Coopers, Canadian Blonde tweak & set up

[sanch3z]

This has been suggested as my next brew (Wherry was my first), apparently it's very similar to Erdinger which is a good start however I would if possible like to add a little more flavor, perhaps some fruit or more hops but being a total novice i'm not sure if this is possible with my lack of kit (cooper brew kit) and knowledge?

I was going to buy the base kit and I assume it suggests their own enhancer however I popped past Wilkos the other week and picked up the following:

Spraymalt light 500g
Spraymalt medium 500g

Are these suitable replacements for the enhancer? or are these used for something else, if used what difference will they make?

If anyone has and suggestions on how to easily adapt this brew then I would love to hear, and if I should just leave well alone then similarly I love to hear.

Thanks guys

 

[c_burgess]

This is a great kit for tweaking as it isn't very malty, very bitter or hoppy. You could easily make an english bitter, a wheat beer or a good IPA from it. The spray malt you bought can be used as a replacement for the sugar that the kit asks for in the instructions and will add more flavour and colour than using table sugar.

Typically 1 can kits ask you to add sugar to the kit and this basically bumps the abv up to the level stated on the tin. 2 can kits don't require you to add sugar as there are enough sugars in the 2 cans to reach the abv.

If I had a coopers Canadian kit I would do the following

Put this in your bucket:-
1 can coopers Canadian
500g light spray malt
500g medium spray malt

I would then put 50g of goldings or fuggle hops in my empty coopers tin for about 10 mins with some boiled water and then dump the water into the bucket (catching the hops in a sieve)

Top the bucket up to 20 litres

Throw the coopers yeast into the bin

Add a packet of S04 or S05 yeast.

This might add about 6-7 quid to the cost of your 40 bottles of beer but you'll have a drinkable english bitter.

 

[sanch3z]

thanks, that all sounds very achievable... Just one question, i'm hoping to get a blonde, fruity/hoppy number, more leaning towards a Hoegaarden than perhaps a bitter so will these tweaks achieve that?

My initial Brew plan is the following:

1. Ale (Wherry) = Done
2. Blonde Weissbier (Coopers Canadian Blonde) = In planning
3. Bitter (Coopers English Bitter) = Have kit/Enhancer will brew in a couple of months...
4. Waiting for inspiration... Not really a larger fan, always go for Ales, bitter, blonde or Guinness in pubs (although with young family visits to pubs are few and far between)

As I'm new to this figured my first 6 months to a year would be good to focus on kits with slight tweaks just so I get some consistent brews, get used to the processes, what to look for and the cleaning routine then once more confidant start experimenting...

 

[c_burgess]

I would save your spraymalt for another brew then. Maybe add 1.5 kg of dry wheat extract to your coopers kit and make sure you use a suitable yeast. I'm sure there is a dry yeast you can get in most brew shops. Wouldn't worry about adding any hops.

 

[sanch3z]

I have coopers beer enhancer that came with the bitter kit so I think i'll follow your guide but with that and use the enhancer with the Canadian blonde, would however like it to taste a little more fruity...

 

[Slid]

I have coopers beer enhancer that came with the bitter kit so I think i'll follow your guide but with that and use the enhancer with the Canadian blonde, would however like it to taste a little more fruity...

I suppose you might look at this suggestion from Coopers

http://www.coopers.com.au/#/diy-beer/be ... ng-blonde/

Ingredients
•1.7kg Canadian Blonde
•1kg Coopers Brew Enhancer 1
•500g Frozen Berries (of your choice)
Not done it myself, but Mrs Slid bought bought some frozen rasperries the other day that she describes as disgusting. No brainer, really :

 

[sanch3z]

yes I like the sound of that a lot... could mix some orange peel and some frozen berries perhaps? Sounds like they're suggesting some sort of jcloth... we have loads of kids muslins here, could I just boil wash one of them then use that to inclose the berries?

thanks