coopers lager

im on day 5 of fermenting my coopers lager malt extract i have used brewing sugar and the yeast that was provided but added around a tea spoon of nutriants the day after nutriants where added there was alot of fermentation taking place the starting gravity was 1.040 and day 3 i took a hydrometer test and it was 1.030 day 4 which was last night i took another which was 1.010 i also tryed it last night and it taste like a watered down flat beer. i am new to homebrewing but i feel even with the nutriants that this has fermented to fast if any of you have any info that may help me please reply? also if any has on tips on next few step to carbonate please let me know? thank you in advance......

im on day 5 of fermenting my coopers lager malt extract i have used brewing sugar and the yeast that was provided but added around a tea spoon of nutriants the day after nutriants where added there was alot of fermentation taking place the starting gravity was 1.040 and day 3 i took a hydrometer test and it was 1.030 day 4 which was last night i took another which was 1.010 i also tryed it last night and it taste like a watered down flat beer. i am new to homebrewing but i feel even with the nutriants that this has fermented to fast if any of you have any info that may help me please reply? also if any has on tips on next few step to carbonate please let me know? thank you in advance......

It can't really ferment too fast, as I've had some beers ferment out overnight! As long as the temperature is relatively cool, then don't worry about the length of fermentation. Try to keep it under 70 degrees, and the beer will taste better.

In about 5 days, bottle the beer. I normally use 1 ounce of priming sugar per gallon (by weight) to prime the beer in a bottling bucket before using a bottling wand to bottle the beer. Of course, that depends on the equipment you have. What do you have for bottling gear?

right now i only have the farmenting bucket its in but it has spriget with tap and a bottling wand should i by a pressure keg for priming it after fermentation is complete and do you think the final gravity reading will be below 1.000 and if so is this bad?

I don't think your fermentation will go much lower. You will get that watered down taste in extract brews where you add sugar. It's tough to brew a good tasting beer if it's just extract and sugar. Rather than add sugar, you can cut down on the amount of water you use. You'll make less, but it will taste better.

thank you tek i was thinking about adding less water i will try that next batch which will be coopers amber malt i have just about stopped getting bubbles from this one now should i just leave it to sit then bottle it on friday is there something i have to do to kill the yeast off because i dont have campden but if i leave it will yeast die off or is there something other than that i could do ?

If you are bottling it you DO NOT want to kill off the yeast...

It is needed to carbonate your beer. You have to put a certain amount of sugar in the beer then cap the bottles and let it re-ferment, which carbonates the beer.

The kit came with a hydrometer. Are the readings stable for a few days?
Has the beer cleared up in the fermenter?
Is the krausen at the bottom and is there a nice tight layer of sediment (trub) on the bottom?

Do you have the instructions?

bosco

hi bosco thank you for reply

i will continue to take readings over next few days right now i am still noting a bubble from lock every 2mins so i dont want to open for atleast a couple of days to see what looks like but there is noticeable krausen at bottom with i can bearly see through the container i think when its done i will bottle a few leave to carbonate then just drink a few with the yeast still alive this wont do any harm will it ? and also im going to fill some 2 ltr soda bottles to about 1/6th corbonate then risk freezing it unless someone has another solution.. i did have instructions but as i was very drink when i started the brew i spilled wart on them then through them away.. note to self be more sobber when starting a batch lol

Your beer needs living yeast in order to carbonate.. The yeast will remain alive in the bottle after it has carbonated. It will settle to the bottom of the bottle and when ypou open a bottle you pour off the beer, leaving the little bit of residue stuck to the bottom of the bottle..

YOU MUST add sugar to get carbonation.... This sugar is added and the beer is capped and allowed to ferment..

TOO much sugar and the bottles may explode..... TOO little and the beer will be flat.

Watch this video or do a searchg for Cooper's directions.



bosco

Coopers kits generally include one kg (3.3lb) liquid malt extract and a bucket of sugar. If you are unhappy with the result, see if you can get your hands on a Brewers best kit. They usually contain two kg (6.6lb) liquid malt extract and no sugar. The sugar is there to boost the OG to increase alcohol. Unfortunately the sugar ferments out completely, which means it contributes little to no flavor, hence the thin taste profile. If you only have Coopers avaliable, try omitting the sugar and substituting more LME or DME. You will end up with the same alcohol content ( approximately) with a more malty flavor.

MrJones,

Before you start bottling your beer please watch this video. It shows how to add the sugar (provided you have Cooper's sugar tablets) and how to bottle your beer. This video shows bottling with Cooper's plastic bottles but bottling with glass is the same except instesad of screwing the cap on you use a regular crown cap and bottle capper.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=7-RuqiZdpuI

bosco

lol bosco i think that 1st video is the way the instructions told me to do it i got flash back of when i started the brew and think thats actualy why i binned the instructions i boiled my my wart added dextrose then added it to fermenting bucket as to me this seemed a safer option also it says you dont have to sterilize 1st time using equipment but thought it best to make sure everything will go ok but great video i dont have carbonating drops i was hoping normal sugar would do but i have heard using golden syrup or honey adds a better head to beers and lagers...