The Worst Kit

The Carbonator · Saturday May 06, 2006 10:36 am

I HATE Cooper's Pale Ale!!!!!!!!

I decided to pick one kit, and brew it until I had the perfect beer.
I picked Pale Ale, because its cheap, and available around the corner, and I'd only heard good things.

I have done it 5 times, tweaking it gently, trying to perfect it.

First was to instructions, second added hops, then changed yeast, then did it in a boil, then added grain....

The only one I want to drink is the belgian yeast batch - because its unrecognisable as a Coopers PA.

I have now decided that I HATE it!
Best way I can describe the taste is just plain bad.
I love Coppers Kits, but this thing sucks.

phew. I feel a lot better now.
Thanks for listening guys, and please, feel free to post your most hated brews.

Cheers,
Carbs

Paleman · Post by **Paleman** » Saturday May 06, 2006 2:13 pm

Im tending to agree with ya Carb !!

Ive done a few, and only made one good one. It was brewed with a Grumpys Boston Cream and safale yeast. It was very good. But anythings good with a Boston.

All the others ive done as standard, with Brew Enhancers, and the Pale Ale yeast, have been rubbish.

Definately not Coopers best kit can. And actually tastes nothing like the commercial Coopers Pale Ale.

gregb · Post by **gregb** » Saturday May 06, 2006 7:15 pm

Looked back in records. Tried the kit five times. Only one that was memberable included crystal grain and cascade aroma hops. Hadn't thought about it until now, but, yeah, not a great kit. I don't hate it though.

Cheers,
Greg

General · Post by **General** » Saturday May 06, 2006 10:27 pm

I have tried this, and it turned me off ales as a whole style. Only brew lagers now.

NickMoore · Post by **NickMoore** » Saturday May 06, 2006 11:58 pm

taste is a funny thing.

I've done the pale ale twice; first was a two-can with the supplied yeast and it was fine.

second, which is only about 3 weeks in the bottle, is great. Added 500g light dry malt, 250g corn, 250g dex, golding tea bag and recultured coopers PA yeast that had already done a real ale. Fermented at circa 20deg.

a little darker then the commercial maybe. but delicious.

The Carbonator · Post by **The Carbonator** » Sunday May 07, 2006 12:34 pm

General wrote:I have tried this, and it turned me off ales as a whole style. Only brew lagers now.

Im sorry to hear that General. I understand.

Lagers are good, and PAs are good too. Just not Coopers.

Ok, now reading back my post, hate is a strong word. I suppose I dont "hate" the Coopers Pale Ale beers I have in the garage - It is beer afterall.

Im just pissed off that I spent too much time brewing it, thinking that I must be doing something wrong. And after months in the bottle, the first few batchs seem to be getting worse in flavour. Now I have decided that it is just a crappy tasting beer (to me, anyway).
I can honestly say that it is the worst kit i've used ( and ive used Coopers Mexican Cerveza! ).

The worse part is, I still have a PA kit in the garage, laughing at me.

Oh well, I guess i'll just have to whip out the good ol' WLP550.
Whos laughing now PA???

stevem · Post by **stevem** » Sunday May 07, 2006 4:42 pm

Mmmmm...
I have made quite a few variations of Coopers Pale Ale. I have always been more than happy with the result.

Thinking.....
If what I thought was OK actually sucks.....
What am I missing out on!!!!
Think of all the great (even better) beers that I can still make...

I must add, I have recently tried a few partial mash brews and on tasting have thought, "Wow!!! I made that???"

What a great hobby....

Cheers
Steve

General · Post by **General** » Sunday May 07, 2006 6:46 pm

Carbs,

It's alright, I did a Coopers Real Ale, and a Cascade Imperial Pale Ale, as well, also I may be wrong but are the Coopers Bitter, and Coopers Draught both "Ales"?

If so I've done them both also, and they all helped persuade me that Lager is my drink of choice.

In truth, until I get my temperature control up and happening, even my Lagers may be slightly Ale. I use Lager yeast, but brew at Ale temps. But now that winter's coming on, maybe they'll turn out better.

pharmaboy · Post by **pharmaboy** » Monday May 08, 2006 8:25 am

General wrote:Carbs,

It's alright, I did a Coopers Real Ale, and a Cascade Imperial Pale Ale, as well, also I may be wrong but are the Coopers Bitter, and Coopers Draught both "Ales"?

If so I've done them both also, and they all helped persuade me that Lager is my drink of choice.

In truth, until I get my temperature control up and happening, even my Lagers may be slightly Ale. I use Lager yeast, but brew at Ale temps. But now that winter's coming on, maybe they'll turn out better.

if you cant control temp below 15, dont use lager yeasts, and if you like 'lagers', go buy some us-56 yeast - its very clean and can be brewed21 and below and is very lagerlike. The difference bewteen the kits should be ale malt base versus pilsener malt base - but i wouldnt bet on that! For most home brewers there's probably more difference in the brew to brew variation than between a draught and lager can (temp, fermenter shape, yeast, pitching ratetime in primary)

Tipsy · Post by **Tipsy** » Monday May 08, 2006 8:53 pm

I've made 5 PA's. 1 I added golden syrup

, 2 I over hopped

, 1 I made with malt and dex

, 1 I made with malt and dex and crystal

scblack · Post by **scblack** » Tuesday May 09, 2006 9:27 am

Carbonator, Coopers Pale Ale is pretty much my staple, I would say.

This is my staple recipe:
Coopers Pale Ale
Brewiser Liquid Brewing Sugar 1kg
Dextrose 500gm
(possibly Saaz hops, but not always).

I like it, comes down to personal taste I guess, but the liquid brew sugar really does improve it, I must say.

Aussie Claret · Post by **Aussie Claret** » Tuesday May 09, 2006 3:47 pm

I agree with you scblack,
I've made the pale ale 3 times and all have been pretty good, for a KK.
First was with yeast farmed from an original Coopers Pale ale, 12g tettenager hops & BE2. Very nice.
2nd was 500g dex, 500g LDME and Fuggles hops, kit yeast was ok not not as good as the first.
3rd with Safale S04, and mashed grains, can't remember what until I get home and a few hops again can't remember, and it's CC'ing kegged and tasted pretty good.

Using the Coopers yeast starter did make the biggest difference IMHO, and I've been happy with all the results.

Now for the worst any CASCADE kit, simply terrible, Wan kky ghost shit.

AC

The Carbonator · Post by **The Carbonator** » Thursday May 11, 2006 1:01 pm

yeah, ive heard cascade is bad.

So ive never tried it.

ACTbrewer · Post by **ACTbrewer** » Thursday May 11, 2006 1:35 pm

I didn't like the Cascade range, the Morgans Wheat beer, or the Malt Shove line.

Wassa · Post by **Wassa** » Thursday May 11, 2006 1:42 pm

Funnily enough I have made the Cascade Golden Harvest Lager and the Mahogany porter and think that they are both excellent beers when you "spice" them up a bit with malt, honey and hops.

Wassa · Post by **Wassa** » Thursday May 11, 2006 1:43 pm

The worst kit I have made would have to be homebrand lager and Coopers Real Ale

two headed brewer · Thursday May 11, 2006 8:11 pm

I relate this topic to what I have brewed at distinct stages of my brewing experience.
1st couple of goes (no internet then) - all crap (cane sugar - doh!)
Started again about 4 years ago with K&K - pretty chuffed with most brews.
Found this site and a few others - a few partials,boils and full extracts later- realised that beers when I restarted were quite ordinary, but at the time....

For my part, it seems that the little knowledge i've picked up on malt and hop varieties and beer styles has helped me make better brews.

Perhaps not a bad kit, just haven't worked out the best way to use it. Perhaps the maker hasn't either!
Cheers
Bally

scblack · Post by **scblack** » Thursday May 11, 2006 9:03 pm

The Carbonator wrote:yeah, ive heard cascade is bad.

So ive never tried it.

Ditto.

MattyV · Post by **MattyV** » Thursday May 11, 2006 11:39 pm

I'm with Wassa. I've only tried the Choc Mahogany Porter, but found it to be sensational. To be honest though, I didn't just make it up with a Kg of dex and the tin - I used 1.5Kg malt extract instead, as well as Choc grain and a Safale yeast. I had heard the same thing before I brewed mine - that "Cascade is bad", but thought, "what the hell? I might like it" I can't speak for the other Cascade kits, but I'll definitley make the CMP again.

Wassa · Post by **Wassa** » Friday May 12, 2006 4:52 pm

Go and have a look at my recipe for a honsy porter. This is based on the Cascade Mahogany Porter and it is ABSOLUTELY SENSATIONAL!!!!

That is not just my opinion but from some very seasoned dark ale drinkers.

i have also made the Golden hHarvest Lager with malt and hops and also dark malt and honey (both with hallertau finishing hops) and they were damned good as well.