My next batch

[nick3146]

Hello everyone, I'm going to start my next brew after doing my first which was a standard Australian lager kit, tastes ok see what it's like in a few weeks.
Now it's time to experiment with the same kit, and pimp it up now I have the basics, this is my idea, please advise
1xcan Cooper's lager
1xcan 1.5 ltr light liquid malt extract
Golden syrup (if so how much?)
and using the yeast from the kit and a sachet of harris premium yeast, I realise I'm making a light ale rather than a lager but that's what I'm after, any advice would be most welcome, thankyou.

 

[terrym]

1. I assume you are going to ferment at ale temperatures (18-20*C). You are unlikely be able to ferment at low lager temperatures with the yeasts you are using.
2. I used a Harris beer yeast once and was not impressed, it really struggled. Hope you do better.
3. If you use the kit and the LME and brew to 22 litres you will have an OG of about 1.042 which should produce a beer of about 4.2%ABV. That would be OK for me. However I would not recommend using GS if you want to boost the ABV. I use GS in darker beers but when used in a light beer you can taste it. You may be OK with that. If you want to increase the ABV I suggest you use dextrose or DME.
4. You could consider a dry hop or a hop tea to enhance your brew. If you want to stay with the lager style use Saaz or Hallertau, or alternatively an American style hop like Cascade will be good. If you do this 50g should be about right. And hops are available from Crossmyloof Brewery (CML), as widely used by forum members
https://www.crossmyloofbrew.co.uk/

And you might find these useful
https://www.thehomebrewforum.co.uk/...customise-and-improve-upon-a-basic-kit.69567/
A Newbies Guide to Dry Hopping Your Beer - The HomeBrew Forum

 

[Clint]

Agree with terrym! I use the CML yeast and hops and have no complaints! A good general sub for the smaller kit Yeasts is a packet of wilko gervin. If you do have temp control you can use two packets and go to around 15°c with this one. Coopers have some good recipe ideas on their website site too.

 

[nick3146]

Thankyou for the advise, how much much DME would you recommend, and which yeast would you use?I would like 4.5 to 5% ABV if possible, my coldest room is currently a steady 18°C, oh and would you put the kit yeast in too,

 

[terrym]

It won't do any harm to use both yeasts, especially since you are fermenting at 18*C. If I remember correctly the Harris yeast is only 6g and that's not really enough for a 23 litre brew so use it up. If you want to make a 5% ABV beer, add 500g DME to make up the 22 litre brew. Alternatively use the kit plus the LME you have, add no DME but brew shorter still to 20 litres which should end up around 4.6%.
You can juggle the recipe yourself as I have done, by using the recipe calculator here
Beer Recipe Calculator - Brewer's Friend

 

[nick3146]

That's great thanks again for that great advice, I will be deffo going with one of your recipes, just changing the Harris yeast I think, any ideas on which yeast I should go for,

 

[terrym]

That's great thanks again for that great advice, I will be deffo going with one of your recipes, just changing the Harris yeast I think, any ideas on which yeast I should go for,

You can still carry on and use your kit yeast plus the Harris yeast together , no reason why not. However if you want to change, you could try one of the CML yeasts. I have one of their Kolsch yeasts to try. Plenty on here have tried the others. Do a forum search to find out what they said. Or there's Wilko Ale yeast, which would work at 18*C maybe lower. There are many other yeasts available, others may be able to advise. Anyway that's me done.