Recommendation for next Coopers kit

[fardy]

I'm about to brew my third Pre-Hopped Coopers kit.

I'm still trying to get the best out of it but there's so many different ways I'm considering after reading other posts on the forum.

The first one I brewed was the Coopers Australian Lager. I followed the instructions that came with the kit and add a full 1 Kg pack of Dextrose. Unfortunately I now have something that tastes like an fizzy apple juice.

I read that this must be caused by too much dextrose so I used a mix of DME (500g) and Dextrose (500g) on my second one (Coopers Irish Stout). It's currently conditioning in the bottles but the sample tasted way much better.

For my third one, I'm mixed between these ideas:

- 2 Coopers pre-hopped cans with no addition
- Around 2 or 3 lbs or DME only without Dextrose
- A mix or DME and Dextrose as I did on my last batch


What's your opinions on this ?

Thanks !

 

[arrowgin]

I have used a few Coopers kits, including the modified Wheat i have fermenting right now (added Coriander and Orange peel)

My advice. 1 Can of Coopers + 2lbs of DME (Wheat, Light, Extra Light depending on beer style) and your on your way.

Dont mess with corn sugar until bottling, and even then DME will work to carbonate. That will alleviate your "fizzy apple juice" problem

 

[fardy]

I have used a few Coopers kits, including the modified Wheat i have fermenting right now (added Coriander and Orange peel)

My advice. 1 Can of Coopers + 2lbs of DME (Wheat, Light, Extra Light depending on beer style) and your on your way.

Dont mess with corn sugar until bottling, and even then DME will work to carbonate. That will alleviate your "fizzy apple juice" problem

I've read some people saying that if I add only DME that my beer will be too "malty" and that I'll need to add some flavoring hops to balance the taste. Is it true ?

 

[tkerugger]

I just finished the last of the Cooper's Irish Stout a few days ago that I brewed on February 2nd. It was the last Cooper's kit I made before switching to extract kits from Midwest.

After 8 months...it was absolutely great! Smooth, mellow, and none of the "thin" feeling that I noted (yeah, I take notes) when I first tried it March 17th (hey, St. Patricks Day...I must have planned that).

That said, I have brewed a bunch of kits from Midwest and Northern Brewer since then. Not much more work, but a lot better tasting beer...maybe its time to upgrade?

-neil

 

[fardy]

I just finished the last of the Cooper's Irish Stout a few days ago that I brewed on February 2nd. It was the last Cooper's kit I made before switching to extract kits from Midwest.

After 8 months...it was absolutely great! Smooth, mellow, and none of the "thin" feeling that I noted (yeah, I take notes) when I first tried it March 17th (hey, St. Patricks Day...I must have planned that).

That said, I have brewed a bunch of kits from Midwest and Northern Brewer since then. Not much more work, but a lot better tasting beer...maybe its time to upgrade?

-neil

I would like to, believe me but I live in Canada and the shipping rates are aweful. I was able to find a couple of HBS near me but none are selling Extract Kits except for pre-hopped like Coopers....

 

[BeerFun]

What's your opinions on this ?

Thanks !

Hi! Im brewing Coopers India Pale Ale now. Got pretty good reviews.

http://www.hbkitreviews.com/view-id-237-Coopers-India-Pale-Ale-%28IPA%29.html

 

[ckyboy]

I would like to, believe me but I live in Canada and the shipping rates are aweful. I was able to find a couple of HBS near me but none are selling Extract Kits except for pre-hopped like Coopers....

I know that feeling my friend

 

[seanybubbles]

Fardy, I live in MTL as well. You should pick up a good book with lots of reciepes and try one which uses extract and grains. It requires very little extra time and the beer is really quite good. I get my shop to crush the grains for me and each batch runs me less than 30$. so far I've made stouts, apa's , ipa's and a nut brown ale. All were pretty good.

 

[fardy]

Hi! Im brewing Coopers India Pale Ale now. Got pretty good reviews.

http://www.hbkitreviews.com/view-id-237-Coopers-India-Pale-Ale-%28IPA%29.html

Have you followed the instructions that came with the kit (500g DME + 500g Dextrose) ?

 

[BeerFun]

Have you followed the instructions that came with the kit (500g DME + 500g Dextrose) ?

No, I added 3.3 pounds (1.5kg) DME dark, and WYeast British Ale II - XL 1335.

 

[ibbones]

I did a Coopers Pilsner two days ago. I added about 5 cups of light DME and a "healthy" squeeze of honey and then brought it all to a boil for about 10 minutes. Poured it into my bucket and topped off with cold water. I also added an extra packet of yeast since this kit I had was expired by a few months. I had an OG of 1.032. It bubbled hard yesterday and slowing down now but still churning. I'll let it set for a couple weeks and then either secondary or just bottle.

 

[BeerFun]

I did a Coopers Pilsner two days ago. I added about 5 cups of light DME and a "healthy" squeeze of honey and then brought it all to a boil for about 10 minutes. Poured it into my bucket and topped off with cold water. I also added an extra packet of yeast since this kit I had was expired by a few months. I had an OG of 1.032. It bubbled hard yesterday and slowing down now but still churning. I'll let it set for a couple weeks and then either secondary or just bottle.

Thanks for the tip. Been thinking about it but haven't tried it yet. When I add the can of Coopers, and then pour the DME over it and then add boiling water I get balls of malt that are hardened. I have to stir for ages to make them dissolve.

 

[redketchup]

I would like to, believe me but I live in Canada and the shipping rates are aweful. I was able to find a couple of HBS near me but none are selling Extract Kits except for pre-hopped like Coopers....

Go to "La Chope À Barrock", http://www.choppeabarrock.com/. It's on St-Dominique (10 minutes walking from Mont-Royal subway station). Stéphane will give you intermediate recipes, a mix with Coopers can and some speciality grains, hop and LME or DME. He will give you all instructions you need (boil time, speeping grains...) I just made my fist batch of "half-extract" and now the second is fermenting. Trust me, the apple-cider ugly taste you have with dextrose will be history. Now I can make great beer and I can age it for 1 month. With Coopers can and dextrose, I used to wait at least 3 month before it's drinkable. With time, you and I will make a "real" extract beer, without hopped can.

 

[fardy]

Go to "La Chope À Barrock", http://www.choppeabarrock.com/. It's on St-Dominique (10 minutes walking from Mont-Royal subway station). Stéphane will give you intermediate recipes, a mix with Coopers can and some speciality grains, hop and LME or DME. He will give you all instructions you need (boil time, speeping grains...) I just made my fist batch of "half-extract" and now the second is fermenting. Trust me, the apple-cider ugly taste you have with dextrose will be history. Now I can make great beer and I can age it for 1 month. With Coopers can and dextrose, I used to wait at least 3 month before it's drinkable. With time, you and I will make a "real" extract beer, without hopped can.

Thanks a lot for the tip ! I'll pay Stephane a visit when I'll get a chance !

 

[SFBEER]

The best Cooper's kit I have used is the stout, folllowed by the ale. I have been using 1.5L of LME (which ever is appropriate for the beer style) and then maybe 250g of Dextrose just to get the ABV up a bit depending on the style.

If you are in Canada you may be able to get some kits from Brew Canada. They are made in Ontario and I made a really nice Red Ale from their kit with amber LME and dry hopping with some Hallerteau.

 

[Mutilated1]

I've read some people saying that if I add only DME that my beer will be too "malty" and that I'll need to add some flavoring hops to balance the taste. Is it true ?

it depends what you like to drink really

I make Cooper's Lager or Cooper's Draught quite a bit and what tastes best to me is a pound and a half of the lightest DME I can find, and 10oz of dextrose or priming sugar.

That works out great because I usually do two batches at a time and the homebrew store where I buy my ingredients gives me 2 5oz packs of priming sugar for botting and since I keg not bottle I just use that with the Cooper's kit, then 2 #s of light DME use about 1/2 a pound to make starters and a pound and 1/2 of light DME with my leftover dextrose priming sugar.

Try Cooper's brew enhancer 1 or 2 sometimes, its just about the same thing - a mixture of DME and dextrose.