Coopers Lauger Kit : take 2

[Dondlelinger]

Hey everyone so my first coopers lauger beer kit was good.. I only had a few problems with it.
1) flavor seemed a bit watered down
2) Alcohol was to low (4%)
3) No carb barely at all aftre 3 weeks.

I originally used this kit
1 kg brew sugar (800g dextrose, 200g maltdextrine)
1 can coopers lauger
I added like 100g of honey for kicks.
coopers yeast
23 liters of water

Fermented 14 days used carb drops and aged for 2-3weeks. I had almost no carb


So this is what i did this time
500g DME (gold dry light)
2 cups of dextrose
1 can coopers lauger
coopers yeast
only 20L of water

With this recipe my OG is nice and high sitting at 1.048and I'm hoping for roughly 5%

I reduced the amount of water so I'm hoping that will bring less of the watered down flavour... DME should be a bonus, flavor from what i read..

I think bottling possibly a bit sooner might help the carbonation? I let it ferment right out and sit there for days before I bottled the first time. If I bottle as soon as fermntation is done should I? or what do you guys think, how can i fix carbonation..without waiting 5 weeks..

 

[PT Ray]

Sounds like a plan. Try to keep the temps under 70F (18C). Leave it in the fermenter for about 3 weeks, it should drop pretty clear and then you should be ready to bottle. I've had no problems using 1 drop per 12 oz bottle. Carbonation comes out just fine.

Did you use the Coopers PET bottles? I believe they recommend 2 drops. Either way, don't get in a hurry and bottle too soon.

 

[Dondlelinger]

Sounds like a plan. Try to keep the temps under 70F (18C). Leave it in the fermenter for about 3 weeks, it should drop pretty clear and then you should be ready to bottle. I've had no problems using 1 drop per 12 oz bottle. Carbonation comes just fine

.

Right, but how long until you have carbonation doing it your method? Mine was 3 weeks and I had very light not long lasting carbonation. Was painful ...was just like opening a flat pop...there was bubbles for the first like 2 minutes.

Also I do keep it between 20 -22c which is 68F- 72F and my first batch tasted great..just the water down flavor, was bad.

Did you use the Coopers PET bottles? I believe they recommend 2 drops. Either way, don't get in a hurry and bottle too soon.

Yes and I did use 2 per bottle.(740ml) Problem is they never seemed to carbonate up.

 

[PT Ray]

Mine was 3 weeks and I had very light not long lasting carbonation.

No, that's not the norm. If this was during the winter, the cooler temps will have an effect. It seems like it takes for ever. During the summer with the house at 72F, it doesn't take me but week.

 

[Dondlelinger]

No, that's not the norm. If this was during the winter, the cooler temps will have an effect. It seems like it takes for ever. During the summer with the house at 72F, it doesn't take me but week.

Thats why I'm thinking maybe I need to bottle sooner because maybe my yeast dropped right out of the brew last time. It was 14days in primary and the beer came out crystal clear. I loved the flavor but (as I said it was watered down a bit) and the carbonation just sucked. I figured I might have let it sit too long dropping the yeast to the bottom and it never ended up in the bottles because of this.(or not much of it) Thats why I figured maybe I should bottle a few days after fermentation (maybe day 9-10) instead of waiting 2 weeks in primary...

Either way im not sure, thats just a guess... Now my only concern is the carbonation

 

[jaycount]

No you can let it sit for many weeks and it should still carb up just fine, don't get in a hurry and bottle.

What was the mfg date on the yeast? Older yeast could cause problems...

Also as it's been said before, 3 weeks @ 70f in the bottles is a minimum. I have a honey brown ale that's going on 4-5 weeks now that isn't carbed up yet, and it isn't exactly anything special. Sometimes it just takes longer than others. Not to sound tacky but the most important ingredient in beer brewing is PATIENCE.

 

[Dondlelinger]

What was the mfg date on the yeast? Older yeast could cause problems...

Also as it's been said before, 3 weeks @ 70f in the bottles is a minimum. I have a honey brown ale that's going on 4-5 weeks now that isn't carbed up yet, and it isn't exactly anything special. Sometimes it just takes longer than others. Not to sound tacky but the most important ingredient in beer brewing is PATIENCE.

Yeast was good I forgot the date but it was good is all i know.

Hehe yah unfortunately I don't have patience . I only can have 2 brews going at once because of limitations (amount of bottles) so I kinda always want 1 brew ready to drink while another is fermenting/aging.. I might have to get more bottles .. To have 1 fermenting/ 1 aging and 1 ready.