Coopers Ipa - Have I Stuffed It?

[drfad]

Put down my third brew today, a Coopers IPA, at the suggestion of the local brewshop guy. Unfortunately, after a bit more digging around, I think I may have got the lunchbreak or work experience guy!

I got the can and was looking for some Coopers light dry malt as per a recipe I saw on the Coopers website. He told me they had none, but that the Brewcraft #20 was the same thing. He also suggested some Cascade hops thrown in dry after the yeast.

So this is what I did...

1.7kg Coopers IPA can
1kg Brewcraft #20
750g Dextrose
Made up to 22L
Pitched kit yeast
Mixed it up well
Threw in 12g hop bag of Cascade dry.

The initial gravity scared me a touch, coming it at 1078 (!!) so I did a bit more reading and it looks like the brew could end up at about 9%.

So my question is.... what the hell can I expect from the brew and is there anything I can do if it is FUBAR?

 

[manticle]

Looks fine. I'd guess that 1078 is due to unmixed malt in the tap and the real OG is much lower.

Cascade is a US hop and the IPA is probably hopped with UK hops so that may be an interesting mix but otherwise relax and see how it goes. certainly nothing ridiculously ridiculous. Next time consider a different yeast and consider dry hopping this one (maybe with target hops which might complement the cascade with a bit of citrus).

 

[mwd]

That SG looks a little bit suspect would guess the wort is not fully mixed and the mix is denser down the bottom.

Try using Ian's great excel worksheet to see what OG that comes up with, give you more of an idea.

 

[Rurik]

This is my favourite kit. Why? Because I fell it is complete in itself. I would not add anything to it, but if I were to it definitely would not be Cascade (or any thing resembling a C hop) as it is choc full of Styrian Goldings and you would have to work against that. I have done this plenty of times with the kit yeast and it tastes good and I have done this with Wyeast British Ale 2. Both are nom nom nom. I usaly add 1.5kg of Black Rock Light Malt but have used 1kg LDME as well. I recommend this to everyone.

Also just did the maths to what you said you added, you have a Gravity reading of 13.1'P or 1.052772727 SG. That is assuming you got your dilutions right. If you did I think the other guys are right.



Edited to add some numbers.

 

[drfad]

Cool, I'll have to only go to the LHBS when the old guy who owns it is there.

I did mix it pretty well and ran out a couple of tubes worth before I took that OG (the first one was 1.100!).

consider dry hopping this one (maybe with target hops which might complement the cascade with a bit of citrus).​

​

So should I try and get the cascade hops bag out as I've read they can impart "grassy" flavours if left, and then add the other hops at 5 days?

Edited for formatting

 

[mwd]

May as well leave them in 12g is not very much, dryhop at 1g per litre after the brew has been going for about 5 days or so.

 

[drfad]

Great. Thanks for the replies guys!! :icon_cheers:

 

[Bubba]

Put down my third brew today, a Coopers IPA, at the suggestion of the local brewshop guy. Unfortunately, after a bit more digging around, I think I may have got the lunchbreak or work experience guy!

I got the can and was looking for some Coopers light dry malt as per a recipe I saw on the Coopers website. He told me they had none, but that the Brewcraft #20 was the same thing. He also suggested some Cascade hops thrown in dry after the yeast.

So this is what I did...

1.7kg Coopers IPA can
1kg Brewcraft #20
750g Dextrose
Made up to 22L
Pitched kit yeast
Mixed it up well
Threw in 12g hop bag of Cascade dry.

The initial gravity scared me a touch, coming it at 1078 (!!) so I did a bit more reading and it looks like the brew could end up at about 9%.

So my question is.... what the hell can I expect from the brew and is there anything I can do if it is FUBAR?

Hi, based on your ingredients yout SG should be around 1052, so I am assuming that there is some malt settlement in youor tap, maybe take another reading but let your tap run a bit first.
You did put a lot of fermentables in but even so with reasonable attenuation should get a FG of around 1010-1012 and alc just a tad over 6%.
Next time use more malt based fermentables, such as 1kg DME or 1.5k LME, and no dex and offset the malt with more hops, maybe do a small boil with pellets.
It won't be abad brew though, and you might be surprised.
Oh yes, also if yoou plan on doing any more higher gravity brews, get a good clean yeast that will attenuate as most kit yeasts will struggle to get through all the sugars, and maybe even pitch more than the normal amount or do a yeast starter to get it really going to make sure you get through as much of the fermentables as possible. Give this one some time, say 10-14 days.

Bubba.

 

[RobboMC]

I've made some similar brews where the added hops have NOT complemented the kit,
you will find that you have definately made beer, but initially it might not be as good as you hoped for.

One brew of mine in particular was described as a 'concofany rather than a symphony' by a chap
of great experience. But you never know, it could turn out to be a rgeat discovery.

All is not lost though, just let it sit in the bottles for around 6 months and any initial roughness
will generally subside. Part of learning the art of brewing is to find out what ingredients best suit
matching with others, and also whose advice to take and whose to ignore. Sadly I have progressed
past the knowledge of my HBS owner and don't look there for advice any more.

 

[drfad]

Ok, so a week and a half in and SG is down to around 1012 and it's still glooping. Have had a taste and it actually tastes pretty good. I didn't put any extra hops in mainly because I wanted to use this as a baseline and see how it went.

 

[drfad]

Just to fill in everyone who I'm sure is waiting to find out what happened...

It finished up at 1010 and tasted great while I was bottling. Now I've got the damned conditioning period o wait before I can get into it!

 

[silver_streak67]

Just to fill in everyone who I'm sure is waiting to find out what happened...

It finished up at 1010 and tasted great while I was bottling. Now I've got the damned conditioning period o wait before I can get into it!

get some kegs and enjoy it next week, sounds like a winner to me, very similar to what I've been doing for the last 50/60 brews, always a crowd pleaser- the coopers pale. But definitely get the kegs and enjoy asap :icon_chickcheers: ps. reckon it will knock your socks off with that abv. :chug:

 

[Hatchy]

Whats in the fermenter now? Don't leave it empty, that compounds the waiting problem.

 

[drfad]

get some kegs and enjoy it next week, sounds like a winner to me, very similar to what I've been doing for the last 50/60 brews, always a crowd pleaser- the coopers pale. But definitely get the kegs and enjoy asap :icon_chickcheers: ps. reckon it will knock your socks off with that abv. :chug:

Much as I'd love to, the Minister for War and Finance won't support that at the moment... maybe next year!

Thinking of a Corona clone/Cerveza style for brew #4 - any suggestions?

Also, does anyone know the Brewcraft equivalent of BE1 and 2?

 

[drfad]

I have just tried the first couple of stubbies of this and am very impressed! Great colour and aroma and the taste is (to me) fantastic for a young beer. The hops don't seem to clash which is interesting.

I am genuinely amazed that I have managed to create something like this and now can't wait to try some more variations and once it is aged a bit longer. :super:

 

[philw]

I have just tried the first couple of stubbies of this and am very impressed! Great colour and aroma and the taste is (to me) fantastic for a young beer. The hops don't seem to clash which is interesting.

I am genuinely amazed that I have managed to create something like this and now can't wait to try some more variations and once it is aged a bit longer. :super:

good one mate


always nice to create your own.

 

[electronicshaman]

Coopers IPA was my first brew and it practically made itself. I was so impressed with the results that after only 2 months in the bottle it's basically all gone. I love a bitter brew so I was drinking early and loving it but it just gets better and better. Definitely on my "make again asap" list

Glad yours came out good, the only improvement I think I'd make on mine, which was recommended to me by my LHBS and you might consider too is to brew it up to 19-21L instead of 22-23L. Such a tasty brew, stronger and a little less watery can only improve it