What have you brewed this year?

[beerman]

Hi all

I have only been brewing for about 5 months now and so far I have made:

Cooper's "Lager" (technically an ale) that came with starter kit
Cooper's Pale Ale
Cooper's Bavarian Lager
Cooper's Mexican Cerveza
Cooper's Pilsener with 12g Saaz finishing hops
Lowenbrau clone

I have an apple cider in the fermenter at the moment.

By the way, thanks for this site and all the tips from fellow brewers. I have picked up a lot of useful hints

What has been your favourite?

I would have to say the pilsener has been my favourite so far (but i am yet to taste the lowenbrau clone). It was the first time I added hops and it was delicious after only 1 month in the bottle Hopefully it keeps improving with age. The pale ale and bavarian lager were also quite good. The only one i've been disappointed with so far was the mexican cerveza. 3 months in the bottle and it still has a "banana" taste to it

[damonpeyo]

Only just started brewing 2.5 months ago, so far I have brewed, mostly with added mix of speciality sugars/extracts/hops/malts/brought yeasts, etc:

Coopers's International series - Pale Ale
Coopers's Stout
Thomas Coopers Irish Stout
Thomas Coopers Sparkling Ale
Thomas Coopers Draught - Lager Yeast
Cooper's Real Ale
Cascade Draught - Brewcraft's kit yeast
Brewcraft's Belgian Ale - with unhopped sprayed malt
Brewcraft's Belgian Ale - with honey, licorice extract, safwheat yeast

My favourite would be the Thomas Cooper's Sparkling Ale, I am going to attempt this again shortly with Cooper's Red label's starter yeast, instead of using safale s04. The stocks is sadly getting low.

My least favourite would be Cooper's Pale Ale, too fruity "aftertaste" for my taste.

I know I said something eariler about being unimpressed with Cascade Draught, but I tasted a stubby of it last night, it somehow improved a bit better than I tasted it two weeks ago. Maybe it will turn out alright soon.

My next attempt would be trying Lethaldog's receipe which used starter yeast from bottle of Chimay. Then depending how my current draught going and will experiment more lagers/pillys.

[chris.]

e
2x ESB IPA fresh worts

This was my first ESB fresh wort and I was very underwhelmed. It tastes a bit watery and bland for my palete, how did you find it Chris?

Bland may be a good word for it ACT. I found it to be not the best example of the style & it that it could do with a lot more hop flavour & aroma. Which is something I find common with all of the ESB fresh wort kit's that I've tried. They're great kits IMO but some really need a kick along in the hop department. The 2nd IPA I put down I added around 20g of Styrian Goldings & about 500g of DME & it tasted out a lot better IMO.

[ShizzleAlcohizzle]

I started brewing in Mid September again, this is what I got so far :

Tooheys Draught ( came with kit )
Coopers Dark Ale
Coopers Canadian Blonde
Homebrand Lager ( Kit+can tastes great )
Morgans Pilsner
Morgans Draught
Brewcraft Belgian Ale ( Fermenter #1 )
Homebrand Draught 3 Kg Rocket Fuel ( Fermenter #2 )
Coopers Mexican Cerveza ( Fermenter #3 )

[Trizza]

Started in June when i got my Coopers Kit

No.1: Coopers Lager
No.2: Coopers Real Ale
No.3: Coopers Australian Pale Ale
No.4: Coopers Ginger Beer
No.5: Coopers Bavarian Lager
No.6: Black Rock Cider
No.7: Coopers Sparkling Ale
No.8: Coopers Stout
No.9: Coopers Draught
No.10 Cascade Spicy Ghost Draught
No.11: Coopers Pilsener

I'd be up to brew 14 if I didn't have construction work at residence.
Favourite is coopers pilsener by far, showing what a difference a brew with just malt and hops can achieve. At only 2 weeks, it's better than all the rest.
Least favourite was stout which tastes like someone used it as an ash tray.

[Biggles]

I put my first brew down on 9th Sept and thought I was going great, my wife thinks Ive gone mad.

1. Morgans Aust Lager (came with kit) (awful every time Ive tried it so far.)
2. Coopers Mexican Cervesa (not too bad last night but needs improving)
3. Morgans Ginger Beer (drinkable but horrid artifical sweet taste)
4. Malt Shovel Pale Ale (not tried yet)
5. TCB WETPACK APA (the best smells and flavours of anything Ive done so far, not yet drinking)
6. Coopers Pale Ale (not yet drinking)
7. Coopers Draught with my mods (just bottled today)
8. TCB WETPACK Euro Pilsner, in the brewing fridge now.

In the pipeline are another TCB APA, a TCB Summer Wheat and a Coopers lager for pisshead mates.

Might put the TCB Wheat down tonight seeing as I have a free fermenter.

[Eureka]

Started brewing early August 2006 and have produced about 10 brews. The last few have been more experimental after I started reading home brewing tips on the web. The latest are:

10. Toohey's Real Ale + Brewcraft Conversion Kit. Getting bottled tonight.
9. Toohey's Dark Ale + Coopers LAME - Bottled last week and looks and smells sensational.
8. Back Rock Pilsner + Brewcraft Czech Pilsner Conversion kit - haven't tried yet.
7. Coopers Canadian Blonde I.S. + Brewcraft Conversion Kit + Light Dry Malt + Honey - 3 weeks young but tried one last night. Formed a beautiful head, which hung to the glass to the end. Light and creamy.
6. Malt Shovel Tow-Row Lager - not as good as I thought.

Have just put down a Perkins + Back Rock LAME.

[mark68]

I,ve done 57 brews this year to date,and have drank 47 of them.I averaage around 7 stubbies per day,without getting pissed.I still have the occasional session,where i go through 15 or 16 beers.I have worked out that i have brewed roughly 1375 litres of beer since december 2 last year,which is 4.2 litres a day.

[rwh]

Holy crap! Doesn't that damage your health?

[mark68]

I know it sounds like a lot of beer,but i've had blood tests done recently and my livers still functionong perfectly,plus i,ve only gained 4 kilos in weight in 2 years.

[damonpeyo]

I,ve done 57 brews this year to date,and have drank 47 of them.I averaage around 7 stubbies per day,without getting pissed.I still have the occasional session,where i go through 15 or 16 beers.I have worked out that i have brewed roughly 1375 litres of beer since december 2 last year,which is 4.2 litres a day.

Since I have started brewing, I am average polishing off 3-5 tallies a night, roughly once or twice a week go through over 8 tallies in one sitting with workmates.

Don't you just love listening them telling tales of bad brews that their "mates" or "uncle" made, while you are watching them drinking your brew and loving it?

[damonpeyo]

No.11: Coopers Pilsener

I'd be up to brew 14 if I didn't have construction work at residence.
Favourite is coopers pilsener by far, showing what a difference a brew with just malt and hops can achieve. At only 2 weeks, it's better than all the rest.

How did you make it up?

I just used Thomas Coopers Pilsener + 1.5kg Coopers Light Malt Extract, topped up to 20.5 Litres. Bottled it last week after 2 weeks in fermation in temps of average 12-15C degrees.

Now they are lagering in my fridge, the whole lot in temps of 0-5C.

Didn't add any hops or anything, just wanted to taste it simple as out of tin, before I work my way up, working on light refreshing beers for the ladies, and a nice thirst quencher after working over 8-10 hours a day in sweating hot kitchen.

[BenH]

Thus far since July this year:

1. Coopers Lager kit that came with the kit (OK, nice enough, no head and not real fizzy but drinkable)

2. Coopers Mex Cerveza w/BE2 and S-23( even at 2 months was still a little light for my palate, I think thats just a taste preference thing though as everyone else that tried it said it was alright)

3. Coopers Bavarian with Brewcraft #60 blend + 15gHersbrucker (bloody brilliant. At the three month mark its a "make again" job)

4. Brewcraft Munich Lager + Brewcraft #62 blend with kit yeast and S-23 (going great guns now at near 2mths, very fizzy tho and should be even better at 3mths, tonnes of head)

5. Morgans Golden Saaz Pilsner + 1kg Wheat/Malt mix + 12g Saaz teabag + Saf w34/70 (haven't tasted yet, missus had to bottle this one so might be a bit light on fizz owing to her not screwing caps on terribly tight)

6. Morgans Blue Mtns Lager + Cellar plus Malt Mix + 12g Cascade teabag + Saf s23 (still fermenting. Will be high on alc content with SG of 1052 at the start...hehehehehe)

I know....I know.....slow brewer if thats all I've done since July But it keeps me and the mates in beer stocks and that's my aim

[Ash]

1. Brewcraft Premium Kilkenny kit
2. "Sock remover" 2 cans of Coopers Bitter + 1kg LDME in 24l
3. Tooheys Lager + 500gm LDME 200gm Dex
4. Coopers "Irish Bitter" kilkenny clone - with slightly less fermentables

adding to this...

5. CPA clone

Correction...
6. Muntons 3kg english bitter

[Trizza]

No.11: Coopers Pilsener

I'd be up to brew 14 if I didn't have construction work at residence.
Favourite is coopers pilsener by far, showing what a difference a brew with just malt and hops can achieve. At only 2 weeks, it's better than all the rest.

How did you make it up?

I just used Thomas Coopers Pilsener + 1.5kg Coopers Light Malt Extract, topped up to 20.5 Litres. Bottled it last week after 2 weeks in fermation in temps of average 12-15C degrees.

Now they are lagering in my fridge, the whole lot in temps of 0-5C.

Didn't add any hops or anything, just wanted to taste it simple as out of tin, before I work my way up, working on light refreshing beers for the ladies, and a nice thirst quencher after working over 8-10 hours a day in sweating hot kitchen.

This was my first brew using hops, all i did was add some liquid malt to boiling water, then add 20g saaz at 20 mins and 20g at 5 mins.
Added the kit and rest of Liquid Malt and filled it to 23L.

I couldn't rack the brew so i had to wait 15 days until I was sure that primary had finished. During this time it was usually around 14 degrees, but there was one hot day toward the end that might have messed it up.
I didn't cold condition - Don't really have enough fridge space to do so.
It came up to 6% alcohol (my averege), so well balanced.

Incredible taste, so smooth. Very much like Stella

[mark68]

I always use 1.5 kg of liquid malt,300 gms of dextrose and 250 grams of wheat malt.This combo always gives me a good brew.I usually use saflager s23,but now it it warmer ,am using us 56 safale.

[Longrasser]

Har har...all good work fellas

Im back into brewing after a lapse of about 13 years

Made some kickass brews back then

After one particular session me neighbour lost the power of speech signaled that he was going home and fell arse over kite over the fence

Har har his missus was out lookin for him with a torch at 3 am

[gregb]

2006 is summed up as follows:

Strong Ale based on Coopers Draught kit
Coopers IPA
AG Wheat x 3
Imperial Stout based on 3 Coopers kits
Coopers Aus PA
Brewcraft Belgian Ale
ESB Fresh Wort American PA
Coopers Trad Draught
Coopers Bav Lager
Muntons Yorkshire Bitter
Wals Pilsner
Extract/Spec Pilsner
Extract/Spec American PA x 2
Extract/Mini Mash Barleywine
Extract/Spec Mild Ale
Wet Pack Oak Ale
Wet Pack Southern Lager

Cheers,
Greg

[Cortez The Killer]

8. Coopers Real Ale
9. Coopers India Pale Ale (IPA)
10. Coopers Canadian Blonde # 2
11. Morgans Blue Mountain Lager
12. Brewcraft Newcastle Brown Ale
13. Coopers Stout / Coopers Dark Ale
14. E.S.B. Czech Pilsner
15. BMBS Old
16. Hobgoblin at Hanging Rock - Coopers Draught
17. Coopers Real Ale + Pale Ale
18. Morgans Golden Sheaf Wheat
19. Coopers Ginger
20. Coopers Mexican Cerveza
21. Malt Shovel - Pale Ale (2 Can)

Full notes here http://www.hyperfox.info/beer01.htm#08

I've almost finished building all my AG gear - should start early in the new year

Cheers

[chris.]

Grumpys London Pride Clone
2x APA's
Brewferm Belgian Triple
2x Pale Ale's
2x Ordinary Bitter's
2x Mild's
Jamil's Choc Hazelnut Porter
Jamil's APA
Alt
Steam
Blonde Ale
2x ESB IPA fresh worts
2x ESB Pilsner fresh worts
ESB Amber Ale fresh wort
ESB Aust Pale Ale fresh wort
American Amber
Timothy taylor clone
All Nelson Sauvin IPA
Pliny the Elder clone
& yesterday I put down a Glacier Summer Ale.

& I'll add to that -
AG APA
Another ESB Pilsner wort kit
AG Nelson Sauvin Pale ale
AG Saaz B Pale
AG Saphir Pilsener
2x AG Bitters
American Amber
AG koelsch style ale
& an AG Rye pale ale

Not a bad year