New here with a few questions

[okie1]

Been reading here for a bit & decided to join in. Did brewing a long time ago with limited success but now that I am retired I am going to give it another go. Just received my Cooper DIY kit, the newer version which came with a lager extract, my question is would it be wise to add some dry malt extract & a better yeast like Safale US 05, or should I just go with what came with the kit? I am not in a rush as winter here brings wild temperature changes so I may wait a while to let the weather settle down some so I can control the brewing temp easier. Any input from the forum would be most appreciated.

I am looking forward to trying different methods of beer making, just need some help from those with experience.

 

[Westo]

using the us05 yeast will be an improvement over the one in the tin depending on what temps your going to be fermenting at? being winter in the states whats the avg temp there at the moment? maybe even a lager yeast might be a better option depending on how cold it is.

 

[okie1]

Winter here in Oklahoma is wild, one day it may be 70 the next 5 degrees, come spring time it settles down. What temp should I shoot for during fermentation? I have a old used refrigerator in my shop building at my disposal so that could be figured in.

Thanks for the help.

 

[of mice and gods]

70 degrees!? You could mash at ambient..

Sorry, couldn't resist.. i realise you mean fahrenheit.

Welcome to the board mate.

 

[indica86]

Old fridge will help stop temp fluctuations even if it is not running.
If it runs you could buy an external temp controller and keep it stable that way.
And yes, dry malt / liquid malt is a vast improvement over the brewing sugar provided.

 

[okie1]

The old fridge still works well, so quiet you can't hear it run. When my wife and I were married, 48 years ago, we bought it used, when we bought new a few years later, I couldn't part with it, so in to the shop. It has kept many beers cold over the years for me.

 

[manticle]

Ferment us05 between 16 and 22 degrees celcius depending on your level of control and keeping in mind fermentation generates its own heat.
If you can keep the liquid between 17 and 20 that's perfect.

 

[okie1]

Thanks for all the help so far. I know I am from the USA but I figured who would know best?, the guys from AUSTRALIA, that is why I joined. So far I think with my new & old equipment, I can go forward with a little help & support. I know these are simple questions but I do want this to come out very well, if I please the Mrs., it will be smooth sailing for the next batch.

 

[Westo]

where all here to help eachother mate good luck with the brew and let us know how it turns out and more importantly if you manage to keep the Mrs happy... i know its like Mission Impossible for me im always doing somehing wrong lol

 

[okie1]

If I use dry malt extract, then do I use the Brew Enhancer #1 that comes with the kit or a mix of the two & how much of each? I know, stupid question.

 

[djar007]

Are you planning on using the lager extract. If so. Go with the kilo of Dextrose. The lager tin. And source a better lager yeast. S-23 will do the trick and if you can't control the temp it will handle it ok. Keep it as close the temp range it suggests and given the weather you are having it should be ok in a cool spot somewhere. Make sure you sterilise everything you are using to stop any unwanted infections. Let us know how it goes. This video shows a basic brew for your kit. Follow that but be more specific with the temp and try the alternate yeast. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T1l1oCyCZKo
Regards dave

 

[okie1]

Thanks for all the input, I will start a brew soon & post back the results.

 

[fletcher]

also, don't be turned off if your first few brews aren't 'the best beer you've ever had in your life'; it's an unrealistic expectation. with practice and learning about the processes involved and steps you need, you'll soon be making amazing beer. i still bugger up a brew every now and then (i've only made about 22 or so) so don't let it get to you. figure out why things are the way they are, and it gives you the knowledge to improve each brew bit by bit until you're making some sexy, sexy beers

 

[Goose]

I would not try to make too many changes all at once. Reckon you are best to use the kit standard and see how it turns out. If the can is fresh, the yeast viable, you have good sanitation, your water source is free from chlorine and other things that affect flavour, then you should have something that is ok at the end but you still want to improve. Then for the next batches I'd step up with enhancements one by one so that you can see the impact of each change.

As a suggestion of that order, after ensuring above steps are mastered:

I) substitute table sugar with dextrose
ii) substitute dextrose with DME or LME , but this starts getting expensive
iii) substitute the supplied yeast with a branded one and rehydrate it first
iv) try steeping some specialty grains for flavour, colour, body and head retention improvements


after step 4 you will be itching to go partial or AG anyway.

despite all the above, the biggest issue I faced was consistency of the kit itself. One batch would turn out ok, the next somehow different, be it metallic , cidery or some other kind of twang. I also noticed that kits of different ages had very different flavour and colour profiles, unquestionably the older the can the darker the beer. Of course that's only one factor, by the time you get to open it, you never know what temperature or conditions the can has been exposed to prior. One diligent retailer was aware of the issues and stored his under refrigeration to try and add some value vs his competition.

Enjoy the journey.

 

[Glot]

I find it interesting that you chose a Cooper's kit. Good products but didn't realise they had spread so far.

 

[real_beer]

Thanks for all the help so far. I know I am from the USA but I figured who would know best?, the guys from AUSTRALIA, that is why I joined. So far I think with my new & old equipment, I can go forward with a little help & support. I know these are simple questions but I do want this to come out very well, if I please the Mrs., it will be smooth sailing for the next batch.

Hi okie1,

If you haven't heard about the Basic Brewing Radio/Video podcasts yet you'd probably really enjoy the shows. James Spencer has been doing them for 8 years now & produces a really high quality product.

http://www.basicbrewing.com/

Cheers :icon_cheers:

 

[of mice and gods]

Glot, a little off topic but Coopers bought out 'Mr Beer' (apparently a leading american home brew supplier with a distribution network of 14,000 odd shops). I think this was a concerted effort to delve deeper into the American market which is why Coopers seems to be more readily available to our star spangled friends.

Okie1, I agree with what djar and goose have posted above. Get the hang of kits, then changed one thing at a time. When I was doing kit and kilo I thought my beers were the ducks nuts fdor about 30 brews, then I went to the dark side and started BIAB'ing, then 3 vessel AG. It's a fun road to travel mate. If you have any problems with the mrs when it comes time to upgrade to all grain, tell her you can use your boil kettle as a hot water bath preserver, your grain mill to mill your own flours I also always keep a soda water on tap in the keg fridge for the minister for war and finance to mix her drinks with. The occassional black currant & apple cider keeps her on task too

al

 

[okie1]

Thank you all, yes Mr. Beer is big over here & have been for many years & yes Coopers bought them out. I had a wide choice to buy my kit from but the simplicity of the Coopers won me over, that being said I am anxious to give it a whirl. There are many suppliers available to buy refill kits from so I will try a few to see who has the highest quality product, most kits over here brew 5 gallons US not imperial gallons so I would need to adjust to them, seems like you get one gallon less for the same money, oh well.

Thanks again
okie1

 

[niftinev]

I would use the brew enhancer dependent on type of brew. Will make for a better beer

 

[okie1]

Some of my other purchases are beginning to come in, Safale US-05 yeast, Briess pale malt already here, air locks and rubber stoppers and some nice wine yeast, yes, I am going to start some wine soon, I could make decent wine way back then & with all the improvements over the decades I may actually make some pretty good wine. Wish me luck, keep up the excellent input & most of all I thank you one and all for the help you have given a USA boy, very kind of you. I shall report back as I go along.