coopers mexican cerveza with saflager

[bottler]

Ive just finished getting my cerveza on the go. As i used the yeast from the kit on another brew, i bought a saflager w-34/70 yeast at over £4!! Hope its worth it. Also used 1 kg of brew enhancer 2 and OG was 1042

 

[ScottM]

What's in the brew enhancer? Sounds like a good starting gravity for that kit as it's not very strong at all on its own. Normally you will get 4.5% if you add 1kg of brewing sugar, using a mix may see it a bit lower.

With regards to the yeast it really depends on how you brew. To get the most out of lager yeast you really need to ferment at a lower temperature and go through the lagering process. I read that the best results for a lager, without actually fermenting at lager temperature, is to use US-05.

 

[bottler]

What's in the brew enhancer? Sounds like a good starting gravity for that kit as it's not very strong at all on its own. Normally you will get 4.5% if you add 1kg of brewing sugar, using a mix may see it a bit lower.

With regards to the yeast it really depends on how you brew. To get the most out of lager yeast you really need to ferment at a lower temperature and go through the lagering process. I read that the best results for a lager, without actually fermenting at lager temperature, is to use US-05.

Hi scott, the brew enhancer 2 contains.... dextrose, light dry malt and maltodextrin. I dont know the quanties of each but thats what it says on the box. It also says on the box, approx alcohol content using 1 kg...4.5%, 750gms...4.1% and 500gms...3.6%.

 

[ScottM]

What's in the brew enhancer? Sounds like a good starting gravity for that kit as it's not very strong at all on its own. Normally you will get 4.5% if you add 1kg of brewing sugar, using a mix may see it a bit lower.

With regards to the yeast it really depends on how you brew. To get the most out of lager yeast you really need to ferment at a lower temperature and go through the lagering process. I read that the best results for a lager, without actually fermenting at lager temperature, is to use US-05.

Hi scott, the brew inhancer 2 contains.... dextrose, light dry malt and maltodextrin. I dont know the quanties of each but thats what it says on the box. It also says on the box, approx alcohol content using 1 kg...4.5%, 750gms...4.1% and 500gms...3.6%.

I may be wrong but I believe maltodextrin isn't fermentbible and it's actually there to create body, which is something the cerveza kit could use a little of. Trouble is that knocks you down a couple of notches on the ABV so I reckon you'll probably hit around 4% all going well.

The info on the box will be based on the base kit being used. 4-4.5% is the norm with coopers kits using 1kg of straight up 100% fermentable suger. Pulling it back with unfermentables (malt/maltodextrin etc) will always lower the %age.

Regardless of the strength, I think that's probably the ideal mix to make the most of the kit bodywise. You can see how it goes and if need be perhaps adjust the recipe for next time :)

 

[bottler]

There was a sticker on the kit, recomending brew enhancer 2 for the cerveza. First time ive used it and its more expensive than enhancer 1.

 

[ScottM]

There was a sticker on the kit, recomending brew enhancer 2 for the cerveza. First time ive used it and its more expensive than enhancer 1.

Yeah it's definitely recommended. What I mean is that the ABV quotations with the kit are based on 100% fermentable sugar. That's why it says "up to" or "approx" or whatever. It all depends on what you put into it to determine what you get out.

The brew enhancer 2 will definitely make for a better pint overall, it'll just be weaker, that's all. The more fermentables added, the stronger the drink. Brew enhancer2 has a lot less fermentables than 1kg of brewing sugar.

 

[bottler]

Well the gravity reading of 1042 was taken at 20c just before i pitched the yeast, and i read it correctly, so i'll determine the abv when i do a FG sample and keep you informed :thumb:

 

[ScottM]

1042 is good going, I think mine was around 1040 and fermented down to 1005. That was with brewing sugar though, no dme or other non-fermentables. It was thin as you could imagine, no body, so definitely needs some unfermentables in the mix to make the most of it. I got 4.5% out of it, which I believe is the max with this kit. Next time I'll definitely be adding a fair whack of DME, just to get the most out of it :)

500g of DME and 600g of brewing sugar should get me about there I would imagine :)

 

[bottler]

Yeah, i like around 5% abv or more myself, but my plan is to use this one for summer bbq's, where even females might try one with lime etc. But with my track record it'll be gone before summer :whistle:

 

[ScottM]

Yeah, i like around 5% abv or more myself, but my plan is to use this one for summer bbq's, where even females might try one with lime etc. But with my track record it'll be gone before summer :whistle:

Yeah it's a nice pint so I doubt it'll last that long

Yours will be way better than mine was too :)

 

[Sandimas]

I went for a "best of both worlds" approach with my latest Cerveza - brewed with Enhancer 2, 200g of extra bewing sugar and brewed short to 20L. Initial taste is much better than the last one, and has come our at nearly 5%, so I'm hoping I've found the sweet spot for this brew.

 

[ScottM]

I went for a "best of both worlds" approach with my latest Cerveza - brewed with Enhancer 2, 200g of extra bewing sugar and brewed short to 20L. Initial taste is much better than the last one, and has come our at nearly 5%, so I'm hoping I've found the sweet spot for this brew.

Sounds quite similar to what I have done. My main goals are 5% and a little more body. 500g of DME and making up the rest with brewing sugar should hopefully get me there. Hoping to have it ready for the summer :)

 

[abeyptfc]

I used us-05 to ferment my Schiehallion clone, which is a 'craft lager', fermented it at normal ale temps and it turned out very well, sent out a few bottles to folk and everyone really liked it. it did ferment down from about 1.055 to 1.004 or something resulting in something over 6% though which was a bit higher than planned, beer mate had it finishing at 1.013!

 

[ScottM]

I used us-05 to ferment my Schiehallion clone, which is a 'craft lager', fermented it at normal ale temps and it turned out very well, sent out a few bottles to folk and everyone really liked it. it did ferment down from about 1.055 to 1.004 or something resulting in something over 6% though which was a bit higher than planned, beer mate had it finishing at 1.013!

All those programs just take 25% of the OG. Doesn't take into account the ingredients used in the recipe, that's why I got fed up with them and made my own

Obviously everyone knows that if you use 100% sugar and water, it'll ferment as dry as dry can be. Yet according to these programs they will only ferment 75% of the fermentables, leaving 25% of the sugar untouched lol.