Coopers Mexican Cerveza

[Uncle Fester]

Bretheren,
My good wife just returned from the supermarket, with a can of Coopers Mexican Cerveza, and a packet of the recomended brew enhancer #2.

Ok.... I guess this is meant to be a Corona style of beer....

What would the recomendation be for any additions to the can? I have never tried this style of beer before, and have no idea if any hops/malts etc will enhance or detract from the result.

Any special temoeratures? does it like it warm, like a wheat beer, or cool like a Pilsner?

Anything that you could offer in the way of advice would be appreciated.

Please don't bother if all you have to add is some kind of "you should be brewing all grain" comment.

Simple fact... I have neither the equipment nor the expertise.

Kits and bits for me in the short term!

Cheers,

M

 

[Kai]

Ferment it as cool as you can, or as the tin recommends. Probably 20C would be a good target.

If you want some extra hops, find some Glacier. They have a wonderful lemon flavour/aroma that would complement a Corona clone nicely.

 

[tangent]

you can always add some lemon rind to the boil
or lemon grass (not too much of either)
you should easily better a Corona seeing how crap they are (no AG comments so far)
go by the lager rules of light malt and dexy= light body light brew
saflager yeast if you can, rather than what's under the lid
keep the temps cool (wrong time of the year unless you've got fermenter cooling)
and cold condition as close as 1C as poss for 4 weeks
and what Kai said!

 

[Kai]

Yep, what Kai said! Seriously, you'll be surprised at the lemon flavour you can get from Glacier.

 

[mika]

Keep us posted, saw that one in the shop today and was wondering what it would be like

 

[sab]

Purchased one of these myself today. The can recomended to use coopers brew enhancer 2 with it so I picked one up also.Not trying to hijack the thread,I thought it was better I asked here rather than start a new thread with pretty much the same question. Has anyone made one of these with just the kit and brew enhancer 2 and if so how did it turn out.Or should I make it some other way,is there any point in steeping grains in a brew like this or will it change the style of this beer .Im thinking of using a Saflager W-34/70
yeast that I have, will it turn out ok with this yeast ,or should I use a different type.I have aquired a small fridge that I have wired up a dixell T/stat ,so brewing at lager temps wont be a problem.Im not sure if I will add extra hops to it. I have mainly brewed lagers and a couple of ales so this one is pretty new to me ,just thought I would try something different.

Cheers.

 

[sluggerdog]

sab, I'd brew it as is without adding anything extras to it, this way you know what the kit is like. I doubt too many people would have done this kit as it only came out last month so few would be drinking it by now even if they have done it.

Using the saflager is a good idea though as long as you can keep the temp right in your fridge.

If your using liquid yeasts maybe try either of the following:

2035 American Lager Yeast. Bold, complex and aromatic, good depth of flavor characteristics for a variety of lager beers. Flocculation - medium; apparent attenuation 73-77%. (48-58 F, 9-14 C)

2042 Danish Lager Yeast. Rich, Dortmund-style, crisp, dry finish. Soft profile accentuates hop characteristics. Flocculation - low; apparent attenuation 73-77%. (46-56 F, 8-13 C)

 

[sab]

Cheers Sluggerdog, I think I will just do the kit and brew enhancer 2 , just need to decide on what yeast to use. Thanks for the info Slugger.

Sab.

 

[tangent]

nice work with the fridge
if you:
use a lager yeast (Saflager is easy to start with) with low ferment temps
rack your brew
lager your brew after ferment (cold condition)
you'll have a very drinkable brew for an extract

and Slugger makes a good point, keep it simple to check out what it's like, then add a little hops or change the yeast on the next brew.

 

[sab]

Thanks tangent. I will rack it to 2ndary and CC I did this with some of my lagers and there is a hell of a difference compared with some of my first few brews. :lol:

 

[501]

Dry Enzyme --
Danger Will Robinson,
ensure it is really done if bottling.

^_^ :chug:

 

[rhydz]

hi guys.

i'm also very very very new to homebrewing. i got the coopers homebrew kit for christmas from the missus. i mean theres only one thing better than an unlimited supply of beer and thats being able to make your own!!!!

anyways i was stoked as a mofo. i brewed the coopers australian lager it came with n just bottled it yesterday.

anyways. i really want to attempt the corona as its not bad and i know i can flog it off to mates or whatever. plus my olds will drink it.

i know i will need the coopers mexican can mix, plus the brew enhancer (this is replacing the standard sugar yeah?). does the can mix come with the yeast? or is it recommended i buy a different yeast?

do i use the standard priming sugar drops as well?

cheers, i am sorry i am really new to this. so yeah kinda trying hard to learn.

thanks heaps.

 

[mika]

Welcome aboard.
As you may have read, this is a new brew to just about anyone, so you're on the cutting edge.

All the coopers kits (as far as I'm aware <_< ) come with a yeast satchet under the lid. At this stage don't think too big, work on the simple bits and expand from there.
DEXTROSE, DEXTROSE, DEXTROSE.... lots of people I know use plain sugar and good luck to them. It may cost a little more, but the proof is in the drinking.

You could use a different yeast (saflager mentioned previously), but it's only going to cost more and unless you can reduce the temperature you brew at, it's not going to be a huge difference. What's under the cap ain't that bad.
Yeast does maketh the brew, but spin a brew or two before getting fancy.

As for the sugar drops, I like them for the simplicity, but others on the site are not so fond..... personal choice me thinks...... I'm lazy so choice is easy

 

[rhydz]

what dextrose do i buy? wheres a good place to get it? and do i use that instead of the brew enhancer?

also does anyone know if coles or woolworths/safeway stock the coopers cans?

sorry i am a real dumb ass at this as i have just started.

i live in perth by the way!

 

[Thunderlips]

what dextrose do i buy? wheres a good place to get it? and do i use that instead of the brew enhancer?

also does anyone know if coles or woolworths/safeway stock the coopers cans?

sorry i am a real dumb ass at this as i have just started.

i live in perth by the way!

[post="100506"][/post]​

Buy any dextrose, it's all the same. Some home brew shops also label it as glucos.
I haven't looked for it in a supermarket before so I'm not sure if you can get it there.
As for the Coopers tins, most supermarkets should have them. Here in Vic I've seen them at Safeway, Bi-Lo, Harris Scarfe etc.

 

[KillerRx4]

You should be able to get Coopers kits at the supermarket, Cant say ive seen that 1 though.

I suggest getting a bag of brew enhancer over dextrose, the dry malt will give you more body & head retention over 100% dextrose. This should also be available at the supermarket. I usually use coopers enhancer 2.

The most important thing you want to do with your brewing at this stage apart from sanitation is keeping a stable fermenting temp. Best to try & keep temp 18-22 deg C.

 

[Weizguy]

the Jan-Feb 206 issue of BYO has an article about Mexican cerveza.

They say it evolved from a Vienna lager, and the best yeast for advanced brewers is an Oktoberfest yeast, or Bohemian, Bavarian or Danish lager yeast.

Of course, this only helps those who have the kit beer, and the right yeast and a fermenting fridge. But I thought I should advise, just in case it helps someone.

Seth

 

[Thunderlips]

I suggest getting a bag of brew enhancer over dextrose, the dry malt will give you more body & head retention over 100% dextrose. This should also be available at the supermarket. I usually use coopers enhancer 2.

[post="100523"][/post]​

I'd go even further and buy bulk dry malt and bulk dextrose from a HBS and just mix the two at brew time. It should work out a fair bit cheaper. I often buy them both in 5kg bags but now that a mate has got into brewing we're talking about splitting the cost of 25kg bags, which works out cheaper again.

 

[tangent]

spray dried malt and dextrose suck moisture out of the air like crazy.
i'm much happier to pay a HBS to bag it by the kilo, then i'm only opening 1kg to moisture and not 5 or 25kg. Otherwise you could be chipping off chunks of malt off your 25kg rock for your brew, nothing wrong with that but not as easy as pouring the stuff.
Also I did some sums and the price at my local HBS is the same by the kilo or x5, x25 <_<

To start with I'd stick to the pre-packaged, 500gm light malt/500gm dextrose packs.

If you're happy to stay with malt extract brewing and adding hops anyway, I'd buy a drum of Coopers liquid malt (save $$$)
and do a search for pint of lager's tip on using a valve on the lid with CO2. Excellent advice if you've got the gear.

 

[rhydz]

just went down to the local coles. in basso.

i got the brew enhancer #2 and some more carbo drops.

they didnt have the can of coopers mexican but :-( all they had was the orginal draught and original lager i think. i was disapointed.

so i rang IHS in basso they are out of stock. any recommendations for a store close by?