My Wilko Hoppy Copper Bitter experiment.

[DamageCase]

Having tried this kit in the past and being disappointed at both lack of hops and indeed flavour all together (even when brewed sort to 20 litres) I decided to have a play with the kit to see if I could get a good beer out ofit. Working on the theory that the 1.5 kilo of liquid malt in the kit is exactly half of what you get in their two can kits (which are decent kits) that two cans should yield something good. I waited to their annual January sale when they were knocked down to a poultry 8 pound a kit and bunged two of them into a fermenter at 23 liters with 500g of honey, because why not? Now fermented out the beer is about 4.5% and even after just 5 days in the pressure barrel, in the warm, the beer is lovely and clear with a lovely hoppy kick, medium body and good carbonation. On the down side I can't taste much honey and there is a bit of homebrew twang. I'm going to leave it alone in the cold for another 2 weeks in which time I'm sure the honey will come through a bit more and the twang will dissipate somewhat. Anywho, so far, so good!

 

[kentmark]

I've used this kit as a basis for a couple of festive brews. I've fermented it then added fruit and spices for a secondary fermentation. If i do another this year I will probably dry hop as well.

 

[DamageCase]

Great idea. Thinking about it I reckon it could work as a base for a Belgian fruit beer too, just enough bitterness to balance the sweetness.

 

[Redcar]

Funnily enough I've just done one of these this morning. I've used 500g DME and 500g BKE and made an Amarillo hop tea in the emptied tin, with a Burton Union yeast.

Let's see how it goes...

 

[DamageCase]

That sounds like it could come out as a lovely session pale ale. As a single tin I wouldn't call this a bitter as it just doesn't seem bitter enough. Either way I'd love to know how that comes out :)

 

[kRooGa]

I'll be bottling my 4th experiment with this one tomorrow. Just the one tin, brewed short to 20l, with the required kilo of sugar. But I've added 500g of dark muscovado sugar and a tin of black treacle. O.G was 1.046 now down to 1.008. The taste from the trial jar is promising :

 

[Replay63]

Hi All, I'm thinking of getting one of these on as the Wilko Copper Biiter is on offer at £8 again.
Will use two cans and was thinking about adding one or two x 454g jars of honey, and/or medium spray malt, with a Safbrew Abbaye yeast and teabag hop with cascade pellets or something.
Would love to know how the above came out and if anyone has any suggestions for me! Thanks.

 

[chub1]

I brewed mine short with some grain additions,Malt extract, golden syrup and some beer enhancer. Hopped it up( i think not enough however) and it's now bottled.
Initial taste was ok, still fairly bland though , clear and a smallish head just a tad dissapointed but time may tell a different story. Guess at �£8 to mess around with it's an ok buy.Have seen lots of indifferent reviews of it mostly on it's blandness.

 

[Replay63]

I brewed mine short with some grain additions,Malt extract, golden syrup and some beer enhancer. Hopped it up( i think not enough however) and it's now bottled.
Initial taste was ok, still fairly bland though , clear and a smallish head just a tad dissapointed but time may tell a different story. Guess at ��£8 to mess around with it's an ok buy.Have seen lots of indifferent reviews of it mostly on it's blandness.

Was that with 2 x tins or 1?

 

[chub1]

Was that with 2 x tins or 1?

Hi , no 1 tin brewed to a tad over 18 litres, crystal malt and carahell,light spray malt and golden syrup plus some beer enhancer.
Challenger hops and styrian goldings plus a dry hop of styrian goldings.
Don't get me wrong, it's certainly drinkable, nice and light just not much omph!.
IMVHO and i am still a novice at this lark but with two extract brews done and one doing, i think my kit days are over-no comparison, plus if i can do them anyone can!:lol:

 

[Replay63]

I've been brewing for the past 18 months after a break of 30 years! The first 4 or 5 kits I followed the kit instructions and, to be honest, I quickly realised that I will always get something pretty grim (homebrew twang etc) doing it that way. The last 4 or 5 have been better and better as I've pimped them up more and more (decent yeast, dry-hopping, spray malt, honey, black treacle, candi crystals etc). I'd like to go all-grain, maybe I will one day but, at the moment, the time puts me off. Plus I'm finding it great fun pimping the various kits. Best so far have been the BetterBrew 2.1Kg pouch Irish Stout (twice) and a Wherry and a Nog. I've got a dedicated plastic shed outside and it's got plenty of Turbo Cider as well as beer and wine in there so I can afford to let the beers condition well :drunk: