Thanks for that heard good things about coopers European and also Canadian blonde when you do the cooper kits do you use beer enhancer or spray malt? I love most lagers I buy a lot of different german beers from beers of Europe been looking for Oktoberfest kits or even good German ones but cant seam to locate any
)the longer you leave it the better.
The Coopers Canadian Blonde turned out a little on the anaemic side for me too. I'm not normally a lager drinker but the Euro lager was fine and I did a few when I did kits . I brewed mine with 500g light DME and 500g dextrose. For me I think you need the DME to increase the maltiness but you also need the dextrose to give it a little dryness. The only slight drawback to doing this kit is that it can take 12 weeks or so to really come good, although its certainly drinkable before then. The best one I opened was one about 8 months old. They will improve with a small dry hop or hop tea Saaz or Hallertau to suit the style are best. There is another similar kit by Coopers the 86 day Pilsner, but I preferred the Euro lager although there wasn't much in itI usually go for straight brewing sugar on my lagers. I'm not a big fan of the Canadian Blonde the two times I have done it. The last one which was quite recently actually I tried 50/50 sugar and spray malt and again still not for me I'm afraid and doubt I'll do it again.
Your lager preference is similar to mine by the sounds of it - decent European ones. I've done the Cooper's European kit several times and have never been disappointed. The usual rule goes though, (unfortunately
I wouldnt bet on it I ordered it over a week ago was ment to be posted on friday but says it's still processing online but they are closed until Tuesday now so looks like end of the week at a minimum . I've got 1kg spray malt to put in it
Found this kit recipe while I was searching around OktoberfestI usually go for straight brewing sugar on my lagers. I'm not a big fan of the Canadian Blonde the two times I have done it. The last one which was quite recently actually I tried 50/50 sugar and spray malt and again still not for me I'm afraid and doubt I'll do it again.
Your lager preference is similar to mine by the sounds of it - decent European ones. I've done the Cooper's European kit several times and have never been disappointed. The usual rule goes though, (unfortunately
I can help with the MJ Helles lager. I did this on 20/02/20 with a kilo of enhancer and had an O.G. of 1048.It took until 27/03 to stabilise at 1005 so ABV of 5.6% above my normal level! Reviews suggested it was over hoppy so I chickened out of using all the hops but put 6gms of each variety supplied in on 09/03. Two weeks inside the after a week out in the cool very drinkable and keeps a head. For my taste it could have taken more of the hops but my guess is that full 20gms supplied would have made it a bit one dimensional. I should add that I used Lidl spring water. It is better now having been in the bottle longer but does not react well to a heavy chill. I have not experienced a chill haze but pour the last quarter of the bottle into a separate glass to avoid the whole drink being clouded. My guess is that the greater compression of the gas through chilling down creates a more forceful release on opening which lifts the residue of yeast off the bottom and I wonder if finings would resolve this in future. I intend to do this again some time but would up the hops. Hope this is of some use.
Correction! It took until 14/03 to stabilise which is when I bottled it and tried the first 200cc trial bottle on 27/03 which was very drinkable.
No bottle when fermentation finished and keep inside for two weeks to achieve secondary fermentation then move to a cooler place to clear and mature. Keep out of sunlight and electric light to prevent possible reaction with hops creating "skunky" taste.
I'm fermenting outside and in scotland wife didnt want beer in house ... got a mdf box built where fv sits over a 1.6kw heater (she pays electric bill
) so I'll bottle then stack in box crank heating up a bit any recommendations? Then I'll transfer them to auld mans hut I read that it's best to store atleast 5 degrees lower than serving so I'll hook his fridge upto inkbird to keep them around 1 degree
