# Brew day - back in Aus... Coopers "family secret" amber ale



## ChefKing (31/3/16)

Hi All,

Been awhile since I have posted and put a batch down.

I Just put down a batch of the Coopers family secret ale with a can of amber malt and using safale -us05.

I poured in to much hot water and didn't have any bottles sanitised and full of cold water because they already full of star san.... Need to get a bigger stock of empty soft drink bottles for next time!

After everything added (except the yeast) it hit.... 36.8c.

I sat it in an ice bath to for an hour hoping to drop the temp. ice melted pretty fast. So I put it back in the brew fridge... to finish dropping down. Which took about 3 hrs before I could pitch the yeast. Fingers crossed it wasn't too long waiting to pitch the yeast. I read if you wait to long to pitch the safale, the natural yeast in the wort can start fermenting first and can effect the over all brew... Fingers crossed again. 

OG = 1.0057

Seemed a little high to me, but it all is a learning curve...


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## AJS2154 (31/3/16)

Sounds like a struggle Chef......the joys of homebrew no matter where we are!

I use a plate chiller to cool my boiling wort (all grain). During summer in Sydney the water direct from the tap can be around 24 degrees and I end up with wort into the fermenter around 26 degrees.I cool it in the fridge before pitching too of course. Sometimes 3 hours. Providing the fermenter is clean and sealed you will be OK.

As Charlie Papazian says "relax, don't worry, have a homebrew (RDWHAHB)". As another very wise man (me) says "what's the worst that can happen?". If its crap tip it out and have another go. Nothing worse than that will happen.

BTW.....who would have thought Thomas Cooper would have had a family secret?? Looks like the marketing teams have had their ponytails together again and named a few extract cans.


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## ChefKing (31/3/16)

You are totally right AJS... It is a total stress watching your wort cool down at a really slow rate before you can pitch your yeast.

Lesson learnt, I will have extra sanitized soft drink bottles & fill em up with water and pop them in the fridge the night before.

4 hrs waiting for the damn wort to cool down before you can pitch is STRESSFUL as f*ck.

Though I sanitized with star-san thoroughly & literally everything that would touch the brew and didn't open the FV throughout the whole "cool down wort process"...

I will update as the process goes, just hope a long cool down period of the wort before pitching won't affect the over all brew....


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## Mr B (31/3/16)

Looks like your sanitisation is excellent, I wouldnt worry too much about the delay.

Sure it will be good


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## ChefKing (1/4/16)

Day 2.... yeast has been pitched at 18.4c with a good stir. Has been 12 hrs no activity as of yet... Is that normal?


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## wereprawn (1/4/16)

ChefKing said:


> Day 2.... yeast has been pitched at 18.4c with a good stir. Has been 12 hrs no activity as of yet... Is that normal?


Totally normal mate. Just because you don't see signs of fermentation doesn't mean hasn't begun .


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## pcmfisher (1/4/16)

Fortunately you used US05 because if you used the kit yeast there is a good chance it would not have worked if you had one of the affected tins.
Coopers had trouble with the new Family Secret Amber, Bootmaker Pale, and Brew A IPA. A lot of the yeasts did not take off. I assume they are in the process of fixing the problem.


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## Colo (1/4/16)

I used US-05 in my last brew which was also an Amber. Takes longer than 12 hours to get going, by 48 hours you should see some activity.


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## Brewsta (1/4/16)

I put down a CFSAA about a month ago just as you have with a bit of steeped crystal, there was a similar thread on "yeast adding temp" not long ago which i had posted the same problem of trying to cool the wort. I feared the same as you and ended up pitching at 29 deg c after about 6 hours. I wouldn't recommend it….next time if i have this issue i'll risk waiting until the morning to pitch at a much lower temp. Mines got a flavour that is bitter & yeasty, hoping that time will help but i doubt it…will still drink it though!


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## ChefKing (1/4/16)

Yeah at the 24 hr mark now and no real considerable difference to the wort... Though if I am not mistaken there seems to be a slight Krausen forming.... 

Though like Colo mentioned above his didn't really start kicking until the 48hr mark....

So i will sit patiently and wait and let you all know how it is going.


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## LAGERFRENZY (2/4/16)

It has definately started mate.


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## livewiremjk (2/4/16)

Buy yourself a bunch of 1.5L bottled water from woolies. Cool it in the fridge overnight and dump it into your fermenter when you are topping it up. re use the bottles for your next batch. Use as many as you need to get the temp down. In any case the delay in pitching yeast shouldn't be a prob If the wort was all sealed up in your sanitised fermenter.


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## ChefKing (3/4/16)

We have lift off... Exciting stuff!


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## jackgym (3/4/16)

I've just finished drinking a batch of Family Secret. It's a nice dark brown beer with a tasty bitterness. I used the US-05 yeast also and it only rose about 20mm of foam with a brown crust around the edge. The other times I've used this yeast it has worked the same. It's best to leave it in your FV for 14 days before bottling.


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## ChefKing (3/4/16)

jackgym said:


> I've just finished drinking a batch of Family Secret. It's a nice dark brown beer with a tasty bitterness. I used the US-05 yeast also and it only rose about 20mm of foam with a brown crust around the edge. The other times I've used this yeast it has worked the same. It's best to leave it in your FV for 14 days before bottling.


Yeah I am gunna dry hop it on day 5 or 6 with 25gms of cascade... Will let it sit for another 5 days and take a hydrometer reading around then to see what is up...

BTW Jackgym, what was your OG reading?


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## jackgym (3/4/16)

ChefKing said:


> Yeah I am gunna dry hop it on day 5 or 6 with 25gms of cascade... Will let it sit for another 5 days and take a hydrometer reading around then to see what is up...
> 
> BTW Jackgym, what was your OG reading?


I didn't bother taking a reading, the foam was disappearing and after 14 days the ferm. was finished.


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## GNU (3/4/16)

I frequently leave my wort to cool in the FV overnight before pitching yeast and haven't had an issue. Forget the multiple bottle approach for cooling. Get yourself a 15L cube (Fresh kit) and chill that the night before brewing or clean and sanitize your FV the day before and half fill with water and chill it.


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## Gigantorus (5/4/16)

ChefKing,
With ales I work on 14 days/2 weeks in the fermenter before bottling is a safe bet. Ales will generally complete fermentation in about 5 to 7 days (maybe 10 days for bigger AVB brews). Lagers need an extra week generally (i.e. 3 weeks in the fermenter).
Cheers,
Pete


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## Morrie (5/4/16)

I have a spare FV which I drop about 20 liters of water in and chill down to about 8ºC in the brew fridge.
Sounds like the Family Secret is nice. I want to do one the same with an amber LME also.


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## ChefKing (6/4/16)

Yeah had my first my sip today straight from the hydrometer.... Already starting to taste great!


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## decr (10/4/16)

pcmfisher said:


> Fortunately you used US05 because if you used the kit yeast there is a good chance it would not have worked if you had one of the affected tins.
> Coopers had trouble with the new Family Secret Amber, Bootmaker Pale, and Brew A IPA. A lot of the yeasts did not take off. I assume they are in the process of fixing the problem.


I put down an amber ale kit about a month ago, used kit yeast, hydrated with a dash of malt and it seemed to wake up fine. Took forever to take off though, 2-3 days before I got condensation on the lid. I've been checking on it regularly, sitting in 18c, just seems like a really slow ferment. Took a dample yesterday when I was going to bottle but the bloody thing is still going! Smells and tastes good though so I'm not too worried. But 4 weeks...


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## AJS2154 (10/4/16)

ChefKing said:


> Yeah had my first my sip today straight from the hydrometer.... Already starting to taste great!


Ohhhh yeahhhh. Drinking the hydrometer sample is one of the rare and precious moments reserved only for the brewer.....don't tell non-brewers, they assume you have an alcohol problem.

Thanks for the update, enjoy. Anthony


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## ChefKing (10/4/16)

3 days at 1.012 now.... Dropped the temp down to 4c to CC for a few days.... Then gunna sanitize my PET bottles & fill em up. Same night gunna clean our FV properly, sanitize and put down a coopers pale ale with safale us-05. 

I have already bought a 2nd fridge, temp controller, 60 coopers PET bottles and extra my 2nd coopers FV is in the mail..... 2 brews is better than one eh?


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## Gigantorus (21/4/16)

[SIZE=12pt]I also have a can of the Family Secret Amber and will use it in a basic brew this weekend. Ingredient list will be :[/SIZE]

[SIZE=12pt]• 1.7kg Thomas Coopers Family Secret Amber Ale can[/SIZE]
[SIZE=12pt]• 1.5kg Light Dry Malt Extract (LDME)[/SIZE]
[SIZE=12pt]• 200grams CaraHell Malt[/SIZE]
[SIZE=12pt]• 250grams CaraMunich1 Malt[/SIZE]
[SIZE=12pt]• 300grams Red Back Malt[/SIZE]
[SIZE=12pt]• 50grams Belgium Special B Malt[/SIZE]
[SIZE=12pt]• 90grams Falconers Flight Hops[/SIZE]
[SIZE=12pt]• 1 x American Ale Yeast + Can yeast[/SIZE]

[SIZE=12pt]Will steep the malts for 40 mins, then 30 min boil, adding hops in 2 stages @ 10 mins (20 grams) and flame-out (70grams), then cool, then strain into FV and mix with everything else. Should see figures like: 5.5% ABV, 41 IBU & 33 EBC.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=12pt]Cheers,[/SIZE]
[SIZE=12pt]Pete[/SIZE]


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## AJS2154 (21/4/16)

Looks like a tasty plan, Gigantorus. Be sure to let is know how it turns out.


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## Gigantorus (26/4/16)

Well like every good plan - it suddenly changed. When I saw the description for Falconers Flight hops which suggested " _A new aroma and bittering for Pale Ales and IPAs. This novel proprietary pellet blend is comprised of many of the Northwest’s most unique hop varieties and is perfect for any Northwest-style IPA. Each hop has been hand selected for its superior aromatic qualities, imparting distinct tropical, citrus, floral, lemon and grapefruit tones._" I sudden started thinking tropical & grapefruit flavours etc. Then toasted coconut somehow entered my mind as well. So the recipe had to change - albeit in a cautious way. So the ANZAC Amber Ale became the Troppo Amber Ale (sorry ANZACs). 

I've played with grapefruit and citrus infusions before and knew that 1 ruby grapefruit (zest, flesh and juice) would not make a big impact of the brew - nor would the 15grams of toasted coconut. Last year did a grapefruit IPA and used the zest of 5 Ruby Grapefruit at flame-out and it was excellent (have to do that again soon too). But the grapefruit and coconut additions might add a little distant back-flavour which would get the drinker thinking. 

The coconut infusion is something I've been wanting to toying with for some time (plan to do a lamington porter soon) - so I wanted to see what 15grams tastes like. Have had another homebrewer say they use 500grams in their lamington porter (250grams at flame-out and 250grams as a dry-hop) and that's about right they reckon. 

But anyway this was the recipe I went with in the end yesterday. And happy to report that it's bubbling up away nicely in the fridge at 18C this morning when I headed off to work.

The selection of grains was mainly about using the last amounts of some I have had for a few months - namely CaraHell. I also cancelled the Special B and replaced with Shepherds Delight, for more sweetness and red colour.

Time will tell as to what the result will be. I'll let you know in about 4 weeks.

Cheers,
Pete


*Gigantor's Troppo Amber Ale (23 Litres)*

Ingredients:
• 1 x 1.7kg Thomas Coopers Family Secret Amber Ale can
• 1.5kg Light Dry Malt Extract (LDME)
• 200grams CaraHell Malt
• 250grams CaraMunich1 Malt
• 300grams Red Back Malt
• 100grams Shepherds Delight Malt
• 15grams Toasted Shredded Coconut
• Zest, Flesh & Juice of 1 Ruby Grapefruit
• 90grams Falconers Flight Hops
• 1 x American Ale Yeast + Can yeast

Specs:
• Colour: Amber with a hint of red
• Body: Medium-Heavy
• Bitterness: Medium (IBU 39)
• Approx. Alcohol Level: 5.7% ABV

Method:
1. Put cracked malts in 4 litres of hot water (65C to 75C) and steep for 40 minutes in grain bag. Strain steeped liquid into large pot and add extra 4 litres of hot water (bring 8 Litres of liquid) and add 500grams of Light Dried Malt Extract bring to boil.
2. The boil will be for 20 minutes.
3. At Flame-out, add 90grams Falconers Flight hops, grapefruit zest flesh and juice, and toasted coconut and stir.
4. Let sit for 15 minutes.
5. Then sit the pot in a sink of iced water and cool to around 20C.
6. Add 2 litres of cold water to the fermenter and add remaining LDME and stir well.
7. Pour strained wort into the fermenter, then add amber can and stir well.
8. Top-up with cold water to reach a volume of 23 Litres at a temperature of around 18C.
9. Pitched Can yeast and gave a light stir into liquid.
10. Sprinkle the American Ale yeast and fitted the lid.
11. Ferment at 18C for 7 Days, then bring up to 21C for 3 days, then Cold Crash for last 4 days at 2C, then bottle.


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## Gigantorus (4/5/16)

Bottling this on Saturday. Can't wait to see what if turned out like.


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## Gigantorus (9/5/16)

The sample I tasted while bottling was nice. Certainly could pickup any coconut or real grapefruit tastes. But brew is tasty enough. Should be a good stand-by ale. 

Will give it 2 weeks for the carbonation to get going and have another taste then.


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## Gigantorus (23/5/16)

Well finally had one of the Troppo Amber Ale's yesterday and it tastes quite good. Nice bitterness with a touch of sweetness. It's very dark for an amber ale - but think that was the Coopers Family Secret can. But all in all an easy amber to drink. Can sense some grapefruity flavour but not getting any of the coconut. Pic attached from yesterday. Very dark.
Cheers,
Pete 

View attachment troppo-amber-ale-may-2016.pdf


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## peekaboo_jones (24/5/16)

Sounds good Pete, glad it turned out well. Yes it looks quite dark. I've got one in the fermenter now, just the kit can + 1 kg dry malt and it's pretty dark too.


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## jackgym (24/5/16)

peekaboo_jones said:


> Sounds good Pete, glad it turned out well. Yes it looks quite dark. I've got one in the fermenter now, just the kit can + 1 kg dry malt and it's pretty dark too.


The Family Secret is a nice beer that doesn't need any extra hops. Just the kit can and malt, and I used US-05 yeast this time instead of the yeast on the can. Brewers say it's the best ale yeast plus it's 11g as against the kit yeast, 7g, which seems a bit underdone in quantity. Either way you won't be disappointed in the beer.


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## Gigantorus (25/5/16)

[SIZE=12pt]*Peekaboo*, Yeah the Family Secret can did look quite dark when I emptied it out. The colour doesn't really worry me. The brew is quite tasty - the grapefruit does give it a little extra sweetness which is nice - I'll be drinking more of that this weekend as well. Am bottling my first partial-mash pale ale brew on Saturday. Have my fingers crossed it turns out nice. Am quietly working my way to all grain - but will be doing a few partial-mashes first.[/SIZE]


[SIZE=12pt]*Jackgym*, My first time using the FS can. But I did use a packet of Falconers Flight Hops (90grams), which was a flame-out addition. It's all made it a nice fruity brew, which I don't mind. Even SWMBO doesn't mind this brew - she doesn't like that many of my creations. I used much the same as you regarding yeasts - 1 x US-05 plus 1 x can yeast - I stirred in the can yeast and then sprinkled the US-05 on the wort surface and all came out nicely. Though there have been reports that some of the Coopers can yeasts haven't been that good on the new cans. Maybe you got one of those?[/SIZE]

[SIZE=12pt]Cheers,[/SIZE]
[SIZE=12pt]Pete[/SIZE]


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## peekaboo_jones (1/7/16)

Gday Pete, how's your Amber ale turning out?

Mine is ready and tastes really good. I bottled half stock, (FS can and 1kg light dry malt and made to 21L) then and half with liquid hop shots from hop dealz Australia. Haven't had those yet, this weekend maybe. 
Early bottles (2x prior to cold crashing) taste great. And yes very dark!


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## Gigantorus (12/7/16)

Yeah the FS is quite dark. But the flavour seems quite acceptable.

Yours looks real good, Nick.

Cheers,
Pete


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## Aussie Mick (22/2/17)

I had my last bottle of FS last night. I had been saving it. It was almost 5 months old, and I have to say it had developed into a very, VERY nice beer indeed.

I brewed 1 can FS, 1 kg LDM and US-05 yeast. Very simple. The early bottles were okay, but this last one was blinding. I don't know if I would have the patience to brew and wait 5 months to start drinking this again, so I am sticking to hoppy pale ale type beers for now. I will perhaps brew one in the middle of year as a Christmas present to myself.


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