Coopers Mexican

[elronalds]

I just finished a Coopers Mexican Kit, OG 1.040 @23L FG after 2 weeks 1.012, thought I would give this ago as I haven't purchased my brew pot yet. I fermented this at 18C and then dropped it down to 16C then 12C for a few days near the end when the SG was stable (started getting a few rotten egg smells then so I assume the combined Lager yeast started working a bit there near the end). From my calc. I would only have around 3% ABV and it is bit watery. Filtered and is crystal clear using Polyclar this time so I am happy with the filter.

I would like to try brew this one again, can I use two cans of the extract and one pack of BE2? How would that affect the brew?

Ideally I would like to have around 5% ABV and a bit less watery taste (seems to have much less flavour than my normal Corona / Sol). I am thinking next time I might just use 20L of water instead of the 23L, would that just be enough or could I add something else?

 

[AussieJosh]

Gday mate,

The guys here might be able to help you, but if you like expert Coopers knowledge have a look at the Coopers forums, Paul or (PB2) who is there home brew guy will be able to help you out with all your coopers questions!

 

[amiddler]

1.040 down to 1.012 is 3.8% Alc. +.3 to .5 if bottling. I thought this brew should end about 1.007 - 1.008 so possibly not fully fermented. Why bring temp down from 18' to 12' during fermenting? I have always started low and bought up to ambient for dicetyl rest.

Drew

 

[elronalds]

Thanks AussieJosh, I'll go ask on the Coopers forums for more advice. I have had a look round there when I was trying to find what type of yeast was in the kit as it looked different to the US-05 I had used with my FWK

Why bring temp down from 18' to 12' during fermenting? I have always started low and bought up to ambient for dicetyl rest.

Well I read on the Coopers forum that it is a combined Ale and Lager yeast so 16C would be the minimum and the SG was at 1.012 for three days so I thought I may as well go a bit lower for a few days. I'm kegging the beer so I guess 3.8% ABV it is

 

[Bribie G]

1.040 down to 1.012 is 3.8% Alc. +.3 to .5 if bottling. I thought this brew should end about 1.007 - 1.008 so possibly not fully fermented. Why bring temp down from 18' to 12' during fermenting? I have always started low and bought up to ambient for dicetyl rest.

Drew

Elronalds, I take it you used one pack of BE2 as opposed to the recommended kilo of sugaz In that case you would have got a bit less alcohol because some of the BE2 is not fermentable, i.e the maltodextrin and a certain portion of the Light Dried Malt Extract (LDME). This is also why it attenuated higher.

If you want to spend the dollars then a toucan of Cerveza is an excellent way to go, and in addition I would pop in 500g of dextrose. I've lost my extract calculator spreadsheet but it should give you into the five percents. For a bit of authentic Cerveza taste as well, you could use 15g Galena hop pellets boiled for 10 mins and just poured into the fermenter. It's the hop of Corona but of course you would need to buy a shrink of 90g or 100g of them so you would need to be committed to doing a series of Cervezas

BE2 is ok for improving a kit but is a bit quick and dirty because it contains Maltodextrin. It sounds like a nice malty yummy substance but the name Malto is coincidental, it isn't made from malt, more likely rice or potatoes and is a thickener in the food industry. BE2 also contains LDME and dex - if you are doing a toucan you don't need the LDME because you are getting the extra malt from the extra can. However the dex will push you towards the extra alcohol content and is ok in a Cerveza as in Mexico they add extra sugars in the form of rice and maize which is mashed with the grains to turn it into sugars.

:icon_cheers:

PS welcome to the obsession

Edit: yes Drew is spot on, start low for the first few days then drift it up (I know that Fosters do this as well)

 

[elronalds]

Elronalds, I take it you used one pack of BE2 as opposed to the recommended kilo of sugaz In that case you would have got a bit less alcohol because some of the BE2 is not fermentable, i.e the maltodextrin and a certain portion of the Light Dried Malt Extract (LDME). This is also why it attenuated higher.

If you want to spend the dollars then a toucan of Cerveza is an excellent way to go, and in addition I would pop in 500g of dextrose. I've lost my extract calculator spreadsheet but it should give you into the five percents. For a bit of authentic Cerveza taste as well, you could use 15g Galena hop pellets boiled for 10 mins and just poured into the fermenter. It's the hop of Corona but of course you would need to buy a shrink of 90g or 100g of them so you would need to be committed to doing a series of Cervezas

BE2 is ok for improving a kit but is a bit quick and dirty because it contains Maltodextrin. It sounds like a nice malty yummy substance but the name Malto is coincidental, it isn't made from malt, more likely rice or potatoes and is a thickener in the food industry. BE2 also contains LDME and dex - if you are doing a toucan you don't need the LDME because you are getting the extra malt from the extra can. However the dex will push you towards the extra alcohol content and is ok in a Cerveza as in Mexico they add extra sugars in the form of rice and maize which is mashed with the grains to turn it into sugars.

PS welcome to the obsession

Edit: yes Drew is spot on, start low for the first few days then drift it up (I know that Fosters do this as well)

Thanks Bribie! Yeap I used just the one pack of BE2. So for the next attempt I could try the two cans of Coopers extract (I assume thats what you mean by toucan? :unsure: ) On top of that are you suggesting just adding an extra 500g of dextrose and no BE2? Just trying to make sure I understand :beer: . I will give the Galena hops a try when I do my next order

Okay, I will try just keep the brew at 16C if I use the kit yeast I think, I will save the fancy stuff I think now for later when I have a fermenting fridge setup

 

[Bribie G]

Toucan is a dark art and means two cans - because the Cerveza is lightly bittered it's a good one to use to get extra fullness of flavour and mouthfeel without too much bitterness. And you won't need the BE2 because the extra can adds those features, but some dex is a good way of pushing the alcohol and also lightening the body a bit. :beerbang:

 

[AussieJosh]

elronalds if you used the BE2 with the Kit and made it to 23liters it would have come to more the 3%abv it would be more about the 4,6% mark, It tells you on the back of all the Coopers BE boxes Including the LDM what the aprox alc will be when mixed to 23liters with a Kit

 

[elronalds]

elronalds if you used the BE2 with the Kit and made it to 23liters it would have come to more the 3%abv it would be more about the 4,6% mark, It tells you on the back of all the Coopers BE boxes Including the LDM what the aprox alc will be when mixed to 23liters with a Kit

Yeah, it seems it would be around 3.8% when using a online ABV calculator. I found the extract spreadsheet in one of the other forum posts. Do you guys have any idea what exactly the Cooper BE2 contains? I was going to enter it into the spreadsheet and I don't have the box anymore.