Coopers Real Ale

[Geezah]

My first kit, a Coopers APA has turned out ok, albeit its not got a great head on it - I put that down to not using enough sugar when priming the bottles.
So now I have started my second kit.
Coopers Real Ale with 1kg of amber DME and 500g of the free brew enhancer 1.
OG - 1050 @ 20c
I had a tough time with the DME clumping as I added it to 4l of boiling water and the tin of extract, Is it easier to disolve the DME in a pan of boiling water next time?

[Fuggled Mind]

Hi

When using DME you should add it to warm water and stir. This should hopefully help it to disolve much quicker. Boiling water is notorious for causing clumping with DME.

Hope that helps and happy brewing

Cheers

Jason

[Ditch]

I've always added mine to stone cold tap water. Hit it with an electric whisk and it pretty much just vanishes into the mix

[Geezah]

I'll try your method next time Ditch as I have just ordered a Coopers Irish Stout and a bag of dark DME.

I think I need a bigger FV though, I only brewed up 20l of the Real Ale and this morning it was spilling out the top of the bucket



I just wiped up the excess foam with a sanitised cloth, so here's hoping there's no damage done.

[mickhew]

They all do that mate. It won't cause a problem, I just wipe off the excess. Coopers say sanitising the FV lid isn't necessary. Your picture proves why it is essential.

[Ditch]

I'll try your method next time Ditch as I have just ordered a Coopers Irish Stout and a bag of dark DME.

That is a 1 Kilo bag, I take it? Ye need a kilo. I also now chuck in a mug of raw cane sugar with mine. But, that's entirely optional.

And yeppers, I do 20 Litres too. They always blow. Never had any problems with it ~ other than liquid seeping under the door and running across my kitchen floor!

[Geezah]

Yeah Ditch, I'll only buy kilo bags

Update to my brew....
Checked it today as its been on just over a week and was greeted with a nice looking beer, but a couple of small white spots what look like mould ranging from 1mm to 5mm, and a few little bits of clumped DME (or maybe yeast?) floating on the surface.
I sanitised a sieve and scooped all the floating bits i could off the top then took a sample to check gravity which is now down to 1015. The sample tasted wickedly nice, I'm just hoping this brew aint spoiled.
Gonna get it bottled on friday/saturday. Fingers crossed that the (suspected) mould doesn't get any worse in the bottles.
It wont be around long enough to cause a long term problem as i'll probably be drinking this within 3-4 weeks and It wont last more than a couple of weeks.

Any thoughts as to how I can treat the beer before bottling, or just go for it and get it necked quickly?

[Redimpz]

Shouldn't be mould, hasn't really had long enough to go mouldy. lots of my brews have bits of stuff floating in them and I've never had a problem, just try to leave the bits behind if you can when you syphon.

[Geezah]

Yeah, my worries was that when I put the brew on it was my first time using DME and I got quite a lot of clumping.
If some of these clumps that didnt fully get broke down had settled on the surface, and given the ferocity of the initial ferment, it would be an ideal place for an infection to start its colony.

Looking back at it now, It may have just been bits of floating yeast/dme and spots of co2 around the suspect areas, but i'm a bit pesamistic as I am a bit lax at times with my methods.
(if it hadn't foamed up as vigourously as it did, I might have dismissed the whole thing)
Either way, its gonna get bottled and drunk!!!!

If my ring starts to burn I still have some sudacreame from when the kids were in nappies..... somewhere..

[bungle666]

when using DME or enhancer, i mix mine in a seperate bucket (sanitized and food grade) before tipping into the FV.
Method :- put all dry ingredients in small bucket, add a couple of kettles of boiling water and thrash. add the contents of the can and a kettle of water (to swill the can out) to the FV then from a great height tip in the contents of the bucket (adds good aeration)to the FV. then use the small bucket too add the water from the tap tipping in vigorously (more aeration) till you hit the required amount. tip on the dried yeast, stir put the lid on (leave a gap) and forget....

Seems to be working just fine for me!!

B..

[Geezah]

Checked gravity again today and its been stable at 1014 for a few days so I got it all bottled up.
No signs of mould or owt, so I think I was just being paranoid because of the overspill.
Tastes a little sweet which is my preference. I think this is gonna be a nice pint!

Brewday again tommorrow:
Coopers stout with DME
2 dj's of Wurzels Orange n grape
2 dj's of TC
2 dj's of apple & blackberry wine
Got to rack of 2 dj's of TC

[Ditch]

Geezah; I've just fetched my second pint of my own Coopers Stout. (OK; I've been out all night. Actually drinking " Weasel Beer " with my kebab and films. But this is my second of my own stuff).

Due to a medical based emergency, impinging on my bank account, I had to knock this one from FV to Keg on day five. It's had Three Days to 'mature' in the keg.

Tastes like Heaven!

Go Coopers! I simply can't make their stuff turn out bad!