Brew Number 2 - Cooper's Sparkling Ale

[ceejam]

Well, after the success ( I hope) of my first brew a couple of weeks ago, today I popped into my local HBS (Edina Homebrew, www.brewstore.co.uk) and picked up a Cooper's Sparkling Ale kit, Munton's beer enhancer, Sodastream bottle & adaptor for my keg plus a few wee bits to make syphoning easier.

Davie's a good guy, was in the shop for over half an hour chatting away and getting advice.

So tonight I sterilised my fermenter etc, as the last time, got the water on and brewed up 40 pints of Sprkling Ale - didn't take any pictures as I forgot until I was halfway through.

I was more careful to get it really well mixed and aerated this time, to give the yeasties the best chance, had over an inch of foam on the top of the wort @ a carefully controlled 22 degrees this time before pitching, and mixing in well.

When I was sterilising I noticed a wee crack in my fermenting bucker right beside the handle at the very top, seem to close up with the lid on, but would explain why I didn't get lots of bubbles through the airlock, probably leaking through the crack!

So, I now have 40 (-1 and a bit) pints of English bitter in the keg, and 40 pints of Sparkling Ale in the fermenter.


One tip I got today was to tip the sterilising solution from the fermenter into the keg / bottle I would be using, and leave it sitting for the week or whatever - I have 4 5L Mini kegs which I plan to use, so filled them up and also partially filled a couple of Plastic Robinsons squash bottles.

I must pop into my local pub amd ask them to keep the Bulmer's / Magner's Pint Cider bottle aside for me!

 

[Good Ed]

Good stuff Jamie, you seem well organised :thumb: what's the Stewart Brewing's Hollyrood like ?

 

[Dunfie]

Good effort Jamie. If you take care of the beer then the beer will look after you.

Davie is a good guy and will keep you right. He wil be suggesting that you use different yeast and doing some dry hopping next - go with it as the beer will be a lot tastier.

Also, did he mention the local brewing club? If you join the SCB you will not only get access to a network of experience brewers but also get 10% off at Edina and Brewstore (apologies for the shameles plug ).

what's the Stewart Brewing's Hollyrood like ?

Its a pale ale hopped with chinook - its lovely. :thumb:

 

[ceejam]

Good effort Jamie. If you take care of the beer then the beer will look after you.

Davie is a good guy and will keep you right. He wil be suggesting that you use different yeast and doing some dry hopping next - go with it as the beer will be a lot tastier.

Also, did he mention the local brewing club? If you join the SCB you will not only get access to a network of experience brewers but also get 10% off at Edina and Brewstore (apologies for the shameles plug ).

what's the Stewart Brewing's Hollyrood like ?

Its a pale ale hopped with chinook - its lovely. :thumb:

Yes, forgot to ask about getting some extra, or different yeast, and finished off my cleaner/steriliser last night, so will be popping back in before long. I already have too many interests and hobbies, so although I would love to join SCB and get more involved in my new hobby, the real driver is making good beer cheaper than buying it (That's how I've justified it to my wife )

Hollyrood is very, very nice (World's best pale ale at the WBA 2010), quite hoppy, but not in a "flowery" way.

 

[Grumpy Jack]

Coopers Sparkling Ale is an absolutely excellent brew, I've done it 4 times now and every single one's been good - it's the beer that even non ale drinking mates have said "I'd buy that if it were on tap in a pub"... Good choice! : :thumb:

 

[Dunfie]

so will be popping back in before long. I already have too many interests and hobbies, so although I would love to join SCB and get more involved in my new hobby, the real driver is making good beer cheaper than buying it (That's how I've justified it to my wife )

No worries Jamie. I woudn't be doing my job if I didn't try. :grin: :

 

[ceejam]

Well, after a false start the other week (put it out into the garage after 3 days in the kitchen) and then bringing it back in for a week.

I have had it back in the garage for a couple of days and enjoyed a few pints out of the Mini kegs tonight.

Still clearing a bit, but tastes luverly, getting better with every pint :

I am a bit impatient, but I now have a stock of bottles to keep some of each brew back!

 

[Yorkslad]

I too use coopers kits and every one of my 4 brews iv done have been successful, and taste spot on. I will try the sparkling ale next as iv already done the real ale and dark ale.
A friend of mine came over a couple of weeks back and brought his own lagers he bought from the off licence. When it was time to open our first beer i asked him to try a bottle of my coopers real ale first..... to say he isn't an ale drinker he didn't touch his cans as he preferred my home brew to his lager!