Coopers Ginger Beer

[colgilbec]

It would be interesting to know if anyone out there has tried this kit?.
The tin states it should come out at around 3,5%.
Brewing one at the moment,started off with a low Gravity of 1.30 and just checked after 5 days and its down to 1.08 but its still got a heavy head of bubbles,could be interesting.
I reduced the water down to 4 gallons instead of 5 to hopefully up the final gravity.
I wasnt impressed with the way the fermentation started,using the included kit yeast,this yeast seemed to just sit on the top in splodges even after 3 days at 24dgrs,rec temp is 21-27dgrs,so i added an ale yeast and then it started fermenting quite quickly.
The smell of ginger is still nice and strong,hopefully it will turn out to be a nice summer drink served ice cold,mmmm!.
Any reviews on this or is it more of a novelty brew?.

[thedeckking]

I was going to have a go at this myself, but ended up making ginger beer from scratch instead. I started it off early December and it's only just finished ferment this week. I've got it bottled and am going to try it in a week or two. Initial tasting is good and the ingredients were only about £2.50 to make 5l, but I reckon you could do a full 5 gallon for around £5-6. I'd be interested to hear how the kit goe to see if it's worth the extra cost.

Good luck and keep us posted.

[Philip Parsons]

I was going to have a go at this myself, but ended up making ginger beer from scratch instead. I started it off early December and it's only just finished ferment this week. I've got it bottled and am going to try it in a week or two. Initial tasting is good and the ingredients were only about £2.50 to make 5l, but I reckon you could do a full 5 gallon for around £5-6. I'd be interested to hear how the kit goe to see if it's worth the extra cost.

Good luck and keep us posted.

Can you give an idea of how to do from scratch? I'd be interested in giving it a go?

[thedeckking]

Can you give an idea of how to do from scratch? I'd be interested in giving it a go?

Have a look at this thread for the recipe clicky there's loads of other ideas in the Other Brews section of the forum. I'd give it a couple of weeks for me to see how mine comes out before you try my recipe, just in case it's not too good

[TheMumbler]

I made the Coopers kit a while back and it turned out quite nice. Low alcohol (2.5 or so) and pretty drinkable on a hot summers day. I had a very slow start to fermentation as well and it ended up with a sulphurous nose. Otherwise pretty good. I haven't made one from scratch yet so can't make a comparisson.

Definitely a like regular ginger beer rather than a beer with a taste of ginger in it.

[colgilbec]

Just an update on this,started at 1.030 , finished at 1.002, !!!!. [although there is still a dubious amount of small froth lurking],i would say giving it an alcohol content of around 4%.I did reduce the water down to 4 gallons.
If instructions are followed with the required amount of water it should be just over 3%
Whilst bottling it,quick dip and still tastes sweet, then the penny finally dropped,as i am used to brewing from something sweet to a bitter finish.
As the Mumbler has previously stated, its not a beer with a ginger taste,or is it? .
Hopefully you can see the ingredients regarding artificial additives from the pic. sodium sacharin etc.
IMG]http://i167.photobucket.com/albums/u150 ... G_0387.jpg[/IMG]

[scottmoss]

Image:-

[thedeckking]

Can you give an idea of how to do from scratch? I'd be interested in giving it a go?

Have a look at this thread for the recipe clicky there's loads of other ideas in the Other Brews section of the forum. I'd give it a couple of weeks for me to see how mine comes out before you try my recipe, just in case it's not too good

I've just had a taste of the homemade ginger beer and it's good
I wish I'd taken a SG but forgot. It must have been really high as after 2 weeks it was still 1070+. I bottled at 1020 with no added priming sugars. I got a hiss when I popped the cap, but no fizz yet as it's not been in the cold long enough. I just couldn't wait to give it a try

There's enough sugar still in it to give an initial sweet taste and a bit of a light syrupy body. Then you get a really nice ginger kick at the back of your mouth. Def going to be good when it gets a bit more fizz.

I'm going to make up another batch to the same recipe and bottle with a slightly higher FG, around 1030, and maybe try adding some different bits to each bottle: some grated fresh ginger, dry ginger powder, chilli, cinamon and anything else that I find in the cupboard

I have a feeling this is going to be a very popular drink come summertime, so I'm going to keep experimenting in my 1gal DJ's until I get it right then go for a full 5gal in time for my first BBQ.

[colgilbec]

Wish i had thought of adding chillies for a bit of a kick,would have been just up my street,bit late now its bottled though.
Could have played a bit of russian roullette with some Dorset Nagas i have

[thedeckking]

Wish i had thought of adding chillies for a bit of a kick,would have been just up my street,bit late now its bottled though.
Could have played a bit of russian roullette with some Dorset Nagas i have

Now there's a drinkng game I'm going to have to try

[thedeckking]

Hi All

I finished brewing the alcoholic version of this kit 10 days ago, racked it into my corny keg and added finings. Currently it's still cloudy and as a relative newcomer to home brew was wondering if it should or should not be clearing?

Thanks in advance.

Glen

Ginger beer will stay cloudy and is usually drunk young