Idiots K & K Recipes

[xknifepointx]

okay so after searching the forum I've found stacks of threads on boiling hops, IBUs, steeping, racking, etc.... and I've been having pretty much a failure with my first two brews (the first had a slight metallic taste to it apparantly says my gf) and the second FG finished at 1.020 and I didn't put enough sugar in to get over 3% alcohol content.

I have about 8 cans of Coopers Pale Ale sitting in my room I got for christmas, as well as a can of Cascade Spicy Ghost and an Apple Cider kit.

what I want here though is just kit and kilo recipes that even an idiot at brewing can follow (me) sometimes the instructions given under the can top aren't so great, I've found that I want to actually be able to do a proper K&K before I even try any of the other stuff and since they are really sucking about now I thought I'd ask for help with recipes, even though that might sound pretty dumb.

 

[Stuster]

Not sure I can help you with the simple recipe, but have you looked at this thread. It's at the top of the K & K forum and it's a FAQ for new brewers compiled by a few people. Should be helpful.

 

[Prawned]

If you have 8 cans you could make 4 toucans They are pretty much idiot proof and come out pretty nice

 

[xknifepointx]

If you have 8 cans you could make 4 toucans They are pretty much idiot proof and come out pretty nice

how do I do this? I've read plenty of Toucan threads, but what I want is simple instructions, I'm finding it a little overwelming with all the boiling, brewing, racking and other terminology on the site and I think I'm just a little over my head even after reading all the FAQs.

I am after recipes like:

pour 2 litres of hot water into fermenter
pour 1kg dextose into hot water
pour contents of can into fermenter and stir

sprinkle yeast and close lid.


see? if I start off THAT easy I surely can't stuff it up, you'd think!

 

[Barramundi]

get a couple of bottles of coopers pale ale and culture the yeast to make a kit with some kind of brew enhancer....

 

[Batz]

how do I do this? I've read plenty of Toucan threads, but what I want is simple instructions, I'm finding it a little overwelming with all the boiling, brewing, racking and other terminology on the site and I think I'm just a little over my head even after reading all the FAQs.

I am after recipes like:

pour 2 litres of hot water into fermenter
pour 1kg dextose into hot water
pour contents of can into fermenter and stir

sprinkle yeast and close lid.
see? if I start off THAT easy I surely can't stuff it up, you'd think!

Have you tried this fourm? http://www.grumpys.com.au/

I think you already have your recipe,you wrote it !

Now go away <_<

Batz

 

[microbe]

1 Kg of {I use Brew Booster from my LHBS but dextrose will do}
Add 1.5L hot water and stir
Add contents of can
sluice out can with more hot water and mix thoroughly

OR

Add contents of two cans
Sluice out both cans
add 2L (approx) hot water

THEN

top up to 22.5 (or so) litres

Ferment, bottle, drink

Good Luck

microbe

Edit - add toucan details

 

[xknifepointx]

Have you tried this fourm? http://www.grumpys.com.au/

I think you already have your recipe,you wrote it !

Now go away <_<

Batz

as I said earlier, I'm not asking for much I just want extremely basic brewing recipes so I can try (??) and make a beer around 4.5-6% that actually tastes like real beer. Each brew so far has been fairly rubbish and after searching around this forum for days all I can find is pretty much intermediate <> all grain brewing and I'm not up to that stage yet, but if this is better suited somewhere else just lock it and I'll try Grumpy's.

 

[FazerPete]

as I said earlier, I'm not asking for much I just want extremely basic brewing recipes so I can try (??) and make a beer around 4.5-6% that actually tastes like real beer. Each brew so far has been fairly rubbish and after searching around this forum for days all I can find is pretty much intermediate <> all grain brewing and I'm not up to that stage yet, but if this is better suited somewhere else just lock it and I'll try Grumpy's.

Don't panic x it's not that hard.

You have 2 options for a nice beer with the pale ale kits:

1) If you like a beer with a bit of body then make a Toucan like Prawned suggested
- put 2 cans of pale ale in hot water to soften the contents
- boil 2 litres of water and pour into fermenter
- pour in both cans of pale ale and stir well
- top up fermenter to 22 litres and stir well
- sprinkle both yeast packets in, seal fermenter and try to keep the temp around 20-22c for 7-10 days

2) If you like a more hoppy beer then purchase 30g of Cascade hops and:
- put 1 can of pale ale in water to soften
- put hops in a cup and fill up with boiling water
- boil 2 litres of water and pour into fermenter
- Add 1 pack of coopers BE2 and 500g of light dried malt extract (LDME) and stir well
- pour in can of pale ale and stir well
- after 10 minutes, tip contents of hops cup into fermenter
- top up fermenter to 22 litres and stir well
- sprinkle yeast packet in, seal fermenter and try to keep the temp around 20-22c for 7-10 days

The toucan will give you a more malty brew whereas the other one will be a bit more hoppy and a little like an american pale ale.

Give them both a go as see what you think :beer:

 

[xknifepointx]

Don't panic x it's not that hard.

You have 2 options for a nice beer with the pale ale kits:

1) If you like a beer with a bit of body then make a Toucan like Prawned suggested
- put 2 cans of pale ale in hot water to soften the contents
- boil 2 litres of water and pour into fermenter
- pour in both cans of pale ale and stir well
- top up fermenter to 22 litres and stir well
- sprinkle both yeast packets in, seal fermenter and try to keep the temp around 20-22c for 7-10 days

thanks mate, that's what I'm going to do tomorrow after work, considering I have 8 cans of the stuff I need to do something with I'll try the toucan pale ale method.

any idea what % alc that will come out to be? at the moment I have about 40 PETs of 3.5% beer that is similar to drinking monkey urine.

 

[FazerPete]

any idea what % alc that will come out to be? at the moment I have about 40 PETs of 3.5% beer that is similar to drinking monkey urine.

I never bothered to test mine so I can't tell you exactly but it should be somewhere around 6-6.5%. Should get you going in half the time so you can save the weak stuff for the visitors.

 

[Prawned]

Also, if you try the toucan make sure you have your fermenter in a spot that wont matter too much if it gets all sticky and messy Your brew may just want to jump out of the airlock

 

[simpletotoro]

hi
welcome...yeah at first it can be daunting ...don't stress
okay you got a tin of coopers pale ale...you haven't said if you have any sugar (light dried malt ,dextrose,maltodextrin...etc...)to put with it ...have you any finishing hops...
also you forgot to tell us what type of beer you like to drink (xxxx,vb....or maybe something nice like coopers pale ale or coopers sparkling ale....english bitters....little creature pale ale...hell your brew probably won't end up tasting exactly like it ...or even close to it at all ...but it gives us a starting point...)
okay that said never mind...
heres a foolproof recipe....dead easy...without the hops i've mentioned and the yeast the beer will be pretty bland say as bland as xxxx or vb but still its a start ...then after this one maybe you'll feel confident to move onto some other stuff)


recipe as follows...you need these things if you don't have go to the local home brew store and get em or try the supermarket but the home brew store is better ....they'll give you advice as well as have hops....

you need
1 x can coopers pale ale
1x 500 g light dried malt *
1x 250 g dextrose *
1 x 250 g maltodextrin (also called corn syrup) *
okay the thing (sugars )with the astrix<*> ...you should be able to buy pre mixed in a 1 kg bag ask you local home brew store dude for them ...while your at it buy an additional 500 g bag of light dried malt...
1 x 50 g bag hops try willamette hops if you like (optional)
1x packet of safale-04 (yeast) (again optional)
sanatise everything ....enough said...

1...now take can of pale ale ....unopened and sit it in a pot of recently boiled water...leave it and follow other steps...(DO NOT BOIL) just pour the hot water and walk away from it
2...in another pot put 2-3 litres of water and heat until its hot not boiling but hot...
3...now put 250 grams of light dried malt to your pot in step (2) stir in well till dissolved...
4....heat it until it just begins to boil...stir when needed don't walk away from the pot at this stage...it may boil over...when it just begins to boil turn down the heat until its just a rolling boil (as in it just ticks over slowly ...but is still visibly moving)
5... add 15 g of your hops now for 10 minutes ....(that is if you are using willamette hops )
6... 5 mins after you have added your hops dissolve the sugars following into the boil...1x 500 g light dried malt *, 1 x 250 g dextrose *,1 x 250 g maltodextrin (also called corn syrup) *...stir well do not let suagrs stick to bottom of pot ...
7..10 minutes after you added your hops turn off heat to pot ..(if using an electric stove remove from element altoghter ) drop in 10 g more of willamette hops...PUT ON LID >>>DO NOT LIFT LID
8...fill a container ...sink bath ...what ever with cold water before you start any of this and put in it frozen water bottles to chill it down...do a trial run first and make sure that the level of chilled water won't flow into your brew pot when you sit it in there ...the water bottles your using to cool it down may as well be used to part fill your fermenter later so try to be santary with it all okay..
9...sit brew pot in water bath leave to cool down...change water in bath if nessacary you want the liquid in the brew pot fairly cool ....DO NOT LIFT THE LID TO SEE >>>feel the outside of the pot if you must...
10...when your brew pot is fairly cool ...you can now open your now pretty hot tin of coopers pale ale ....
dump it into your fermenter...add a little hot water maybe a litre or so....just to mix it a bit...
now add your brew pot contents...mix well ...really well ...a bit off froth won't hurt
11...now add cold water till your at the 20 to 23 litres mark off your fermenter....****what i do is have on hand at least
5 x 2 litres frozen bottles of water that ive allowed to melt some what ...partially frozen is even better....
its from these that i fill my fermenter...you want the liquid in your fermenter to be about 18- 22 /c when you have her filled to the desired level ...(so you can pitch your yeast at a good temp...)
12...cut open your yeast packet ...sprinkle on top of liquid in fermenter ...stir it if you like...i don't but many do...close lid...move to where your going to ferment it ...put in airlock...
13..read these threads ...your going to try and ferment this under 22/c ....18-20 /c is ideal ....

threads as follows for frementation temp...if you can't get a 100 can cooler use your inmagination...large cardboard box from havry norman ...old fridge what ever ...if temps where you are are cold then try a search for keeping it warm ...just try and stick to the fermentation of 18-20/c if you can >>>BUT DO NOT STRESS
http://www.aussiehomebrewer.com/forum/inde...showtopic=13615
EDIT found a thread on ways to heat fermenter when cold as below
thread for heating fermenter
http://www.aussiehomebrewer.com/forum/inde...=15561&st=0
also heres a thread to another post i did ...its got heaps of links to ....well just about every bloody thing i've ever read ...
thread to every bloody thing ....mine is post # 5
http://www.aussiehomebrewer.com/forum/inde...showtopic=14202

14...your done ....ferment out and bottle and enjoy....fermentation temp is critical okay ....not over 22/c
15...good luck
16...don't give up ...you'll get it just have fun and try ...do not stress ...
17...read heaps ....
18 cheers simpletotoro ...pm me if you want clarification on anything i've written ok ..
anyone else feel free to disagree ....let me now okay...i'm still learning to ...


okay the recipe you maybe just made would look like this ...
1x tin cooper pale ale
750 g light dried malt
250 g dextrose
250 g maltodextrin

hops willamette
15 g willamtte @ 10 mins
10 g willamette @ flame out

yeast safale-04 (hopefully pitched at 18-20/c
fermented at 18- 20/c

goodluck ...try it its not that hard....

 

[apd]

All part of the service

But seriously, if you're not happy with your kit brews, maybe it's time to take it up a notch and try a partial. You'll always find it difficult to make a great kit brew. You've got too much against you - you've had those cans since Christmas and who knows how long they've been sitting on a shelf before that - not to mention that you're learning the process, keeping an eye on temperature, sanitation, etc. So adding a few specialty grains to freshen it up will make a world of difference.

We've all been at the stage you're at where it all seems so daunting with so much to learn and then you bite the bullet and it doesn't turn out. Just keep at it and it'll click soon enough. And don't stop reading these forums.

 

[Adamt]

OK, here's some real simple analogies and real simple advice.

First of all, the metallic "kit twang" that can probably be tastes comes from old malt extract (the tinned goop). Though it may be in date it does deteriorate quite quickly, even when canned. The kits you've "had since Christmas" won't be off by any means, but won't be of the best quality.

Making homebrew from canned kits is like making soup from canned soup concentrate. By following the direction on the can "dilute, heat, serve" you will most likely end up with a very ordinary soup. However, if you put it on the stove, add a few fresh ingredients, you can improve it quite dramatically. If you want the best soup, you start with fresh ingredients, no cans and go from there. Each little step takes quite a bit more effort and ingredients with marked improvement in quality.

If you are looking for a beer that is quick and easy to make, understand that you are making plain old canned soup, and you will end up with an inferior product to those made with better/more ingredients/procedures.

Having said all that, the first thing any new brewer should do before worrying about recipes is sanitation of all equipment, and brewing temperature. There's no point having a good recipe if infections and bad yeast character ruins it.

As far as easy recipes go though... toucan stouts are the easiest and probably best kit beer to make supposedly (without any boiling, hops, etc.); mix 1 can of coopers stout and 1 can of coopers dark ale in a few litres of boiling water, fill up with cold water to 23L, get temperature to under 20C, stir/splash really well, chuck in both yeast sachets and leave it for a week or two under 20C.

Adam

 

[petesbrew]

how do I do this? I've read plenty of Toucan threads, but what I want is simple instructions, I'm finding it a little overwelming with all the boiling, brewing, racking and other terminology on the site and I think I'm just a little over my head even after reading all the FAQs.

I am after recipes like:

pour 2 litres of hot water into fermenter
pour 1kg dextose into hot water
pour contents of can into fermenter and stir

sprinkle yeast and close lid.
see? if I start off THAT easy I surely can't stuff it up, you'd think!

Dude, that's what I do most of the time anyway, and mine turn out alright.
But you're right,,, baby steps mate.

Just make sure your fermenter, spoon, etc are all clean.

Toucan...
put both cans in the sink covered with hot water for 10 min (for me, a stout and dark ale)
Boil the kettle.
pour both tins in the fermenter
pour some boiling water into both cans to dissolve any left over wort.
pour all that in.
add in any other fermentables you want (for me 500g brown sugar)
stir like crazy
top up with water to 23litres
stir again
sprinkle in both yeasts (but expect a lot of frothing)
put on lid and airlock.

day two... clean up any mess from froth!!!

I'm sure someone's going to have a go at my method, but so what, it worked for me.
Good luck, you'll get there :beer:
Pete

 

[WildaYeast]

You've got lots of good advice above.

To reinforce what others have said, the recipe matters, but so does technique. The simplest advice I've received is:

1. Sanitation
2. Temperature
3. Yeast

You have to get everything clean -- an infection will spoil anything.

Next is temperature. You want to ferment at around 18 degrees -- not 24. This will make a big difference. Also, you ideally want the temperature to be steady -- not going up and down during the day.

Lastly, different yeasts will produce different flavours from the same ingredients. Also, whether you just dump the yeast in or prepare a starter will make a difference.

Suggest you make sure you get 1 & 2 right. If you've got the temperature right, you could go for a different yeast.

Once you've got these first three nailed, you can start to play.

Cheers, Brian

 

[pickledkiwi2]

Dude, that's what I do most of the time anyway, and mine turn out alright.
But you're right,,, baby steps mate.

Just make sure your fermenter, spoon, etc are all clean.

Toucan...
put both cans in the sink covered with hot water for 10 min (for me, a stout and dark ale)
Boil the kettle.
pour both tins in the fermenter
pour some boiling water into both cans to dissolve any left over wort.
pour all that in.
add in any other fermentables you want (for me 500g brown sugar)
stir like crazy
top up with water to 23litres
stir again
sprinkle in both yeasts (but expect a lot of frothing)
put on lid and airlock.

day two... clean up any mess from froth!!!

I'm sure someone's going to have a go at my method, but so what, it worked for me.
Good luck, you'll get there :beer:
Pete

I'm with you Pete, the easier the better. I am drinking a Wander Toucan now (Wander Munih Lager and Wander Draught) it tasted a bit bitter to begin with but after a week in the keg at 4 deg it has a nice malty flavour and I think I will be doing again. Also th Coopers Stout/Dark combination is in the fermenter now and I cant wait for it to be chilling out in the fridge too.
A little trick I use to contain the the over excited wort froth in the first day or two is sit the fermenter in a big baking try (if you can sneek it out of mums kitchen) or just any other tray big enough to hold a spill.

The most important thing though X man is dont give up, half the fun of brewing is the experimentation and expectaion of the flavours you can create, both good and bad.

Beers PK.

 

[Barramundi]

knife point if youd like some coopers OPA yeast (cultured from coopers commercial OPA) let me know i have a couple of vials in the fridge, your welcome to drop by and pick one up during the week if you like (and of course have a beer)....

 

[greatale]

Hi Mate,
Dont worry Ive been brewing for three years now and I still find kits convenient and the beer you get out of them is usually pretty good. For me, whether I use K and K or grain the secret to good beer can be narrowed down to two perspectives.
1. Sterilise everything, you can never have enough steriliser, I use Brewshield by Brewcraft (not sure where your from, so you might want to find a similar product) The way this product works is it is a no-rinse, I dilute the solution in an atomiser bottle and spray my nuts off! So far I have been catering for all my mates 21st, Christmas, you name it...

Secondly, Homebrewing is about personality, you know the beer you like, so make it the way you like. For example, I am a fan of the strong flavoured heavy bodied dark ales.

Based on a Coopers Dark Ale can I added the following:

1kg of Coopers Brew Enhancer 2
1 x 50ml bottle of almond essence (this mimics the nutty finish of traditional heavy ales)
Gelatin finings toward the end of fermentation
half a can of dark malt extract.

The brew has become a flagship of my collection.

Drop me a line with some of the beers you like and ill be happy to share some simple recipe ideas with you...