The Coopers Kit

[jt]

Ok, I'm going to do it, but maybe not quite yet. And there was talk about an Imperial Coopers. I know Mr Cherry's keen too, yes ?

I thought it might be handy to string this together in one place.

Now I'm not going to brew until the weather cools a bit, I'm getting 20C + in the garage right now and I wouldn't want to do that to my Coopers kit would I ?

First questions first though, Draught or Lager ?
Next up, what to add to it.
Not sugar, no. maybe dextrose, maybe LME, or maybe just a kg of pale mashed ?

[MrC]

I'm keen!!!

Check out this link for details about the kits including IBUs:
http://www.ibrew.com.sg/Beer%20Kits.asp

I have a Coopers Lager kit sitting in my beer fridge and now I'm wondering what to do with it. My original plan was brew a Coopers Pale Ale type beer that goes something like this:
20'ish L batch
IBU 23'ish
Coopers lager kit
750g pale DME
250g whhite sugar
Coopers yeast (the one that came with the kit)
Ferment at 18c
Maybe some light hopping to mask oxidation.

Today, however, I was thinking of using it a s a base for an IIPA and secretly entering it in the WnBC.
11L batch
IBU 45+
Coopers lager kit
200g caramalt
250g white sugar
15min boil with a truck loads of NZ hops from 15, 10, 5, 0 & dry.


I think as a general rule, to make kits sing you need to add a decent amount of grain (>300g) and some noticable late & maybe dry hops.

[Chris Banks]

Ooooh id skip the coopers yeast whatever you do with the kit!
I make a pretty good ginger beer thats based on a coopers lager kit if you like ginger beer?

[Matthew]

I'm liking these ideas lads. I've got a muntons brew craft lager kit stashed away and I've been thinking about how I could use it...

Do you just steep additional grains for 30mins?

[Chris Banks]

I would be tempted with 20 L to do a mini mash with some pale and your choice of specials to get your desired OG
Or cut the brew volume to 11 L as a last resort and steep your specials !

[MrC]

I've done plenty of Macs kits with steeped grain and added hops with good results. Even won a couple of medals at last years NHC with them ;-) You CAN make make good beer with Kits as a base.

I believe the secrets are:
- Try go manage IBUs as best you can (generally assume 20 IBUs for a simple lager/pale kit)
- Keep simple sugars below 20% (if any)
- Add plenty of grain (steepable grain only, steeped for 30min )
- and optionally include plenty of hops


Here's a link to a Silver Medal winning kit based beer in the Brown...

When brewing with kits I try to stick to grains that don't require mashing. I tend to avoid mashing when brewing with kits. If I'm going to mash then I just go all grain as it ends up being just as much effort. I only brew with kits when I'm trying to same time and effort.

[MrC]

jt- Did you want to include home brewed Coopers Ale tasting at the next WnBC?

[jt]

I think the Coopers yeast is an absolute MUST Isn't it half the Coopers character ?

I didn't want to dolly it up too much, wondered how close I'd really get to the character of the Coopers pale I had recently.

Thought that if I added some neutral sort of brew enhancers, like some mashed grain, that it may get quite good.
The thought of some steeped specialties did occur, but that might take it a bit far from the target.

WnBC Mr C ?

I don't think it belongs there, does it ?

[Matthew]

WnBC Mr C ?

I don't think it belongs there, does it ?

Surely it does? The afternoon's undercard bout: Cooper's kit brew off - jt v Mr C.

Do Coopers package the same yeast for the kits they use in their ale's? You might be able to find something closer to the original.

[jt]

You might be able to find something closer to the original.

Recultured from a bottle - I think Mr C did that ?
But I don't think he liked it - but that could have been a temperature issue from memory ?

[JoKing]

Well - the yeast that they include with the kit isn't the yeast that they use in their commercial beers. For authentic Coopers flavour, you'd have to use WLP009 from white labs.

[jt]

you'd have to use WLP009 from white labs.

Now just where on earth would I get that ?

[Mike Neilson]

From Jo