Getting Started

[pint of lager]

The superautomatica bench capper will do any height longneck or stubby and will work on twistops and crown seals.

The cappers of the style with two handles that pull down will not work on twist tops as they crack the threads.

Be careful of an ebay purchase, the kit may be old. This means the extract in the tin will be dark and sometimes has off flavours. Also if the kit is old the yeast will be stuffed.

Bottlebombs are a dangerous reality and you want to do everything to avoid them. Keep everything clean, let it ferment right out and use the correct amount of priming sugar.

 

[DrewCarey82]

Even the Brigalow bottle capper does the same thing.

Just avoid the damn handcapper, never tried it, and never would!

 

[brettprevans]

Even the Brigalow bottle capper does the same thing.

Just avoid the damn handcapper, never tried it, and never would!

best avoided. back when I started brewing we used a handcapper. that is until my mate broke a bottleneck using the damn thing and almost sliced his finger off. lots of stiches and blood. but lucky only 1 bottle of beer was tainted. oh and finger was ok (but thats a minor issue compared to lost beer).

never had any issue with the bench capper.

 

[new2brew]

its funny, I have never had a problem with my hand capper. just done on a flat serface and equal pressure either side

 

[Damian44]

I can't thank everyone enough for their posts. It's going to take me a couple of days to get my head around it all. Im top bidder on Ebay with 2 hours to go. http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi...I:IT&ih=010 Thanks again and dont forget to check out the moon tonight.

 

[Deja_vu]

I think I might go down and get one of those coopers setups myself - top value when you add it up even without the $20 off.

New2brew, i think citymorgue is talking about the little wooden handcappers that you take a hammer to, not your high tech number.

 

[brettprevans]

I think I might go down and get one of those coopers setups myself - top value when you add it up even without the $20 off.

New2brew, i think citymorgue is talking about the little wooden handcappers that you take a hammer to, not your high tech number.

yeah the old wooden handle ones. sorry i forgot they got wise and made ther new plastic clampy looking things. old woodern ones with hammer = bad mojo!

by the ay damien, add in your location details so people can help you out more with location specific advice.

 

[Damian44]

Hi everyone. I just brought the Coopers micro brew kit. Im starting my first brew. Ive just gat a couple of questions.

1. Is it ok to move the brew after its been fermenting for 4 days ok ? (outside)

2. Is 50 grams closer to a tablespoon or teaspoon? (eg Sodium metabisulphite)

3. Can i fill fermenter with a hose ?

4. Im brewing a Coopers larger should i wrap it in a blanket to keep it warm ?

5. Any good Grolsh recipes and where can i get the ingrediants in Sydney ?

Thanks Damian.

 

[microbe]

Hi Damian,

Congratulations on your first brew.

1. If you're going to move it remove the airlock before doing so, because you'll suck the airlock water into your brew. I would only move it if the temps are getting wildly out of control.

2. Rough measure of most dry powders is 20g to a TBSP so 2 1/2 tablespoons would approximate 50g. However Sodium Met. isn't one of the best sanitisers. You'll hear from many people who never have a problem with it (including myself) but it is really quite ineffective and comparitively expensive. Most people here will use and recommend a no-rinse sanitiser such as Star-San or Iodophor for both better effectiveness and expense.

3. Sure, in that event I'd use a length of hose dedicated for brewing and run some sanitiser through it before each time - but seeing as you're using tap water anyway probably a bit of overkill.

4. Coopers lager might be one of the few kits that come with a real lager yeast - if that is so you need to keep it around 8-10C IIRC but if not (and assuming you've used the kit yeast) around 18C is what you want to ferment at.

5. No idea, sorry.

Cheers,

microbe

EDIT - Added sanitiser recommendation

 

[tk75]

Just a quick note on the yeast in the Cooper's Kits...all the kits have an Ale yeast except for the Pilsner, which Cooper's actually recommend to ferment below 20C. I think one of their other International kits has a true lager yeast. If you do a search here you will find the kits with the lager yeast.

On the hose...bunnings have a specific water hose AS2070(have yet to look up what that standard is... :blink: ) It was about $20- for 10M 1/2" ID. I would guess that it would have no issue in handling up to around 70C - 80C...??

> Just had a very brief search on AS2070 and basicly it's a standard for food grade plastics...so in short it would be ok to use and better than normal garden hose.

 

[new2brew]

If you use a normal garden hose (the rubber green ones) the tend to leave a bit of an aftertaste if they have been sitting in the sun and the water inside has heated up.

Id go a special brew hose as has been suggested before.

 

[barry2]

I hope the brew goes well.
I bought a Coopers microbrewery in Feb 2006 and my first brew was a Coopers Lager. It came with a ale type yeast which is supposed to be fermented at between 21-27C.Coopers also have in their International series,a Bavarian Lager,which has a lager type yeast and is fermented at a lower temperature range.
My brew turned out darker than expected possibly as result of the kit can being fairly old with the use by date on the bottom of the can only two months in the future.
The final gravity was 1010 and the brew was drinkable athough the body was a bit thin as I used only the brewing sugar in the kit.
I have always used the Coopers PET bottles and have never had a flat beer and oldest beer I have is 9 months old and still good.

 

[Damian44]

Thanks again for the posts. Its brewin away in the laundry at 22c. . So fingers crossed. It was no problem to fill, so i wont worry about the hose. I was talking to someone selling 80 litre fermenters for $45 if your interested. To much beer to screw up for me.

Cheers Damian.

 

[Damian44]

OMG. The temp on fermentor has dropped to 16c. Theres a cold snap in Sydney. Should i bring it inside as it would be warmer than the laundry? Should i remove air lock from top before moving? Would it stink up my room?
Cheers Damian

 

[pint of lager]

Bring it inside.

Release the lid so that it is not holding pressure, that way, when you lift the fermenter up, it will not suck fluid back into the fermenter from the airlock. Once you reposition the fermenter, reseal the lid.

Often, just a blanket as insulation is enough to keep your fermenter warm during a cold snap.

No, it won't stink up your room. Some lagers with proper lager yeasts do get a bit smelly. Ales are usually ok, just a bit fruity from the airlock.

Temperature control and monitoring is one of the keys to brewing good beers, it is great that you have discovered this early in your brewing career. Sanitation and good ingredients are the other two keystones.

 

[Damian44]

Just looking at it, should i have mixed the yeast in or just sprinkled it on top? It seems to be sitting in the foam. OMG. Thanks very much for the post.
Cheers Damian

 

[Damian44]

Cricky i should of mixed it in. Ill stir it in now.

 

[pint of lager]

Don't bother stirring it in.

When your beer is actively fermenting, the yeast multiplies. Some of the new yeast ends up on the surface of the foam.

This combination of foam and yeast is called krausen. Some krausesns form amazing shapes. Keep watching!

 

[Damian44]

Im such a noob. So i stirred it in after reading Oliver and Geoff's pitching yeast section. Will it be OK. On the instructions that i threw out i didnt think it said to stir the yeast in. Also the instructions didnt say to boil wort like Oliver and Geoff they said to mix in hot water. Hmmm. Any guidance would be appreciated.

Thanks again Damian.

 

[BEC26]

Hey Damien!

I'm with you all the way.

this is my 1st homebrew in over 16 years (last lot was a bad brigalow kit, opened early as I was then a strugglng uni student )

Got my kit for Fathers Day, and its sitting in the garage - we have the same cold snap.

No activity in the air lock at all, but condensation and muck forming around the top of the wort, so no too worried about that!

Temp is about 18 deg, so will see how it progresses.

Will test with hydrometer on Sunday - 7 days after starting. Anxious times, but exciting too!

Hope it goes well! :beer: :beer: