Coopers Ginger Beer $5 At Coles

[milestron]

Hey all - had a browse through the brewing section of Coles the other day to check out this big clearance I've been hearing about. They didn't really have much other deals but tins of Coopers Ginger Ale and (I think) Brigalow Cider were half price at about $5 each. i figure I'll put the ginger beer in the cupboard for when I run out of beer ingredients. Wondering if anyone has any advise on this kit, I've read a few posts so far and the consesus seems to be
-Brown sugar about 1.5 kg
-Fresh ginger about 500g (but this seems like a shitload? Is the kit flavour that weak?)
-Yeast used doesn't really matter - I'll prob just use the kit yeast which appears to be the stock standard Coopers kit yeast. (maybe make a starter first seeing as it's probably old)

I see also a few people have used malt extract as well, but that seems a bit strange?

HBKreviews have given it fairly mediocre ratings for brewing as-is, main criticism seems to be it's too sweet.

Cheers

 

[Rodolphe01]

With the ginger beers i've done, I've added to much to the kits I questioned whether I even needed the kit it in the first place!

What you've read sounds about right, I added lemon to mine too, and some spices but can't recall exactly what - maybe cinnamon and cloves.

 

[Jimboley]

The SRK Ol' Stoney Ginger beer recipe is a winner, if I do say so myself. .. the recipe below

You'll find that the Gingerbeer can accually has some malt extract in it.

1kg Raw Sugar
500g Malt sugar blend (equiv Coop. Brew Enh. #2)
200g Dextrose
8g Perle hops (add more for drier finish-up to 20g)
1 stick of cinnamon
2 teaspoons of Mixed spice or ground cloves
2 teaspoons of DAP (yeast Nutrient)
1 tablespoon to 1/2 cup of Fresh grated ginger (remove skin) completely up to how much ginger bite you want
(the kit is fine by itself, but the fresh ginger makes it more... 'grown up' & sharper.

Boil all of the above in 3L of water for 10 mins
Remove from the heat and stir in the extract can
Add Ice and cold water to chill & transfer to fermenter
Add water up to 22.5L not 20L
Pitch creamed yeast at 25C and ferment at 24-26C

Yes, I know is seems crazy to add hops to gingerbeer, but Perle will give u a clean slightly minty dryness.
In my humble opinion the K&K recipe on the can is FAR TOO sweet, although the wife loves it

Cheers & Happy Brewin!

James

 

[DU99]

i added 200grams fresh to a non alc version..people that i have given it too are happy with the taste

 

[nathanR]

my recipe

1 kit ginger beer coopers
1.5 kg brown sugar
1 bottle of bickfords ginger cordial
1 pack of ground ginger
pinch of ground cinnamon
2 kit yeasts
20 lt water

i put all the ingredients into a pot and dissolve then throw it all in the fermenter for 2 weeks or till its done