Complete Newbie with some easy questions

[panzerd18]

Hi all,

After wanting to get into homebrew for a long time, I finally bought a Coopers DIY kit to start with.

I have a few basic questions.

On the back of the Coopers Brew Enhancer 1 it says that the full 1kg of Brew Enhancer will yield approximately 4.2% alcohol per 23 litres. 500g will yield approximately 3.5% alcohol.

My question is, if I wanted to brew a light beer can I just add 500g or less of the Brew Enhancer instead of 1kg with no ill effect on the brewing process? The instructions call for 1kg to be added but I would prefer something with less alcohol content.

My second question is about cleaning products. I am looking to purchase a bottle tree and bottle rinser. What is the best no rinse product to use? I have been recommended Sodium Metabisulphite at my local home brew store. Is this any good? There seems to be a large range of cleaning products out there and it is a bit confusing which is best for my needs.

Another tip I picked up is the kit instructions calls for a high brewing temperature. If I brew the ale yeast included in the kit at around 18 C degrees, would it yield a better tasting beer? Temperatures in Melbourne are cold at the moment, around 8-12 C degrees ambient. Could I interchange the ale yeast with a low temperature lager yeast and just brew at ambient temperatures? I have ordered a heating belt and automatic thermostat control from ebay, so I will have the ability to raise the temperature if need be.

Thank for your help.

 

[wereprawn]

Hi Panz,

Can't see why 500 g of BE1 would not work for a mid strength. Though if you want a tad more malt flavour, getting 500 g of Light Dry Malt Extract from your LHBS and adding instead of the BE1 would be even better.

For cleaning I use sodium percarbonate. Very good cleaner and does a fair job of sanitizing if left in contact with your gear/bottles for a few hours. Then as an insurance policy using a no rinse sanitizer like star-san. Not best practice , but if you give each bottle a really good rinse with water as soon as the beer is poured out, you can get away with just the star-san.

Fermentation generates its own heat so wrapping a sleeping bag or doona around your fermenter should get you at an acceptable ale temp.

Hope this helps.

Cheers.

 

[panzerd18]

Thanks very much. I found some Star San, it seems like its quite hard to find in Australia.

https://www.craftbrewer.com.au/shop/default.asp?CID=104


I also heard Napisan is fine for the cleaning stage? I want to say away from Bleach or other strong smelling cleaners as I don't want it to ruin the beer.

 

[Yob]

Pure sodium Percabonate is the active ingredient in napisan, it's the bomb for cleaning, follow up with starsan and you are good to go,

Where abouts are you located? Melbourne water is perfect for starsan and I tend to mix it up 20L at a time, (bunnings container) saves much stuffing about measuring tiny amounts, never had it go cloudy on me yet. Also invest in a spray bottle for easy application.

 

[dammag]

Just remember to use unscented Napisan, the sensitive type. The Coles one works well.

 

[Grott]

Hi Panz,

Can't see why 500 g of BE1 would not work for a mid strength. Though if you want a tad more malt flavour, getting 500 g of Light Dry Malt Extract from your LHBS and adding instead of the BE1 would be even better.

Agree 500gms of LDME is the way to go. Coopers English Bitter recommend this on the can, its quite a good drop at about 3.8% alcohol.
Cheers and you enjoy brewing.

 

[panzerd18]

If I wanted lower alcohol to produce an ultra light type of beer what would I need to do?

What if I only added say 250g of LDME or even 125g?


Going to the extreme stage, what would happen if I just added the Coopers kit extract and didn't add any BE1 or LDME? Would the yeast still produce the beer although very low alcohol?

 

[manticle]

Resulting beer would likely be quite thin and watery.

 

[ManVsBeer]

1. You can use 1/2, 1/4 or no brew enhancer. Using the can alone will give you a malty low alcohol beer.

2. Starsan.

3. I've just check one of my fermenters with no heat control and it's sitting at 14c in Adelaide weather, which is a little warmer than Melbourne at the moment, so the correct lager yeast would work, but then it wouldn't be an ale. 18c would be around the best temp for an ale if you get your heat belt, ignore what the kit instructions say.

Just remember to use unscented Napisan, the sensitive type. The Coles one works well.

I use Napisan Oxyclean Vanish with no ill effects when it's time for a serious clean. With the Coles brand I saw floral and plain. Got the plain one home and it was 100% lemon scented. Gave it to SWMBO.

 

[panzerd18]

Thanks.


Manvsbeer thats great, I would like a malty low alcohol beer mainly for health reasons at the moment.

Yeah I think fermenting lagers over winter in Melbourne would be perfect and then switch to ales when things heat up.

 

[ManVsBeer]

I would like a malty low alcohol beer ......

As with all low alcohol beers it will still be a bit watery, if you just use the can. Once you gain experience, you will be able to make a low alcohol beer taste better. Good luck with your new hobby. It's a never ending quest.

 

[panzerd18]

Ok everyone its done. Its all in the fermenter now.

Ended up doing the following.


Coopers Original Lager (came with DIY kit)
500grams Dry Light Malt Extract
2 x W34/70 Lager yeast

Pitched yeast at 22C degrees
Specific gravity START - 1.033

Ambient temperature is around 10C degrees so hopefully it will bring the temperature down to the yeasts comfort zone.

 

[panzerd18]

To my shock and horror, the Coopers DIY tap has a leak/drip. However after around 20 minutes it has stopped dripping. I did a search on google and found this was a common problem with these kits.


Did I make the right decision to buy one of these kits. When I told the local homebrew store the guy turned his nose up at it and said it was much worse than their brewmaster kits.

 

[Goose]

Ok everyone its done. Its all in the fermenter now.

Ended up doing the following.


Coopers Original Lager (came with DIY kit)
500grams Dry Light Malt Extract
2 x W34/70 Lager yeast

Pitched yeast at 22C degrees
Specific gravity START - 1.033

Ambient temperature is around 10C degrees so hopefully it will bring the temperature down to the yeasts comfort zone

Hmm, if you get down to 1.010 it would be only 3.1% ABV. No experience with lo OG beers.... are you expecting 1.008 FG maybe ? If so you still only be 3.3%.

Give it a whirl. Proof is in the tasting....

 

[Goose]

To my shock and horror, the Coopers DIY tap has a leak/drip. However after around 20 minutes it has stopped dripping. I did a search on google and found this was a common problem with these kits.

Guess that you already tried turning it clockwise another 1/2 turn ? or is it leaking out of the outlet ?

 

[wereprawn]

Hmm, if you get down to 1.010 it would be only 3.1% ABV. No experience with lo OG beers.... are you expecting 1.008 FG maybe ? If so you still only be 3.3%.

Give it a whirl. Proof is in the tasting....

Assuming he is bottling, priming will bump this up .4/.5 %.

 

[calobes]

Guess that you already tried turning it clockwise another 1/2 turn ? or is it leaking out of the outlet ?

I think the tap he has is a snap lock one. The new coopers kits just snap in, no threads.
I have one of these and mine has never leaked, does the rubber seal look healthy?

 

[antiphile]

G'day Panzerd

The only other thing I'd like to suggest is to maybe use a non-fermentable sugar with the kit to increase the mouthfeel and head retention so it doesn't taste too "thin". I haven't tried this myself, but can I suggest starting with, say, a can of Coopers Australian Pale Ale, and adding 300 grams of maltodextrin (available from your brew store).

In 23 litres, this should make a light beer (about 2.5% ABV after bottle priming). The APA, in my humble opinion, has more flavour than the Lager included with the kit. Or you could do the same with the Coopers IPA as well.

Cheers
Phil

Edit added: Oops. I forgot. With the Coopers snap-lock tap on a new DIY kit, almost all small leaks can be fixed by smearing the finest of layers of olive oil on the outside of the red rubber/silicone gaskets. If that still causes problems, ring the store (phone number on coopers.com.au) and they will send you out a replacement for free.

 

[panzerd18]

Hmm, if you get down to 1.010 it would be only 3.1% ABV. No experience with lo OG beers.... are you expecting 1.008 FG maybe ? If so you still only be 3.3%.

Give it a whirl. Proof is in the tasting....

I'm not really sure what I am expecting to tell the truth as its my first batch. How would one know what specific gravity you should end up with? Would it be changeable depending on what ingredients you add? I'm not so much worried about the alcohol content. I would prefer it to be as low as possible. Was considering only putting in 250g of Light Dry Malt but decided to go the full 500g.

Guess that you already tried turning it clockwise another 1/2 turn ? or is it leaking out of the outlet ?

Tried wiggling it around by no use. Its not a screw in tap, but slides straight in.

I think the tap he has is a snap lock one. The new coopers kits just snap in, no threads.
I have one of these and mine has never leaked, does the rubber seal look healthy?

Yes its the new DIY snap lock tap. No threads. It seems to have stopped dripping, so I'm so thankful.

G'day Panzerd

The only other thing I'd like to suggest is to maybe use a non-fermentable sugar with the kit to increase the mouthfeel and head retention so it doesn't taste too "thin". I haven't tried this myself, but can I suggest starting with, say, a can of Coopers Australian Pale Ale, and adding 300 grams of maltodextrin (available from your brew store).

In 23 litres, this should make a light beer (about 2.5% ABV after bottle priming). The APA, in my humble opinion, has more flavour than the Lager included with the kit. Or you could do the same with the Coopers IPA as well.

Cheers
Phil

Edit added: Oops. I forgot. With the Coopers snap-lock tap on a new DIY kit, almost all small leaks can be fixed by smearing the finest of layers of olive oil on the outside of the red rubber/silicone gaskets. If that still causes problems, ring the store (phone number on coopers.com.au) and they will send you out a replacement for free.

Unfortunately I think its too late as I have already combined the ingredients and they're all fermenting now. Or can stuff still be added in after I've locked up the fermenter? Will definitely keep this in mind for my next batch. 300g of maltodextrin for 2.5% would suit me fine.

Is it true that the Coopers Original Lager is bad? The homebrew store almost turned their nose up in disgust when I mentioned it.

Thanks for the tip with the oil, will put some on when fermenting finishes. I don't think its leaking through the rubber seals, but through the actual tap mechanism itself.

The tap is this style.

The brewing smell is amazing! I'm already loving it! The temperature has dropped to 16C degrees. The the ambient temperature being 10 I'm hoping for it to drop further overnight.

I can't see any bubbling yet? When should I most definitely start seeing bubbles in the fermenter?

 

[calobes]

That taps threaded? This is the coopers snap lock tap