Big Brew Day

[Fazzer]

Big day for me, I'm doing 2 brews.
Coopers European lager and cwtch red ale.
So I'm going to do the cwtch to the instructions apart from adding a cold crash.

Now the lager - well I'm not too sure so here goes.
1.Pitch 14 deg
2.Ferment 14/21 days, can only brew weekends.
3. D-rest 2 days at 18 deg.
4. Bottle.
5. Lager for 12 weeks at 2 degrees.
Should I add a cold crash in the lager as well?
At what step?
How does that schedule look?

 

[Clint]

What do the instructions say?

 

[Fazzer]

Instructions for the coopers lager say
ferment at 13-15 for 10 days.
Check gravity until fermentaion stabalised.
Bottle and carb for 2 weeks at 18. (part of step 4 in my post).
Chill and enjoy.

But i have seen these instructions elsewhere, saying it needs 12 weeks lagering.
So i don't really trust the cans instructions TBH.

I have the temp control facilities and loads of info from this forum and think i can get a really good finish by doing a little bit more work.

It seems these instructions are designed so Coopers can say it's nice and simple and ready in just a few weeks.

 

[-Bezza-]

I would assume 21 days fermentation. If after 14 you've hit the right FG, I'd leave another couple of days and then cold crash for 4 or 5.

Have a think about giving it a bit of a dry hop too, just to put your own little spin on it.

 

[Fazzer]

What about diacytl rest? Would you do that as well?
As far as dry hopping, I'm not sure what I like lol, so wouldn't know where to start!

 

[Fazzer]

So the Cwtch turned out very well, apart from the over carbonating! I used 2 coopers carb drops per 750ml bottle and it turned out like lucozade. It burnt my tongue lol.
I have the kit again and going to batch prime now, I've been finding i get better results than with drops.
So what level of carbonation should I be aiming for in volumes? It's a Red Ale if anyone does not know.
Instructions say 1 teaspoon per pint, but I reckon that's a stupid instruction, I don't brew in pints and my bottles aren't pints.

 

[Clint]

Use the C02 volume calculator on the forum and batch prime it.

 

[Fazzer]

Does it come under british style ales?