Stavrogin78
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- Oct 23, 2016
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Ok, so that first attempt at a Coopers kit didn't go so well. Turns out I didn't really know what I was doing and kind of botched it, though it'll probably be better than what I've been drinking out of the local beer store for a while. But on RM-MN's advice, I've read through most of the relevant sections on howtobrew.com, and I think I've got a plan I want to run by you fine folks.
The first time I did this, I was totally confused on how much DME to add. Ended up using the can contents and 1lb of Briess DME. OG was only around 1.030, and it shows. Put away a few of these tonight and barely felt a thing. Knowing what I now know, it looks like there just wasn't nearly enough stuff in the wort.
So tell me if I'm thinking this through right. The can contents should be around 36 points/lb/gallon, if I'm understanding the book right. I do 23L/6gal batches. The can is 3.75lbs, I think. So that gives me 135 points. The DME is usually around 40, from what I read, so one pound gives me another 40. That's only 175 points on a 6 gallon batch, for a calculated OG of 1.029, which is not far off what I measured (think I got 1.032).
If I'm understanding the book right, I actually want about 240 points for a 6 gallon batch to get me to a nice 1.040. The can is still only going to give me 135, so I need another 105. Using DME and assuming 40pts/lb, I need about 2.5lbs of DME to get me to the gravity I want to end up right around the 5% ABV mark (typical of commercial beers, and what I'm used to).
The LME in the can is already hopped, so it seems to me the kit directions insofar as boiling are concerned are reasonable. Boil the water, add the DME and the can contents, stir it up, but there's no need for a 1hr boil after that. The hops is already in there. This is something I'm unsure on. With a pre-hopped kit, do I need to go through the 1hr boil and hot break business if I'm not adding any additional ingredients? My thinking is to try the kit more or less "as is", see what I get, and adjust the next time around. Not going for finesse here, just a solid "starting point" beer.
Also thinking of going back to my old process (which I used with the Brew House kits) of racking to a carboy after primary fermentation (5-6 days) and giving it a couple of weeks to clear. I'm learning that this step has now become sort of controversial. I'll add here that I don't have a lid for my primary, and have always just used a clean towel over it to keep out contaminants. Plastic cling wrap with a couple of air holes poked in it was suggested and apparently works fine, too. I can't think of a reason I couldn't combine the two for the first week, then rack off to the carboy for conditioning. Does that seem sound?
The kit instructions recommend 1lb of DME and 300g of dextrose, but everything I'm reading (and my instincts) are telling me that dextrose is good for priming, but DME is really the right tool for the job when it comes to fermentation, hence my plan for the can contents and 2.5lbs of DME. Am I on the right track here?
As for priming, kit instructions recommended 8g/L of dextrose, giving 184g of priming sugar for bulk priming, which is what I used. It looked about right. Sound right to you?
Any guidance on this would be appreciated. Thanks, folks!
Stavrogin
P.S. RM-MN, are these some of the right questions?
The first time I did this, I was totally confused on how much DME to add. Ended up using the can contents and 1lb of Briess DME. OG was only around 1.030, and it shows. Put away a few of these tonight and barely felt a thing. Knowing what I now know, it looks like there just wasn't nearly enough stuff in the wort.
So tell me if I'm thinking this through right. The can contents should be around 36 points/lb/gallon, if I'm understanding the book right. I do 23L/6gal batches. The can is 3.75lbs, I think. So that gives me 135 points. The DME is usually around 40, from what I read, so one pound gives me another 40. That's only 175 points on a 6 gallon batch, for a calculated OG of 1.029, which is not far off what I measured (think I got 1.032).
If I'm understanding the book right, I actually want about 240 points for a 6 gallon batch to get me to a nice 1.040. The can is still only going to give me 135, so I need another 105. Using DME and assuming 40pts/lb, I need about 2.5lbs of DME to get me to the gravity I want to end up right around the 5% ABV mark (typical of commercial beers, and what I'm used to).
The LME in the can is already hopped, so it seems to me the kit directions insofar as boiling are concerned are reasonable. Boil the water, add the DME and the can contents, stir it up, but there's no need for a 1hr boil after that. The hops is already in there. This is something I'm unsure on. With a pre-hopped kit, do I need to go through the 1hr boil and hot break business if I'm not adding any additional ingredients? My thinking is to try the kit more or less "as is", see what I get, and adjust the next time around. Not going for finesse here, just a solid "starting point" beer.
Also thinking of going back to my old process (which I used with the Brew House kits) of racking to a carboy after primary fermentation (5-6 days) and giving it a couple of weeks to clear. I'm learning that this step has now become sort of controversial. I'll add here that I don't have a lid for my primary, and have always just used a clean towel over it to keep out contaminants. Plastic cling wrap with a couple of air holes poked in it was suggested and apparently works fine, too. I can't think of a reason I couldn't combine the two for the first week, then rack off to the carboy for conditioning. Does that seem sound?
The kit instructions recommend 1lb of DME and 300g of dextrose, but everything I'm reading (and my instincts) are telling me that dextrose is good for priming, but DME is really the right tool for the job when it comes to fermentation, hence my plan for the can contents and 2.5lbs of DME. Am I on the right track here?
As for priming, kit instructions recommended 8g/L of dextrose, giving 184g of priming sugar for bulk priming, which is what I used. It looked about right. Sound right to you?
Any guidance on this would be appreciated. Thanks, folks!
Stavrogin
P.S. RM-MN, are these some of the right questions?