Not enough sugar?

[Bobbynog]

Brewing a coopers euro lager and instructions said to use 750g of sugar. I used 500g of light spraymalt with 250g of brewing sugar. OG started at 1.034 and after two weeks was down to 1.012 so not looking strong at all.

Should I have added more sugar and what would happen if I added more now?

 

[RobWalker]

now, if it's still in the FV, it will just ferment it, it'll be fine. i wouldn't want it in the bucket that long personally, i would just drink it.

it's meant to make about 4.5%, I would go with that as the fermentables are in there, these things are pretty set in stone with kits.

 

[Bobbynog]

Cheers, dilemma then! Fermenting at around 16deg so might just leave another week, prime and bottle.

 

[ScottM]

1.012 is pretty high for that kit, I hit around 1.006 iirc. That was brewing with 500g of DME and 1kg of brewing sugar.

Surprised at the instructions calling for such a low amount of fermentables. I thought it was 1kg of brewing sugar that was recommended for the 4-4.5% mark. Replacing any of the sugar with DME or BKE will always lower the final ABV if the ratios aren't adjusted.

 

[Bobbynog]

Just checked instructions and says 1kg of brew enhancer 2 or 500g light dry malt with 250g sugar/dextrose.

Guess if I can get down to 1.008 will end up around 4% after priming

 

[ScottM]

Just checked instructions and says 1kg of brew enhancer 2 or 500g light dry malt with 250g sugar/dextrose.

Guess if I can get down to 1.008 will end up around 4% after priming

The instructions have changed massively since I last brewed then. Those quantities are what is now recommended in the mexican cerveza.

Would be lucky to see 4% using either method IMO.

The instructions used to state 1kg of brewing sugar or 1kg of brew enhancer1 (brew enhancer 2 has 250g of unfermentables to aid body, this brew definitely doesn't suffer from a lack of body).

1.034 to 1.008 will be approx 3.3% ABV. Would take a fair whack of priming to get it up to 4%. You may run the risk of over priming as when I brewed this kit I primed with 180g and it was too much (body was fantastic in this beer, surprising for a kit).


I really wish coopers would stop being so generic with their instructions