Impatient Taste Test... Cidery?!?!

[James Squire]

Hello brewmasters,

This is my first post as i've only been brewing (attempting to) for three weeks now and am yet to find my brewing mojo!

My question is related to the Cidery taste i experienced in my Coopers Pale Ale after impatiently testing it after only one week of bottle conditioning. I know that this is usually not advised but for the sake of experience and knowledge i wanted to try it early to satisfy curiosity!

The beer was definately drinkable but more resembled the Strongbow Sweet Cider's that my missus usually drinks than the Coopers i enjoy, this was confirmed when she downed the rest of the glass enjoying every drop.

Im wondering if the cidery taste is due to:

a> the shortened conditioning time.

b> the fact that i used ordinary cane sugar for carbonation. (used hbs beer enhancing kilo pack for the fermentation)

c> another factor? (beer fermented at constant 20 degrees for two weeks using normal Coopers extract and yeast ingredients excepting the beer enhancers)


Is the taste likely to subside with further conditioning?

Any help appreciated.

Beers.

 

[warrenlw63]

James Squire.

There's an encouraging name. :lol: I'd say your beer is sugar-laden. What were the ingredients in your HBS booster pack? Was the stuff white looking?

I'd say you've got a beer that's almost 50% sugar in it's content. If that's the case then no, it won't improve too much.

Try a combination of 500g of dextrose and 500g of dried light malt extract next time or even 1kg of dried malt extract. Once you get the sugar content down things will look up.

Rest assured your beer will only improve to a degree with further conditioning time.

Warren -

 

[Fingerlickin_B]

Coopers Pale Ale kits taste like crap if you drink the beer clear.

Invert the bottle a few times to mix up the sediment and make the beer cloudythen try it

PZ.

 

[KoNG]

JS.. you couldn't have asked for a better result.!
think about it.... you can now pass this brew on to your missus and tell her you made your first ever brew for her... a gorgeous strongbow cider...! h34r:

then do some more reading and perfect your second brew.
i found the ESB 3kg cans great as far as kits go... and fool proof. (not that your a fool )

good luck.

 

[James Squire]

Thanks for fast response people,

Warren - the kilo pack from the hbs was half white half light brown, indicating 500g dextrose and 500g dried light malt extract yeah?

Would this still indicate sugar-laden? I guess if the cider taste doesn't subside then KoNG's suggestion of passing it on to the missus is looking good!

Regards,

JS

 

[SpaceMonkey]

Warren - the kilo pack from the hbs was half white half light brown, indicating 500g dextrose and 500g dried light malt extract yeah?

[post="79652"][/post]​

Maybe, maybe not, it could have been a sucrose/malt mix. The coopers "brewing suger" for example is 70% sucrose, 30% maltodextrin. You'd need to check the packet to be sure.

I second KoNG's advice about hte ESB kits, 3kg of malty goodness and no need to add sugar or anything else. I put one down for my second ever brew and the result was fantastic. The Lager kit brews fine in the mid teens too, so you can chuck it in the shed at this time of year without any worries and it'll do it's thing.