Coopers Lager extract - Colour Change

[wedged]

Good Day everyone. Looking for some help brewing my first 23L extract kit. I am wondering when the lager will change from a caramel colour to the golden blonde colour?

I am using a Coppers Lager can with 500g dextrose and 500g of light malt extract. I have used the yeast provided with the tin and pitching temp was 23'C.

It has been in the primary for 10 days then racked into a glass carboy for another 10 at this point. It is clearing nicely or so I think. My temps are lower than I would like. I am at 16'C to 18'C. Primary fermentation looked rather vigorous, I just waited from the foam to subside before racking.

The lager is in the carboy.

 

[Kevin79]

Good Day everyone. Looking for some help brewing my first 23L extract kit. I am wondering when the lager will change from a caramel colour to the golden blonde colour?



I am using a Coppers Lager can with 500g dextrose and 500g of light malt extract. I have used the yeast provided with the tin and pitching temp was 23'C.



It has been in the primary for 10 days then racked into a glass carboy for another 10 at this point. It is clearing nicely or so I think. My temps are lower than I would like. I am at 16'C to 18'C. Primary fermentation looked rather vigorous, I just waited from the foam to subside before racking.



The lager is in the carboy.

Keep in mind that wort appears darker inside a carboy or bucket simply because there is more wort for the light to penetrate through. Taking a sample will give you the actual color.

That said, when adding the extract, did you add the entire amount prior to the boil? It is a common instruction for kits to give, but it is better to only add a portion of the extract at the beginning of the boil (less than 1/3rd) and the. Add the rest in the last 10 minutes of the boil or at flameout. The reason being that extract can scorch and Caramelize during the boil causing a darkening of color.

 

[wedged]

Using the kit I simply added the sugars to boiled water and the can contents. Then added room temp distilled water which provided a pitching temp of 23'C. These were the instructions provided with the can.

 

[Wldthang87]

I have the same issue.... I used med dme, and granulated sugar. The problem is I think the dme contributes too much colour. It tastes fine, but the recipe calls for 1kg of white sugar or dextrose I believe, making it light as in the picture on the lme can.

I guess you'll have to drink this one really fast and start from stractch. I chopped it up to a learning experience for me.

Edit: yours is a lighter colour then mine

 

[unionrdr]

The light extract will give it an amber-orange color in the glass, like an IPA. The Cooper's Brew Enhancer 2 will give the golden color in the glass. At least, it did with my first batch, the Cooper OS (Original Series) Lager that came with my Micro Brew kit. Here's a pic of it from some 4+ years ago;

 

[chickypad]

Like Kevin said, wait until you get it in the glass to decide on the color. Your beer looks pretty much like the one from this thread.