Home brewing kits ....

Good luck Poppy, for your info that Cerveza is a half ale yeast, half lager yeast. So don't worry too much about the temp but I had good results around 18 degrees. It was also good towards the end to just take it to a slightly warmer room 2 days before bottling.

Don't be put off by trying a beer too early and if you are using Coppers bottles I recommend 1 and a half carb drops per 500ml bottle :)

Start collecting glass 500ml bottles!
 
dannyjo22 said:
Good luck Poppy, for your info that Cerveza is a half ale yeast, half lager yeast. So don't worry too much about the temp but I had good results around 18 degrees. It was also good towards the end to just take it to a slightly warmer room 2 days before bottling.

Don't be put off by trying a beer too early and if you are using Coppers bottles I recommend 1 and a half carb drops per 500ml bottle :)

Start collecting glass 500ml bottles!
Click to expand...

Yeah, i read through the entire 40 odd pages the other night and saw you advice for using 1.5 drops per bottle :)
 
I haven't seen a single bubble in the airlock for this Coopers Australian lager. The Tom Caxton real ale that I did just before it wouldn't stop bubbling for like 4 days straight.

There is a ring of crud around the top of the bucket and there is sediment at the bottom, so looks like it's working. maybe due to the fact I only filled to 20l instead of 23l so there is room for the co2 to build up but not enough pressure to create bubbles in the airlock?

I was relying on the bubbles stopping to signal the end of fermentation as I don't have a Hydrometer...
 
Ok, so kit hasnt turned up yet, i cant wait to get started!

However i've heard the Mexican cerveza is quite low in terms of ABV. Ill be making it with a packet of the Coopers Brew Enhancer, however i have ordered an additional pack of the BE. If i added 1.5 packets, i assume this would give a pretty good increase in ABV and not destroy the drinkability/flavour.

Any thoughts guys?
 
Just brew it to 20L instead of 23. Don't add 1.5 packets. I don't take too much stock in hydrometer readings for ABV. Either the shops are lieing or my hydro is. I've had beers where I've had 3 bottles and it's been far stronger than I was led to believe :)

I'd just make a kit and see what you think and then alter it from there. The cerveza was fine for me at 23L. Not strong at all but light and refreshing.
 
Really quick question. Do you need to sterilize new Coopers bottles? A video i found on Youtube says no, but just wanted to check.

They're the 500ml bottles, so i'll stick 1.5 carbonation drops in. I take it i'll need to sterilize the knife and chopping board to cut the drops in half?
 
Mark A said:
Really quick question. Do you need to sterilize new Coopers bottles? A video i found on Youtube says no, but just wanted to check.

They're the 500ml bottles, so i'll stick 1.5 carbonation drops in. I take it i'll need to sterilize the knife and chopping board to cut the drops in half?
Click to expand...

I sterilized the bottles first time out but I've never done my chopping board or knife. I did the bottles for the practice first time out.
 
Poppy said:
Ok, so kit hasnt turned up yet, i cant wait to get started!

However i've heard the Mexican cerveza is quite low in terms of ABV. Ill be making it with a packet of the Coopers Brew Enhancer, however i have ordered an additional pack of the BE. If i added 1.5 packets, i assume this would give a pretty good increase in ABV and not destroy the drinkability/flavour.

Any thoughts guys?
Click to expand...

i used 1 kg of brewers sugar and 1/2 kilo of left over brew enhancer. turned out at 5.3% and very very nice.
 
Thanks for the advice guys, this forum is very helpful.

Got some big plastic storage trays with lids from Tesco last night, so I can soak the bottles and also store all the kit in them after. Will hopefully get to bottle it up tonight!
 
Got my Coopers Aus lager bottled up today. I wish i had invested in one of those little red clips to hold the syphon in place as it wouldnt stay down and kept floating up, I ended up using a g-clamp to hold it down.

I had a little taste and I am really impressed so far! I wasn't expecting it to taste nice at this stage. I only put 20L of water in as I heard it could be a little weak and also used some Muntins brew enhancer to add some taste. Also put 2 of them little carbonation drops in each bottle as i read that this is ok for lagers on a brewing forum. Hope the bottles don't explode!
 
Poppy said:
I think i'm just going to dump both packets of the Coopers Brew Enhancer in the mix and see how it goes! :)
Click to expand...

lol, that will probably be nearer 6% if all goes well. headbanger thats for sure.

my dad is kindly putting a new tap on my fermenting bin so i can decant easier. hopefully at weekend in beteen massive house clearance, will start my next 2 brews. woodfordes sundew at kit strength for the barrel and coopers euro lager for me bottles.
 
I've got 180 bottles in secondary conditioning now. Pils is on and that will be another 44. Then I have an IPA to put on then that's it for my brewing until the winter. That hopefully will give me a full years beer.

Mrs is starting to get upset at all the bottles in a spare room :D
 
Well put my Coopers mexican cerveza on last night.

I'll be honest, i cant be bothered to read the whole thread again. I've recorded the OG, when should i start taking more hydrometer readings? in a week? 2 weeks? I understand once its approx the same over a 2 day period its probably ready for bottling?
 
So my first brew ever is well on its way now, day 4 and i've just removed the Krausen collar. Another 10 days or so and its being bottled!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom