Coopers Irish Stout

[Tomos Richards]

NEED HELP

First of all I am new to Home Brewing
I added my yeast to my Coopers Irish stout 19-2-20 but forgot to take a reading. I have froth on the top of my 25ltr barrel when I opened it but I don’t have to bubbles in my airlock. I think it’s sealed well enough.
I’ve got my self a hydrometer today and the reading was 52. / 1020 .
Can anyone tell me if the brew is ok by the reading or any advice on what to do or not to do???
Best Regards

 

[Chippy_Tea]

This comes up fairly regularly and the reason is usually that the FV lid isnt sealing, next time you use it put some sanitised cling film round the top and then put the lid on.

 

[blackBeer66]

Hi Tomos,

Coopers do great kits. I have done their Irish Stout a couple of times.

I used to do gravity reading when I first started but then found it too stressful and was worried about contamination so now days I don't any more but use brewing calculators to roughly know my gravity and final AVB.

I normally add 1kg of dried malt extract or a Coopers Can of liquid malt extract to a kit. Irish Stout I always add a can of medium malt.

What I am trying to say is don't worry too much about gravity readings if you're doing extract or beer kits.

Regards buddy

 

[thesteve]

Hi Tomos,

Coopers do great kits. I have done their Irish Stout a couple of times.

I used to do gravity reading when I first started but then found it too stressful and was worried about contamination so now days I don't any more but use brewing calculators to roughly know my gravity and final AVB.

I normally add 1kg of dried malt extract or a Coopers Can of liquid malt extract to a kit. Irish Stout I always add a can of medium malt.

What I am trying to say is don't worry too much about gravity readings if you're doing extract or beer kits.

Regards buddy

Blackbeer, what is the trick to getting a decent head on this beer. I made it once and used the Coopers beer enhancer. The beer tasted good but the head disappeared a couple of minutes after pouring a bottle and I found myself with 40 bottles that looked more like Cola than Guinness.

 

[terrym]

Blackbeer, what is the trick to getting a decent head on this beer. I made it once and used the Coopers beer enhancer. The beer tasted good but the head disappeared a couple of minutes after pouring a bottle and I found myself with 40 bottles that looked more like Cola than Guinness.

There is a recent similar thread discussing this very subject and beer here. Probably all you need to know within
https://www.thehomebrewforum.co.uk/threads/need-some-help-pls.85490/

What I am trying to say is don't worry too much about gravity readings if you're doing extract or beer kits.

Until you are an experienced brewer and know how fermentations work, it is good practice to use your hydrometer to confirm that the primary fermentation has finished i.e the SG has finished where expected so that you can proceed to package your beer in the safe knowledge that there is no danger of the primary continuing in bottle or keg. Measuring the OG is optional if you don't like using a hydrometer although tbh it is a skill that shouldn't take too long to master.

 

[ryderkellan]

And if you take a sample in a sample jar minimal worry about contamination

 

[blackBeer66]

Blackbeer, what is the trick to getting a decent head on this beer. I made it once and used the Coopers beer enhancer. The beer tasted good but the head disappeared a couple of minutes after pouring a bottle and I found myself with 40 bottles that looked more like Cola than Guinness.

Hi thesteve,

I always make my kits with just malt extract and only add other fermentables if I want to add specific taste, such as honey or dark sugar.

Pure malt extract should help the body and with the head. Saying that I have had headless beers when I over carbonated...

Both my Coopers Stout and Irish stout were really great made with Coopers Amber Malt extract.

Regards

 

[blackBeer66]

There is a recent similar thread discussing this very subject and beer here. Probably all you need to know within
https://www.thehomebrewforum.co.uk/threads/need-some-help-pls.85490/


Until you are an experienced brewer and know how fermentations work, it is good practice to use your hydrometer to confirm that the primary fermentation has finished i.e the SG has finished where expected so that you can proceed to package your beer in the safe knowledge that there is no danger of the primary continuing in bottle or keg. Measuring the OG is optional if you don't like using a hydrometer although tbh it is a skill that shouldn't take too long to master.

I agree totally.