Coopers Ipa - Yuck

[icarussound]

I'm on my second batch using Coopers IPA. First was as directed, the second was modified with DME to make it a bit more robust. I now have 2 1/2 cases of this stuff and frankly I'm getting a bit yucked out. Too sweet, and too fruity. I liked it at first sortof but I just had my second today and my taste buds are going " what the **** IS this stuff? Spit it out man, spit it out!"

FWIW and YMMV. I'm an IPA fan but I'm not brewing this again.

I think I might be able to foist this stuff off at a party. Can't drink much more of it myself, that's for sure! What a waste. Yuck.

Steve da sleeve

 

[chappo1970]

Sounds like poor yeast management and attenuation. For all my dislikes of kits Coopers do produce a pretty good kit IMO and when I brewed them they generally where clean and crisp.

I think your your brew hadn't full attenuated out hence the sweetness. And the fruitiness is from too hot a fermentation.

Give us an idea of what you used and your processes and we might be able to help prevent creating a brew like that again.

Cheers

Chappo

 

[Brewman_]

I thought this was on of Coopers better kits. May not be for everyone. I pretty much follow the directions in terms of the sugars / fermentables additions. I also use a Wyeast 1099, which gives it a cleaner tasting and brighter beer than teh dry yeast supplied. I would expect that the Kit yeast would still give a good result.

What was your FG?


Fear_n_Loath.

 

[glaab]

That's their bitterest can o goo, almost 40 IBUs/ 23l. Something aint right if it's too sweet. I think Chappo's onto something there. Anyway, I'd save it for winter and mix it with some nice bitter stout. Cheers

 

[HoppingMad]

Did some digging around on the net and this forum and this kit has 38 IBU according to most sources (including Bum who posted a comment here), and one homebrew store website I came across claimed the kit had been recently 'revamped' and was even more bitter - at a whopping 45 IBU. Whatever the truth this is a very hoppy kit.

IPAs are about the in your face hops flavours, if you're not enjoying this overwhelming hop flavour, then I would suggest you let it age in your cellar for 5-8 months and you will find it way more palatable. I have found some of my 36 IBU beers too bitter and resiny on the hop front and with some time in the beer cave maturing they have come up very nice later.

Temp control and yeast could be a factor here, but my guess is more that your tastebuds are telling you you are simply not a hop head!

Hopper.

 

[jbowers]

It doesnt sound like a problem with the ibus. It sounds like he has some esters happening, or underattenuation.

 

[bum]

Sounds like poor yeast management and attenuation. For all my dislikes of kits Coopers do produce a pretty good kit IMO and when I brewed them they generally where clean and crisp.

I think your your brew hadn't full attenuated out hence the sweetness. And the fruitiness is from too hot a fermentation.

My thoughts exactly. While I agree that this kit might not be to everyone's tastes it was most certainly the only tin I've ever done and wanted to do again. I added some bits and bobs (as you do) but I can't see sweetness or fruitiness being typical flavours of a straight kit version - unless of course it were brewed hot and bottled early.

We all have different tastes of course and you may very well just not like this kit - chalk it up to experience and tailor you next brews with this problem in mind.

 

[bum]

one homebrew store website I came across claimed the kit had been recently 'revamped' and was even more bitter - at a whopping 45 IBU. Whatever the truth this is a very hoppy kit.

I'd be quite interested to get a link (PM if you prefer) for that one. Just had a quick look at Cooper's (poorly updated) page and they still have the tin at 710IBU (which by my rough calculations still has it around the 38.5 mark at 23l). Of course, I just work it out the way some bloke on the internet told me so I could well have it arse about.

I'd be interested on banging this one down if it was more bitter to see if the twang is worse. The only thing that stops me from being certain that kit twang is isohop based is my previous version of this kit - it was the only one I've ever put down that didn't have it to any major degree. I'd be interested to see if more isohop would mean more twang or not so I could put the theory to bed - one way or the other.

(Yes, I am aware that people might suggest that the twang is entirely due to my practice and while I acknowledge the logic of the idea I don't think it holds water. Unless I fluked one good ferment and all the kit ones (but not the extract or AG ones) have been shit since I don't think this can be the answer - or at least not all of it.)

 

[bum]

Just thought of something, Steve. You're somewhere in North America if I remember correctly, right?

Can anyone think of how goop-miles (similar to beer miles) might effect a tin? The yeast would most certainly be stressed due to shipping container heat, right? The yeast working too hard would throw off flavours (dunno if the same as he is experiencing though). Same thing could effect attenuation right?

Just an idea. Might not be entirely process based. I do think the problems noted are related to not being fully fermented and poor yeast management/health one way or the other.

[EDIT: or are you just from there and I've embarrassed myself?]

 

[Calais_5sp]

im drinking one as we speak and it was made as per instructions and its probable the best coopers kit ive made yet.
no sweetness of fruity tastes. found it pretty bitter and hoppy and actually quite tasty. was fermented at 19-21degrees tho so that may be the difference

 

[Cronessa]

The Coopers IPA kit has been my best tasting kit & kilo to date.

I used a Cooper's brew enhancer 2 kit (500gms LDME, 350gms Dextrose, 150gms Malto-dextrine from memory) and 500gms of LDME and fermented at a strict 18C.

I only made the batch up to 20L so it was more of a strong ale.

I made a Cooper's Real Ale kit up just before that batch and didn't control the temperature in fairly hot weather. This produced fruity tastes and 'mildew' type aroma, so perhaps it is the fermenting temp?