Coopers bitter disappointment

My Coopers English Bitter has proven to be a disappointment. It's been conditioning in the shed for over three weeks now and I've tried a couple along the way. Whilst the most recent one was an improvement on the first one I tried it hasn't improved as much as I'd like or expect, there is a lack of carbonation (I used Coopers drops) and the beer is weak and lacking in body. I can't see myself making it again not least because I've just cracked open my first (very early) Young's American IPA despite it having only been in the shed for three days (I'm impatient) and already it's a damn good beer, very hoppy taste, a decent strength and a good head and carbonation (I used a teaspoon of their priming sugar per 500ml PET bottle. Knowing that it can only get better has made me quite excited. I've got an American Amber Ale on the go with an APA, New Saison and another IPA in their boxes waiting impatiently.

The IPA hits the spot with my beer preference so Young's gets the thumbs up from me with this one, can anyone recommend any other brews that are in a similar vein?

The Coopers Bitter is notorious for this, try to put it aside and forget about it for a month or longer and you will notice a real improvement.

Smileyr8 said:

The Coopers Bitter is notorious for this, try to put it aside and forget about it for a month or longer and you will notice a real improvement.

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Forget about some beer that's in the house!!! I think that's impossible.

Thanks for the advice though, I'll leave it a bit longer and keep buying from the supermarket until the IPA is ready. Ideally, if I had the room I'd have another FV and have two beers on the go but for now I'll just have to settle for a steady one brew production line.

BigJC said:

Forget about some beer that's in the house!!! I think that's impossible.

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Yeh I know its a chore trying to forget about it, this thread talks a lot about the same, and the very best one I had was the last one, so be patient.

If you like hoppy beers you need hops. The Youngs kit comes with a bag of additional hops, the Coopers kit is just "hopped" extract, which in my expereince means next to no hop flavour. Next time you make it, try dry hopping with 15g of Fuggles or Styrian Goldings (or a mix of), that's what I usually do with the Coopers kits.

darrellm said:

If you like hoppy beers you need hops. The Youngs kit comes with a bag of additional hops, the Coopers kit is just "hopped" extract, which in my expereince means next to no hop flavour. Next time you make it, try dry hopping with 15g of Fuggles or Styrian Goldings (or a mix of), that's what I usually do with the Coopers kits.

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Thanks, I have bought some hops and some spray malt for the next cheap kit that I do however I'm really impressed with the Youngs kits at the moment so it might be some time before I get round to using them.

When you say you left it in the shed - what is the temp like. My guess it's too cold. I always put my bottles straigh away under the stairs which is about 12 - 16 Celsius and I find carbonation is excellent, taste is fine etc.

klaus said:

When you say you left it in the shed - what is the temp like. My guess it's too cold. I always put my bottles straigh away under the stairs which is about 12 - 16 Celsius and I find carbonation is excellent, taste is fine etc.

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It's a metal shed and is probably a degree or so warmer inside than the outside temperature which at the moment is quite mild. The Youngs IPA is in there as well but that's turned out to be a cracking beer with excellent carbonation.

Hi. I brewed the coopers english bitter using brew enhancer 2. Left in the fv for 8 days then bottled using 1 coopers carbonation drop per 500ml bottle. 2 weeks in the top of a wardrobe. Just tried my first one this week and i am very impressed with it. Nice dark red colour with good head and plenty of carbonation. Think i will do this kit again.

wolfie69 said:

Just tried my first one this week and i am very impressed with it. Nice dark red colour with good head and plenty of carbonation.

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How is everyone else going along with this? Has it improved with age, like mine did?

Make more beer, that's all you need to do.

Try a John bull kit, I ve done a few of these and they are great.


Scaff

I have done loads of Coopers English Bitter and never had a problem, how long did you have in FV and what temp? I normally have it over two weeks sometimes three and have it at around 20 C. I also use dry or liquid malt but have done the kit with beer enhancer and had no problems. I have tried many one can kits and I think Coopers are one of the best.

Never tried a Coopers yet but in my experience most 1 can kits are vastly improved if you brew them short as you're effectively increasing the amount of malt. This kind of makes them dearer per pint though so you may be better off with a 2 can kit which is all malt and no sugar.

ian808 said:

I have done loads of Coopers English Bitter and never had a problem, how long did you have in FV and what temp? I normally have it over two weeks sometimes three and have it at around 20 C. I also use dry or liquid malt but have done the kit with beer enhancer and had no problems. I have tried many one can kits and I think Coopers are one of the best.

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I had it in the FV for 2 weeks with temps hovering around the 18/20 mark. I have bought some enhancer for future brews however I'm working my way through the Youngs American selection at the moment which I'm very impressed with. Coopers may not actually get another look in.

I've had two AAA and one IPA from Youngs really good beers will also be brewing more of them but as I like to have different beers to drink I will be doing them again but also the Coopers as well. Try leaving a bit longer in FV and also in bottle (mine is two months min) and use some dry or liquid malt which puts the price up to the same as two can kits but are just as good.