First kit brew in 2011.

[Chris]

Hi folks,

Just felt the need to let those who are interested that I've done my first brew of 2011 , albeit a kit. Last one I brewed was last year.

I went for the Coopers Mexican again, out of all the kits I've done I personally find this the nicest / cleanest tasting. Firstly sterilised everything. Bought a 1kg bag of mixed spray malt & dextrose instead of sugar, decided to use a sachet of S04 yeast from this topic here. Made a 20L batch instead of the recommended 23L :party: . The yeast has already started to do it's thing, I've clipped the lid on the FV & pressure is building up, so I'll unclip it before I go to bed. Hoping the S04 will compact down better than the yeast that came with the kit though. I also chucked half a campden tablet in the water first (thanks Moley for those, must've been last year you sent them me :lol: :thumb: ).

So that's where I'm upto, oh the reading prior to pitching the yeast was 1046, I'm hoping for around 5%. Bought the stuff from the brewing shop on Fitzwarren Street, Salford if anyone is local (is that plug allowed, sorry if not, you can remove it ).

Thanks for reading.
Chris :drink:

 

[Dunfie]

Well done for getting back into the brewing. I'm sure it will turn out great. :thumb:

 

[Chris]

Sorry for not updating this thread, I wasn't going to with 1 post, I didn't feel the interest was there. But, for those who are doing or thinking of doing this kit can find this topic by searching :thumb: .

Anyhow, I like to leave my kits for 3 weeks before bottling, I hate sediment so like to keep it to a minimum if I can. So, last Tuesday I bottled it, the last bottle was just as clear as the first, so I'm really happy the S-04 yeast did it's trick by compacting down more. Thanks for the top tip on here :party: .

All primed with 1 x tbsp of normal sugar.
Final bottle from the bottom of the FV. Nice & clear:

Minimal wort loss, 200ml max:

Overall I was really happy with the final result. It was bottled at 5.1% & will be left till xmas. I'll get myself a Coopers Canadian Blonde at pay day.

I would like to go AG, but space, kit & funds stop me doing this, so kits for me are the next best thing I'm afraid :thumb: .

 

[Eradite]

Nice one Chris!

The Canadian blonde is a nice kit

 

[Vossy1]

Now that is nice and clear

Sorry for not updating this thread, I wasn't going to with 1 post, I didn't feel the interest was there

Lots of folk don't post, they just browse, so it's always worth keeping them going :thumb:

 

[MJW]

I'm thinking of doing one of the Cooper's lager kits, it's been 3 years since my last brew (moving house and starting family got in the way of my development), so looking for something fairly straight forward. One thing I'm wondering about is whether it is worth transferring straight to bottles from the bucket, or if it's worth transferring into pressure barrel for awhile and then from the barrel to bottles (and if so do I need to prime both barrell and subsequently bottles)?

Problem I've had in past with pressure barrel is that once I start drawing from it the beer gets oxygen in it, and there's no chance of me drinking 20+ litres in a week.

 

[john_d]

my last drink was mexican and its super smooth and easily drinkable, ive got the aussie lager in my FV ready to be keg'd but my next lot will be the ceveza again :)

 

[blacksheep20]

I am now drinking my first ever brew (coopers Australian Lager) and I am really inpressed! I followed the instructions to the letter and everything went great. It was ready for bottling (500ml glass) in 5-6 days and drinking in 14 days (after bottling)although it is recommended to leave a while longer but my impatience got the better of me. Great taste I am hooked!! I have a second batch bottled at present and a third brewing at the moment.

For comparison I am brewing some Claxtons Beer (from Morrisons £9.99) with sugar instead of glucouse that I used in the coopers kit.

My next kit will be a Real Ale

 

[Chris]

Blacksheep, you like the Ozzie lager then. I brewed that & the European one last year & of them both I found myself just swallowing the Ozzie one without tasting it, really wasn't keen on it personally. Next friday is my next brewday anyway, Coopers Canadian whilst I'm off work :thumb: .

 

[blacksheep20]

Blacksheep, you like the Ozzie lager then. I brewed that & the European one last year & of them both I found myself just swallowing the Ozzie one without tasting it, really wasn't keen on it personally. Next friday is my next brewday anyway, Coopers Canadian whilst I'm off work :thumb: .

I find it ok although my second batch of Coopers does'nt seem as good as my first? I think its down to me adding a little extra water?
I'm very much in the early stages of Homebrewing so everythings an experiment at moment.

The claxtons will be ready to bottle tommorrow i think so will see how that goes.

The Coopers Real Ale I started 3 days ago is doing fine upto present.

Has anyone got any tips on an easy to do white/red wine? and what are the must haves of making a good wine?

thanks