# First Brew..recipe Ideas?



## floody_lager (22/11/08)

Im going to start my first brew next weekend and just wanted some recipe ideas.
Ill prob go with a coopers lager can or maybe euro lager can (coopers).
I dont want to just use the can as ive heard it makes a boring beer and im pretty fussy with beer.
I dont want to add extra hops or anything yet so just looking for advice on wat else to use ie. malt extract, coopers brew enhancers, dextrose....
Im still not too sure as i havent brewed yet. i have been reading alot on this site and everyone seems to know alot so thought i could get some help..
thanks fellas


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## flattop (22/11/08)

Quick tip i got from Bribie (i think) use "Us05" yeast instead of the kit yeast, will improve the flavor. Yeast makes a big difference.
You can also save the yeast cake from the bottom of the fermenter at the end and use it again.
Other than that don't use cane sugar, i recommend a mixture of dextrose and dried malt extract, proportions are up to you.
Perhaps 700-800gms dex to 500gms DME.


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## floody_lager (22/11/08)

does that yeast have to be brewed at a low temp or just around 20?
also, the coopers way says to throw ingredients into the fermenter and then pour in boiling water. is this method ok or does it have to be done in a pot then into fermenter.
sorry but im still unsure on alot of things


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## Tyred (22/11/08)

Floody said:


> does that yeast have to be brewed at a low temp or just around 20?
> also, the coopers way says to throw ingredients into the fermenter and then pour in boiling water. is this method ok or does it have to be done in a pot then into fermenter.
> sorry but im still unsure on alot of things



Around 20 should be fine for the yeast. 

Mixing ingredients can be done in either a pot or the fermenter. The idea of using a pot is to be able to mix the ingredients better before adding them to the fermenter.


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## floody_lager (22/11/08)

ok. so ldme is the best way to enhance it without having to boil hops or anything? ive also read about finings for clearing and the coopers brew enhancers for head retention. does the ldme add head retention? are the clearing agents needed?


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## seemax (22/11/08)

LDME gives the beer a more malty (sweet) flavour, more body and mouthfeel in a nutshell.

Maltodextrin is used for head retention, it does not ferment at all. It is used in many food products as perhaps a coagulant? I've only used it once and never bothered again. Far better results from steeping 200g wheat malt, but that's another story.

Hops will provide additional bitterness, flavour and aroma. Learn the basics of brewing before trying.. most importantly sanitation!!

Finings do work, but require a secondary fermentor and "racking" (ie siphoning) from the primary. More effort.

My advice to all new starts is do a toucan with decent yeast, cost $25. I have never had a bad toucan and it makes a decent all malt beer.

Try 2 x Coopers Lager with US-05 (or nottingham) dry yeast. Ferment at 18C if possible and leave for 2 weeks. Bottle and wait 6-8 weeks.


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## mick8882003 (22/11/08)

Take notes on what you did, so you can reproduce it if its a winner.

+1 for the good yeast, its only five dollars for a good yeast. Think of what the yeast on the can has been though (hot and cold, probably quite old as well, this really doesn't help good beer.) A good yeast should have been kept in the fridge, yes keep your yeast in the fridge, not the freezer though.

And here's some further reading:

http://www.howtobrew.com/


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## rclemmett (22/11/08)

My 2 cents.

Coopers lager and 1kg of dextrose is a right of passage. I will be howled down by some for saying that, but it means you'll know what it tastes like.


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## floody_lager (22/11/08)

thanks for all the help. 
if i decide to use the ldme, wat is a good amount to use. I still have to add dextrose as well dont i.
I know everyone probably hates the noobs lack of knowledge but i appreciate the help as i dont wanna brew a shocker and give up lol


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## floody_lager (23/11/08)

Would LDME be best or DME? Im prob leaning towards ldme.
i have no idea on amounts so i might follow wat flattop suggested.
how does this sound

1x can coopers european lager
700g dextrose
500g ldme
Us05 yeast

any suggestions on this mix would be a big help.


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## Bribie G (23/11/08)

Floody said:


> Would LDME be best or DME? Im prob leaning towards ldme.
> i have no idea on amounts so i might follow wat flattop suggested.
> how does this sound
> 
> ...


Sounds about right to get a sort of Heineken or Stella Artois strength of beer. As other posters have said, keep it fairly straight and simple until you are 'at ease' with brewing from a kit. I have made heaps of kits using a can, 500g of LDME because it came in a kilo bag so I would split it between brews and 750 of dex because the local home brew shop did 750 bags as well as kilo bags and I reckoned a kilo would get me too pissed :lol: 

Using a better yeast is definitely going to get you a better clean tasting beer with fewer 'funky' flavours. Another good yeast is Nottingham which drops out to give you a nice clear beer.

Just one suggestion, for starters consider getting a hop 'teabag' and put that in the brew to give a more professional hoppy flavour - suitable variety for that kit would be Saaz or Hallertau. It's an extra expense but zero effort involved.

Cheers and welcome to the obsession.

Michael :icon_cheers:


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## buttersd70 (23/11/08)

Coopers European Lager has a true lager yeast (at least according to the numerous threads that were on here when that can was first released)....if you brew with it, maintain lager temperatures, 12-14C, for fermentation. Brew with this at ale temps (20C), and your going to end up with beer that tastes like green apples. (I've tasted one - not mine - done like this, and it was so bad, I gave a glass to someone else without telling them what it was, and she asked me why I was drinking cider :lol: ) If using US05, 18 is better but 20 is fine....but hang on to that coopers yeast.  

Also, the Euro lager is the least bitter kit in the coopers range...imho, if you use more than 300g ldme with it (without extra hops), it will be super sweet. (man I hate advising to use less malt...it goes against everything I believe in. <_< )


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## antains (23/11/08)

Rob2 said:


> My 2 cents.
> 
> Coopers lager and 1kg of dextrose is a right of passage. I will be howled down by some for saying that, but it means you'll know what it tastes like.



+1 sort of. At least have something that you can use as a benchmark, so that you can learn what the effects of different ingredients have. Assuming you want to head down a more adventurous path.


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## flattop (23/11/08)

I based my calculations on Coopers Larger not Euro Larger, I haven't tried the Euro at all so perhaps defer to Butters for that one.
For Coopers, i have brewed at about those quantities with no visible side effects other than blurred vision and a good night out 

If doing a Euro you could drop 100-200gms of dex.
Of course if the Euro does seem too sweet (take an SG reading after about a week) you can always buy some hops (pellets, plug or teabag) and drop them in for a few days.


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## floody_lager (23/11/08)

so if i used say 300g ldme, does that mean i add more dex or do i still use 750.. 
I would be shooting for a euro tasting beer. eventually a grolsch style.
the hop tea bag sounds like an idea. 
at what point do you put the bag in?

thanks for all the help guys


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## Beer&Kebab (23/11/08)

Floody said:


> so if i used say 300g ldme, does that mean i add more dex or do i still use 750..
> I would be shooting for a euro tasting beer. eventually a grolsch style.
> the hop tea bag sounds like an idea.
> at what point do you put the bag in?
> ...




What I would do is get a Coopers Pale Ale kit rather than the Original lager.. It is only a few bucks more but worth it.. I would get the Brew Enhancer #2, use a US05 yeast (if possible) and get a Saaz hop teabag (essential).. The saaz hop will add the magic to the brew.. The cans of beer don't have much flavour or aroma. By adding some real hops you will liven the beer up big time.. All up around $25.. I would add the saaz to the fermenter after 4 or 5 days in what is called dry hopping.. No work there. I would only make the batch size to about 20 litres.. Try to keep to the fermentation temp as close to 20 degrees as possible... It aint gunna be a Grolsch but a nice drinkable light ale with a hint of Saaz aroma flavour from the dry hopping. Good luck !!!


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## flattop (23/11/08)

2nd that for the hops, if you are going for a Grolsh style you want a little bittering and hops is the ticket.


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## floody_lager (23/11/08)

i think ill go with the euro lager with saaz hops. is 300g ldme and 750g of dex the right amount?
just wanna get an idea of wat i need to buy.
i want it to be about 5% alc


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## floody_lager (23/11/08)

just looked at the brewcraft calculator. it said with 750g dex and 300g ldme the alc % would be about 5.7%.
i was shooting for about 5 so would 600g dex and 300g ldme make a decent brew with the saaz hop bag


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## flattop (23/11/08)

That's assuming that the FG gets to where it's going, depends on starting and final gravity.
My experience is that some kits ferment out and some don't, my first Cerveza with a Coopers kit started at 1045 finished after 2 weeks at 1018 giving it 4.1% abv.
However, it is better to put a line in the sand and aim for the % you want.
My understanding is that LDME won't ferment out at the same rate as Dex, i am sure someone will have a calculator for that but i think it's about 80% as efficient as dex.
If that is the case then i suspect 600 dex and 300 ldme would be too little to provide 5%.
As for calculations you would need a SG of 1045 and a FG of 1011.


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## floody_lager (23/11/08)

ok so maybe something more like 700g dex and 400g ldme. would the saaz tea bag be the best to use. i am hoping to get something like a grolsch style. i know it wont taste like it but thats the style im aiming for


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## floody_lager (23/11/08)

If i use the hop bag, does that mean i have to go to a sedondary fermenter?
i found a thread somewhere on here about the euro lager and some people were using the hallertau hop bags and 1kg on ldme.
how would that turn out?


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## flattop (23/11/08)

I've never used SAAZ, i have used Hersbrucker but not for a Grolsch style so i can't help with that. It doesn't need to go into a secondary, it's fine in the primary but you really need to wait until the fermentation slows right down, take a few SG readings to get a handle on that, wait until the sweetness has gone out in the taste, then it's time to add your teabag.
My suspicion is that 1k ldme may be sweet, the hallertau is to combat that, but tea bags do not bitter as much as adding hops when boiling grain. The acids or oils in hops are released under higher temperatures (around 60-70* i think). They will bitter with dry hopping but much less.
Basically dry hopping adds a little bitterness, more body and aroma and assists a little with head retention.
Remember though that if the brew ferments well then most of the sugars will be eaten by the yeast anyhow.


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## 0M39A (23/11/08)

2 things are really standing out to me here:

1) why is everyone talking about dry hopping adding more bitterness? it doesnt. to extract bitterness, you need to boil the hops to isomerise the alpha acids in the hops. dry hopping adds mainly aroma, and some taste.

2) what you are looking at making will give you an alright beer, but dont expect anything close to grolsch. for a start grolsch is a lager, not an ale. it doesnt make a scrap of difference whats written on the tin, if you want to make a lager, you need a lager yeast (pretty much all kits come with ale yeast, exception being euro lager and pilsener, which have real lager yeasts, and mexican cervesa which has a blend of lager and ale).

not sure what hops used in grolsch, but the last time i remember tasting it was a few years back, and it was pretty bland, watery and boring. 

a standard coopers kit, say lager, draught, pale ale, canadian blond... whichever one, with 300-400g ldme and 600-700g of dextrose, a short boil (or dry hop if you really cant be bothered) of some nice euro hops (saaz, hallertau, saphire, tettnang etc) and mainly a decent ale yeast (s-05 is best for this) fermented nice and cool (16-18) will give you something fairly decent (and imo, far better than grolsch)


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## 3G (23/11/08)

Just worry about fermenting at a decent temperature and using a decent yeast.


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## floody_lager (23/11/08)

0M39A said:


> 2 things are really standing out to me here:
> 
> 1) why is everyone talking about dry hopping adding more bitterness? it doesnt. to extract bitterness, you need to boil the hops to isomerise the alpha acids in the hops. dry hopping adds mainly aroma, and some taste.
> 
> ...



the can im using is a coopers euro lager kit which ive been told has a lager yeast. i just wanted to check if 400g of ldme and 700g of dex will be a good mix. im really not sure as this will be my first brew. I think i will dry hop as its my first brew, just not to sure how to do it and which hops to use. im more after aroma and taste then bitterness


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## flattop (23/11/08)

i stand corrected according to Wiki dry hopping does not add bitterness however i have found my experience to be slightly different...


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## 0M39A (23/11/08)

Floody said:


> the can im using is a coopers euro lager kit which ive been told has a lager yeast. i just wanted to check if 400g of ldme and 700g of dex will be a good mix. im really not sure as this will be my first brew. I think i will dry hop as its my first brew, just not to sure how to do it and which hops to use. im more after aroma and taste then bitterness



Thats a fine mix imo. 

go for it, see how it turns out, and adjust accordingly next time if its too sweet or not malty enough.


remember, that particular kit comes with a lager yeast, so i hope you have some means of getting the temperature down to 10-12C, and then you need to give it a diacetyl rest at the end of fermentation for a couple days at around 18-20 to clean up the butterscotch flavours, then you need to lager at as close to 0C as possible for as long as possible to clean up the sulphur byprodudcts the yeast make.

oh yeah, real lagers are not a good choice as a first brew...

do yourself a favour and use a neutral ale yeast, such as safale s-05 and ferment nice and cool.


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## floody_lager (23/11/08)

so i would be best to use an ale yeast with it seems its my first brew? Ive got a fridge and have ordered a fridge mate but dont know when i can get it installed. prob not soon enough as i wanna start the ferment asap.
so the s05 would be best? at about 17-18?


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## Gavo (23/11/08)

Floody said:


> so i would be best to use an ale yeast with it seems its my first brew? Ive got a fridge and have ordered a fridge mate but dont know when i can get it installed. prob not soon enough as i wanna start the ferment asap.
> so the s05 would be best? at about 17-18?



Floody, go with the US 05 yeast as IMHO it gives a good neutral clean ferment, Keep it at around 18 C it tends to slow down at a lower temp, 18C is good. 400gr LDME + 700 Dex should be ok without adding any hops for bitterness. A teabag would be good for some aroma and flavour. I have done a coopers Australian Pale Ale with the same LDME and dex ratio and it worked out fine, if done again I would add 15 grams of hops to the fermenter with the other ingredients to add a little more flavour and balance the malt a little.

Cheers
Gavo.


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## 0M39A (23/11/08)

Floody said:


> so i would be best to use an ale yeast with it seems its my first brew? Ive got a fridge and have ordered a fridge mate but dont know when i can get it installed. prob not soon enough as i wanna start the ferment asap.
> so the s05 would be best? at about 17-18?



IMO, yes.

there is a fair bit more effort involved in lagers, as i briefly went over in my previous post.

ales are simple. pitch yeast, wait till it ferments, bottle/keg and you're done.

kudos on getting a fridgemate so soon. wish i had done earlier. invaluable, especially as we are now into summer temperatures.


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## floody_lager (24/11/08)

yea i got given a big fridge for free and after seeing how cheap the fridgemate was, i snapped it up. 
now i cant wait to get brewing!


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## buttersd70 (24/11/08)

0m39a gives excellent advice.....he expanded on my thoughts re the yeast. (which is why I said use US05, but keep the Euro yeast in the fridge for later...when you have a couple under your belt, and can concentrate on a true lager)



Floody said:


> just looked at the brewcraft calculator. it said with 750g dex and 300g ldme the alc % would be about 5.7%.
> i was shooting for about 5 so would 600g dex and 300g ldme make a decent brew with the saaz hop bag


One of the most dodgy calculators available, imho. I don't see how 750 dex/300 ldme could give that kind of alc....I make it to about 4.8% post ferment (depending on the actual fg), with about another 0.4-0.5% formed in the bottle during carbonation, so 5.2-5.3% total. For 400g ldme, 650 dex would give about the same result.


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## floody_lager (24/11/08)

yea thats about wat im aiming for. ill prob go the 400 ldme for the extra malty flavour


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## floody_lager (25/11/08)

Received my fridgemate today so should knock it up and get the brew going on sunday!!!


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## lastdrinks (26/11/08)

Thought i'd jump in and second or third some of the last comments. 400gm of extra malt and 600gm of dex will be too sweet by itself. So a boil for 10 minutes of 10-20gm of noble hops will add some spiciness and a few IBU of bitterness to balance it out. The end product has more body, hop flavour and tastes like beer not cordial. Also Safale 05 or nottingham are good yeasts and worth using.


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## buttersd70 (26/11/08)

lastdrinks said:


> Thought i'd jump in and second or third some of the last comments. 400gm of extra malt and 600gm of dex will be too sweet by itself. So a boil for 10 minutes of 10-20gm of noble hops will add some spiciness and a few IBU of bitterness to balance it out. The end product has more body, hop flavour and tastes like beer not cordial. Also Safale 05 or nottingham are good yeasts and worth using.



agree on the hopping, but OP stated that doesn't want to hop boil at this point....
The kit itself is designed for 250g malt...300 is OK...400 is starting to stretch the friendship a little, but with a high attenuating yeast like US05, it should still be OK, given that it will be dry hopped....whilst it adds no actual bitterness, it adds hop aroma and flavour, which lends an _impression _of bitterness, and should (hopefully) be just enough to counteract the extra 100g of malt......but personally, I would be sticking with the 300g as I stated in my first post, if it were mine.


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## lastdrinks (26/11/08)

Yep, i'd agree with buttersd70. With no hop boil, 300gm of malt will do nicely.


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## Gavo (26/11/08)

buttersd70 said:


> but personally, I would be sticking with the 300g as I stated in my first post, if it were mine.



+ 1 here. As I mentioned before I had done the Coopers Australian PA with 400 Malt and 600 Dex and if done again would add hops.
If not doing hops go 300 malt and the rest Dextrose particularly with a Coopers Lager.

Cheers
Gavo


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## floody_lager (27/11/08)

Thanks for the advice guys. Seems as though i know nothing, ill just do as im told and go 300 malt lol.
I dont expect it to be a super beer being my first, but would like somthing ill enjoy.
Hoping to get it going on sunday.


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## Nick JD (27/11/08)

I did this one a while back, it'll probably make the purists cringe!

2 x 1.5kg Cans of Coopers Light Malt in fermenter
Boil a saaz teabag for 25 min in a pot with 2 liters of water - add to fermenter
Rainwater to 23 liters + teabag of cascade
Safale yeast sachet.

It's just as easy as a K&K and much tastier IMO - not very bitter which I like. I'll be replacing the teabags with pellets when they arrive because they are not economical in the long run.

This one is in the fermenter now and it smells wonderful. 

1kg Morgans Chocoate Malt
1kg Morgans Caramel Malt
1kg DDME
Boiled cascade for 20 and threw in another bag with yeast.

YMMV, but I've found the things that make brews tasty are: no sugar (or little dextrose), healthy (and correct for temp) yeast, stable temperature, and of course - cleanliness.


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## therocko (28/11/08)

flattop said:


> That's assuming that the FG gets to where it's going, depends on starting and final gravity.
> My experience is that some kits ferment out and some don't, my first Cerveza with a Coopers kit started at 1045 finished after 2 weeks at 1018 giving it 4.1% abv.
> However, it is better to put a line in the sand and aim for the % you want.
> My understanding is that LDME won't ferment out at the same rate as Dex, i am sure someone will have a calculator for that but i think it's about 80% as efficient as dex.
> ...



am going to brew a Coopers masterbrew Pilsener. They recommend 500g of ldm & 300g of dextrose.


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## Interloper (28/11/08)

therocko said:


> am going to brew a Coopers masterbrew Pilsener. They recommend 500g of ldm & 300g of dextrose.



It's a good drop done like that straight up as a baseline brew - but do not let the temp get too high. You could probably just whack some Coopers BE2 in it and get just as good a result as ldm and dex. Once you've done this some saaz hops would be a nice addition to see the diff that makes.

The masterbrew pilz comes with a decent yeast too, better than the Coopers supermarket kits.


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## floody_lager (28/11/08)

went to the lhbs, he gave me s-04 yeast and a goldings hop bag. he couldnt find anything else i wanted so thats wat i got.
just setting my fridgemate up now so hopefully get the brew going on saturday or sunday.


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## floody_lager (30/11/08)

Ok so i put the brew down about 2 hours ago. i used coopers euro lager and 1 kg of brew enhancer 2.
I pitched the yeast at 24 deg. its in the fridge now with the temp mate set at 18 but its taking awhile to drop. its at about 21 now.

my prob is, i took the reading with hydrometer when it was about 24deg, and it said the sg was 1060.
from wat ive read, that is pretty high. im not sure if i checked it right but i tried spinning it a few times like the instructions said.

also, no bubbling in the airlock yet. is this normal?

i hope someone can put my mind at ease and tell me its ok. i have a bad feeling but lol


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## floody_lager (30/11/08)

HELP!!


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## reformed99 (30/11/08)

Don't stress.

Fermentation can take a while to start (even 1 or 2 days). Also, you fermenter might have a leak so you'd get no bubbles in the airlock. Not a problem though.

How did you meaure the SG? If you took a reading from the tap it could be high as all the goop from the tin and sugar settled at the bottom. Test it again in a day or two and it will have dropped significantly.


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## Gavo (30/11/08)

Don't worry at the temp a little high for the first few hours as it will take some time for the yeast to get started anyway. The fridge will bring it down fairly quickly anyway, I usually set mine at 19 c for the first 12 hours/overnight then bring it down to 18 c just to get it started. 
1060 is a little high for what you have said you have added but as reformed has said, if the ingredients were not thoroughly mixed it may be a little concentrated at the bottom giving a false reading.

Happy brewing.
Cheers
Gavo.

Edit if you are using the Coopers Euro Lager the yeast with the kit may be an actual lager yeast and may need a lower fermenting temp see details on temps here. Someone else may have a better idea of this than I do.


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## buttersd70 (30/11/08)

agree that it's likely not mixed fully. And airlocks are Satans handmaidens...never trust them.

1.7kg tin + 1kg BE2 in 23 L = 1039. (give or take a couple of points, depending on how accurate your water addition is). So use that as a starting point, and check in a few more days to see if it has dropped. Don't stress, it will be fine, give it time. If you used the s04, bring it down to 18C as gavo suggested.


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## Gavo (30/11/08)

Floody said:


> went to the lhbs, he gave me s-04 yeast



Whoops missed that. !8c will be the go.

Cheers
Gavo.


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## flattop (1/12/08)

1060 is definitely an error, check the hydrometer in water, should be around 1.000.
Otherwise wait a day or 2 see if it drops.


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## buttersd70 (1/12/08)

flattop said:


> ...check the hydrometer in water, should be around 1.000.



whilst it's likely a mixing problem, flattop makes a good point. Hydros should be checked when new, anyway. Check in 20C water, distilled is best, but cooled boiled water will do.


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## floody_lager (1/12/08)

thanks for the help. i did notice that some of the goo was in the tap when i took the reading so i guess it was just some shit at the bottom.
it is fermenting. i looked tonite and there is the thick foamy head at the top.

hope it turns out well!!!


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## floody_lager (1/12/08)

i took another reading tonite and its dropped to 1034. it looks and smells great already. i think its fermenting nicely. cant wait to drink it lol.
gotta plan my next one now.

any ideas?

i have 1xcoopers lager, 1x coopers real ale, 1x coopers BE1.

i will buy more but thats just wat i have here


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## floody_lager (4/12/08)

I think my first batch is nearly done. Checked tonite, its sitting at about 1018. Hopefully should finish this weekend.
Just a quick question.
While i was in big w, i saw a packet of brigalow(i think) finings clearing agent.
Just wanted to know if this would benefit my brew, and if so, do i just throw it in the primary or do i have to rack.
i dont have a 2nd fermenter, so if i have to rack, i wont bother.

also read about crash chilling?? Benefits?


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## Bribie G (4/12/08)

Floody said:


> I think my first batch is nearly done. Checked tonite, its sitting at about 1018. Hopefully should finish this weekend.
> Just a quick question.
> While i was in big w, i saw a packet of brigalow(i think) finings clearing agent.
> Just wanted to know if this would benefit my brew, and if so, do i just throw it in the primary or do i have to rack.
> ...



Brigalow finings is just gelatine. Mix it with hot water and stir into brew to clear it over a couple of days. However to get the max benifit from finings, it's a good idea to rack the beer into another fermenter, chill, and then add the finings and bottle after a couple more days. Finings will make the yeast flocculate out quickly from the beer and you can end up with very clear beer in the bottle or keg.

If you decide to keep on using finings then you can get them much cheaper by buying plain old gelatine from the supermarket, in the baking items dept. either in little sachets or get a tub of McKenzies gelatine which will last you for about twenty brews. Use a teaspoon per brew.


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## flattop (4/12/08)

Floody i don't know when you pitched but your SG is probably still a little too high for bottling. Hold out a few more days until 3 days of SG is stable.
Finings are pitched into either primary or secondary after about the 1st week when the fermentation is slowing, helps drop the yeast out and make the brew visibly clearer.
Doesn't help in taste supposedly (although less yeast in the bottle could stop yeast aftertaste). 
When i use finings i usually drop them in the primary around day 6-7. If they are dehydrated then i would mix with a minimal amount of sterile water and mix into the wort gently without disturbing the wort too much or aerating it.
Don't know about crash chilling


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## floody_lager (4/12/08)

sorry, i pitched last sunday (30th nov) at about 23 degrees. its sat at 18 since then


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## flattop (4/12/08)

To be honest i wouldn't touch that brew until about next Wednesday, maybe agitate it slightly tonight to stir up any unused yeasts and sugars, add the finings this weekend.
Think about bottling Wednesday at the earliest and think about delaying until Friday if you can. Bottling too early may lead to exploding bottles, yeast flavors and cloudy beer.
It's hard at the start but aim for quality not speed. If it's not worth drinking then you will regret the effort later.
Ohh relax and have a beer in the meantime (you can re use the bottle later so you are still working for the cause)


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## buttersd70 (4/12/08)

Finings should _not _be added until fermentation is complete, regardless of what is on the instructions of the brigalow finings. Add it prior to finishing, and the yeast will floc....makes it pretty damn hard to finish the ferment if all your yeast has dropped out 

edit....1018 is pretty high. Confirm 3 gravity readings are equal before bottling.


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## floody_lager (5/12/08)

thanks guys. i know 1018 is still too high but just going off how its dropped, my guess is, it will prob finish this weekend. prob add finings on sunday and bottle next saturday.
is there more chance of infection waiting that long?
also, how much priming sugar or drops should i use for 473ml grolsch swing tops


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## buttersd70 (5/12/08)

Floody said:


> is there more chance of infection waiting that long?
> also, how much priming sugar or drops should i use for 473ml grolsch swing tops



not really, keep it airlocked, should be fine.
priming calculator is here
bulk priming is best, but if not, enter 473ml for the volume. For beer temperature, enter the highest temperature the beer reached since active fermentation started.


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## floody_lager (8/12/08)

I have had readings of 1018 since thursday. i gave it a little shake on friday like suggested but it still hasnt changed. it stuck at 1018. being a stupid noob, i didnt think about it being too high, and added finings yesterday. is it ruined? could i try addidn more yeast?


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## Spartan 117 (8/12/08)

seemax said:


> most importantly sanitation!!



I could not agree more! Nothing worse than an infected beer happened to me once, now I spend more time sanatizing my equipment than i do brewing  

Aaron


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## buttersd70 (8/12/08)

Floody said:


> I have had readings of 1018 since thursday. i gave it a little shake on friday like suggested but it still hasnt changed. it stuck at 1018. being a stupid noob, i didnt think about it being too high, and added finings yesterday. is it ruined? could i try addidn more yeast?



If it _still _at 1018 after rousing the yeast on friday, don't worry too much about it. Give it time for the finings to drop the yeast, and then bottle. 1018 sounds high still, but if it won't drop, it won't drop. Theres only so much that can be done.

When you bottle, make sure you don't over prime. Give one bottle about 5 days, then chill it down, and open it up. Carbonation normally takes about 2 weeks, so if after only 5 days its overcarbonated, it means that it was bottled too early. If that happens, slowly release the pressure on the other bottles to vent out the gas, reseal them after a couple of minutes, and do it again a couple of days later. On the plus side, grolsche bottles are easy to do this with.  

If after the first 5 days that sample is still flat, or is only lightly carbonated, it should be ok...but recheck another (chilled) sample 5 days later. If at day 10 the carbonation is still under, or is correct, it should be fine for the whole batch. If it's overcarbonated, vent the bottles. Depending on how overcarbonated it is, you might only need to do this once. Again, check another sample 5 days later.

What I said above sounds like a bit of stuffing around, but imho it's worth it for the peace of mind in knowing that your bottles are unlikely to go bang. But still keep them in a place where if they do go bang, it's not going to hurt anyone.


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## floody_lager (8/12/08)

ok thanks butters. i took a sample and tasted it yesterday and was really surprised how good it tasted. that must be a good sign that it isnt infected (yet lol)
ill leave it til the weekend and then bottle it. i only have 8 grolsch bottles at the moment and the rest are coopers PET so i shouldnt have any bangs lol.

providing it doesnt blow up or get infected, i think it will be a damn good drop for my first brew


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## buttersd70 (8/12/08)

No worries floody...if you do end up needing to vent, do the pets as well. Just crack them open to break the seal, give em a couple of minutes, and retighten.


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## floody_lager (8/12/08)

will do. but finishing at 1018, wont it be very very low alcohol?
my sg was 1060 but everyone said that was prob wrong and it would be more lilke 1040


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## buttersd70 (8/12/08)

Floody said:


> will do. but finishing at 1018, wont it be very very low alcohol?
> my sg was 1060 but everyone said that was prob wrong and it would be more lilke 1040



Yeah, from the ingredients, 1040 is about right. So with 1018 finish, your looking at about 3.2% once carbonated in the bottle. But not a lot can be done about that.....and anyway, the main point is the flavour. If it tastes good, what does the abv really matter? Low alcohol doesn't necessarily = low flavour. Just take it all as a learning experience, the next brew should be better.


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## floody_lager (8/12/08)

Yea i guess. it did taste pretty good yesterday so hopefully should be nice drop.
thanks for the help


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## floody_lager (14/12/08)

Hey fellas.
I bottled yesterday and i was really surprised how clear it was. still a little bit of yeast floating but im sure it will drop after conditioning.
I have the bottles stored in the fridge with the fridge mate set to 22 deg. I read somewhere that this is a good temp.
is this correct?


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