Coopers English Bitter

[phinnsfotos]

Hi everyone,

I'm about to try one of the new Coopers English Bitter kit (http://www.coopers.com.au/homebrew/hbrew.php?pid=1&id=2523), and on the side it says "we recommend mixing this product with 500g of Coopers Light Dry malt." I'm assuming this is meant as a replacement for any sugar? I just thought it was a bit unusual as the other kits seem always recommend 1Kg of sugar/brew enhancer.

Has anyone tried this kit with just the recommended 500g of light dry malt?

Cheers,
Finn.

 

[porky4776]

Hey Phinnsfotos,
I sat down to a few of these last night. made with just the 500g ldme as suggested, no extra dex. after about a month in the bottle has turned into a nice beer. quite happy for a kit.

Blackbeerlove. :icon_cheers:

 

[buttersd70]

Haven't tried the kit, but it makes sense that it would only have 500g ldme as well as the kit, as English Bitters (regardles of what our American friends in a certain organisation who shall not be mentioned tend to think <_< ) tend to have an OG in the mid 1030's.

 

[AussieJosh]

Yer i made this! from memory i think with the 5oogs it turns out at about 3.8% so its mid strength. it says it on the back of the coopers LDM box.

 

[ianh]

It is good to see that Coopers are recommending that you use their kits with malt rather than sugar or one of their brew enhancers.

Plus only recommending adding 500 g rather than the 1 kilo which is more in the style of an English bitter. I think it should make a good beer that would be improved even further by the addition of some aroma hops (could be dry hopped).

cheers

Ian

 

[DR.RELAX]

ive just used this kit in a partial recipe with 1kg of marris otter and 250g of wey smoked to make a scottish ale.tastes good after a couple of days in the fermenter, if it turns out ok ill prob start using as a base for some english ales.

 

[buttersd70]

Even though I'm normaly AG, I've been thinking of giving this a go, firstly cos I don't have the time atm to brew, and secondly, so I can get a rough idea if they've got it right, or got it oh so wrong....

On paper, it's a good kit. Might give it a whirl in a partial....

 

[Goofinder]

Even though I'm normaly AG, I've been thinking of giving this a go...

I know there's a comment to be made here about brewers of short stature and can openers but I can't quite work out what it is.

 

[buttersd70]

I know there's a comment to be made here about brewers of short stature and can openers but I can't quite work out what it is.

ooooohhhh, you are awful! But I like ya!

 

[RdeVjun]

This can got the better of me, so I put one on, but my brew scientist/idiot also got the better of me too, so its now a partial with BB Ale, Munich I and a splash of crystal plus some Styrian with Wy1275. So it won't really be much of a test- I just have to muck with these things...

Obviously, I'll be reporting any gross deficiencies. I think I've spotted some already though, and not with the ingredients... :lol:

 

[Pumpy]

Hi everyone,

I'm about to try one of the new Coopers English Bitter kit (http://www.coopers.com.au/homebrew/hbrew.php?pid=1&id=2523), and on the side it says "we recommend mixing this product with 500g of Coopers Light Dry malt." I'm assuming this is meant as a replacement for any sugar? I just thought it was a bit unusual as the other kits seem always recommend 1Kg of sugar/brew enhancer.

Has anyone tried this kit with just the recommended 500g of light dry malt?

Cheers,
Finn.

I had a few schooners of Frankos Coopers English Bitter he uses the bag of Coopers Dry malt /detrose /maltodetrine addative and a liquid yeast .and dry hopped with Styrian Golding plug in the fermenter .

great Body heaps of flavour

It really was a great drop ,but he makes a great K& K

 

[phinnsfotos]

Well it's on,

the LDM was a little harder to mix in than the usual "Brew Enhancer" but we got there in the end. Stuck to the basics, 500g Coopers LDM and the yeast that came with the can. Pitched the yeast right on 21c so fingers crossed and we'll see how we go.

Cheers,
Finn.

 

[phinnsfotos]

Forgot I posted this topic, so I thought I should round it off.

It all went well, can't remember the exact notes (they're at home) but I think it stayed at about 16-18 with the coopers kit yeast until it finished. I probably pulled it off a little early, I think it stopped at about 1012, I can double check later if need be.


I'm really happy with this, it was my 3rd brew, K&.5K and it's seen about 3 months in the bottle now and I'm really proud of it. Easy to drink with a nice bitterness. Unfortunately I've only got a couple of bottles left, but isn't that always the way. I'll definitely be doing it again, maybe with some dry hops.

Cheers,
Finn.

 

[Bribie G]

I'd missed this thread originally, haven't brewed for a month (competition fatigue) and might do a sacrilegious thing and run up a tin with West Yorkshire 1469 - pitchforks burning torches - and keg it off and drink young, see how it goes as a bitter.

The thing about bitters is that they were the working man's beer and originally drunk in six-o'clock swill style when the factory chucked out. I used to work in a glassworks in Newcastle and there was a pub right opposite the factory gate, the siren would go and 200 crazed thirsty workers would race over the road. Everyone had their spot at the bar, mine was next to Ginger's who drank keg guinness. The barmaids would start pouring and pumping twenty minutes before end of shift and when we got the the bar two or three pints would be in our spot - mine was Whitbread Trophy 1040 OG so I guess about 3.7%. Three of them. For starters.

You couldn't do that with a 5% beer. When Stella Artois BUL became popular (5.2%) it became known, and still is, as 'wife beater'.

 

[phinnsfotos]

I'm only just starting to learn about alcohol levels. I made a Beermakers Aussie Lager and thought "that might be a bit bland, I'll chuck some extra malt and hops in there". When if finally came out it was around the 6.5% mark. So I've got to watch my self with it. If you drink it straight up, you can taste the extra alcohol so the brain says "beware" but if you're eating, snacking, talking and you go through a few to quickly, then you have to fall over.

 

[MarkBastard]

I wish I could find these kits in the local woolworths <_<

 

[iScarlet]

I never see them in Woolies but they should be in good stock in Coles.

 

[RobboMC]

Well it's on,

the LDM was a little harder to mix in than the usual "Brew Enhancer" but we got there in the end. Stuck to the basics, 500g Coopers LDM and the yeast that came with the can. Pitched the yeast right on 21c so fingers crossed and we'll see how we go.

Cheers,
Finn.

Check the Coopers website,

they suggest you put the LDM in the fermenter FIRST, add your hot water, and swill the fermenter around
like in a bear hug to dissolve the LDM. Water needs to be really really hot; like still boiling when you add it.

 

[phinnsfotos]

BigW had them mis-priced at $5 a can for a day in Canberra Still in date (by years). So I got a couple.

 

[boingk]

Also try Kmart or BigW for them, they always seem to have pretty much the whole range of Coopers Original and International kits, plus the usual Tooheys and maybe a Brigalow or two.

I did on of these a few weeks ago with just the kit, 500g LDME and 300g dextrose (didn't particularly want a mid). Stock yeast around 16-18'C and made to 22L. Brilliant rich copper beer with a decent body and a good head, even after only 2 weeks in the bottle. Bitterness is there for sure and comments I've gotten on it from mates (who like more than your average VB) reckon its a bloody good standard kit.

I'm definitely putting this one up as a stock brew, will be adding some Amber malted grain and Fuggles aroma next time though.

Cheers - boingk