Coopers, English Bitter

[ukphiltr7]

I brought this kit the weekend as bitter and cider are the two main drinks that I wanted to make when I thought about starting homebrew. So after making the beers that came with the two starter kits that I had, I decided it was time to make the bitter. I personally like Banks's Bitter (more recently Amber) and John Smith's, so a British style bitter was the way to go.

I went to the local homebrew store and with the help of the guy there I brought the following:

Coopers British Bitter
Light Unhopped Malt Extract
Safale s-40 Yeast
Mangrove Jack's Golding Finishing Hop Pellets​

I need t get some more bottles for the brew and as soon as I get them I will be doing it. Or I may just kick it off as it will be in the FV for 10 days plus.

Out of all the drinks that I have done, I am hoping that this will be the one that I look back on with fondness.

 

[terrym]

Banks Bitter is alleged to be somewhere around 3.8% ABV. If you punch in your Coopers kit LME at 1.7kg and the weight of your other ME into the Brewers Friend calculator http://www.brewersfriend.com/homebrew/recipe/calculator/
using 'Extract' you should be able to calculate the volume you need to match your ingredients and the ABV.
And leave your brew in the FV for 10 days, then dry hop for 6 days with the last two in a cold place. This will mean clear or nearly clear beer going forward to your bottles but with enough yeast still in there to carb up.

 

[Oneflewover]

Sounds good. What's the plan with subbing out the yeast? People say that the Coopers yeast is generally pretty good. ....

 

[terrym]

Coopers kits are supplied with yeast from a range, it's not just one generic yeast, see here.
https://club.coopers.com.au/static/media/attachments/1490244512_3_110.pdf
Personally I think most of their yeasts are fine and I would not bother swapping them out unless I was brewing a really strong beer, or I had another reason for changing.
In the case of @ukphiltr7 I suggest that the LHBS has found a way to sell some yeast that's not really needed. From comments I read on here from time to time, I often wonder whether people who run and serve in LHBSs actually brew beer with the stuff they sell.

 

[ukphiltr7]

Sounds good with the 10 days and then 6 days dry hopping. I was going to wet hop it to start with and then go for 10 days in the FV. However, like your idea more.

The good thing with the yeast was that it was thrown in free after recommending it. So I took it lol.

 

[terrym]

Sounds good with the 10 days and then 6 days dry hopping. I was going to wet hop it to start with and then go for 10 days in the FV. However, like your idea more.

The good thing with the yeast was that it was thrown in free after recommending it. So I took it lol.

That's good if the yeast came for free. :thumb:
So now you have a choice. Decide which yeast to use and then keep the other one in the fridge for when you have a Munton's kit that sticks. :unsure:

 

[druid]

I made the Bitter recently and used a can of Dark Ale and some brown sugar to bring the kit to 5.5 %. It was really good. Im enjoying playing with the recipes as per the Coopers site....soooooo many choices....

 

[Slid]

I made the Bitter recently and used a can of Dark Ale and some brown sugar to bring the kit to 5.5 %. It was really good. Im enjoying playing with the recipes as per the Coopers site....soooooo many choices....

The Coopers site has a lot of great ideas for kit beers. I liked the Blonde Ale with Berries - Blushing Blonde, it goes as. Blackberries from the Autumn harvest worked really well, although they are a long time away.

 

[ukphiltr7]

That's good if the yeast came for free. :thumb:
So now you have a choice. Decide which yeast to use and then keep the other one in the fridge for when you have a Munton's kit that sticks. :unsure:

That is what I thought about the yeast. Lol the wife has already used the Coopers yeast to make some bread yesterday that went with the meal from the slow cooker.

 

[ukphiltr7]

The Coopers site has a lot of great ideas for kit beers. I liked the Blonde Ale with Berries - Blushing Blonde, it goes as. Blackberries from the Autumn harvest worked really well, although they are a long time away.

This is something that I want to do when I have mastered the bitter and cider. I want to try playing around with the recipes to make great drinks. Cider with winter berries and then the Mr Beer (Coopers) craft chilli beer range. Really need some more bottles as I am fast running out lol.

 

[Slid]

This is something that I want to do when I have mastered the bitter and cider. I want to try playing around with the recipes to make great drinks. Cider with winter berries and then the Mr Beer (Coopers) craft chilli beer range. Really need some more bottles as I am fast running out lol.

You can use any PET bottles for your beer, as long as they held carbonated drink, they are bomb proof for beer.

 

[terrym]

This is something that I want to do when I have mastered the bitter and cider. I want to try playing around with the recipes to make great drinks. .

Try this
https://www.thehomebrewforum.co.uk/threads/simple-kit-plus-mini-mash-method-to-improve-a-kit.52938/
But the easiest way to improve a one can kit in my view is to use a hop tea or a dry hop.
There's plenty of hops to choose from to suit any style of beer.
And CML give good service and prices
https://www.crossmyloofbrew.co.uk/hop-guide

 

[ukphiltr7]

You can use any PET bottles for your beer, as long as they held carbonated drink, they are bomb proof for beer.

That is good to know as I was getting a bottle of larger to put in the fridge and one seemed to jump of the shelf that was head hight. I watched it bounce from the kitchen into the front room in slow motion, quite expecting it to burst. However, it did not thankfully as all that beer being lost would be painful. I am sure that the wife would have worried about the mess in her front room though.

@terrym thanks for the libs I will look at them.and see what I can do.

 

[Pirate_Pete]

https://store.coopers.com.au/recipes/index/view/id/37/

Hop Gobbler is a nice drop. I bottled one about a month ago.
Tried one at the weekend and it's very nice.
Would brew again.

 

[sdt7618]

You can use any PET bottles for your beer, as long as they held carbonated drink, they are bomb proof for beer.

The wife drinks a lot of soda and lime, the 1l supermarket soda bottles are first class for bottling, and being 1l cuts down on bottling time. just have to have a few as after the first pour you have to pop back in the fridge to let it settle. just mean you might have a couple on the go at once

 

[Slid]

The wife drinks a lot of soda and lime, the 1l supermarket soda bottles are first class for bottling, and being 1l cuts down on bottling time. just have to have a few as after the first pour you have to pop back in the fridge to let it settle. just mean you might have a couple on the go at once

Or, you could buy a "2L" plastic jug from Wilko for £2 at full price or £1 in a sale. These are very useful for brewing as well as drinking. Between a pint glass and the 2L jug, you can usually pour 2L quite easily

 

[terrym]

I use 1 litre glass serving jug from Wilko. It will accommodate 1 litre of beer plus some froth and is ideal when I pour from either 1 litre bottles, or 2 litre bottles which I also use and which can then be resealed for re-use within a day or two.

 

[Slid]

I use 1 litre glass serving jug from Wilko. It will accommodate 1 litre of beer plus some froth and is ideal when I pour from either 1 litre bottles, or 2 litre bottles which I also use and which can then be resealed for re-use within a day or two.

OK, Terry, so you clearly have more class than I do. Kudos, mate!