homebrewandbeer.com

First post, with a few questions thrown in for good measure!

I've been brewing since last year, although I took a bit of a break (being slack) and went back to commercial Coopers sparkling (This is my favourite beer, and I drink either my home-brewed stuff or the commercial).

Basically, I just follow the recipe, using the can of wort concentrate, a 1.5kg can of light malt extract, 500gm of light dried malt, and 300gm of dextrose. I put a couple of litres of boiling water into this to dissolve all the sugars, and fill with Reverse-Osmosis filtered water to the top (of the fermenter). I then basically "chuck in" the yeast from the packet on the top and let it go...(I'll cop flack for that last one, I know, but I'm a bit lazy...)

Thus far, the batches I've made have turned out OK. (I bottle condition with 1tbsp white sugar per 750ml bottle, and let the bottles condition for at least 3 months before consumption), but having drunk a bit of the commercial stuff recently, I am reminded that my brews are a bit "sweeter" than Cooper's own.

Question is, how can I improve the brewing, with a view to getting something "closer to factory".

Also, is it possible to get a factory-tasting brew, with around 6.5% alcohol? If so, how?

Oh, and BTW... Hi!

i'd say with my limited knowledge that your beers being too sweet need some bitterness. ie hops. try a search on here for on how to hop it up.

biased99 wrote: I bottle condition with 1tbsp white sugar per 750ml bottle

TABLESPOON OR TEASPOON?

Usually tsp == teaspoon, tbl/tbsp == tablespoon.

T.

biased99 wrote:First post, with a few questions thrown in for good measure!

I've been brewing since last year, although I took a bit of a break (being slack) and went back to commercial Coopers sparkling (This is my favourite beer, and I drink either my home-brewed stuff or the commercial).

Basically, I just follow the recipe, using the can of wort concentrate, a 1.5kg can of light malt extract, 500gm of light dried malt, and 300gm of dextrose. I put a couple of litres of boiling water into this to dissolve all the sugars, and fill with Reverse-Osmosis filtered water to the top (of the fermenter). I then basically "chuck in" the yeast from the packet on the top and let it go...(I'll cop flack for that last one, I know, but I'm a bit lazy...)

Thus far, the batches I've made have turned out OK. (I bottle condition with 1tbsp white sugar per 750ml bottle, and let the bottles condition for at least 3 months before consumption), but having drunk a bit of the commercial stuff recently, I am reminded that my brews are a bit "sweeter" than Cooper's own.

Question is, how can I improve the brewing, with a view to getting something "closer to factory".

Also, is it possible to get a factory-tasting brew, with around 6.5% alcohol? If so, how?

Oh, and BTW... Hi!

Lots of hops will get you closer, oh and by the way the tablespoon of sugar may be making it a little sweeter and would also explain the holes in your roof and the extra garbage in outerspace.
Im sure you meant teaspoon, but if not id be wearing a protective suit when you go to open those babys

By "tbsp", I guess I'm referring to the "larger" end of one of those plastic measuring "scoop" things...The way I read it, you use the smaller end (which I always took to represent 1 tea-spoon's worth) for stubbies, and the larger end (which I thought was a table-spoon's equivalent) for 750mL bottles.

FWIW, I've bottled both sizes, using the above measures, and haven't had a burst bottle yet. (Although I did wear the contents of one - and only one - bottle last year when opening it).

Thanks for the replies!

The small end is 1/2 a teaspoon and the large end is 1 teaspoon approx

Back on track to increase the bitterness you can do one of to things:

Reduce the amount of fermentables (this will also decrease the alcohol content) I would start by dropping either the 500g malt or 300g dextrose.

Increase the amount of hops used for bittering.

Hey Biased,

In my opinion, a better way to acheive less sweetness and greater alcohol content would be to use a dry enzime, this allows the yeast to ferment more of your "less" fermentable sugars, and thereby reduces sugar content, raises alcohol.

just add about 2.5 ml to a 23L brew, avaialable at your local Homebrew shop.

Hope this helps.

General wrote:Hey Biased,

In my opinion, a better way to acheive less sweetness and greater alcohol content would be to use a dry enzime, this allows the yeast to ferment more of your "less" fermentable sugars, and thereby reduces sugar content, raises alcohol.

just add about 2.5 ml to a 23L brew, avaialable at your local Homebrew shop.

Hope this helps.

Thanks for that (and the other replies).

Been away for a month or so, basically putting down some brews and attempting to get a bit more "scientific" about the process (well, at least as much as one can - "from a can" - if you know what I mean! )

If I were to use a dry enzyme, at what point should I add it; when first putting the batch down (ie. when pitching the yeast), or can it be added later, say when initial fermentation has finished, and I am looking at decanting into a 2nd fermenter...
*shrugs*
Still a bit new to the whole home brew thing, but I'm having fun learning.

General wrote:Hey Biased,

In my opinion, a better way to acheive less sweetness and greater alcohol content would be to use a dry enzime, this allows the yeast to ferment more of your "less" fermentable sugars, and thereby reduces sugar content, raises alcohol.

just add about 2.5 ml to a 23L brew, avaialable at your local Homebrew shop.

Hope this helps.

Thanks for that (and the other replies).

Been away for a month or so, basically putting down some brews and attempting to get a bit more "scientific" about the process (well, at least as much as one can - "from a can" - if you know what I mean! )

If I were to use a dry enzyme, at what point should I add it; when first putting the batch down (ie. when pitching the yeast), or can it be added later, say when initial fermentation has finished, and I am looking at decanting into a 2nd fermenter...
*shrugs*
Still a bit new to the whole home brew thing, but I'm having fun learning.

i am a bit of a newbie as well, and reading most comments on better brews comes down to correct and sustained temps, good yeast, filtered water.

plus I believe cooling the wort as quickly as possible before adding to fermenter adds better qualities to the beer.

I am going to try a TCB wet-pack next, maybe give these type brews ago with better yeast and it may get a better result.