Coopers Real Ale

[Slid]

I made this up with 500g DME and 700g sugar to 22 litres on 4th December and managed to leave it until mid January. It is a really clear, crisp tasting beer with no odd twangs - possibly the weather was kind in early December so a steady temperature was easier.

Not many bottles left now and I would definitely do it again and recommend other kit brewers to try it. It's a bit darker than the Lager from the same Coopers range, but a similar sort of taste.

:

 

[GavH]

This is the next brew and will be going on in a fortnight once my Coopers APA has been bottled.

Currently thinking of using 1.5kg of Amber LME, @300g of Sugar or perhaps another half kilo of DME to give me something around the 5.1% ABV mark. For yeast, I'll defo not use the Coopers yeast (I'll knock up a loaf of bread with that - kids loved the last one using the APA Ale/Lager yeast! :hmm: ), going for the Muntons Premium Gold I have in my brew cupboard or, maybe, try one of those fancy Wyeast offerings (but which one? :wha: ). I've even considered using a Saison yeast and perhaps trying to go for something a bit different (tried a Boulevard Tank 7 in the States recently - lovely!) As for hops, I'm tempted to repeat something similar to the APA with a mix of Cascade and Galaxy, or I have Fuggles and Goldings. I'll need to do a bit more research regarding a hop schedule for the latter.

Aim is to keg it in my KK although a Saison I'd be more inclined to bottle. Choices, choices...

 

[GQ1980]

Evening all,

I'm planning on making a Coopers Real Ale in time for Chrimbo. Have done a couple of kits before but not for a few years now. I like the look of the Real Ale kit from Coopers, I'm a big fan of more light, zesty golden ales. I've read here and on other forums that, in the opinion of some, the results from the kit can be a bit average and perhaps lacking any boldness?

I'm planning to make the kit with a youngs 1kg enhancer as that's what I've used previously and am thinking of adding some dried elderflowers to give a that fragrant zesty twist - what are your thoughts? I've got some left over from the successful elderflower champagne I made for my wedding.

I know dried elderflowers pack a punch so am thinking of using approx 0.5-1oz

Any tips greatly appreciated

 

[Markus]

I did this kit a few months back with a can of amber LME added. Came out really nice. Clear as a bell and great head retention. I recall a bit of a twang at first but a few weeks more in the conditioning cupboard seems to have sorted it. Very drinkable now. I only have 5 bottles left, which I want to try to save for a few months.

I currently have 2 more of these kits fermenting. One I did with the same amber LME, and the other with 1KG plain old brew sugar. Want to see if the difference in quality is enough to justify paying extra for the LME. If not the brew sugar version could become my new go-to session brew :thumb:

 

[Slid]

Very intersting one, here from Markus.

One of my very best brews was a Real Ale, done with 500g DME and 700g Sugar (I always use table sugar, because it is chemically identical to the 3x more expensive dextrose or "brewing sugar").

I put this one on around this time of year, when it gets quite hard to get the house temps up beyond around 20C. Wrapped it up a bit in a towel to reduce day/night temp fluctuations and this really did seem to work.

So, to return to Markus, you might even try some sort of taste test with DME vs Sugar vs Mix of the two.

My suggestion is that the trade off of price and quality could be down the middle. Worked for me, though I was brought up on Boddingtons, which was always a bit light on malt, if heavy on bittering.

 

[Markus]

Yep, I'd guess you're right, a mix would be a decent trade off. I've got another one of these lined up as soon as the fermenters are empty, so probably use half DME (cheaper than LME) and half sugar.
Looking forward to the taste tests tho...

 

[Markus]

Experimentation was had at the weekend. I'd like to hold off on final conclusions. Definitely more experiments needed...

Both batches fermented well. F.G of the liquid malt batch was around 1.009. The brew sugar batch was much lower. Close to 1.002 or 1.003 as I recall. Both are clear as a bell and great head retention, but I never have a problem with that anyway with the Coopers kits. I would have to say that the 2 can brew has a smoother taste. Very nice indeed. The other one isn't bad, just a little... thin? in comparison. Also just the slightest bit of an after-twang. Very drinkable tho.

Next up is the DME/Dextrose version. If I can get the temperature to brew it..!

 

[Markus]

Just read my earlier post on this. The first LME batch I did had a twang also, so maybe it's not the ingredients. Or maybe it's just more noticable in the dextrose brew.:wha:

I did this kit a few months back with a can of amber LME added. Came out really nice. Clear as a bell and great head retention. I recall a bit of a twang at first but a few weeks more in the conditioning cupboard seems to have sorted it.

 

[TommySpongefinger]

Brewed this, made using the kit and 1kg of caster sugar, only topped up to 15Lt. Thirteen days in primary, finings in for two days then bottled using has teaspoon sugar per 500ml bottle. Three weeks in bottle and tried yesterday, nice fizz when bottle opened, crystal clear, lovely taste like strong Hobgobli, good starter kit.

 

[Slid]

Used this a couple of weeks ago as the base kit for a grains experiment.

I did a "micro mash" with 250g Brown malt, 200g Chocolate malt and 100g Roast Barley and boiled it with 30g of a hop called Junga. Was aiming for a Porter style brew.

A bit later, I realise that Brown malt is not a base malt, but a sort of paler Chocolate. Well, it's going to be what it's going to be now.

Planning a mini mash tomorrow, along the lines suggested by clibit, and have a delivery from the Worcester Hop shop, including Maris Otter and some speciality grains and some English hops. Can't wait. SWMBO is out for the day shopping with 2 other shopping generations.

Roll on Tomorrow :p

 

[Covrich]

Used this a couple of weeks ago as the base kit for a grains experiment.

I did a "micro mash" with 250g Brown malt, 200g Chocolate malt and 100g Roast Barley and boiled it with 30g of a hop called Junga. Was aiming for a Porter style brew.

A bit later, I realise that Brown malt is not a base malt, but a sort of paler Chocolate. Well, it's going to be what it's going to be now.

Planning a mini mash tomorrow, along the lines suggested by clibit, and have a delivery from the Worcester Hop shop, including Maris Otter and some speciality grains and some English hops. Can't wait. SWMBO is out for the day shopping with 2 other shopping generations.

Roll on Tomorrow :p

Yeah I realised that brewing especially if its going to be a long one has to be done when SWMBO is out

Thankfully my wife is a nurse who works a few nights a week, because bottling when she keeps going "you not done yet?" isn't plesant..

It's nice to just do it alone

 

[Chippy_Tea]

because bottling when she keeps going "you not done yet?" isn't plesant..

I can think of worse times (not through experience you understand) :lol:

 

[rodabod]

Started mine yesterday, one can mixed without any added sugar, brewed short to 12l

OG measures 1050. I plan to dry hop with 50g of Simcoe to give it a lift. Will see how it goes!

 

[willycoolj]

Made this with 1kg brewing sugar and 300g golden syrup, tried it after two weeks, then three weeks, it was horrible, have since left it for another 4-5 weeks and it's tasting great, I think home brew needs time to improve :

 

[Lesinge]

73rd brew, Coopers Real ale. Brewed 14/06/15 with 1kg of youngs beer enhancer. Pitched at 22 degrees and OG 1044. Taste at pitch is malty with quite a bitter undercurrent which is prominent at first and lingers after malt taste has faded. Be careful about over hopping this after initial fermentation as this profile looks quite hop heavy for a coopers. Will check write ups.

 

[clibit]

You gonna add a light dry hop? Maybe a gentle kind of hop?

 

[HarrowBrewer]

I'm looking to do a partial mash with this kit. Would I best to avoid bittering hops and just have some lighter late additions?

 

[clibit]

Made to 23 litres the kit gives you 30 IBUs. What IBUs you want?

 

[Tony1951]

Made to 23 litres the kit gives you 30 IBUs. What IBUs you want?

How do you work out the IBU of the kit when brewed to different volumes? I see the Cooper's site gives an IBU number, but they are very high. Do you just divide the IBU number given for the can by the desired volume? Cooper's IPA for example is listed as 720IBU. If divided by 21.5 (difference between 1.5litre can and 23 litres target volume) it comes out at 33.4..... Is that how it works Clibit?

 

[HarrowBrewer]

I'm going to try and use it a base for a nice malty ESB, so I imagine about 40 IBUs?