I Believe I Have Cracked It

[LightLager]

Evening Gents (and Ladies),

I have opened my Blue Mountain Lager today. It is a beauty... no home brew tang... good head, good mouth feel, a little weird on the nose and a little bitter (I believe this is the nature of the Blue Mountain), but overall a good drop. I would "coke test" it with some micro brewery purchased beer.

This one was:
1 Tin of Morgan's Blue Mountain Lager
500g LDME
250g Maltodextrin
250g Dextrose
12g US-05 Yeast

Prepared the wort and cooled it
Prepared the yeast cream
Pitched the yeast at 20C
OG: 1042
Brewed in the Wine Fridge at 18C for 2 weeks (during the ferment it was sitting around 21C)
Stopped Fermenting at day 8
Left til day 14 (patience grasshopper)
Bottled 26 tallies
FG: 1012
4.4%

During the brew I made a gravity measurement each day, still learning and in the fridge I just wanted to make sure the ferment was progressing. I tasted it a few times during the brew and I made comments about "too yeasty" and "tastes like stale bread".

Anyway, cut to 14 days later, sitting here slurping it, I think I have cracked it.

Thanks for everyone's help on my previous post [topic="27534"]here[/topic].

Bring on Brew number 5!

 

[DKS]

Well done lightlager your happy with the result thats the main thing. Good on ya. Biggest dilema now is; Whats next? :icon_cheers:
Daz

 

[dpadden]

Evening Gents (and Ladies),

I have opened my Blue Mountain Lager today. It is a beauty... no home brew tang... good head, good mouth feel, a little weird on the nose and a little bitter (I believe this is the nature of the Blue Mountain), but overall a good drop. I would "coke test" it with some micro brewery purchased beer.

This one was:
1 Tin of Morgan's Blue Mountain Lager
500g LDME
250g Maltodextrin
250g Dextrose
12g US-05 Yeast

Prepared the wort and cooled it
Prepared the yeast cream
Pitched the yeast at 20C
OG: 1042
Brewed in the Wine Fridge at 18C for 2 weeks (during the ferment it was sitting around 21C)
Stopped Fermenting at day 8
Left til day 14 (patience grasshopper)
Bottled 26 tallies
FG: 1012
4.4%

During the brew I made a gravity measurement each day, still learning and in the fridge I just wanted to make sure the ferment was progressing. I tasted it a few times during the brew and I made comments about "too yeasty" and "tastes like stale bread".

Anyway, cut to 14 days later, sitting here slurping it, I think I have cracked it.

Thanks for everyone's help on my previous post [topic="27534"]here[/topic].

Bring on Brew number 5!

Yeah well done LL, especially on having the patience to wait 2 weeks For me this is always the hardest part, but well worth it in the end

 

[rich_lamb]

Good work LL!

You sound very methodical - good trait for brewing; and patient - better trait for brewing

My 2c on your recipe: ditch the maltodextrin and dextrose and replace with another 500g LDME. The reasoning is as follows:
- the maltodextrin will add no flavour, just body. And it can be a bit tricky to use; even slightly too much and you may find your FG suddenly too high
- the dextrose completely opposite. Still no flavour but just ferments out to alcohol and reduces your FG.
Together they just act as a blend of tasteless fermentables; LDME will contribute similar gravity but also more flavour.

But as you seem to have had some success; maybe it's time for some steeping grains or maybe fresh hops...

 

[buttersd70]

My 2c on your recipe: ditch the maltodextrin and dextrose and replace with another 500g LDME. The reasoning is as follows:
- the maltodextrin will add no flavour, just body. And it can be a bit tricky to use; even slightly too much and you may find your FG suddenly too high
- the dextrose completely opposite. Still no flavour but just ferments out to alcohol and reduces your FG.
Together they just act as a blend of tasteless fermentables; LDME will contribute similar gravity but also more flavour.

But as you seem to have had some success; maybe it's time for some steeping grains or maybe fresh hops...

A good explaination of maltodex/dextrose and their relative contribution to the finished product, with which I absolutely agree.
When adding additional malt to replace them, you will have much more flavour...but you will also need to use some hops to balance the residual sweetness that the extra malt will give. But the added bonus of this is that it will add yet more flavour....so a little more effort goes a long long way, and once you go all malt, you wont go back.

 

[raven19]

And from all malt to All Grain just one slippery step away!

Well done indeed.

 

[flattop]

Sounds like you made beer, that's why we are all here.
Stash a few bottles away and crack them in 6 months, the age will improve it!

 

[silver_streak67]

Sounds like you made beer, that's why we are all here.
Stash a few bottles away and crack them in 6 months, the age will improve it!

Or just get some kegs and dont wait-just enjoy

 

[LightLager]

Cheers to all...

I am planning on keeping to the K&K methods for a while. I am thinking of brewing another one just to make sure this is not a fluke.... then move on to brewing a few to find a taste I like, and tweeking that with grains or hops. I am really keen on finding a "house brew".

The thing is, it has been a real inspiration to create something that I really enjoy myself.

 

[LightLager]

Well done lightlager your happy with the result thats the main thing. Good on ya. Biggest dilema now is; Whats next? :icon_cheers:
Daz

Brew #5 is a Coopers Premium Selection Sparkling Ale

I was planning on following the recipe on the back...

1.7kg Tin of Coopers Premium Selection Sparkling Ale
1.5kg Tin of Light Malt Extract (Liquid)
500g of Light Dry Malt Extract
300g of Dextrose

12g of US-05 Yeast

However the all malt suggestion from buttersd70 might be the go...

Does anyone have comment on replacing the Dextrose with LDME?

Therefore the recipe would be:

1.7kg Tin of Coopers Premium Selection Sparkling Ale
1.5kg Tin of Light Malt Extract (Liquid)
800g of Light Dry Malt Extract

Cheers...

 

[Fermented]

Butters made the all malt comment to me a while ago and I've finally gone in that direction - a 28 kilo bulk lot of LME.

In all seriousness, it's a step that you won't regret. It finally gives you beautiful, painful freedom. The freedom to make a brew as light and pale as you like or as bitter and dark as you like (hops, grains and yeasts willing).

The recipe you've mentioned needs a better hops profile. The hops in the CPA isn't enough to cope with the LME and the LDME you've planned. Forget tea-bags as they're really not much of an addition. If you want to take smaller steps, grab some 90 or 100 gm baggies of some hops relatie to the style you're interested in and play around. Too little and it's too sweet or too much and it's too bitter. With a little research, a play with Brewsmith and some thought and you will be knocking out some rather favourable brew that you will be delighted with.

So - what do you want to make? Maybe some of us can prognosticate on how to do it and make it a roaring success and a learning experience at the same time.

Cheers - Fermented.

 

[LightLager]

So - what do you want to make? Maybe some of us can prognosticate on how to do it and make it a roaring success and a learning experience at the same time.

Cheers Fermented...

I would like to keep within the style of the can, ie: a sparkling ale. As for what to do, I have almost no idea... :blink:

Let the prognostication begin....

 

[samhighley]

Brew #5 is a Coopers Premium Selection Sparkling Ale

The Coopers Sparkling Ale is probably the only kit beer I would recommend anyone make.

It's a fine drop. Have a go at culturing up some Coopers bottle yeast. I think it's worth it.

Sam

 

[buttersd70]

LL

I don't want to seem like I'm contradicting myself....but....

There are some instances when fermentables other than malt should be used...in the context of my earlier comment of all malt, I was referring to kit and (around abouts a) kilo. Normaly you would forgo dextrose. It ferments fully, leaving no residual body or flavour. However, when the malt content becomes high enough, sometimes that increased fermentability without leaving body is required. CSA is one example of this. If you replace the dextrose component with malt, it will not attenuate down to the fairly low FG required, and will be too full in body (for CSA). Also, when malt is increased, extra bitterness from additonal hops will be needed to balance the residual sweetness.

I once, long ago, did the CSA to the exact recipe that coopers reccomends, and found that it was too high in alcohol for my personal taste, but more importantly, that it was too sweet (and I'm not a fan of bitter beers. It takes a fair whack of sweetness for me to say it's too sweet), and it had too much body. (granted, it was with the kit yeast).

If you are not at the stage of boiling hops yet, and want to do it as a straight kit, my suggestion would be
1.7kg Tin of Coopers Premium Selection Sparkling Ale
1.5kg Tin of Light Malt Extract (Liquid)
300g of Dextrose

using either US05 at 18C, or recultured coopers yeast.

This should give an OG of 1048 in 23L, end up somewhere in the region of 1010-1012, giving ~5.2%abv once bottled. The bitterness of the tin would just balance the malt.

2c

Edit...I can't believe I just advised using dextrose. I feel all dirty. :unsure:

 

[FreemanDC]

I made the sparkling to the rep on the back

1.7kg Tin of Coopers Premium Selection Sparkling Ale
1.5kg Tin of Light Malt Extract (Liquid)
500g of Light Dry Malt Extract
300g of Dextrose

i ended up with an OG of 1060 - FG of around 1010 and Found that it had the bottom end of sparkling ( the malty taste end ) but it really lacked the hops of the Comercial beer, either way it was a great drop, allthough was matured for 4 months whilst i was overseas.

..... Unlike the the coopers green pale ale i just kegged that tastes like water and a rubber hose.

good luck

 

[samhighley]

..... Unlike the the coopers green pale ale i just kegged that tastes like water and a rubber hose.

I've never liked the green tin. I've got one sitting in the cupboard that was going to be my last K&K before going all-grain, but I never used it.

 

[petesbrew]

I've never liked the green tin. I've got one sitting in the cupboard that was going to be my last K&K before going all-grain, but I never used it.

Hmm. Got one in the garage awaiting the next brew. I've used it before with Nelson Sauvin and was very happy, let's see this time as an APA.

Nice Work Lightlager.

 

[The Big Burper]

Hello dere,


I like using the Marstons percentage

http://shamburg.com/marstons.html

83% malt
17% dextrose.

Use this in any brew and you will have a lovely drop of ale.

cheers
BB

 

[Bribie G]

I like using the Marstons percentage

http://shamburg.com/marstons.html

83% malt
17% dextrose.

Use this in any brew and you will have a lovely drop of ale.

cheers
BB

BB, can't find any reference to dex in the link provided???
However thanks for the link, I have bookmarked it and decided to do a Burton style AG next week, maybe a shot at something like Marston Pedigree. The link gives good info about the water (high gypsum, low bicarb) and also the malt and hops - Maris Otter of which I have a shedload at the moment, Goldings and Fuggles.

I'll PM you as to the brewday if you would like to come around for a look and a jar or two.

Anyway a wee bit offtopic for the thread but I saw you were online.

Cheers B.G.

 

[LightLager]

If you are not at the stage of boiling hops yet, and want to do it as a straight kit, my suggestion would be
1.7kg Tin of Coopers Premium Selection Sparkling Ale
1.5kg Tin of Light Malt Extract (Liquid)
300g of Dextrose

using either US05 at 18C, or recultured coopers yeast.

I am happy with this recipe... It fits the 17/83 ratio suggested by BB. I can save my LDME for #6.

Probably like most things, everything has it's place.... I am happy to use Dextrose, however I will be trying an all malt soon.... Maybe #6...