Coopers apa first ever brew!

[AlliDelta]

I am new to the forum and home brewing, as mentioned in the topic I have just recently bottled my first batch. I got a coopers starter kit with the fv and all the bottles. A really nice kit only issue I had was that the tap on the fv leaked. Got in touch with coopers and they have shipped me a new tap. Also it's a better type of tap so all is good.
Started off my brew at 26 degrees with an og of 1040 after 7 days temp was 22 degrees and reading was 1011 it was the same the following day so sterilized the bottles and got it bottled and primed.
I used the drops that came with the kit. I'm gonna fridge a bottle tomorrow as its been a couple of weeks. Am I better moving the bottles to a cooler place if they have carbonated ok?

Anyhow will post up my findings!

 

[pittsy]

hi , well done on your first brew , 26c is too hot but it may still be ok ish , try to keep it around 20c next if poss . If your bottles have been in warmth for 2 weeks then they should be ready to cool.

 

[NickW]

hi , well done on your first brew , 26c is too hot but it may still be ok ish , try to keep it around 20c next if poss . If your bottles have been in warmth for 2 weeks then they should be ready to cool.

+1.

26C is too hot. I've no idea why Cooper's instructions recommend a temperature up to 27c

 

[AlliDelta]

The temp dropped to 24 on day 2 the 22 on day 3. Weather was baking which was the main problem

Will move my bottles into the outhouse if fizzed up ok.

Thinking of doing the coopers green label lager next :-)

 

[Drunken Horse]

hi , well done on your first brew , 26c is too hot but it may still be ok ish , try to keep it around 20c next if poss . If your bottles have been in warmth for 2 weeks then they should be ready to cool.

+1.

26C is too hot. I've no idea why Cooper's instructions recommend a temperature up to 27c

Probably because they are Australian and wouldnt shift to many starter kits if they said "Will need a brew fridge"

 

[Drunken Horse]

The temp dropped to 24 on day 2 the 22 on day 3. Weather was baking which was the main problem

Will move my bottles into the outhouse if fizzed up ok.

Thinking of doing the coopers green label lager next :-)

I've got one of them in my stock butvthe reviews on here make the mexican cerveza sound nicer so got one of them ready to go to. I recpmmend reading the kit review section on here. While its all a matter of personal preference you can get a feel for what to expect and how to improve the kit (not at all hard to do). I've learned a lot very quickly from this site.

 

[AlliDelta]

Have got myself a green label lager kit. I used the coopers brew enhancer 1. This time I got my wort temp to 22 degrees so should get a better result.

Still haven't tasted my APA as it is still chilling in the fridge. Off round to a mates house with a couple of bottles for a second opinion :

I'm hoping I haven't murdered it!

 

[AlliDelta]

Well I am impressed! Having uncapped a chilled bottle and poured, Job is a good one :thumb:

I'll admit it's not crystal clear yet but it's almost there. As for taste, I have had a worse pint! It had a head and the carbonation was good enough, another couple of weeks and I reckon it will be spot on :party:

I have started my next batch already! Gone for a coopers lager. The one with the green label, already has a lovely frothy head on so fermenting nicely

 

[Awfers]

Welcome new brewer!

20° fermentation temperature for a lager is a shortcut to starting it off, but ideal lager fermentation temp hovers somewhere between 9°C and 11°C. Granted, who knows what dry yeast Coopers threw in with the LME :)

If it was lager yeast, your beer may exhibit some strange or off style flavours/odours generated by the yeast at the high fermentation temp, but don't let that put you off!

If you have been bitten by the brewing bug, I can highly recommend spending a lot of time on this site.. But also reading http://howtobrew.com/intro.html

Cheers!
Awfers

 

[maevans]

Welcome new brewer!

20° fermentation temperature for a lager is a shortcut to starting it off, but ideal lager fermentation temp hovers somewhere between 9°C and 11°C. Granted, who knows what dry yeast Coopers threw in with the LME :)

If it was lager yeast, your beer may exhibit some strange or off style flavours/odours generated by the yeast at the high fermentation temp, but don't let that put you off!

If you have been bitten by the brewing bug, I can highly recommend spending a lot of time on this site.. But also reading http://howtobrew.com/intro.html

Cheers!
Awfers

Pretty sure the Coopers Lager with the Green Label is the "Aussie Lager", in which case it's got ale yeast in, so 20c is fine for the fermentation.

They do other kits which do have true lager yeast in and need to be done colder as you suggested but think this one should be ok. :drink:

 

[AlliDelta]

Yeah have read elsewhere that the coopers lager does have an ale yeast in it. But to be honest I think the APA kit has a very lager like taste to it. Took a couple of bottles over to a friends house and he was mightily impressed!