"Desperado's style" - Cooper's Mexican Cerveza kit

Cononthebarber · Mar 30, 2012

Bought a Coopers Mexican kit and decided to make it in the style of "Desperado's"...

I have talked about this in another thread but have just finished making this batch up so decided it needed its own thread :) if you havent heard of or tasted Desperado's then a quick review would say thats its a lager with a body and look much like corona however with extra tequila flavouring pazazz...

So got all the equipment ready as usual (sanitised everything etc...), mixed up the can ingredients with approx 3 litres of boiling water and then added 500g of dextrose and 500g of muntons light spraymalt. The instructions did say only to add 250g of dextrose but i want to increase the ABV to match the lager im trying to clone...then mixed the lot up loads until my arm got really sore!

Filled up the FV with cold water to the 20 litre line (further attempt to increase the ABV) and took temp reading of 22c and hydrometer reading of 1.048 then chucked in the kit yeast.

I have bought some of this and plan to add a few mls to each bottle when bottling to give the tequila flavour...I think I might actually add the flavouring to only half the bottles at the end so that I can compare flavours...will keep this thread updated as it progresses and will include pictures as and when I get round to taking them...

Laurin · Mar 30, 2012

If you do half half it might be easier to prime the whole lot with sugar, then bottle the non tequila half, mix in the flavouring and bottle the rest. Adding flavouring for each bottle you might have problems to add exactly the same amount in each one.

Cononthebarber · Mar 30, 2012

I like your thinking, that seems much simpler and as you say will iron out any variability in the bottles.

Laurin · Mar 30, 2012

Priming with sugar is usually better in bulk because you will have an even distribution. Carbonation drops can be used if you want to prime each bottle but its more expensive.

Cononthebarber · Mar 30, 2012

to do that though will i need another FV? as mixing in the sugar will disturb all the gunk at the bottom...syphon the lot into another FV, then add priming sugar then flavouring to second half?

What ive been doing for my last two brews when priming has been dissolving the sugar into boiling water then using a 10ml syringe to measure it out into each bottle...was thinking of doing the same again however it does seem a lot less hassle batch priming.

Laurin · Mar 30, 2012

If you batch prime you would need to syphon it off into a clean container. If you dont have one your syringe method should be alright. It would be even safer if you add 20ml or so into each bottle, because then the margin of error is smaller.

RobWalker · Mar 31, 2012

Someone did this recently and suggested 1.5 - 2 bottles of tequila essence to have the flavour just noticable.

lovelldr · Mar 31, 2012

And here's that thread ...

viewtopic.php?f=14&t=23162&p=225298

Gonna have a go at this in a couple of weeks myself.

Out of interest, is that where you got your tequila essence from? How much was the postage?

RobWalker · Mar 31, 2012

I never did it but lots of home brew places sell it, it's used when you make spirit base kits. Even my local does it and he carries 4 kinds of hops : cheers:

Cononthebarber · Mar 31, 2012

lovelldr said:
Out of interest, is that where you got your tequila essence from? How much was the postage?

Postage was free as I sepnt over Â£45 as bought this along with cerveza kit and a nelsons revenge kit and a few other bits and bobs...

RobWalker said:
Someone did this recently and suggested 1.5 - 2 bottles of tequila essence to have the flavour just noticable.

Yes the other thread that lovelldr pointed out mentioned that 1 bottle was not enough...i reckon I'll add one bottle to half the batch that should be enough. Not sure about adding the lime cordial though, woudl prefer to just add that later when drinking if required or just sling a slice of lime in the glass/bottle.

RobWalker · Mar 31, 2012

only thing to note there is that at low carbonation, that will kill the head...whether thats an issue or not, meh, I do the exact same thing when I have mexican beers on.

Cononthebarber · Apr 8, 2012

Right well the cerveza has been fermenting now for 9 days and has been at 1.002 for two days now so bottled it tonight. I got another FV so syphoned off the lot into the second barrel then primed with 200g of sugar, bottled half and then added 75ml of tequila essence and then bottled the rest.

With an OG of 1.048 its approx 6.1% ABV and had a taste of both before and after adding the essence...Now I don't mean to blow my own trumpet or anything but it tastes bloody marvellous! Can't wait till its matured! It tastes much like Sol without the essence (with an obvious yeasty flavour) but the alcohol comes through strong but not in a bad way!

The batch with the essence isn't dissimilar to Desperado's, the tequila flavour comes through well although it might have actually done with a bit more...perhaps it will come through more after maturing?

I'm going to try my damndest to not drink any until at least 3 weeks time (but no promises!)

I feel I am on to a winner here!

joe1002 · Apr 8, 2012

I'm interested to hear your results once it's matured. I hope it urns out well. I'm hoping to be up and running with AG brewing in the next few months but would like to try this.

Cononthebarber · May 1, 2012

So I tasted both batches of this brew last night and firstly I'd like to say that it tastes really good. It has cleared really well and with a lot of bubbles, it holds its head well down to bottom of the glass (although not as well with the desperados batch). It tastes crisp and light and has a good kick to it at 6.1% really liking it!

Now the desperado's batch is a little dissapointing, it tastes pretty much the same as the regular cerveza batch which (while its not a bad thing) you have to look hard for the tequila flavour. I reckon when making this again I would double the tequila flavouring so that it comes through stronger.

Having said all that this was well worth the experiment and will definately be making this again at some point. I am gonna leave the desperado's batch to see if maturing it longer will affect the flavours and post up again in a couple months time.

lovelldr · May 23, 2012

Hi Conan.

Have you managed to taste test one of the desperadoes batch recently?
Looking at putting one of these on soon, and just wondered what you thought of it after its been conditioning for a bit longer?

Cononthebarber · May 28, 2012

Hi there I have tasted both batches (and only have a couple bottles left now!) it tastes lovely but still disappointed with the "Desperado's" batch...not enough tequila flavouring, I think it needs at least double the amount I put in which was 75ml to 10 litres so if you are thinking of making this I'd put in at least 300ml to a 20 litre brew : cheers:

critty · May 29, 2012

I was eyeing this kit up the other day. My dad is really into the desparados beer and i wanted to make a clone of it for him. Seems to me that the inclusion of extra essence will give a more crisp tequila taste to it. I have used tequila essence in non-home-brew projects. It tends to be a little washed out in taste when you only use a small amount.

I am in two minds if I want to go all spray malt on this one or to do a half and half like you did. whats your overall thoughts on the half and half method.

ArmChair · Jun 7, 2012

Have you guys thought about adding half a bottle of tequila to the second fb and giving it a good mix, then bottling or even adding 5ml to each bottle?

robbie1710 · Apr 3, 2013

Hey guys,

New to the forum and new to home brewing but ive been interested in making a "Desperado" style large myself. I have brewed a few normal lagers that have not been amazing but im still finding my feet but thought why not try this and see what happens

I have found this thread searching online and wondered if the brews turned out ok or if anyone else has tried any variations?

Any hints or tips would be great
Thanks

munkian · Apr 25, 2013

I'm attempting this one too, my first ever lager.

I used the Wilkos Cerveza kit and 500g of spray malt and 300g dextrose and about 200g brown demerera (ran out of dextrose !)

Its been in the FV for nearly 2 weeks now - going to boil a bottle of posh lime cordial and some Tequila essence with 200g of brewing sugar and add it to a secondary FV before bottling.

I'll let you know how I get on

"Desperado's style" - Cooper's Mexican Cerveza kit

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