Coopers Craft Brew

[chemfish]

Anyone know anything about these new coopers "craft brew" kits? for 8.5 litres they seem pretty damn expensive

 

[sp0rk]

They're meant for the Mr Beer kits, were primarily for the US market but they've just started selling them here

 

[maaark]

Looks like they're trying to get more 'craft' beer drinkers into brewing.

Coopers Craft DIY Beer kit - 15 litre fermenter (to fit in their apartment kitchens).
http://store.coopers.com.au//beer-kits/coopers-diy-beer-craft-kit.html

This 'how-to' video was uploaded yesterday:
http://youtu.be/AGFuJMH26rI

A tin worth $16.95 will make 'one carton' of craft beer, no other fermentables required - OG 1047. Not a bad sales model, you're flat out buying a half decent six pack these days for that price. Might try one between brews if I see them in the shops.

 

[panzerd18]

Pretty good to get people into the hobby. Small size footprint so doesn't take up much space. It will brew 2 slabs worth which is enough for a lot of people.

The biggest barrier of entry when I didn't have my own place was temperature control, not so much the beer diy kit.

 

[maaark]

PS - A Coopers 1.7kg Pale Ale tin brewed to 8.5 litres with nothing else will give you a near perfect American IPA.

OG 1062 FG 1015
IBU 50 EBC 13.2

:beerbang:

 

[gsouth82]

PS - A Coopers 1.7kg Pale Ale tin brewed to 8.5 litres with nothing else will give you a near perfect American IPA.

Wont taste like one though. Would need some serious flavour and aroma hops.

 

[panzerd18]

Wont taste like one though. Would need some serious flavour and aroma hops.

If you lower the liquid volume, wouldn't it increase the flavour/hops?

 

[gsouth82]

If you lower the liquid volume, wouldn't it increase the flavour/hops?

Yeah it would but my understanding is that the Pale Ale tin only uses Pride of Ringwood for bittering.
You have to get some flavour and aroma hops in there to make it an American IPA.

 

[maaark]

No problem, they sell 15g bags of Galaxy at Big W now. No joke - Brigalow are selling them as finishing hops, sitting at room temperature and everything.

Anyways, back on topic...

 

[chemfish]

Interesting, so they are fully concentrated wort that doesn't require additional sugars to brew and pitched at around the price point of buying fresh wort kits. Think I will give them a pass, though I wouldnt mind a couple of small 15 litre fermenters so I can split batches and hop the base brew differently, wonder what the size of their mini fermenters are and if I could fit two of them in my fridge.

 

[bingggo]

I have been interested in doing smaller brews, but given I have the space in the cupboard, is there any reason not to buy the 30L coopers fermenter and do the smaller brews in that? then I can do a bigger brew occasionally if desired.

The only reason I can think of apart from space required is the big headspace. Yet I followed a thread or two in here about people brewing 20L brews in 60L fermenters without issues...

B

 

[Judanero]

Yet I followed a thread or two in here about people brewing 20L brews in 60L fermenters without issues...

Flame-suit on. h34r:

 

[crowmanz]

I saw the coopers craft brew kits (fermenter one) at BCF the other day. Stopped reading when I saw it only brewed 8.5L

 

[TheWiggman]

You'll be fine bingggo if you get the basics right.

Ed: anyone else see the irony calling home brew 'craft' with these new kits? If craft beer tasted like my early home brew kit efforts the consumption of it would be limited to the people who want to sell it I reckon.

 

[Charlie Miso]

8.5 liters? That's crazy!

Where would you keep all the stuff? What would you do with the extra 3.5 liters?

Madness I say.

 

[Gigantorus]

I had one of the original Mr Beer 8.5L kits, which was fun until I broke it and could find replacement parts. So end up buying a 30L fermenter and have never looked back.

I noticed in the KMart calalogue on the weekend that they are selling a 30L Coopers craft beer kit in southern Queensland region for somethign around $70. Catalogue doesn't say if KMart will also carry brew cans etc?

Cheers,

Pete

 

[Nizmoose]

You'll be fine bingggo if you get the basics right.

Ed: anyone else see the irony calling home brew 'craft' with these new kits? If craft beer tasted like my early home brew kit efforts the consumption of it would be limited to the people who want to sell it I reckon.

There is irony there but the first kits likely used by you (and almost anyone in this forum) were trying to mimic megaswill which you're right is absolutely not craft beer whereas these genuinely appear to create some much hoppier brews that many (myself included) would consider craft beer. Definitely a step in the right direction to better beer imo.