Coopers Kit and DME

[Brian_GFH]

I purchased 3lbs (1.36kg) of Pilsen light Dried Malt Extract, and I plan on using it instead of the brewers sugar the Coopers kit comes with. Should I just use the entire bag? And do I add it at once or slowly as I add the water?

 

[Pappers_]

I don't know about the Cooper's kit, so can't give you advice on how much of the extract to use. But, I can tell you that in adding the extract, you should heat the water (hot but it doesn't have to be boiling), take it off the heat source, carefully add the extract while whisking it vigorously, then return to heat and bring to a boil.

 

[C-Rider]

You can do the math, I copied this from someone's post

1 lb grain = .7 lbs LME = .6 lbs DME

 

[shawnbou]

You probably don't want to use the entire bag of DME. The brewing sugar package Coopers recommends is 1kg and ferments out pretty much completely. Using 1.36kg of DME is going to give you a much maltier beer, but it might be too sweet.

I'd probably replace 1-to-1 (i.e., use 1kg of the DME) to keep it simple. Maybe even a tiny bit less, like 900g, unless you have some additional hops to add to balance the extra sweetness.

 

[BaldManBrew]

My brother likes the taste he gets with using Coopers malt extract, so he uses the can, and then adds 3 lbs of DME.

 

[unionrdr]

I used the cooper's OS lager can with 3lbs of Munton's plain extra light DME. I 1st made a "hop tea" out of 1 1/4G of simmering water & 1 oz of Kent Golding pellets for 15 mins. Then,took it off the heat to 1st mix in the DME,Then the cooper's lager can. Stirring very thoroughly to mix them completely. I then put a lid on it to steep for 15 mins or so till I got the other stuff sanitized & ready to go. I made a 1 1/2C starter for the old cooper's yeast with 1/4C of the DME till I finished everything else. After taking 3 weeks to reach a stable FG & clean up,I dry hopped with 1oz of Willamette pellets in a hop sock for the 4th week.
It came out an amber color with plenty of head after conditioning for 3 weeks in the bottle,2 days in the fridge. Needed more fridge time,at least. Maybe more conditioning time,as carbonation was more like an English ale. Even though head was good. But the balance between malts & hops is pretty good. Def better than the OS lager kit by itself With brewing sugar I got with the 1st one.

 

[Phalex]

My brother likes the taste he gets with using Coopers malt extract, so he uses the can, and then adds 3 lbs of DME.

My super secret weapon as well. I like to add an OZ of liberty hops about 5 minutes before flame out as well.

 

[Brian_GFH]

I don't know about the Cooper's kit, so can't give you advice on how much of the extract to use. But, I can tell you that in adding the extract, you should heat the water (hot but it doesn't have to be boiling), take it off the heat source, carefully add the extract while whisking it vigorously, then return to heat and bring to a boil.

So I really don't need to "cook" the DME, just add it with hot water to my fermenter after I add the Coopers can?

 

[BaldManBrew]

I think he meant you don't need to wait for the temp to get up to boil when you add your DME, you can do so before full boil. You want to boil for 60 min.

You can also research late extract addition if you are looking to lighten the color a bit, but even with this process you are doing a 60 min boil.

As mentioned earlier my brother uses coopers but he also steels crystal malt cara pills prior to boil and then throughout boil adds hops at 60 20 and 10 min

 

[BaldManBrew]

Steeps not steels darn auto correct

 

[Brian_GFH]

I'm still a little confused here, from the directions in the Coopers kit, I just need to heat up the coopers can, add it to the fermenter with boiled water, and add the DME instead of the sugar pack?

 

[rod734]

You dont need to boil your DME for 60 min. unless your adding more bittering hops. I just boil mine about ten min. and take it off the heat and add my Coopers hopped canned malt and mix it up real good and top off with cold water(or hot) to reach my pitch temp. You shouldn't boil the hopped malt.

 

[jollytim]

The extract in the can and the DME have already been boiled the extract making process and really only need to be pasteurized (held at or above 140 for about 10 minutes), they do not need to be boiled. And in the case of the Coopers kit, are not designed to be boiled as that would change the hop profile of the hopped extract.

You will be perfectly fine following the instructions on the can about adding them to boiled water, unless you are adding steeping grains or extra hops. I wouldn't follow the instructions on fermenting and carbonation times, give them an extra week or so.

-EDIT

rod734 beat me to it.