Second Batch question

Hello all,
I am getting ready to start my second batch. I made a Coopers Real Ale for a first batch and it came out great. The only thing that caught me was the color. The picture on the can had me thinking it would be a lighter golden brown. It came out real dark brown. My local store has me use the coopers can plus a 3lb bag of malt extract which is dark brown. When I hold my first brew near the extract bag the color is a match. How can I get the brew to look and taste like the pic and what Coopers intended it to? The local store puts their directions on the Coopers can possibly covering directions from Mr Cooper.

You will not get as light of a beer using Liquid Malt Extract (LME).

Yea what he said. LME is naturally darker than DME or all grain brewing. One way to make it a little lighter is to do a late LME addition. That's where you add about a cup of LME to the beginning of the boil, then 15 minutes before the boil is done, add the rest, and mix the hell out of it.

And for your extracts, buy the "extra light dry malt extract" and if you're using liquid, buy only the pale extract and use steeping grains for color. Adding the bulk of the extract later in the boil, and using light colored extracts will help. The beer will still be a bit darker than desired, probably- but the flavor will be the same!