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 ?

[jt]

Are you there Mr Cherry ?

It's gone 19C for a day then 20 for three, now it's dropping back to 18 - whattaya reckon, just let it go til the end of next week ?

Smells hopefull at this stage.

I'm tempted to take a hydrometer reading - so I can taste it

[Matthew]

Must have been that southerly and hail dropping your temps. I'm sure it went from 20 to about -3C this arvo...

Take a reading anyway, it's the best excuse for a taste :)

[Michael]

Let us know the fg...I seem to never get a kit beer below somewhere around 1.010 - 1.012. It would be nice to know if you managed to get it a bit lower.

[jt]

I seem to never get a kit beer below somewhere around 1.010

I probably never did either ... not that I bothered with a hydrometer often enough to know

[MrC]

A hydro sample and a quick taste never hurts jt. Just don't count your chickens yet and let it go for at least 10 days I reckon.

I'd get the temp back up also for the remainder if you can just to give that small yeast pack a chance to finish the job at the same temp (or slightly higher) that it started at.

[jt]

let it go for at least 10 days I reckon.

Nearly there Mr Cherry !

I'm not sure what it's been for the last few days, but it's 21 with a dodgey thermometer tonight.

Wondering what to do with it, bottle condition it for that extra yeasty character (but have a wait) or to hell with it and just keg it?

[JoKing]

bottle

[jt]

Yea, I'm swaying that way right now .... unless I condition naturally in the keg ?

[MrC]

Can you scratch both itches and do a little of both?

It could it be that the yeast is required give that authentic flavour
or... it could be that the dried yeast in your glass is what separates the K&K from the real thing.

[jt]

I had 21 litres in the fermenter. There's F*' all trub & yeast in the bottom of the fermenter so if I don't go overboard with hydrometer readings I'll get 20 litres

I really don't know if I could bottle a whole batch again and I really don't have the patience to condition a keg naturally (once it's in a keg it's fair game to be hooked upto a tap and drunk)

So .... I'm picking that 18 litres in a keg and three 750ml bottles

I'll take another hydrometer sample Thursday or Friday and see what it's like.

[MrC]

18 litres in a keg and three 750ml bottles
Sounds perfect. You'll be able to perform a side-by-side tasting of the kegged, bottled & a bottle of Coopers Pale Ale.

[jt]

The keg would still need to be around when the bottles reached condition ;-))))