kitchen stove.
 
jar said:
If you're boiling in a small pot, you have to watch it continuously at least until the hot break subsides. I did my first batch in a small pot and had a boilover. I went out to walmart before doing my second batch yesterday, and bought a 22 qt stainless stockpot. I did a 3 gallon boil, and never came anywhere near a boilover. Also, I've learned that 3 gallons is probably the most I can boil on my kitchen stove.

my pot is at least a 4 gallon pot. bought it a few years ago never realizing it would become my brew pot :mug:

btw, i just checked and my airlock is bubbling like crazy. like i said it started bubbling 1 hour after pitching my yeast and now it is steadily bubbling every 1/2 a second... :rockin:
 
the best way i've been able to avoid boil overs is to add my malts off the heat, then add a package of hops as soon as i am done stirring in the malt. once you put it back on the heat, the oils in the hops break the surface tension of the bubbles really quickly.

or you can use nose grease! just rub your finger on your nose where it meets your cheek, then stir that into the pot. not sure if it is sanitary, but it will help break up the bubbles. (i am just kidding about this)
 
tockeyhockey said:
the best way i've been able to avoid boil overs is to add my malts off the heat, then add a package of hops as soon as i am done stirring in the malt. once you put it back on the heat, the oils in the hops break the surface tension of the bubbles really quickly.

or you can use nose grease! just rub your finger on your nose where it meets your cheek, then stir that into the pot. not sure if it is sanitary, but it will help break up the bubbles. (i am just kidding about this)

well this is an all-in-one kit, but I will remember that for the future when I start a more advanced type of brewing...
 
here's a few pics from my 2nd brew...


dcam1657au5.jpg

dcam1660ho9.jpg

dcam1662oy1.jpg

dcam1672gt8.jpg
 
Beer Snob said:
That was my first "getting back into brewing" beer. Real easy. Get cherry puree from the wine making section. When you get to putting the beer in the secondary you need to rack it to a larger then 5 gallon carboy. Its going to go through a second fermentation. I did not know this and racked it to a 5 gallon. Had a big mess the next day. Just dump the whole can it... its already sterile. The first Cherry Wheat I tried a long time ago, I used that small extract bottle... did not like it... kinda tasted like cherry caugh syrup.

i have searched for the Cherry Puree and even my LHBS is out... :mad:

i don't have time to order it online now :mad:

i might have to go with Apricot or Peach that my LHBS does have in stock, or go with the Cherry Extract.

the dude at my LHBS told me 1 3lb can per gallon and i am pretty sure he is wrong. online it says 1 3lb can for 5 gallons.
 
BrewProject said:
the dude at my LHBS told me 1 3lb can per gallon and i am pretty sure he is wrong. online it says 1 3lb can for 5 gallons.

Wow..... Well... I used one can for the 5 gallons. Not sure how one can per gallon would taste, but I'm with you as to not thinking its right. I mean your not making cherry wine here :)
 
Beer Snob said:
Wow..... Well... I used one can for the 5 gallons. Not sure how one can per gallon would taste, but I'm with you as to not thinking its right. I mean your not making cherry wine here :)

i agree, @ $12-$15 a can, that would be $60-$75 just for the cherry flavoring. he has to be wrong.

i am wondering if i should just do an Apricot Wheat or Peach Wheat now, so that I can use the puree. It's either one of those two or a couple of TBSP of the McCormick Cherry Extract. :confused:

I have had one Apricot Wheat before (Pyramid brand). It was okay, but not the best.

Anyone have any comments on an Apricot or Peach Wheat beer?
 
one more bump before racking off my wheat beer to the secondary this weekend.

anyone have any comments on using peach or apricot puree in a wheat beer?

otherwise, i am gonna try the 2 TBSP's of McCormicks Cherry Extract...

My LHBS said they will not have the cherry puree back in stock until September (harvest time).
 
I dunno about the rest of the world, but cherry harvest season here in Wisconsin is now. Things are prime in Door County. Maybe Sept. is when it hits the shelves.

I think you could find some puree somewhere on the net.

To me, cherries are definitely a bit sour...so maybe a little lactose is in order for the bottling bucket as well?
 
Exo said:
I dunno about the rest of the world, but cherry harvest season here in Wisconsin is now. Things are prime in Door County. Maybe Sept. is when it hits the shelves.

I think you could find some puree somewhere on the net.

To me, cherries are definitely a bit sour...so maybe a little lactose is in order for the bottling bucket as well?

the cherry puree is available on the net, but i am racking to the secondary this sunday.

waited too long to order online, thought my LHBS would have some.

anyway, i am heading to my LHBS this after lunch for another hydrometer. i broke mine :mad: so i will check out their peach or apricot puree's and decide then. if i decide not to get one of those, i will use the mccormick extract or nothing at all...
 
I think you could just pour it in when you got it? Do you have to add it during the rack?
 
Exo said:
I think you could just pour it in when you got it? Do you have to add it during the rack?

hmm, maybe you are right... would up to a week after racking be ok? so only i week in the secondary?
 
Hey, I'm just a noob! But you could even delay racking to secondary until your puree arrives. I wouldn't sweat it either way, but if it was me I'd wait till you got your puree then rack to secondary. Why? My line of thinking is that racking rouses some of the yeast that has flocculated and re-suspends it...and if you re-suspend it while your cherry puree is in there...the fermentation would be better/more complete...

I think once you pitch the puree you will get some fermentation going on for a while...you may even want to keep it in secondary a bit longer so you know it's done fermenting?
 
Exo said:
Hey, I'm just a noob! But you could even delay racking to secondary until your puree arrives. I wouldn't sweat it either way, but if it was me I'd wait till you got your puree then rack to secondary. Why? My line of thinking is that racking rouses some of the yeast that has flocculated and re-suspends it...and if you re-suspend it while your cherry puree is in there...the fermentation would be better/more complete...

I think once you pitch the puree you will get some fermentation going on for a while...you may even want to keep it in secondary a bit longer so you know it's done fermenting?

well i had to go to a Maryland Brew store for it, but I have some on the way. Supposed to get it next Tuesday, so I will only be delaying the racking by 2 days. :mug:
 
Hmm, I was just going to use apricot flavoring in my hefe...but now I'm going to order some puree and use that instead!!
:tank:
 
Exo said:
Hmm, I was just going to use apricot flavoring in my hefe...but now I'm going to order some puree and use that instead!!
:tank:

i've bee told the puree is a much better flavoring to use...
 
BrewProject said:
i've bee told the puree is a much better flavoring to use...

When I first brewed I used the extract and it kinda tated like cough syrup. So I guess that's why I used the puree when I brewed the latest Cherry Wheat. This was some time ago and I am guessing that this extract has changed a little in 15 or so years. Can anyone commend on if the stuff changed?
 
I did this Coopers Wheat and added the cherry flavoring before bottling. Unfortunately I didnt add the extra couple pounds of DME and the beer came out very thin and cough syrup like. My abv on this one ended up around 2.3%! Never forget the DME with these kits. Just started the Coopers Mexican Cervesa =)
 
Hi guys,

I started the Coopers Wheat recently as my second brew. My first was the coopers lager, but after all the 3 weeks still tastes a little green (apple after taste). I'm hoping it will fix it self. Overall I'm never using coopers yeast again.

For my wheat I used wyeast 3944 (Super fresh like less than a week old, smacked the day before and left at room temp), Coopers wheat extract, 6 gallon, full pouch of LDME, and 6 cups(ish) of dextrose. The a boil of 4 pieces of brewers Curaco orange, IIRC half or full tea spoon of crushed brewers corriander and a 1/4 tsp of yeast starter.

I got it to 1.043-44. It started bubbling less than 30 min from pitching. Beer explosion out of the air lock in less than 24 hours. Switched to a bottle/tube airlock.Frementing at 22 degrees C for 12 days now and still bubbling less than 10 seconds apart. I have given it a shake twice, which rekindled fermentaion both times to fast bubbling. Now Im just going to leave it till it runs its course, I'm hoping it reaches 1.010 FG roughly.
 
Well after 12 days I'm at 1.018 (tasted pretty good!), OG was 1.043. I gave it a swirl figure let it sit for another week. Im hoping to get to 1.011-12, is that going to be possible?
 
Hmmm not sure. I usually brew about 15 cooper kits a year but I always use the yeast that comes under the cover. Depends on what i add to the kits I usually end up about 1010 ballpark but it usually only takes 3-4 days to ferment.

BTW as a side note these kits should never be boiled - it kills the hopping. Open the can and dump er right in the fermenter.

Cheers
 
Hmmm not sure. I usually brew about 15 cooper kits a year but I always use the yeast that comes under the cover. Depends on what i add to the kits I usually end up about 1010 ballpark but it usually only takes 3-4 days to ferment.

BTW as a side note these kits should never be boiled - it kills the hopping. Open the can and dump er right in the fermenter.

Cheers

Oh, I never boiled the kit, just the orange, coriander and yeast starter. But I also did add more sugar than the directions as I wanted a higher SG.
 
Back
Top