Feedback on cooper new range

[Cummy]

Anyone have any feedback on the new coopers range compared to the discontinued range? Do you think it is a better product or just a marketing/price increase strategy.

 

[Digga]

I can say that I have not have good luck with the new range... Don't know if there is a problem with my method and have got some form of infection or off flavor from something I'm doing wrong but I have done a brew a IPA, family secret Amber ale, the new APA think its brew keepers or something and the porter. The only one that came out drinkable is the porter and it's pretty good. The other 3 have the same off flavor with seemed to develop during the final stages of fermentation the APA had it bad and the amber is fairly apparent but the IPA it's subtle and reasonably drinkable..
I have changed 2 things in my process witch are rehydrating the dry yeast witch is done in a cleaned water bottle with cooled boiled water. The other change is fermenter cleaning product but am still unsure if I was still using the pink stain home brew shop stuff or the bulk buy pwb witch is 2/1 met to perc or something...
The flavor is kinda like band aid medical or sour type thing (sorry but very **** at flavor descriptions).
So I have put down a brew that I have done before with old coopers cans and taken out 1 variable of each to see if one or the other come out with the problem or its just the new cans witch I'm doubting highly but I'm using 1 of the 3 brews as cockroach/ fly bait ATM and the Amber is looking like it's going down the same path!
Sorry for the rant and OT nature.

 

[hellbent]

I can say that I have not have good luck with the new range... Don't know if there is a problem with my method and have got some form of infection or off flavor from something I'm doing wrong but I have done a brew a IPA, family secret Amber ale, the new APA think its brew keepers or something and the porter. The only one that came out drinkable is the porter and it's pretty good. The other 3 have the same off flavor with seemed to develop during the final stages of fermentation the APA had it bad and the amber is fairly apparent but the IPA it's subtle and reasonably drinkable..
I have changed 2 things in my process witch are rehydrating the dry yeast witch is done in a cleaned water bottle with cooled boiled water. The other change is fermenter cleaning product but am still unsure if I was still using the pink stain home brew shop stuff or the bulk buy pwb witch is 2/1 met to perc or something...
The flavor is kinda like band aid medical or sour type thing (sorry but very **** at flavor descriptions).
So I have put down a brew that I have done before with old coopers cans and taken out 1 variable of each to see if one or the other come out with the problem or its just the new cans witch I'm doubting highly but I'm using 1 of the 3 brews as cockroach/ fly bait ATM and the Amber is looking like it's going down the same path!
Sorry for the rant and OT nature.

How old is your FV?? I was having the same probs until my LHBS suggested that after 4yrs usage my FV could start getting off flavours so I changed it and have had no probs since......just a thought

 

[Dae Tripper]

Hope your using a sanatiser Digga, because just using pbw won't kill the nasties.

 

[Brewsta]

a quote from John Palmers "How To Brew"

Medicinal
These flavors are often described as mediciney, Band-Aid? like, or can be spicy like cloves. The cause are various phenols which are initially produced by the yeast. Chlorophenols result from the reaction of chlorine-based sanitizers (bleach) with phenol compounds and have very low taste thresholds. Rinsing with boiled water after sanitizing is the best way to prevent these flavors.

I like the pink stuff, but i make sure i rinse it really, really well with cold water, i've never used sanitisers, but after rinsing i pour a kettle full of boiled water into everything i clean and let it sit for a few minutes. I know it's not the correct method but it's what my old man did for years & i've just followed his lead. Plus, i really don't like the idea of chemicals in my beer, i know sanitisers turn back to water but i'm just not convinced that it doesn't do something to the flavour & my health. But i'm probably just being paranoid.

 

[Brewsta]

back to the OP subject, sorry Cummy to get off track...i haven't tried them yet, but i have just purchased a few & will get back to you when i can form an opinion.

I have read on the coopers forum that some of their kits they have not changed the recipe just the label (86 day Pilsner being one of them).

Some they have changed slightly & have different yeasts in the kit. Get on the coopers forum to check it out for yourself.

Personally i liked the old range but i'm sure coopers knew what was selling & what wasn't & took another sales tactic to maybe expand / export?

At the end of the day as long as the proof is in the can i don't care, not fussed on the extra couple of bucks or the labelling because it's still a shipload cheaper then the commercial mega swill that tastes like crap.

 

[Rocker1986]

Your beer is made up entirely of chemicals. A bit of acid isn't gonna make much difference.

 

[Digga]

Hope your using a sanatiser Digga, because just using pbw won't kill the nasties.

Dae tripper.
As I generally didn't pay much attention to my cleaning/sanitation methods I can not say weather I used PWB or my standard colorine based cleaner/sanitizer I cannot say it was the issue.
At the afore mentioned FV being the issue I doubt it as if it was to "develop" an off flavor I assume that that means gradually squires this flavor and out of the 3 brews that were bad 3 different FVs were used I have 7 and 4 are in general rotation...
I think I will rule out the other 2 variables before buying another FV apart from a stainless one
Anyways I will report back at how these next 2 brews go!

 

[jackgym]

Anyone have any feedback on the new coopers range compared to the discontinued range? Do you think it is a better product or just a marketing/price increase strategy.

I've bottled the new Coopers Family Secret (with 1kg of LDM) and after 3 weeks it tastes great. Yesterday I put down the Innkeepers Daughter (the kit, that is) :blink: which uses 1.5kg of LDM. Rising krausen at the moment. If it's as nice as the Family Secret then yes, the new recipes are worth the extra money. Both are more hoppy so don't need any added hops in my opinion.

 

[Autopilot]

What is LDM?

 

[Hpal]

Rinse EVERYTHING that can handle it in boiling water.

 

[TheWiggman]

What is LDM?

Light dry malt

 

[Bribie G]

Bump.
I've got an All grain Coopers Pale Ale tribute ready to bottle, for a comp. It's fermented on recultured Bottle yeast.

When I was in a LHBS today I spotted the new range and bought a tin of the Sparkling Ale and a box of BE2, and will follow up using some slurry from the All grain version, and do some side by side tasting in due course.

Will report.