Coopers Heritage Lager And Dark Dry Malt?

[hotchilli]

As a complete beginner to homebrewing, my head is spinning with information overload. This forum is amazing! I just bottled my third brew and am keen to get the next one going. I've got no idea about kit recipes, cause basically I don't know enough about beer yet to know what's good or not.

Here's what I have in the cupboard:

• A tin of Thomas Coopers Heritage Lager
• A tin of Brigalow Munich Lager
• 1kg of Dark Dry Malt extract
• 2kg of Dextrose
• 1 sachet of Morgan's Fuggles finishing hops
• 1 sachet of Morgan's Cascade finishing hops
• 1 sachet of Morgan's Ale yeast

So, any recommendations on what I should put down next? Thanks.

 

[Cube]

To get rid of the brigalow lager use it as a toucan with the coopers lager. Using the brigalow lager by itself and some dex or malt will just be very average. So - consider the brigalow as a tin of light malt.

I'd go....

Toucan coopers tin and brigalow tin
use ale yeat - get USO5 if you can and ferment at 18 deg.
use either hop at flame out to get some taste in there and counter the two tins being a little bitter. This will also get you started into hops flavours etc.
Better again, get some grain in there. Steep some carapils or crystal for more depth.

Good luck with what you have to play with.

Edit: if you go a toucan, give 4 weeks in bottle to mature somewhat.....

 

[hotchilli]

Ok, the toucan sounds like a plan. How would I go if I pitched both kit yeasts and the Morgan's ale yeast - too much??

Should I add any dextrose or malt extract?

What do you mean by "hop at flame out"? When is that?

BTW, I'm def gonna get into grains in the (near?) future, but for now I just gotta figure out what I'm doing.

thanks

 

[Cube]

right o. Flame out is 'bringing the pot off the boil' ie no more flame/heat. I jumped the gun and assumed you were boiling on the stove liquid from steeping grains....should of double checked it better but was on poker stars at the same time Hop at flame out is now just that. Add hops after turning off the heat which gives a lovely late hop aroma. Note AROMA is the key and not bitterness from BOILING hops at flame out.

Adding more fermentables is just upping the % for the sake of it. Maybe in a big stout add more as the style there suits.

Being two different yeasts from two different suppliers I'd rehydrate the coopers yeast only and get that yeast going first in a sterile jug with some malt or sugar. When the yeast is 'proved' and all frothy pitch that. OR go one better pay $5 and get a pack of US05 yeast for the job. Cleaner yeast and loves toucans.

See how it goes then look into re using the yeast/trub and save a tonne of money and have a long supply of good yeast for $5 ie: up to 20 brews easily for $5

So yeah, steep your hop bag in a cup of boiled water for 10 mins and then biff it in the beer before putting the lid on, bag and all.

 

[hotchilli]

Ok, the deed is done. Coopers Heritage Lager and Brigalow Munich Lager Toucan. No dextrose, no malt, just water. Pitched the Coopers Kit yeast straight into the wort at 18 deg C. The Brigalow kit smelt sweet, the Coopers smelt really strong and hoppy - the two mixed together smelt a bit strange :huh:

I'll add the hops after a few days as I've read elsewhere on AHB that the active fermentation activity in the first few days can have an affect on these small finishing hops kits.

I'll see how it goes.....

 

[Cube]

Sounds alright. Will be ok after 4 weeks in bottle. Crack a few at 3 weeks to compare to later opened bottles. Fresh wort always tastes funky to me and different to what comes out of the bottles