Coopers Sparklin Ale Kit

[mjp]

I've had a few goes with this kit now,and all atempts have been ok,but nothing resembling CSA. The first time,I made it to the instructions on can-1.5kg llme,500gr ldme,300gr dex.I used the kit yeast.Turned out ok but nothing like csa.was very sweet and no aroma to speak of.The next time, I used csa kit, 1.5kg alme,600gr ldme,200gr dex and 15 gr Por hop pellets(steeped for 5 mins).used us05 yeast(I think)-turned out quite nice but still lacking something and nothing resembling csa. Put another batch in yesterday using CSA kit,1.5llme,800gr ldme.Did a 10 litre boil and added 30gr motueka flowers @ 60 min and 15gr POR pellets @30 min and a further 10 gr motueka at 5 mins.used a yest re-cultured fom commercial CPA.Was a bit worried using re cultured yeast for the first time but fermenter is bubbling nicely after 24 hrs.Notice the smell from the airlock is faily different than when I've used dry yeast-alot more bananaish as opposed to the appley smell of the dried yeast-Hope this is normal! Has any one got any advice on getting something similar in taste to CSA in a kit or simple extract? Would some grains help?

 

[pcmfisher]

I agree that csa recipe on the can is way to sweet, an as with most cans have very little hop aroma.

You are on the right track boiling some hops to balance out the sweetness. You may have overdone it on the bitterness a bit, but time will tell.

Yes specialty grains are good in all beers if you ask me. Even a couple hundred grams of steeped crystal make a big difference.

What temp are you fermenting at?

 

[mjp]

Fermenting at 17 c. Thought I'd use a bit more hops this time as a bit of a gage for what I'm after-saying that,the more I home brew the more I crave that hoppy bitterness.Have used some crystal in some other brews and loved the nutty aftertaste.Local hbs only has roasted barley at the moment though and thought this would be too far away from what I was looking for.-Have also used ek goldings hops in some of my lager brews (with crystal) think these were the ones that got me loving hops.---not what I'm looking for in a CSA though.

 

[shina]

Try this one made it a few times did it with a cultured yeast but the safale us-05 yeast works well
Thomas coopers sparkling ale can
#10 brew enhancer
500grms corn syrup
25 grms pride of ringwood standard method or dry hop either way to your taste


find it pretty good and made it for a mate in a 50 litre keg his mates love it

 

[mjp]

Try this one made it a few times did it with a cultured yeast but the safale us-05 yeast works well
Thomas coopers sparkling ale can
#10 brew enhancer
500grms corn syrup
25 grms pride of ringwood standard method or dry hop either way to your taste


find it pretty good and made it for a mate in a 50 litre keg his mates love it

Will give this a try.havnt used corn syrup yet----love trying new things and seeing what they bring!!

 

[kbe]

I always wonder why you used CPA and not CSA bottles to collect the yeast. I am no expert, so far from it that I doubt it could be measured, but I just feel that if you will culture the yeast from CPA - why not do it with the yeast from CSA, which is what you are trying to replicate.

 

[bignath]

I always wonder why you used CPA and not CSA bottles to collect the yeast. I am no expert, so far from it that I doubt it could be measured, but I just feel that if you will culture the yeast from CPA - why not do it with the yeast from CSA, which is what you are trying to replicate.

CPA and CSA both use the same yeast.

My understanding is that the lower alcohol in the Pale Ale means that the yeast is in better condition, and therefore more easily suited to reculture than the sparkling ale.

Happy to be corrected on this though...

BigNath

 

[mjp]

CPA and CSA both use the same yeast.

My understanding is that the lower alcohol in the Pale Ale means that the yeast is in better condition, and therefore more easily suited to reculture than the sparkling ale.

Happy to be corrected on this though...

BigNath

This was also my understanding so I went for the CPA on my first attempt.As I said earlier, the yeast fired up in 24 hours in fermenter,so will probably do things this way from now on.(as long as I remember to prepare it in advance!)

 

[manticle]

CPA and CSA both use the same yeast.

My understanding is that the lower alcohol in the Pale Ale means that the yeast is in better condition, and therefore more easily suited to reculture than the sparkling ale.

Happy to be corrected on this though...

BigNath

Pretty much it. Obviously freshness of yeast also depends on bottle use by date and storage conditions as well but essentially same yeast, possibly healthier state.