Old Coopers Cerveza Kit Result

[AMyd666]

Hi. My first brew has been trialled after two weeks in the bottle (one week in the fv).
I intend to leave the rest cool in the garage for another 3 weeks.
I've never been one for corona and the like as I like more flavour, so I brewed this one shorter to 21 Litres. Gravity readings were a bit confusing, so hopefully someone can please advise?
OG was 1058. Readings consistent after days 6 and 7. However on both days they started at 1021, then after 10 minutes settled to 1014??? Ambient temperature 20°c.
I then bottled.
The Coopers calculation had the ABV at either 5%, or 5.9%, depending which was my actual FG. Two carb drops per 740ml bottle apparently allows 0.5%, therefore now either 5.5%, or 6.4%.
Glugging this down just now I could well imagine the latter!
This looks nice and amber coloured, with not too much fizz (my preference) and tastes nice and refreshing, albeit somewhat similar to a Westons cider with a hint of malt?!
Now I've not had a corona in a long time but vaguely remember a citrus element to it. Perhaps this is it, or more likely a young beer?

Admittedly I took a chance on making this as the kit was 18 months past use by, but it smelled fine upon opening. I didn't notice a lot of krauzen either, but there was at least half an inch of it.
I used beer enhancer 2, plus 500g youngs beer enhancer as well.

Right. Hopefully this settles nicely in my tum this evening!
Comments and advice are welcome.

 

[Dutto]

Couple of things:

1. Seven days is a terribly short time to expect an OG of 1.058 to ferment out. The FG of 1.014 would seem to indicate that maybe the fermentation process hadn't finished.
2. According to the ABV calculator a drop from an SG of 1.058 down to 1.014 will deliver an ABV of 5.76% so that is spot-on with the Coopers calculation.

At this stage I would assume that everything is okay ... :thumb:

... but I would also check a bottle every three or four days to make sure that they aren't being over-pressured. aunsure....

BTW, Cerveza is pretty bland so being out of date might have made a bland drink even blander. (If there is such a word!)

Now get your second brew going! :thumb: :thumb:

PS

If it was "yeasty" then you may find a few trips to the toilet will encourage you to leave it a bit longer in the future!

 

[AMyd666]

Yeah I thought it'd be pretty bad, but OK thus far. I've only noticed the 2,2,2 rule after I joined here. The coopers instructions said to bottle once steady. I should have left it another week. Hopefully they improve in another month.

Looking forward to getting the stout going this weekend. I've cold brewed my coffee (100g/ 500ml) and will do the same with the cocoa powder. Will add these, vanilla extract with pods and the lactose solution after fermentation has settled. Not sure how much lactose to add though. Aiming for an initial 19 litre fermentation, then 20.5 litres after the flavouring has been added. Leave for another 2 weeks methinks before bottling.

 

[AMyd666]

And I won't trust a fast just in case!

 

[GerritT]

Patience really is a virtue

 

[Pirate_Pete]

I made a Mangrove Jacks Pilsner that was about six months out of date. It came out quite dark like yours.
I believe that the darker colour is due to the goo being in the can too long.
I've got a case of the stuff left. I'm going to chuck it. It's awful.

 

[DandS]

Usually it is not that the kit is out of date. Most of the problems I have found is the water profile is not correct for the type of beer people are trying to make. Just because your water tastes great does not mean it is great for making beer.

 

[Dutto]

............ I'm going to chuck it. It's awful.

Chuck it? I've got a 30 month old Barley Wine that I'm still hoping will come good! My Mum always reckoned ...

"You must have more money than sense!" if I threw anything away!

......... Just because your water tastes great does not mean it is great for making beer.

The Doctor reckoned that Pirate Pets's water was fine (for his age) ... :thumb:

... but fair do's, he didn't recommend that he made any beer with it! abigt

 

[AMyd666]

I made a Mangrove Jacks Pilsner that was about six months out of date. It came out quite dark like yours.
I believe that the darker colour is due to the goo being in the can too long.
I've got a case of the stuff left. I'm going to chuck it. It's awful.

Hopefully I don't need to do the same after fully carbing/ conditioning!

 

[AMyd666]

Did I perhaps put it to cool in the garage too soon? If I warmed the bottles up again for a couple of weeks, would it make a difference to the secondary fermentation?

 

[Dutto]

Possibly, but how cool is your cool? Anything between 18*C and 22*C is ideal and 16*C to 18*C is still okay.

For long time brews (i.e. over 5% ABV) I have often just stuck them on the garage shelves to carbonate and they have been fine after six weeks or so.

The one difference is that when I carbonate in the fridge at about 20*C I always give them a "spin" (to shake any yeast off the side of the bottle) as I take them out of the fridge and put them on the shelves to condition. Because I am moving them anyway, it's no hardship; but going to the shelf, picking up every bottle to give it a quick "spin" and then put it back?

Nah! Too much trouble ... :thumb:

... which is possibly why I have a few bottles on the shelves with a fine film of yeast stuck to their sides.

 

[Jakeyboi]

I've made this kit a few times, it definitely had a cidery taste if brewed with dextrose. Not sure if it's the yeast or the dextrose. When I've used DME instead it's been much better. I did leave a few of the 'cidery' tasting bottles in the shed and they do improve a bit, but only after about 12-18 months. I found a squeeze of lime in the glass really improved things.

 

[cushyno]

..
OG was 1058. Readings consistent after days 6 and 7. However on both days they started at 1021, then after 10 minutes settled to 1014??? Ambient temperature 20°c.

Hydrometers can show incorrect readings if bubbles from surface foam or in the fermenting liquid attach themselves to the hydrometer. Try lifting and dunking the hydrometer a few times to disperse the foam, or spin the hydrometer in the brew to detach bubbles quicker.

 

[AMyd666]

I dealt with those hydrometer issues Cushyno, thanks.
Jakeyboi, I'm sure I used youngs beer enhancer but am not sure if it was actually a kilo of dextrose (should have written it down!). That may well be the cider explanation and the subsequent strength!
However All, I opened another tonight and it's a bit more malty/ beery and retained a head, so the carbing in the garage is working.
Dutto, the garage is pretty stable at around 16 degrees of late since the sun has played hide and seek. Maybe peaking at 18degrees.

After tonight's bottle I can see that it's been taking shape as it were, albeit a not very exciting brew a la Cerveza. However I will be sharing it out with the boys in a coupleof weeks and most of them enjoy that thang, so it'll make bottle room for my stout monster I've got planned very soon!

Thanks all