Coopers Stout - n00b brew

[beerandjazz]

So, I got my Coopers Home-Brew kit, a Christmas present, set up on Friday night.

1x can of Coopers Stout wort (can I call it wort?)
1x bag of Coopers Brew Enhancer
1x packet of Coopers Yeast

As per instructions, got it to 22C and 23L, and added the yeast.

Over the next couple of days, lots of foam (I cannot bring myself to call it Krausen) peaks so obviously things are happening.

It's gradually cooled off, and although I wrapped it up in a sleeping bag for insulation, has now dropped to 19C.

The Coopers instructions say to remove the foam collar (ok, Krausen collar) when visible signs of fermentation have stopped, which they sort of have done.

Because I am aware that fermentation may continue for a while yet, I have given it a bit of a stir in the hope that this might up the temperature a bit. Terrible idea? The OG was 1.033, which seems a bit low, and the gravity reading today is 1.018... So presumably I'm hoping for a bit more of a reduction?

Because I don't have a keg, I will be bottling into the provided Coopers plastic screw-top bottles, which are a dark brown colour, and will try to keep them in the dark.

I can see a few points where I may have made some errors:

1 - I failed to remove the paper label when softening the wort in the can... Guess all that might have done was to make it a bit harder to hold the can to pour!
2 - My can opener isn't particularly sanitary, so can only hope that it won't have contaminated
3 - The Coopers instructions said that on the first brew, it probably wasn't necessary to sanitise the equipment... Should have done, anyway

Anyway, I hope it will continue to ferment a bit, and will let you know what it tastes like in a week or two!

Ta, beerandjazz

 

[ish1349]

I done my first few brews with the can opener not in the best condition and everything turned out fine. I have invested in a new one lol. As for sanirising. I did sanitise even though the stuff was brand new, but if the insructions say you dont have to then I would not worry too much.

To keep the temp up, as I have laminate flooring, I put a fleece blanket on the floor and 1 or 2 fleece blankets wrapped around the bucket, and situated near a radiator. That should make a difference when it comes to the temp.

Good luck with it all. Tell us how it goes.

 

[mickthetrick]

cannot see a problem, it is odviously vermenting. if it was me i would leave it in your fermenter for two weeks then bottle. the coopers stout is drinkable fairly quike but gets better after six or so weeks in the bottle imo :thumb:

 

[Runwell-Steve]

Looks like everything is OK

19 degrees is a perfectly good temperature, no need to worry there.

For future reference you don't really want to be stirring after fermentation has got underway as you risk introducing oxygen into the beer. You may be OK as you did it quite early in the process.

 

[beerandjazz]

Thanks all for your encouraging words.

I ended up bottling on Thursday 12, a couple of days after posting on here, as the gravity readings had stabilised, at 1.012.

Bit disappointed with that, tbh, as I reckon I'm now only getting an ABV of about 2.5%, which sucks :wha:

@Runwell-Steve (Steve Runwell?) Thanks for your advice, yep, I tried very hard not to splash and be gentle, but next time I'll probably leave well alone.

@mickthetrick Yeah, maybe should have left in the fermenter for another week! Anyway, will wait and see how it's gone.

Going to leave it for a week more or so, in the bottles, but will probably let some of the gases out soon to ease the strain on the plastic... Some of them feel a bit rock hard!

Thanks, beerandjazz

 

[mickthetrick]

i don't think you would have got it much lower than 1012 to be honest but i think your starting gravity may be off or you might not have mixed it up properly. who knows but i would expect the coopers stout be be around 4%
plastic bottle i believe can take up to 100 psi so you should be OK to leave then alone and let it condition for a bit :thumb:

 

[carl_saint]

1.033 seems a bit low so a OG. Maybe you didn't stir it up well enough. Never mind nothing can be done now anyway. I would leave your bottles alone for a good 4 weeks. Don't be tempted to release any pressure. As long as you primed with the right amount of sugar they will be fine. Those PET bottles can take a good amount of pressure.

 

[bobsbeer]

I made this one last year. It definitely needs a few weeks if not about 3 months to mature. A really good brew. I bottled and filled a corny with this one. I have to say that bottles were better, but not by much. Good head and nice stout taste. In bottles you can keep this one going for at least a year if you can

 

[beerandjazz]

Right! Won't open them up then - until drinking...

Yeah, I have a feeling that I maybe didn't stir well enough. Heigh-ho.

I'll try and resist initial testing for another couple of weeks... Unfortunately my Xmas beer reserves have run very low, only one bottle of Old Tom left.

May have to go the pub!

Thanks again

 

[mickthetrick]

old Tom..... i like your style beerandjazz :clap: