Coopers Canadian Blonde suggested improvements

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Ben Hardman

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Hey Crew.

Hope your well.

Currently have my mangrove jacks lager in day 3 of fermentation and the airlocks showing its going healthily.

What suggestions for my second beer kit?

IE steeping grains, different yeast, steeping hops - brews been sitting comfortably at 18 degrees got a couple of towels around it to hide it from heat and cold.

As its my second brew after 10 years absent who can give me some tips and what additional equipment I should get.

Stocked up on the international series and coopers brew enhancer 2 as big w had 20% off so also got an the family secret amber ale, cervaza and europeon lager, plus all the carbonation drops, pet bottles(young kids so avoiding bottle bombs til my technique is right) and bits and pieces coming out of my arse!

Any tips for a novice to improve would be great, have a great bottle shop down the road that has all the bits and ends luckily - located in Sutherland shops at Kirrawee so happily close.

Will also be grabbing my second fermentor and tubing this week as have always racked.

Sorry about the longer than expected speel.

Cheers all.
 
Recommendation 1 for me would be a fermentation fridge. You're fermenting a lager yeast at 18C which is high for a lager, you're going to get unwanted esters.
Since you bottle, this fridge is handy twofold. After the fermentation is done, simply adjust the temp controller to 2C and chill your beer without having to move it elsewhere. Cold crash for a few days before bottling and you'll greatly improve your clarity.
Recommendation 2 is wort oxygenation. Lengthy but very convincing thread here - https://aussiehomebrewer.com/threads/get-into-o2-guys-if-youre-serious-about-nicer-beer.92900/
Recommendation 3 (but kinda a continuation of 1) is to start using biofine if you haven't already - https://aussiehomebrewer.com/threads/biofine.95697/
 
Mate no way I am going a fridge for brewing initially maybe in 12 months. Will check thread.

Will definitely look at more less excessive ways for temp control though.

Cheers for the advice but more after very basic stuff initially as stated in OP.
 
I took basic to mean cheap - and with some searching/elbow grease you can get a fridge for under $50.
If by "cheap" you mean requiring little to no effort to implement.. definitely wort oxygenation.
 
Apologies mate, didn't meant to come across as offensive.

Mrs is glad I have a new hobby, but bringing home a second fridge could push the friendship a bit there


What's the method for wort oxydisation?
 
All good. Detail is in the thread I linked above, but basically, before pitching yeast you aerate the wort using a diffusion stone connected to an O2 bottle and O2 regulator. The increased oxygen saturation of the wort has a myriad of positive effects which are also described in the thread.
You can pick up the parts for varying costs, there are many options in that department and many are discussed in the O2 thread. I won't link to a specific supplier here since I cheated and bought mine off another guy, so I have no preference myself.
 
If a fridge is out of the question, there are other ways to keep your fermenting beer at a more suitable temp, ice bath with wet towels is one way. More labour intensive and not as accurate, but plenty of us have done it that way during our early brewing days.
Another option is to use a Saison yeast, these are great for fermenting at higher temperatures.
Steeping some grains and using some hops for flavour/aroma is a good idea. As is using better yeasts than those that come with the cans.
Oxygen is important, but there are probably dozens of things that you should get right before going down that path.
Aeration, by splashing the wort will suffice for the time being.
Not sure that you need to rack, unless you're bulk priming, otherwise it's an unnecessary step that could introduce infection or oxidise your beer.

There are a few great books that are well worth reading, John Palmer's - How to Brew, is a good place to start.
 
This is what I do for temperature - a soft esky bag and an ice-brick (zipped up inside). Keeps it down below 18 during a warm day. Good for normal beer, not so much for making lager.

Fermenter.jpg
 
If you're bottling I couldn't rate a bottle tree highly enough and you can buy a spray pump attachment to sit on top for your sanitizer.

https://m.ebay.com.au/itm/Brand-New...%3A5082fb2e15f0abd99d1ca0c5fffdfc0d%7Ciid%3A2

A quick search on eBay brings this up but you may be able to find creeper especially if you go second hand, from memory my spray attachment cost me $25 from the local brew shop and the tree roughly $30.
Anything that makes bottling more efficient is worth it.
Good luck with the brew, Canadian Blonde goes well in summer.
 
Does your lady enjoy a beer or two? A sure winner for the women is to make the Canadian Blonde or Mexican Cervesa Kit, throw the kit yeast to the ****-house, buy some US-05 or MJ42 yeast, ferment as close to 18 as you can manage and throw 40 grams of Galaxy hops after in fermentation has finished for 2-4 days. Include her in your hobby to some extent. After she is suitably impressed by your awesome brewing skill, inform her that WE can make all sorts of fantastic beers, ciders, ginger beers ect, but to do this WE will need a fermentation fridge and temp controller, with summer just around the corner and all. The great thing is it will only cost US the price of 1-2 cartons of beer.
 
wereprawn makes an excellent point. Or make a couple bottles of mead - chicks love mead.
 
Garagebrew said:
If you're bottling I couldn't rate a bottle tree highly enough and you can buy a spray pump attachment to sit on top for your sanitizer.

https://m.ebay.com.au/itm/Brand-New-Bottle-Tree-63-Bottle-Rinser-Washer-Sanitiser-Home-Brew-Supply-Kit/291725702295?hash=item43ec34f497:g:8HIAAOSwJQdW~bbR&_trkparms=pageci%3A0ffb105f-b90b-11e7-a53e-74dbd180816d%7Cparentrq%3A5082fb2e15f0abd99d1ca0c5fffdfc0d%7Ciid%3A2

A quick search on eBay brings this up but you may be able to find creeper especially if you go second hand, from memory my spray attachment cost me $25 from the local brew shop and the tree roughly $30.
Anything that makes bottling more efficient is worth it.
Good luck with the brew, Canadian Blonde goes well in summer.
Click to expand...

Just be aware the postage is $100 on that ebay link.
 
You can get fridges cheaper than $50, most I have paid for one is $20, the rest were free! A temp controller can be built for $30 or bought for $50.

It will make the biggest difference to your beer for minimal cost, and you won't have to **** around swapping out ice blocks etc. The cost of running one pales in comparison to the money you save by not buying commercial beer. I have four on the go plus our main fridge in the house, and I still don't feel bad about it!
 
Ben Hardman said:
Anyone know where to get a soft esky bag from none at kmart bunnings ect
Click to expand...
ebay. search extra large cooler bag.

but check size to fit fermenter and postage cost:

I'll go a fridge and temp controller if I could too, but likely moving house soon - so don't want the clutter.
 

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