Coopers Extracts?

[WortHog1242]

I have two cans of Coopers extract. One Lager and a Canadian Blond. The kit included 1 kg of brewing sugar and 1kg of brew enhancer. Anyone know how and when to add these. It says to add sugar to wort mixture, but nothing about enhancer? Plus it only included one bag of each, yet two cans extract. Any ideas?
Thanks.

 

[mattd2]

From what I know the brew enhancer is a direct replacement for the brewing sugar, so for 1 can of extract use 1kg of either brewing sugar (just dextrose IIRC) OR brew enhancer (dextrose + DME + maltodextrin IIRC)

 

[IBleedCrimson]

i started off on coopers over a year ago. they actually make decent beer compared to bmc. you can do a couple of things with what you have

1. brew two batches, one lager and one blond, using the kg of sugar for one, and the brew enhancer for the other.

2. if u can get your hands on it, get 3 lbs pale malt extract (dry) for each can. on brew day combine 1/2 kg of brew sugar and 3 lbs extract with one can. this will make a far better tasting beer than option 1

3. combine the two cans together and only make one batch. also a better option than #1

have fun. i have brewed coopers with all 3 of those options, #2 made the best tasting beer.

 

[Bacchus]

With the Coopers, I boiled two gallons of water....dumped it into the fermenter ON TOP of the sugar/brew enhancer.....stirred.....then poured in the malt syrup......stirred.....then filled with cold water to the 23 liter mark.

Now whenever I use Coopers I boil the entire six gallons for ten or fifteen minutes.....remove from flame....dump in the sugar/brew enhancer.....stir.....dump in malt syrup....stir.....then give the pot a cool soak in my bathtub for a half hour or so and then pitch the yeast.

Hope that helps.

 

[Bacchus]

And BTW....the Brew Enhancer is probably for the Canadian Blonde (damned good kit!) and the brewing sugar is probably for the Lager (not quite as good as the CB). IMHO...that Canadian Blonde kit is Coopers best! I still make that one from time to time.

 

[kwaidonjin]

I had good results with the coopers lager, but would like to try it with the DME instead of their brewing sugar.

 

[jturie]

My first couple of brews were Coopers kits (I bought the microbrewery setup) and I followed the directions to the letter. Good beer, no problems. Third time (stout) I replaced the sugar with 3 lb of Munton and Fison light DME. WOW--tremendous beer!! The sugar won't kill you, but you can do better by replacing it with DME.

 

[kwaidonjin]

I am currently doing a muntons canadian style. And I used 2 lbs light malt extract and half pound of corn sugar... I may get away from corn sugar completely... I would rather pay 7$ more and get better beer... I was thinking about trying light corn syrup(karo brand or generic) I wonder if it has the same downsides as regular corn sugar. It is cheap at Wal-mart $1.25 for a 16 oz. bottle.... May be worth a try. Anybody ever use the stuff?

 

[skywatcher]

With all of that being said, can brew enhancer be used to make other extract-based beers in the same ratio as DME? I'm having a hard time getting the brew shop by me to keep much DME in stock, but they always have plenty of enhancer because they mostly sell Cooper's cans. Heck, I may just give an IPA a try with the stuff and let you know how it works out!

Dave

 

[McGarnigle]

Kwaid: the issue with corn syrup is it often has vanilla or other stuff in it that you might not want.

sky: do you mean to add the same amount of enhancer as DME? I'm guessing they might be of equal gravity so could be swapped 1:1 more or less, but you want to keep the enhancer to a minimum. You don't want a beer that's 50% enhancer.

 

[kwaidonjin]

Kwaid: the issue with corn syrup is it often has vanilla or other stuff in it that you might not want.

sky: do you mean to add the same amount of enhancer as DME? I'm guessing they might be of equal gravity so could be swapped 1:1 more or less, but you want to keep the enhancer to a minimum. You don't want a beer that's 50% enhancer.

would the corn syrup give you the cidery taste that corn sugar seems to?

 

[McGarnigle]

would the corn syrup give you the cidery taste that corn sugar seems to?

I don't know. A lot of people claim the corn sugar --> cider connection is nonsense, as so many great Belgian beers use sugar. You just don't want to use too much of it.

I've never used corn syrup, but I think the main caution against it is that supermarket stuff often contains vanilla.

 

[Bacchus]

I don't know. A lot of people claim the corn sugar --> cider connection is nonsense, as so many great Belgian beers use sugar. You just don't want to use too much of it.

You are correct. The whole "cidery taste" thing is an old wives (brewers) tale. I've used cane sugar in moderate amounts in many brews and they all turned out great. If you use too much of ANY sugar you're going to get a light-bodied, high alcohol beer.

It's been my experience that a couple of cups of cane sugar added to my recipes adds a crispness to the beer that I really enjoy.

 

[kwaidonjin]

You are correct. The whole "cidery taste" thing is an old wives (brewers) tale. I've used cane sugar in moderate amounts in many brews and they all turned out great. If you use too much of ANY sugar you're going to get a light-bodied, high alcohol beer.

It's been my experience that a couple of cups of cane sugar added to my recipes adds a crispness to the beer that I really enjoy.

so how much corn sugar is to much? I use the coopers extract and muntons, with pretty good results. I have been using dry malt extract for fermentables, but this gets expensive.. I use 3 lbs dry malt in my 6 gallon recipes. would I use 3 lbs corn sugar instead.

 

[Bacchus]

so how much corn sugar is to much? I use the coopers extract and muntons, with pretty good results. I have been using dry malt extract for fermentables, but this gets expensive.. I use 3 lbs dry malt in my 6 gallon recipes. would I use 3 lbs corn sugar instead.

That depends on how much body you like in your beers. Three lbs. of sugar instead of DME will really lighten the body of your beer. You'll have to do the trial and error method. Personally, with six lbs. of malt extract I'd try one lb. of DME and two lbs. of corn or cane sugar as a starting point and then adjust from there. Maybe even six lbs. of extract and only two lbs. sugar. Experimentation is half the fun.

 

[kwaidonjin]

6 lbs seems like a lot

 

[Bacchus]

6 lbs seems like a lot

I'm an extract brewer. When I say six lbs. of malt extract, I'm referring to the syrup.