Hello from WA, first brew coming up

[WWDWD]

Hi. I'm a homebrew virgin. Always thought it was a good idea but never looked too far into it. One of my mates gave me his Coopers homebrew kit as he's moving away. I've been reading a lot and watching a lot of youtube vids about homebrewing to get ready for my first brew this weekend (hopefully).

I want to do some sort of hoppy american pale ale. Please give me any advice you can...

Ingredients:

1 x black rock american pale ale can
1 x black rock unhopped ultra light can
1 x coopers brew enhancer #2
2 x 15g cascade hops (tea bag style)
1 x 25g citra hops pellets
1 x yeast (i think safale US-05)

To make things easier I was thinking about just dry hopping for this first batch. At this point I'm not too fussy with beer and trying to get an accurate APA or whatever. Just as long as it's kinda hoppy and is drinkable I'll be happy. I also have 500g of crystal malt grain - but I might leave that for a later brew when I really know what I'm doing.

As far as making the above beer would I simply...

1. mix the two cans with some hot water in the bottom of my fermenter
2. then mix in the brew enhancer powder.
3. fill up to roughly 21L with a nice temperature of roughly 20C
4. sprinkle the yeast on top (mix it in or leave it on top?)
5. wait a few days then plonk in my hops
6. wait until the gravity remains constant over a couple days
7. bottle (2 carbonation drops per coopers plastic bottles)
8. wait a month or so (ideally)
9. drink

Does that sound about right for a rough, simple brew?
It's pretty confusing when starting out.

 

[WWDWD]

just to reiterate... i'm not too fussed but am hoping for something that ends up roughly in the realms of an APA or IPA or hoppy pale ale.
I'm really loving feral hop hog and little creatures pale ale these days

 

[keifer33]

Welcome mate plenty of people around the place to help. Id definitely drop one of the brew enhancers as its going to be into the IPA range with the 2 cans and one enhancer let alone 2. If you want an APA range id drop the enhancer and track down around 500g of Dry Malt Extract (Coopers do one).

There is a spreadsheet around where you can input your ingredients to work out the Alc % etc. - http://aussiehomebrewer.com/topic/29655-kit-and-extract-beer-spreadsheet/?hl=ianh

Good luck and don't be afraid to ask as many questions as you need.

 

[WWDWD]

Whoops, that was meant to be just 1 x Coopers Brew Enhancer #2. I've edited the post now.

Cheers for your help. If it's oging to be in the IPA range with the 2 cans and the brew enhancer... then I'm cool with that.
Plus the dry hopping will add a lot of goodness too right.

 

[toughen]

You should consider doing Boonies LCPA. Sounds like it's fairly tried and tested. I've just bottled my second brew (Boonies LCPA and it smells awesome, can't wait to try it.

Side note: I too found it hard for my first brew getting a simple clear set of instructions for a first brew. I got the basic idea but had trouble with some of the finer details.

Good Luck

 

[Bizier]

Welcome to the slippery slope mate. Plenty of support around.

Your process will yield kit beer, and it should be drinkable. My suggestion is just go ahead as planned, do not delay, because you will get your toes wet and it will be good learning experience up front.

An ace thing to get into is adding steeping grain to your beers like these, a bit of crystal will do wonders.

Come to a WCB meeting if you are able, you will have an opportunity to taste other people's homebrew, and you might be able to get an invite to someone's brewday, where you could learn a lot.

Cheers
Dan

 

[WWDWD]

Well I've got the 500g of Crystal Malt Grain... may as well try that out too.

 

[Bizier]

Not all at once, but yes.

Take a look at other kit and bit recipes for ideas on crystal malt loads

 

[Online Brewing Supplies]

Hello
From Brewer in Bassendean.
Nev

 

[macca05]

Hello. Good luck with your first batch. Its addictive man. Im in Yangebup if your ever keen to watch an AG brewing session. May be one this wknd, if not next wknd if Im not at the Beerfest for two days

Macca

 

[WWDWD]

Cheers guys! A few questions

Do I steep the grain and hops in the same pot?

And, do I need to boil the brew enhancer? If so, do I do that in the same pot with the grain and hops... whats the process?

 

[WWDWD]

OK. My first brew ever, an american pale ale (a toucan mix of black rock american pale ale and black rock ultra light) has been fermenting for 7 days now at roughly 23 degrees. The photo is what it looks like right now. I want to dry hop it (I've got a 15g teabag of Cascade and also 25g loose pellets of Citra... not sure what combo i'll do just yet). OG was 1.042 then after 5 days I had a reading of 1.008 which i think may have been wrong because on day 6 and 7 I had a reading of 1.011.

Firstly, does this fermentation look good/normal/adequate? Should it still look like this after reaching FG 1.011?
And secondly, if I want to dry hop - would now be a good time to take out the krausen collar and dry hop directly on that yeasty foam? I'm planning on leaving it for another 7 days then bottling.

Any help is greatly appreciated!

 

[Bizier]

Dry hop, whatever, but get the lid on quick!