Improving store bought canned kits?

[Derap]

TLDR:
Brewed canned kits from store, all tasted the same and slightly sour.. any tips?


Not sure what you call them but those kits you buy from the grocery store (coopers for instance).

Are there any suggestions to coming up with a better tasting beer with these kits?

Ive tried an ale, lager, pilsner and a few others all tasting approx the same, they also all had a slightly sour after taste to them.

Any suggestions to brewing a smoother, more refreshing beer using these malt kits?

 

[FloppyKnockers]

Obsessive cleanliness and proper temperatures are the major differences between good beer and not so good beer.

 

[NothingRhymesWithCurtiss]

As I see it, you have a couple options:

Add some steeping grains to improve the flavor/mouthfeel.

Do a partial mash and add the canned kit. This will ultimately increase the volume of your beer, but more beer = good.

Keep in mind that some of the canned kits are pre-hopped, so you'll need to consider this before adding additional hops, as well as boiling the liquid in the canned kits.

 

[Derap]

I have the cleanliness down pat, but the temperature could use some work..
Is 75°F ok?

If I added specialty grains to the kit would I still brew the same 5 Gallon volume?

Will swapping out the yeast for something else make a significant difference?

 

[pdog44450]

I have the cleanliness down pat, but the temperature could use some work..
Is 75°F ok?

If I added specialty grains to the kit would I still brew the same 5 Gallon volume?

Will swapping out the yeast for something else make a significant difference?

Yeast does make a huge difference. The yeast that comes with kits are generally not good. I would go with Safale US-05 since it is a very versitile ale yeast that works great with most American style beers. Try to keep the ambient temp in the mid 60's, try your basement or a dark closet. If this is unachievable try doing a swamp cooler (look it up) which helps keep the temp down a lot. As a general rule of thumb, fermenting too high will cause flavors you don't want.

You would brew the same volume when doing a partial mash but you will get a fresher tasting brew from adding fresh grains and hops.

 

[FloppyKnockers]

Bringing down the temp would be a great improvement. I don't have a ferm chamber. I'm a slave to what the A/C can do (74° - 77°). I use US-05 during the summer which is a lot more forgiving than other yeasts that I've used (cheaper too). That has led to a bit of an improvement, but still noticeable between winter and summer brews.

 

[unionrdr]

Definitely keep the ferment temps in the mid to high 60's, depending on the yeast. I always rehydrate dry yeast to get the maximum number of healthy cells. Cuts lag time if pitched within 10 degrees of wort temp.
As to improving kits, like Cooper's cans, take a look at my recipes under my avatar for some ideas. I've done several styles with Cooper's cans, different malts & hops.

 

[JonM]

Ditch the canned Cooper's kits and get a quality kit from someplace like Northern Brewer, Austin Homebrew Supply, etc. with quality yeast.

Look up late addition extract, too. Basically it's reserving most of the extract to almost the end of the boil, which can reduce some of the "boiled extract" flavor.

And exercise good sanitation and temperature control.

 

[unionrdr]

Well, as for myself, I use/used the Cooper's cans, but not the kits. I've even used Cooper's cans at flame out in pm ales. It depends on how you use'em, but doing your own bittering & flavor composition does indeed have it's merits. The op might not be ready for such a leap of faith yet with grains & all?...

 

[JonM]

I think if you can make a Cooper's kit, you can make an extract kit, with or without steeping grains.

Those cans have taken a boat ride from what? Australia? Then who knows how long they sit on a grocery store shelf?

A good homebrew shop is sure to have quality, fresh extract.

 

[unionrdr]

I have indeed noticed that it depends on where you buy them & when. Their N American distributor is about the freshest. I've made them many different ways. I finally got the Cooper's English bitter the way I want it with the last batch, a pipeline filler.
This versions sub'd 3lbs Munton's plain extra light DME for the light, with two ounces of EKG for flavor. The extra light malt let's more of the Cooper's bittering to shine through. Not to be argumentative or anything, just sayin'...it's as much process as ingredients with extracts in my experiences. Besides where to get them at their freshest.

 

[Hanglow]

They can be good, but yeah freshness is a problem. Also what are you adding for extra fermentables? I seem to remember coopers suggesting adding a fair amount of sugar, instead just get another can of unhopped LME and use that, plus a bit of sugar depending on what you want. The coopers yeast packets I tried were all fine, apart from the wheat one which was poor. They are ale, lager and a mixed one iirc depending on the kit.


Muntons are coming out with more kits too and you can make some perfectly fine beers with prehopped, just add water two can kits

 

[unionrdr]

It's a really simple pipeline filler. 1 can Cooper's English Bitter- international series, 3lbs Munton's plain extra light DME, & 2 ounces East Kent Golding hops. I still do partial boils on the stove. But we have a new induction smooth top with convecting oven @ 3,600W. I boil 3-3.5 gallons spring water in my 5G kettle, then add the 3lbs DME. 1oz EKG @ 15 minutes, the second ounce @ 10 minutes. The whole boil is only 20 minutes, since the Cooper's can added @ flame out is pre-hopped. Stir well to fully mix the LME, cover, & let stand while I get the ice bath ready to pasteurize. The sugar dries it out a bit, & seems to make a lighter flavor to me. This also turns the ordinary bitter into an extra special bitter, I've been told, is a lot like Fuller's. Top off to 23L, or 6.072 USG.

 

[Derap]

Very interesting, I would simply give the partial mash kits a try but they arent available in my area.

The Brew House style box kits are though, can you make some quality brews with those?

Unionrdr do you have a recipe for a wheat ale using the cans?

 

[JonM]

You can order any kind of kit you want online - all extract, extract with steeping grains, partial mash, or all grain.

And those brew house kits are like $50. That's more than you'd pay for a quality, fresh kit from Northen Brewer or Austin Homebrew.

 

[ncbrewer]

There are some blended extracts available that already have any necessary specialty grains built in for various styles of beer - I use some from Williams Brewing. With these, you buy your own hops and yeast, but the specialty grain steeping step is eliminated. Since a back problem forced me to shorten my brew day, I've used these a lot, and I like the results. I also agree with JonM about late extract addition.

 

[unionrdr]

Very interesting, I would simply give the partial mash kits a try but they arent available in my area.

The Brew House style box kits are though, can you make some quality brews with those?

Unionrdr do you have a recipe for a wheat ale using the cans?

I've never made a wheat ale from the cans. I did make a quicky DME Bavarian wheat with sugar baby watermelon juice once. It was ok, but I'm going to work up a hefeweisen recipe at some point here..

 

[GHBWNY]

TLDR:
Brewed canned kits from store, all tasted the same and slightly sour.. any tips?Ive tried an ale, lager, pilsner and a few others all tasting approx the same, they also all had a slightly sour after taste to them.

Any suggestions to brewing a smoother, more refreshing beer using these malt kits?

Other than not using them to brew a smoother, more refreshing beer? No.